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Friday, June 30, 2006

George & Me - Documentary Blog

As many of you know I am part of the documentary called George & Me that is being made by Sky Wilson. I wanted to let you all know that there is not only a trailer for the doc but a brand new George & Me blog which give us the opportunity to see what's going on with the production and other updates. I will have a permanent link to the blog too. :D

The documentary comes out at the end of September 2006 and will be available to purchase at that time.

Leah

Discovery Shuttle Launch

The STS-121 is due to launch tomorrow (Saturday July 1, 2006). Coverage begins at 10AM Eastern time.

You can tune into NASA TV and watch on the web. You can watch it on your TV too, NASA TV (of course).

These launches never fail to amaze me.
LM

EDIT 1:21 PM PST: Darn it! Scrubbed due to weather. They'll try again Sunday July 2. L

Tuesday, June 27, 2006

Advice From Harrison Ford

Just a quickie to let you read a very short blurb of advice given from Harrison Ford to up-and-coming filmmakers during his appearance at the LAFF (Los Angeles Film Festival) as the host of the Filmmaker Reception.

EDIT: 11:00 PM - A more expanded article.

Thanks!

LM

*Note: Director George Lucas and Star Wars alum Alan Rosenberg are also involved at the LAFF.
I'll see what comes down the pipe regarding their appearances.

Monday, June 26, 2006

Actor/Site Update!

Short and sweet...well, at least short.

~~
Arye Gross (voice of Lando Calrissian in ROTJ radio drama) you can hear Gross in a radio play called All My Sons on Saturday July 1, 2006 on The Play's the thing which airs at 10 PM on KPCC-FM (89.3) in San Bernardino, CA

~~
Alan Rosenberg (voice of Boba Fett in the ROTJ radio drama and president of the Screen Actors Guild) will help host a cocktail reception for the LAFF (Los Angeles Film Festival). Harrison Ford and George Lucas are also participating in events related to the Festival.

~~
Adrian Zmed (voice of Cavic Toth in Jedi Starfighter video game) will be hosting an interesting event that involves making people aware of the ills of chaining the family pet to a tree or to their doghouse.
Here's the article.

~~
Updates to existing actors in the STAR WARS ACTORS DATABASE
David Acord (update - bio pic)
Rick Baker (update - Film: Zorgon: The H-Bomb Beast From Hell)
James Earl Jones (update - Film)
Mark Hamill (update - Video Games: Dark Cloud 2) (Thanks to Tom Earley!)
Ian McDiarmid (update - Radio) (Thanks to Claudia Groiss!)
TV Moore (update - bio pic)
Natalie Portman (update - Film)

~~
Newly added actors to the SWAD: None

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Actor Deaths
None

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Actor Connections STAR WARS ACTOR CONNECTIONS
None

~~
REFERENCES
Main Page
BOOKS A-C
Colossus: The Rise and Fall of the American Empire
COMICS
BrownStik
REVERSE REFERENCES
ESB>Other Influences>Nazis (pic)

~~
New Art WorkSee the ART BLOG
*Bettie Page
*Pulp Fiction

Thank you!
Leah

Tuesday, June 20, 2006

George Lucas -

George Lucas

Beware! The unedited version has R rated cursing:
unedited version edited version

Read his lips! Looks like Rick McCallum had some verbal influence on our dear Flanneled One.

lol
Enjoy!
Leah

Long Overdue Actor and Site Update!

Blog and Site update!

~~
Adam Arkin (Fixer A New Hope Radio Drama) will star as tony in Losing Louie at the Manhattan Theatre Club in New York.

~~
Mark Adair Rios (voice of Admiral Ackbar in the ROTJ radio drama) will star in the stage production of Nowhere on the Border at the Hayworth Theatre in Los Angeles, CA until July 16, 2006.

~~
Douglas Chamberlain (voice of Logray the Ewok Mystic in Ewoks) starred in Anne of Green Gables at the Drayton Festival Theatre in Drayton, Ontario, CAN. Which ran from may 3, to June 10, 2006.

