In Memory of Gary Kurtz (1940-2018)

Gary Kurtz (1940-2018)

Hi, it's me again! It is a solemn day to announce that Gary Kurtz, the man responsible for producing the first two instalments of the "Star Wars" series and "American Graffiti", has died after losing a battle with cancer on 23rd September 2018. He was 78 years old. His efforts as a producer didn't go unnoticed but got underappreciated. He was instrumental in developing a franchise that was the brainchild of his then-collaborator, George Lucas. It began a monopoly that "Star Wars" was known for and was a pop-culture phenomenon. Kurtz later said in his 2010 interview that the movies had grown too motivated by memorabilia.

He was born in Los Angeles in 1940. In 1965, he began working as an assistant director and then as a production manager on small-budget movies. One of these films he worked on was a low-budgeted western "Ride in the Whirlwind", which featured an unknown actor named Jack Nicholson. Shortly after, Gary left Hollywood in 1966 to join the Marines during the Vietnam War. However, these life-changing experiences would prove an influence on him. His military service ended in 1969. He then returned to Hollywood as an associate producer on "Chandler" and "Two-Lane Blacktop".

Around that time, Gary met a young upstart filmmaker named George Lucas and became partners that would last over a decade. During his early years, Gary had studied religion extensively, and his studies would prove vital in bringing the concept of the Force back to life in the "Star Wars" franchise. In 1973, Lucas and Kurtz began collaborating on what was to become their first feature together on "American Graffiti", which was a hit. It allowed Lucas to seize the opportunity to make their second feature, which would become "Star Wars". After multiple drafts that Lucas had been pitching to every studio only to have them rejected, Kurtz closed a deal with 20th Century Fox to produce the science-fiction adventure. He helped Lucas navigate its turbulent production despite a lack of enthusiasm from the studio when they considered it a "B-picture".

However, the film's success astonished everyone and meant that Lucas and Kurtz would have to make a sequel entitled "The Empire Strikes Back". The film was under the direction of Irvin Kershner as Lucas eventually stepped out of his reins to become the executive producer. Gary helps out with the second unit and is an assistant director. After the release of "Empire", Gary and Lucas' partnership dissolved when "Return of the Jedi" was about to be made and soon became the first film Lucas made without him as Howard Kazanjian took over his position.

In 1982, after his partnership with Lucas ended, Kurtz collaborated with Muppets creator Jim Henson and Frank Oz in making their ambitious fantasy adventure "The Dark Crystal", which became a cult favourite after its initial release. It doesn't equally measure up to the success that he once had with "Star Wars". The following films that Gary produced for the cinema screen, "Return of Oz" and "Slipstream" (which the latter reunited with Mark Hamill), were not very successful as they drove Kurtz into filing for bankruptcy. In his later life, Kurtz remained in the industry and continued to develop projects until his death. One of his latest films was "5-25-77", directed by Patrick Read Johnson and released independently in 2017.

Back to Home