George Lucas

George Walton Lucas Jr. was born on May 14, 1944, and raised on a walnut ranch in Modesto, California. Growing up, he was deeply interested in comics, science fiction, and especially drag racing, initially aspiring to be a professional racecar driver. A severe car accident shortly after his high school graduation permanently altered his life’s direction, leading him to pursue his other interests. He attended Modesto Junior College before enrolling in the University of Southern California film school. As a film student, he created several short films, including “Electronic Labyrinth THX 1138 4EB” (1967), which won first prize at the 1967-68 National Student Film Festival. In 1967, he received a scholarship from Warner Brothers to observe the production of “Finian’s Rainbow” (1968), directed by Francis Ford Coppola. Lucas and Coppola became friends and together founded American Zoetrope in 1969. Their first project was Lucas’ full-length version of “THX 1138” (1971).

In 1971, Lucas established his own company, Lucasfilm Ltd. His semi-autobiographical film, “American Graffiti” (1973), which he wrote and directed, earned a Golden Globe and five Academy Award nominations, providing him with the leverage to pursue his next ambitious project. From 1973 to 1974, he developed the screenplay for what would become “Star Wars: Episode IV – A New Hope” (1977). Inspired by Flash Gordon serials and “Planet of the Apes” films, Lucas founded Industrial Light & Magic (ILM) in 1975 to handle the visual effects. He also established Sprocket Systems, which later evolved into Skywalker Sound, for editing and sound mixing. After several rejections, 20th Century Fox agreed to distribute the film. Lucas famously forewent his directing salary in exchange for 40% of the box-office profits and all merchandising rights. “Star Wars” achieved unprecedented box office success, earned seven Academy Awards, and redefined the term “blockbuster.”

Following the immense success of “Star Wars,” Lucas expanded its universe with subsequent films and, in collaboration with Steven Spielberg, co-created the “Indiana Jones” series, which also achieved significant box office records. From 1980 to 1985, he focused on building Skywalker Ranch to support Lucasfilm’s creative and technical operations. Lucas also introduced the THX system to revolutionize movie theater standards. He continued to produce films that incorporated major technological innovations in filmmaking. In 1992, he was honored with the Irving G. Thalberg Award by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences for his lifetime achievements. Lucas returned to direct the Star Wars prequel trilogy, starting with “Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace” (1999). He supervised the animated series “Star Wars: The Clone Wars” (2008) and sold Lucasfilm to Disney in 2012, with Kathleen Kennedy taking over as president. He remains supportive of new Star Wars productions.