from http://listverse.com/2009/09/11/12-facts-about-star-wars-you-probably-dont-know/

It turned out that there was a little confusion over the submission rules for lists here and this was originally submitted as a copy from a non-open-source book. Therefore we have had to remove the original list (sent in by aprilweather) and replace it with one that was put together in the comments by Lyrebyrd (many thanks and I hope you don’t object!). The original intro is intact but the remainder of the list (with the exception of the order) has changed.

In July 1973, George Lucas was an unknown director working on a low budget 1960s nostalgia film called “American Graffiti”. He approached Universal studios to see if they were interested in a film called, “Star Wars”. Universal turned him down in one of the biggest mistakes ever made by a studio.

12
Hidden Fortress
While Lucas was influenced by the huge number of “Buck Rogers” reruns he watched while developing Star Wars, a much bigger influence comes from work of Akira Kurosawa. Much influence comes from the film, Hidden Fortress, as well as many of the characters from Seven Samurai. Just about every character Toshiro Mifune plays is Han Solo, and check out the little Yoda-looking dude!

11
Unknown Cast
Lots of unknown actors were used for the younger characters. In addition to Carrie Fisher, Sissy Spacek and Cindy Williams also auditioned for Leia. The film, “Carrie” was also auditioning, and both Fisher and Spacek auditioned for both. Imagine that flip-flop, or having “Shirley” from Laverne and Shirley as Leia!

10
Motionless Models
John Dykstra and the FX team invented a great deal of technology including the now vastly used, motion-control camera to match motion of object to camera. Also used were traditional stop motion techniques, as well as rotoscoping (using mattes). In particular, if you have an old copy of the film on VHS, you can see the traveling mattes around the ships.

9
20th Century Fox
Not only was the studio unsure about the film, most of the cast was thrown by the strange dialogue and story, often leading to tension or awkwardness while filming. (Leia half-british, half-american accent!) No one had any inkling it would be such a smash hit.

8
Luke skywalker
In addition to the name change from Luke Starkiller, in earlier drafts of the script, there are the characters of Biggs and Camie, Luke’s friends who have gone to the Academy. In the film, Biggs is one of the rebel pilots in the end sequence.

7
Han Solo
After the trilogy came out, and years before Parts 1-3, there was an allegedly accurate treatment for what the next film would be, floating around. It detailed how Vader became Vader, as well as the events leading up to “A New Hope”. One of the minor elements, was the “13 year old Correllian Cabin Boy” on Captain Antilles’ ship. This alluded to Han Solo being there before the events of “A New Hope”, which luckily did not get included in the new films, as it really wouldn’t have made sense. Too much coincidence – does everyone have to know everyone?

6
Princess Leia
Not only did they force Carried Fisher to strap down her boobs, poor thing, just look at her dress. Every inch of skin is covered, and they couldn’t have made her look more frumpy. However, she does get to show a bit of skin in the last sequence, which is the outfit used for the representation of Leia in the original poster – scoop neck, not turtleneck.

5
Obi-Wan Kenobi

While unknowns were used for the leads, Lucas was able to get some of his faves and also heavier hitters/character actors in there in the roles of Obi-Wan (Guinness), and Tarkin (Peter Cushing). This continued in the new films with the always classically cheesy Christopher Lee, as Dooku.

4
Darth Vader

David Prowse, a weightlifter from Bristol, played the role on screen but the voice was that of James Earl Jones. He was so convinced the film would be a flop, he refused to allow his name in the original credits.

3
Chewbacca

Lucas got the idea for Chewbacca one morning in the early ’70s while watching his wife, Marcia, drive off in her car. She had their Alaskan malamute, Indiana, (the name sake for Indiana Jones) with her. Lucas liked the way the large shaggy dog looked in the passenger seat so he decided to create a character in the film that was a cross between Indiana, a bear, and a monkey.

2
R2-D2 and C3P0

Both Anthony Daniels and Kenny Baker, the actors that play Threepio and Artoo, respectively, had issues with the head in Tunisia. Although they piped in cool air and kept them hydrated, Daniels in particular frequently passed out from heat stroke in the outfit. Also, while both actors have come back to continue their roles, Baker is much more private and less comforatable with the fame, fan mania, etc. While, Daniels, has embraced more of the fandom, even appearing in a cameo, without the gold suit, in Ep. 2.