~~
Richard Bonehill (Various characters - OT) was named Cornwall Sports coach of the Year 2006.

~~
Adrian Dunbar (Bail Antillies - TPM) stars in the play Exiles starting on July 26, 2006 at National Theatre's Cottesloe stage (UK).

~~
Carrie Fisher (Princess Leia - OT) will star in her own one-woman show entitled Wishful Drinking at the Geffen Playhouse in Los Angeles. Starting on October 6, 2006 and running through December 17, 2006.Trivia: Carrie Fisher owns a plot of land on the moon.

~~
Harrison Ford (Han Solo - PT) was chosen as an honorary chairperson for the LAFF (Los Angeles Film Festival, George Lucas is also participating). He will be host for the filmmaker reception on June 26th. The 12th Annual LAFF runs from June 22 to July 2, 2006 at Westwood Theatres in Westwood, CA (near UCLA).

~~
Peter Michael Goetz (voice of Admiral Ozzel in the ESB Radio Drama; voice of General Madine in the ROTJ Radio Drama) will star in Guthrie's Opening Night: A Midsummer's Celebration at the Guthrie Theatre, in Minneapolis, MN on June 24, 2006 which opens the 2006/2007 season.

~~
Mark Hamill (Luke Skywalker - OT) has been chosen to voice the character of Majima in Yakuza (video game), Michael Madsen (Reservoir Dogs, Sin City, Kill Bill) will voice Shimano. The video game will be released on September 5, 2006 (SEGA).

~~
Rebecca Jackson Mendoza (Queen Organa - ROTS)s nominated for a Dora Award for her performance as Galadriel in The Lord of the Rings Musical in Toronto.

~~
Tom Kenny (voice of Biggs in SW Rogue Squadron II & III) will be an upcoming guest on People Speak (on www.paltalk.com).

~~
John Lithgow (Yoda - ESBr/ROTJr) is on the 15th anniversary edition of LA Story DVD. Lithgow and Scott Bakula (Enterprise, Quantum Leap) were both cut from the original film but their deleted scenes are shown on the DVD.

~~
George Lucas (Baron Papanoida - ROTS) Not a personal appearance this is a symposium. "George Lucas and Modesto - George Lucas' influence on Modesto and Modesto's influence on George Lucas will be the subject of several presentations on June 24th, 2006 1- 5 pm at Modesto Junior College in Modesto, CA. Free admission and parking.
Lucas is also the guest director for the LAFF (which Harrison Ford is also participating), the guest director chooses several films that have had a direct influence or driving inspiration on their film-making. The films that Lucas has chosen are:
*Jean Luc Godard's Masculine/Feminine*Akira Kurosawa's Seven Samurai
*Stanley Kubrick's Dr. Strangelove or How I learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb.

The 12th Annual LAFF runs from June 22 to July 2, 2006 at Westwood Theatres in Westwood, CA (near UCLA).

~~
Charles Martinet (voice characterizations in Jedi Knight II: Jedi Outcast video game) was featured (as Mario) in the third of a four part series of podcasts about Super Mario Bros (he is the voice of Luigi/Mario) http://feeds.feedburner.com/NewSuperMarioBrosPodcast click Interview with Mario (June 5, 2006)

~~
Ewan McGregor (Obi-Wan Kenobi - PT) may do Moulin Rouge the Musical on stage with Nicole Kidman. No date has been secured but the production would be produced and presented in London and would be the most lavish production in years.

~~
Jarion Monroe (voice characterizations in X-Wing Alliance/Galactic Battlegrounds/Battle for Naboo video games) starred this past week (June 11, 2006) in Displaced as Amador a blocked Cuban American playwright. The play kicks off the 2006/2007 season for the Marin Theatre in Mill Valley, CA.

~~
Kevin Pollack (voice characterizations in Ewoks: The Battle for Endor) has adapted a screenplay for the Buzz Bissinger novel 3 Nights in August which chronicles a three night series between the Cardinals (mostly Cardinals manager Tony LaRussa) and the Cubs in 2003. Pollack will also produce the feature film.

