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. The other 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 Star Wars franchise also encompasses audio dramatizations, animated series, 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 Star Wars character Yoda, who has often been misidentified as a Muppet.

In 2012, The Walt Disney Company bought Lucasfilm from Lucas, including the rights to the Star Wars characters and franchise.

In an interview with Leonard Maltin, George Lucas discussed the creation of Yoda: "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 performed Yoda in The Empire Strikes Back, Return of the Jedi, and The Phantom Menace. Starting with Attack of the Clones, the Yoda character was realized using computer animation. Oz voiced him in Attack of the Clones, Revenge of the Sith, and in the Star Tours: The Adventures Continue ride. 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."

Guests

 * In 1980, C-3PO (Anthony Daniels) and R2-D2 appeared in two episodes of Sesame Street, episode 1364 and episode 1396, as well as a few other inserts.


 * Also in 1980, the stars of Star Wars guest-starred on episode 417 of The Muppet Show, 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.


 * In 2009, Oscar the Grouch appeared alongside Darth Vader in a brief cameo in Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian.

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 Palpatine presides over a jury including (among others) Super Grover and Kermit the Frog.
 * The comic book Agent of the Empire: Iron Eclipse issue #1, features a Muppet Labs homage in the form of an Imperial scientist named Royd Pew and his assistant Bleeker, who make a failed demonstration of a set of wingpacks.
 * 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.
 * In the 2009 Star Wars reference book The Essential Atlas, Planet Koozebane is identified as a "real" planet in the Star Wars galaxy. Koozebane had previously been mentioned in passing in 1996 and 2001 issues of the Star Wars Insider magazine.
 * The 2010 book Star Wars Art: Visions includes a commissioned piece of art by Peter de Sève called "Easy being green, it is not." The piece depicts Kermit fishing in a swamp, sitting next to Yoda.
 * The 90-minute feature Star Wars Spoofs released on the 2011 Star Wars Blu-ray collection includes a clip from The Muppet Show episode 417 with Mark Hamill and the crew of the Swinetrek (from Piggy's appearance as Princess Leia to Gonzo's introduction as Dearth Nadir). A clip from Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian featuring Oscar the Grouch's complete cameo alongside Darth Vader is also featured.

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 (1999)
 * 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 (1999) 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)
 * David Bowers played Mas Amedda in Attack of the Clones (2002) and Revenge of the Sith (2005)
 * Paul Brooke played the Rancor keeper in Return of the Jedi (1983)
 * Julianne Buescher voiced Rianna in Star Wars: Lethal Alliance and Aaron Azzameen in Star Wars: X-Wing Alliance games
 * Art Carney played Saun Dann in The Star Wars Holiday Special (1978)
 * Diahann Carroll played Mermeia Holographic Wow in The Star Wars Holiday Special (1978)
 * Alyson Court played Malani and Baby Nippet in the animated series Ewoks (1985)
 * Oliver Ford Davies played Governor Sio Bibble in The Phantom Menace (1999), Attack of the Clones (2002), and Revenge of the Sith (2005)
 * Warwick Davis played Wicket Warrick in Return of the Jedi (1983) and Wald and Weasel in The Phantom Menace (1999) (also performed in scenes where Yoda was walking.)
 * Malcolm Dixon played an Ewok Warrior in Return of the Jedi (1983)
 * Lindsay Duncan played the voice of TC-14 in The Phantom Menace (1999)
 * 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)
 * Michael Giacchino scored the pre-show and queue music for the Star Tours: The Adventures Continue ride
 * Michael Gilden played an Ewok in Return of the Jedi'' (1983)
 * 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)
 * Allison Janney voices Aly San San in the Star Tours: The Adventures Continue  ride
 * James Earl Jones voiced Darth Vader in the first three films, Revenge of the Sith (2005), and in the Star Tours: The Adventures Continue ride
 * 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 (1999)
 * 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 (1999) 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)
 * Hugh Quarshie played Captain Panaka in The Phantom Menace (1999)
 * Mike Quinn puppeteered Nien Nunb and others in Return of the Jedi (1983) and served as a CG character animator on Attack of the Clones (2002)
 * Paul Reubens voiced RX-24 (Captain Rex) in the Star Tours ride and in the queue of the Star Tours: The Adventures Continue  ride (archival audio from the original Star Tours)
 * 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)
 * Jimmy Smits played Senator Bail Organa in Attack of the Clones (2002) and Revenge of the Sith (2005)
 * 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)
 * Christopher Truswell voiced Gilramos Libkath, Shu Mai, San Hill and Wat Tambor in Attack of the Clones (2002)
 * Bruce Vilanch wrote The Star Wars Holiday Special (1978)
 * Patrick Warburton voiced G2-4T in the queue of the Star Tours: The Adventures Continue  ride.
 * Billy Dee Williams played Lando Calrissian in The Empire Strikes Back (1980) and Return of the Jedi (1983)
 * Simon Williamson played Max Rebo, Gamorrean guards, Mon Calamari officer, and others in Return of the Jedi (1983)