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Mr. Mojo · 05-14-2003, 08:02 AM

1944 George Lucas born

Filmmaker George Lucas was born on this day in 1944 in Modesto, California. Lucas' father ran a stationery shop and grew walnuts. In his youth, Lucas hoped to become a racecar driver, but two days before his high school graduation, a near-fatal racing accident changed his direction. He spent two years at junior college in Modesto, then attended the University of Southern California, where he studied film and made a movie called THX-1138: 4EB, which won the National Student Film Festival in 1965.

Lucas' brilliant showing in film school won him the opportunity to observe production of Finian's Rainbow, directed by Francis Ford Coppola. He became the director's protégé and with his support made an expanded version of THX-1138, released in 1970, and American Graffiti (1973). Although Lucas made the latter for only $700,000, including his own $20,000 salary, it became an enormous success and later earned more than $55 million in rentals alone.

In 1969, Lucas married film editor Marcia Griffin, who later won an Oscar for her editing work on Star Wars. The couple adopted a daughter but divorced in 1983. Lucas later adopted two more children.

Lucas spent three years developing Star Wars, which he wrote and directed. Although a simple good vs. evil story, the movie, released in 1977, boasted groundbreaking special effects and became one of the most successful movies of all time. Lucas did not direct another movie until 1999's Star Wars: The Phantom Menace. Instead, he turned his attention instead to producing, although he consulted on the story and screenwriting of Star Wars sequels: The Empire Strikes Back (1980) and Return of the Jedi (1983). Lucas was the first director to hold out for ancillary rights like merchandizing and soundtrack rights, a move that proved extremely lucrative. In the 20 years following the release of Star Wars, Lucas sold more than $3 billion in licensed merchandise based on the movies. In the 1980s, he produced the Indiana Jones series, directed by Steven Spielberg, and explored other less successful projects, including two projects with Jim Henson: Labyrinth (1986) and Willow (1988).

With the fortune he earned from his successful ventures, Lucas built a 2,500-acre ranch in Northern California, dubbed Skywalker Ranch, where many of his employees work in a mock Victorian building. His businesses include production company Lucasfilm, software company LucasArts Entertainment, and special effects shop Industrial Light and Magic, which created the groundbreaking effects for movies like Terminator 2 and Jurassic Park. In 1994, Lucas began working on the story for a second Star Wars trilogy; the first of these, Star Wars: The Phantom Menace, was released in 1999.

05-14-2003, 08:02 AM	#1 (permalink)
Mr. Mojo Addict Location: NYC	Happy Birthday Mr. Lucas 1944 George Lucas born Filmmaker George Lucas was born on this day in 1944 in Modesto, California. Lucas' father ran a stationery shop and grew walnuts. In his youth, Lucas hoped to become a racecar driver, but two days before his high school graduation, a near-fatal racing accident changed his direction. He spent two years at junior college in Modesto, then attended the University of Southern California, where he studied film and made a movie called THX-1138: 4EB, which won the National Student Film Festival in 1965. Lucas' brilliant showing in film school won him the opportunity to observe production of Finian's Rainbow, directed by Francis Ford Coppola. He became the director's protégé and with his support made an expanded version of THX-1138, released in 1970, and American Graffiti (1973). Although Lucas made the latter for only $700,000, including his own $20,000 salary, it became an enormous success and later earned more than $55 million in rentals alone. In 1969, Lucas married film editor Marcia Griffin, who later won an Oscar for her editing work on Star Wars. The couple adopted a daughter but divorced in 1983. Lucas later adopted two more children. Lucas spent three years developing Star Wars, which he wrote and directed. Although a simple good vs. evil story, the movie, released in 1977, boasted groundbreaking special effects and became one of the most successful movies of all time. Lucas did not direct another movie until 1999's Star Wars: The Phantom Menace. Instead, he turned his attention instead to producing, although he consulted on the story and screenwriting of Star Wars sequels: The Empire Strikes Back (1980) and Return of the Jedi (1983). Lucas was the first director to hold out for ancillary rights like merchandizing and soundtrack rights, a move that proved extremely lucrative. In the 20 years following the release of Star Wars, Lucas sold more than $3 billion in licensed merchandise based on the movies. In the 1980s, he produced the Indiana Jones series, directed by Steven Spielberg, and explored other less successful projects, including two projects with Jim Henson: Labyrinth (1986) and Willow (1988). With the fortune he earned from his successful ventures, Lucas built a 2,500-acre ranch in Northern California, dubbed Skywalker Ranch, where many of his employees work in a mock Victorian building. His businesses include production company Lucasfilm, software company LucasArts Entertainment, and special effects shop Industrial Light and Magic, which created the groundbreaking effects for movies like Terminator 2 and Jurassic Park. In 1994, Lucas began working on the story for a second Star Wars trilogy; the first of these, Star Wars: The Phantom Menace, was released in 1999. __________________ When I jerk off I feel good for about twenty seconds and then WHAM it's right back into suicidal depression