~~
Natalie Portman (Padme Naberrie/Queen Amidala - PT) may star in the film version of Kavalier & Clay, based on the Pulitzer Prize winning novel by Michael Chabon called The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier & Clay. At this point Portman is just a strong possibility for the role of Rosa. We'll know by mid-July if the project will move forward and if Portman will indeed be attached.
Portman was also named as a runner up in the World's Sexiest Vegetarian poll held annually by PETA online. Prince & Christen Bell were at the top.

~~
Adrian Zmed (voice of Cavic Toth in SW: Jedi Starfighter) will star in the stage production of Aida penned by Elton John and Tim Rice for Disney. He will play Zoser. Aida runs from July 18 - 23 at the Wells Fargo Pavilion in Sacramento, CA.
He also starred in Moll Flanders on June 3 - 4, 2006 at the Old Town Temecula Theatre, in Temecula, CA.

~~
Updates to existing actors in the STAR WARS ACTORS DATABASE
Mark Adair Rios (update - Theatre)
Adam Arkin (update - Theatre)
Graham Ashley (update - TV: mostly in the earliest years and 1994; Radio)
Edward Asner (update - Film; TV: Out of the Woods)
Rick Baker (update - Film Effects: Make-Up)
Steve Ballantine (update - Theatre)
Ed Begley Jr. (update - Film)
Richard Bonehill (update - Awards)
David Bowers (update - bio pic)
Steven Boyle (update - character pic)
Silas Carson (update - bio pic and pic: Hidalgo)
Hayden Christensen (update - Awards: MTV with pic)
David Clennon (update - TV; Theatre: As You Like It)
Frederick Coffin (update - Theatre: As You Like It)
Roy Conrad (update - character pic; Full Throttle character pic)
Sofia Coppola (update - bio info, last line)
Seb Dewing (update - character pic) (Thanks to Convention-Guests!)
Greg Ellis (update - Video Games) (Thanks to Tom Earley!)
Nick Field (update - character pic)
Carrie Fisher (update - Theatre; Live Appearances; Miscellany)
Fionnula Flanagan (update - Film; various pics)
Oliver Ford Davies (update - Theatre)
Glori Gage (update - Live Appearances)
Salo Gardner (update - TV)
Peter Geddis (update - TV: various)
Isaac Grand (update - TV: Comedy Playhouse)
Bennet Guillory (update - Theatre: The Last Season)
Garrick Hagon (update - Film)
Mark Hamill (update - TV; Video Games)
Christine Hewett (update - TV: Rutland Weekend Television)
Olivia Hussey (update - Film; TV)
Rebecca Jackson Mendoza (update - Awards)
Samuel L. Jackson (update - TV with pic)
David Jeremiah (update - TV; Video Games)
James Earl Jones (update - TV; CDs)
Ellison Kemp (update - TV)
Tom Kenny (update - Theatre)
Sara Kestelman (update - TV: Nationwide 1981; Theatre pic: Midsummer Night's Dream)
Jack Klaff (update - Theatre with pic)
Jay Laga'aia (update - Live Performances)
Phil LaMarr (update - TV)
George Lucas (update - TV; Music Videos - Actor)
Joe Matheson (update - Theatre)
Ian McDiarmid (update - Theatre; Awards: Tony)
Ewan McGregor (update - Film: The Doctor, The Tornado and The Kentucky Kid; TV Commercials; Theatre)
Jarion Monroe (update - bio pic; Theatre)
Temuera Morrison (update - pic: Barb Wire)
Timothy Omundson (update - bio pic)
Kevin Pollack (update - Film Producer; Film Writer)
Pete Renaday (update - bio pic and character pics; TV; Video Games)
Diana Sadley-Way (update - character pic) (correction: Nebrun Leids to Thuku. Thanks to Tom MacNeill!)Sebastian Shaw (update - TV: Theatre Night - The Master Builder; added RADIO section)
Katherine Smee (update - TV: Fimbles; Tikkabilla)
Jimmy Smits (update - TV)
Roy Staite (update - TV)
Terence Stamp (update - Commercials)
Courtenay Taylor (update - Video Games: Call of Duty 2)
J. Karen Thomas (update - Film)
Nia Vardalos (update - Live Appearances)
Tommy Weldin (update - TV)Simon Whyman (update - Film)
Adrian Zmed (update - Theatre)

