Star Wars

Star Wars is the title of both the 1977 science fiction film and the entire epic six-film saga created by George Lucas. Apart from the first entry, later retitled Episode IV: A New Hope, the films in the cycle are The Empire Strikes Back (1980) Return of the Jedi (1983), The Phantom Menace (1999), Attack of the Clones (2002), and Revenge of the Sith (2005). The franchise also encompasses audio dramatizations, animated series (Ewoks and Droids in 1985 and The Clone Wars in 2003), video games, comics, and other spin-offs. There are many connections between Star Wars and the Muppets, perhaps most notably the presence of Frank Oz's character Yoda, who has often been misidentified as a Muppet.

In an interview with Leonard Maltin, George Lucas discussed the process: "I went to Jim [Henson] and said, 'Do you want to do this?' And he said, 'Well, I'm busy, I'm doing this, and doing that, I'm making a movie and all that -- I really can't, but... how about Frank? You know, Frank's the other half of me.' And I said, 'Well, that'd be fantastic.'"

Oz went on to play Yoda in the four subsequent Star Wars films. The Yoda puppet was built by many veteran Henson designers who would go on to form the basis of Jim Henson's Creature Shop. In 1986, Lucas served as an executive producer on Henson's Labyrinth.

In 1999, an interviewer made the comment to Frank Oz, "There seemed to be a kind of natural synergy between Star Wars and the Muppets almost immediately," to which he replied in detail:

"I think that's true. Certainly, they both had the vitality and purity and joy and dreaming, and there's certainly geniuses behind both of them. George and Jim worked together on Labyrinth, and I think that which got them together was that synergy. There was an awareness and an appreciation. They are both very unique individuals, and I think they both wanted to work with each other, because they were very similar - very smart, very quiet, very strong people."

Star Wars Guests

 * In 1979, C-3PO (Anthony Daniels) and R2-D2 appeared in two episodes of Sesame Street, Episode 1364 and Episode 1396.


 * In 1980, the stars of Star Wars guest-starred on episode 417, including Luke Skywalker, Mark Hamill (Luke's cousin), C-3PO, R2-D2, and Chewbacca (Peter Mayhew). The show also featured Star Wars parody elements, including Gonzo as Dearth Nadir.


 * In 1990, C-3PO and R2-D2 (in their Star Tours incarnations) hooked up a transmission for Tony Danza to interview Miss Piggy on Disneyland's 35th Anniversary Celebration.

Muppet Mentions

 * In the comic book Star Wars Tales issue #14, "The Emperor's Court" examines the "Who shot first?" phenomenon between Han Solo and the alien Greedo created by George Lucas's later changes to his 1977 film. Emperor Palatine presides over a jury including (among others) Super Grover and Kermit the Frog.
 * A behind-the-scenes mention is also relevant to the discussion of creating a romantically realistic fight choreography sequence in the documentary From Puppets to Pixels. See Yoda for more.

Connections
In addition to Frank Oz and the aforementioned guests, many puppeteers, designers, and actors have worked in the Star Wars franchise as well as in Muppet/Henson productions.
 * Ed Asner played Jabba the Hutt in the NPR radio dramatization of The Return of the Jedi (1996)
 * Donald Austen assisted on Yoda in The Phantom Menace (1998)
 * Kenny Baker played R2-D2 in all six films
 * David Alan Barclay assisted in the building and performance of Yoda in The Empire Strikes Back (1980) and puppeteered Jabba the Hutt (mouth and arm) in Return of the Jedi (1983)
 * Chris Barton worked as a designer on The Phantom Menace (1998) and Attack of the Clones (2002)
 * Bob Bergen voiced Luke Skywalker in several LucasArts video games
 * Ailsa Berk played Amanaman in Return of the Jedi (1983)
 * Danny Blackner played an Ewok in Return of the Jedi (1983)
 * Paul Brooke played the Rancor keeper in Return of the Jedi (1983)
 * Art Carney played Saun Dann in The Star Wars Holiday Special (1978)
 * Alyson Court played Malani and Baby Nippett in the animated series Ewoks (1985)
 * Warwick Davis played Wicket Warrick in Return of the Jedi (1983) and Wald and Weasel in The Phantom Menace (1998)
 * Malcolm Dixon played an Ewok Warrior in Return of the Jedi (1983)
 * Lindsay Duncan played the voice of TC-14 in The Phantom Menace (1998)
 * Mike Edmonds played Logray and puppeteered Jabba the Hutt's tail in Return of the Jedi (1983)
 * Peter Friedman played Dak in the radio version of The Empire Strikes Back (1983)
 * Myra Fried played Hoona in Ewoks (1985).
 * Stuart Freeborn served as make-up/creature supervisor on the original trilogy, and designed Yoda, Chewbacca, Jabba the Hutt, and others.
 * Wendy Froud sculpted Yoda for The Empire Strikes Back (1980)
 * David Greenaway assisted on Yoda in Phantom Menace (1999)
 * David Alan Grier played various roles in the NPR radio versions of Star Wars (1981) and The Empire Strikes Back (1983)
 * William Hootkins played Jek Porkins in A New Hope (1977)
 * Russell Horton played 2-1B in the NPR radio version of The Empire Strikes Back (1983)
 * Samuel L. Jackson played Mace Windu in The Phantom Menace (1999), Attack of the Clones (2002), and Revenge of the Sith (2005)
 * James Earl Jones played Darth Vader in the first three films and in Revenge of the Sith (2005)
 * Harvey Korman played Krelman, Chef Gormaanda, and Amorphian instructor in The Star Wars Holiday Special (1978)
 * John Lithgow played Yoda in the NPR audio dramas of Return of the Jedi (1983) and The Empire Strikes Back (1996)
 * Christopher Malcolm played Zev (Rogue 2) in The Empire Strikes Back (1980)
 * Sam McMurray played various roles in the NPR radio drama of The Empire Strikes Back (1983)
 * Kathryn Mullen assisted with Yoda in The Empire Strikes Back (1980)
 * Liam Neeson played Qui-Gon Jinn in The Phantom Menace (1998)
 * Rena Owen played Taun We in Attack of the Clones (2002) and Nee Alavar in Revenge of the Sith (2005)
 * Eric Peterson played Teebo in Ewoks (1985) and Old Ogger in Droids (1985)
 * Toby Philpott puppeteered Jabba the Hutt's head, body, and tongue in Return of the Jedi (1983)
 * Natalie Portman played Padmé Amidala from The Phantom Menace through Revenge of the Sith (2005)
 * Jack Purvis played a Jawa in A New Hope (1977), Chief Ugnaught in The Empire Strikes Back (1980), and Teebo in Return of the Jedi (1983)
 * Wayne Pygram played Governor Tarkin in Revenge of the Sith (2005)
 * Mike Quinn puppeteered Nien Nunb and others in Return of the Jedi (1983) and animated on Attack of the Clones (2002)
 * Tim Rose played Admiral Ackbar, Salacious Crumb and others in Return of the Jedi (1983)
 * Kiran Shah performed an Ewok in Return of the Jedi (1983)
 * Katherine Smee assisted on Yoda in The Phantom Menace (1999)
 * John Stocker played Widdle and others in Ewoks and various villains in Droids (both 1985)
 * Cree Summer played Princess Kneesaa in Ewoks (1985) and Luminara Unduli in the animated series Star Wars: Clone Wars (2004)
 * Genndy Tartakovsky directed Star Wars: Clone Wars (2004)