1
Flying Coach

Due to the limited budget the American cast members and crew (including George Lucas) all decided to fly coach class to England, rather than first class. When Carrie Fisher’s mother Debbie Reynolds heard about this she called George Lucas, complaining about how insulting it was for her daughter to be flying coach. Carrie Fisher was in the room with George Lucas when he took the call, and after a few minutes asked if she could talk to her mother. When George Lucas handed her the phone
she simply said, “Mother, I want to fly coach, will you **** off?!” and hung up. [IMDB]

Speaking of that too much coincidence with Han Solo, they did just that in the 3rd Indy movie when they show him when he was young- they show how he got the scar on his chin, how he got the whip and hat, how he got his fear of snakes- all in one day!


On the DVD boxed set for Star Wars the documentary on there shows them casting, Lucas and De Palma were friends and decided to help each other with the casting. William Katt tried out for Luke, didn't get it and went on to play Tommy in Carrie.

if you go to the website, and click on archives, scroll down to movies and entertainment, there are a few other list similar to this one that you might find interesting...

Yeah I'm looking thru 'em Reminds me of the Book Of Lists....

I think Kurt Russell would have made a good Solo

yea, he has a better smartazz sense that would have been good...

No, he was too young. He had just come off doing Disney flicks. He didn't pick up his tough guy/smart azz style until years later when he worked with Carpenter in the 80's.

Incidentally Perry King did play Solo in the Star Wars/Empire Strikes Back/Return Of The Jedi Radio Dramas.

Harrison Ford was perfectly cast as Solo.

i always thought luke coulda been cast better...not sure who, but he never fit the bill for me

He was a little short to be a Storm Trooper

I remember seeing a commercial for a studio looking for people working in graphics and computers back in 1970 or 1971 for an unknown studio. Yes I was five years old but I swear up and down that in the commercial they had TIE fighters being chased by a pair of X Wings. If I had seen a commercial like that now I would have been at their door step the next day. It was a short commercial and I had no idea it was an employment opportunity. I just thought the space ships looked trippy. Then in 1977 Star Wars came out. Six or seven years is about how long it takes to make a movie and release it.

I can not for the life of me understand why that one commercial was the one thing I remember from back when I was that young. I wonder if anyone else remembers seeing a commercial like that from BEFORE Star Wars came out. I had discovered model building then too and was doing my first kits. God I loved my Tinkertoys too! That and my train set! All that faded fast with Star Wars though!

What is frightening is seeing college classes in Art and Drama specifically oriented to Star Wars.

i remember reading an article back in 95,96 that talked about the graphics from star wars... it said that the gaming systems of then (playstations and nintendo's) were about ten times more powerful and faster than anything they had to work with when making star wars. just goes to show how good of a job they did back then, with out computers.

I guess it's possible, from what I've read Lucas started writing Star Wars in '73, so I wouldn't be surprised if he was trying to see the possibility of effects before the film even went into production.

Its better than star trek!!!

Big budget movies yes, definitely not low-budget movies. Roger Corman was a master of making movies in less than a month's time.

The original trek with Wily Billy was cool. it was so Camp!

But the other flavors of Trek SUCKED! I so wanted to shove Captain Picard in the garbage chute and eject him into hyperspace!

Next gen was the Forehead and Romance of the week! What got the First officer off? New applications of latex on a forehead. Instant alien!

Admiral Achbar would kick Picard's azz in a fist fight hands down!

love it

I was 16 years old when Star Wars was released..I remember seeing those reaaaaaallllly long lines at the movie theaters on TV..I lived in Miami Beach, Fl at the time..back in the 70s it was mostly retirement haven USA..I went with a friend of mine from HS to go see the movie, there was no waiting and the theater was half empty...I went to see it everyday the whole two weeks it played there....

I was 7, and I remember being in one of the long lines to see it with my folks.

What the hell is an Alumminum Falcon?

It's odd they don't mention Flash Gordon since it's Flash Gordon Lucas originally wanted to make into a feature length, but he couldn't get the rights and decided to create his own story and mythos(which became Star Wars). Even the light sabers were inspired by the sun swords from Flash Gordon.