~~
Newly added actors to the SWAD:
Francis Batsoni (Thanks to Convention-Guests!)
John HarkinsReg Harding (Thanks to Tom MacNeil!)
Frank Henson (Thanks to Tom MacNeill!)
Stuart Fell (Thanks to Tom MacNeill!)
Tim Harrington (Thanks to Tom MacNeill!)
Melissa Kurtz (Thanks to Tom MacNeill!)
Tiffany L. Kurtz (Thanks to Tom MacNeill!)
David Payne (Thanks to Convention-Guests!)
Robin Scobey (Thanks to Tom MacNeill!)
Jerry Walters
Bill Weston (Thanks to Tom MacNeill!)
Kelly Varney (Thanks to Convention-Guests!)
Roger Williams (Thanks to Convention-Guests!)
~~
Actor Deaths
John Ghavam

~~
Actor Connections
STAR WARS ACTOR CONNECTIONS
Who Killed the Electric Car (Film)
Troilus and Cressida (Radio)
As You Like It (Theatre)
The Judas Kiss (Theatre)
The Master Builder (Theatre)
Chelworth (TV)
Fry and Laurie Host a Christmas Night with the Stars (TV)

~~
References
Main Page
BOOKS P-T
Proven Guilty (Thanks to TalynDerre!)
FILMS A-C
Citizen Toxie (Thanks to SnortPiggySnort!)
FILMS D-F
Fanboys
FILMS G-J
Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy (Thanks to John at Obroa-Skai!)
FILMS K-Q
Over the Hedge (THX reference)
MUSIC
Bondur - No Mercy (Thanks to Nick_Evil666!)
Gnarls Barkley: link to his "Crazy" performance at the MTV Movie Awards (Thanks to Bonnie Burton!)
Star Wars Rock (Thanks to Michael!) ...top of page.
Gnarls Barkley (Thanks to Keith for the pic and John/me/MissPadmé for the alert!)
TV A-C
According to Jim #4 (Thanks to John at Obroa-Skai!)
Alias #7
Arthur #2 (Thanks to Nailwraps!)
TV K-RThe Oblongs (Thanks to Nailwraps!)
Robot Chicken #11 - #18 and the link to the Palpy sketch! (Thanks to John at Obroa-Skai!)
TV S-Z
What's Happening!South Park #31 (Thanks to Nailwraps!) (I took the screenshots)
Star Trek: Deep Space Nine #4 (Thanks to John at Obroa-Skai!)
X-Play (formerly Game Spot TV and Extended Play) (Thanks to Paige!)
REVERSE REFERENCES
First Spaceship on Venus (Thanks to Eugene!)

Enjoy!!

Leah

Tuesday, June 13, 2006

Happy Birthday Ralph McQuarrie - From a special friend

Happy Birthday Ralph McQuarrie

I got a special note today from Peter Fischl for Mr. Ralph McQuarrie (General McQuarrie in ESB) to wish him a Happy Birthday. I'd like to pass this on to you and an article I found that was produced by Metrolink (Los Angeles) in the March edition of their monthly newsletter (PDF format) that featured Mr. Fischl.

I have a few other links as well.

HERE

An article from the Daily BulletinThe posters The ones designed by Ralph McQuarrie are so noted.

And here is McQuarrie's official site. Drop by, wish him happy birthday!

Here is the note from Mr. Fischl submitted through Ralph McQuarrie's page in the SWAD:


Ralph McQuarrie is a friend of mine for 38 Years.

I am Peter L. Fischl who won the Award "Hero In Education" and CBS called me a World Renown Poet. My works are being taught now in Germany and Greece -besides the USA- and all this because Ralph stood beside me and did most of the artwork ABSOLUTELY FREE for the Holocaust !!!! The whole world should wish Ralph a Happy Birthday on June/13, please . He is almost one year older than I am. My many thanks to the publishers of this out of the world Web - Site!
Peter L. Fischl

If You like to know what we did with Ralph type in my name in the web search and you will see it . Thank You I hope You will like it.
Peter L. Fischl

How interesting the timing of this note with

*another artist who inspired me growing up.

Thanks all.
Leah

*the others being The Brothers Hildebrandt. See my blog about Tim Hildebrandt

Monday, June 12, 2006

Tim Hildebrandt (1939 - 2006)

I'm truly saddened to report that one half of the team that brought us that first Star Wars poster back in 1977 is gone. Tim Hildebrandt died yesterday from complications of diabetes. He was 67 years old.

The Hildebrandt's were one of my first inspirations when it came to drawing, I was particularly smitten with their use of color, placement of their subjects and that they were just cool guys who loved what they did and loved to share.

I had met them, as so many others did, on several occasions many years ago at conventions in Los Angeles. It was just neat to be around them and listen to anything they said.Here is a bio and the site of the brothers Hildebrandt. Some Star Wars art from their site.

A Google search will give you a world of wonderful art at your fingertips and you can marvel at their enormous talent.

I hope that as Star Wars fans we can make an effort to send Greg Hildebrandt our best at this time. click on "Tim Hildebrandt" above to see where to write.

So sorry to have to add this sort of blog entry.
Rest in Peace, Mr. Hildebrandt, you'll be missed.

Leah

Ian McDiarmid - Tony Award Winner!

Ian McDiarmid
Tonight was a very special one for actor Ian McDiarmid (Palpy himself) he won a Tony Award (outstanding performances in Broadway plays). The award was for Best Featured Actor in a Play for his role as Teddy in Faith Healer.

Here's the pic of him accepting his Tony.
After his speech he let out a "Fantastic!!" hehe

He played opposite Ralph Fiennes (Frank Hardy, the Faith Healer) and Cherry Jones in the much talked about play about a faith healer whose powers were only intermittent, McDiarmid played Teddy, Frank Hardy's manager.

Here's a little excerpt from the play (his performance in it) and a slide show from The New York Times. Click "Skip this ad"

Congrats to Mr. McDiarmid!

Enjoy!
Leah

Ian McDiarmid - Tony Award Winner

Ian McDiarmid
Addition to this blog from earlier this morning...

Ian McDiarmid's Tony Awards acceptance speech:

"Ladies and gentlemen, I got on a plane from London just under two short months ago, and I am astonished to be standing before so many of you here tonight.
It gives me a chance to pay tribute my distinguished acting colleagues, Ralph Fiennes, Cherry Jones, great artists both, and my very good friend, the director Jonathan Kent. He enabled us to give life to one of the most emotionally intricate and musically perfect pieces of writing for the stage in the English language, written, unsurprisingly, by an Irishman, Brian Friel.

Brian Friel's Faith Healer had its debut on Broadway over 20 years ago and was not a success. I'm really proud to be associated with this triumphant return and restoration. These are two words that occur in the play regularly and there's one other word that my character uses, that perhaps I should mention. He's a London show business manager and therefore totally unreliable and prone to wild exaggeration. But it fits the occasion, and it's the way I feel tonight: FANTASTIC!

Thank you."


:D
Leah

PS - An interview with McDiarmid from 6/4/06

Sunday, June 11, 2006

John Ghavam (1939 - 2006)

John Ghavam

In April an actor named John Ghavam died of liver failure in Northampton, UK. This actor had played an Ewok in Return of the Jedi and was credited as John Gavam.

One of the most astonishing things about Mr. Ghavam was an accident he'd had in 2002. He had awoken very early (dark) one morning to get a glass of water, in the process he slipped and fell. He managed to pick himself up, get his water and go back to bed. He got up later that morning and drove to Darlington's Civic Theatre, where he was starring in a stage production of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs.

His cast mates noticed how much pain he was in and called a doctor. After a short exam the doctor determined that Ghavam has broken his collar bone which is exceedingly painful.

I'm currently trying to find a little more information on him to share with you.
I'll let you know when/if I receive such info.

Leah

EDIT: When this article was written in June of 2006, there was only a hair of information that was released, that info stated that he died in May. It was only in 2007 that we learned the real date of his death being April 4 and the true circumstances surrounding his death.

I have updated the information so as not to confuse anyone. Thanks. LM

Wednesday, June 07, 2006

Fact Check File - Tsk Tsk

Fact Check File
For shame, and they call themselves fans.
Princess Amidalah and liberty.Hm, ROTS - Episode 4.

Amazing what comes down the pipe. I find these every week, most are just obvious typos but others...wow...

LM

Tuesday, June 06, 2006

Sunday, June 04, 2006

MTV Movie Awards

MTV Movie Awards
While ROTS did not win for best picture...Hayden Christensen won the MTV Movie Awards' Golden Bucket of Popcorn award last night for Best Movie Villain in his role as Darth Vader in ROTS. This is in stark contrast to his awards (Razzies) for his previous Star Wars films.

~~
Samuel L. Jackson took the stage as a presenter in a SoaP t-shirt.Jackson was also honored by Spike Lee, who won the Silver Bucket of Excellence award for his film Do The Right Thing. The award is given out each year to past films which still remain relevant today.

~~
DJ AM (from Bonnie Burton's most recent Star Wars Rocks article) wore a shrunken black jacket over a
vintage Star Wars shirt which you can barely see behind Nicole Ritchie.

~~
Did anyone notice *Judd Nelson?? Whoa!!*
Nelson starred with recently passed Star Wars actor Paul Gleason in The Breakfast Club.

EDIT:
MissPadmé says that Gnarles Barkley performes in SW costumes

Leah

Saturday, June 03, 2006

Hot Stuff - non-SW Princess

Hot Stuff - non-SW Princess

It is HOT today. It's not even noon and the temp is 117°, this is fairly unusual for this time of year here. These temps don't get this hot until the dead of summer (they don't call it that for nothin'!).
I had planned on going out this afternoon but I might wait until later to run my errands.

~~
In VERY light local news:
I passed our church/school this past Thursday and saw a group of reporters, being kept at bay, hanging out near the school entrance and wondered what was happening. Our church has been in the news before (former president Ford, among others, attend) but I did wonder what this was about since it was not just the local news people this time.

I then get an email from my mother-in-law mentioning our church and Prince Andrew...I'm confused and think that my m-i-l has confused our church with the one in Scotland that the royals have been associated with (it is our sister church). So I ask her if she's got an article.

Turns out that it's not Prince Andrew but Prince Albert (of Monaco - the family has history here). Prince Albert had a daughter out-of-wedlock 14 years ago, which was only revealed in the last couple of years..or last year (I didn't follow this too closely). Journalists have been trying to locate the child since the word got out. Three days ago I wondered if they would find her and what a scene it would no doubt be once they did.

Was I right. They did locate her, here. It's been a media circus and the news has spread so quickly around the globe it's amazing. She's been attending our church/school for several years (an honor student), and many people already knew her (just not her lineage), she will be graduating in a week.

Articles abound from everywhere...Australia, UK, Canada, France, New Zealand, China, Malaysia, India, Russia, Dominican Republic, Bahrain, Norway, Japan, Netherlands, Brazil, Chile...you name it. Plus every state in the US. :P

Here's one from Australia

While it is sort of "neat" that they've taken an interest, I wonder why it's so important. We have a lot of celebrities here in the valley, many of them within walking distance of my home (I'm surrounded by them :P) and it's sort of business as usual here when they're out and about, but the 14 year old daughter of a Prince?Should make church going an interesting experience in the future.

bleh.

Ah well.

~~Three hours later...The temp has dropped down to a respectable 112° :P gee, I'm so relieved. Apparently I've wasted enough time to push myself to the errands. So...there it is.

A blog about nothing.
Leah