Star Wars

Today we’re talking in person to Spencer Wilding, who helped bring Darth Vader to life for Rogue One.

In addition to his roles in Guardians of the Galaxy (Mean Guard), Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (Lupin as Werewolf) and Game of Thrones (one of the original White Walkers), Mr. Wilding has been a huge part of some of the biggest movies ever, including donning the helmet of everyone’s favorite Sith Lord.

Today’s episode is brought you by the good people at Order 66 Toys in Allen, Texas. Check them out online on their Facebook and YouTube channel … they’re always posting live videos and constantly selling some great stuff.

Now for something a little different: a double feature of two “vintage” interviews recorded LIVE earlier this year.

First up, we’re talking to David Ankrum, voice of Wedge Antilles, as well as various voices in Rogue One.

The second interview of the day is with Mark Dodson, the man responsible for the most iconic laugh in the galaxy: Salacious Crumb. If you love stories about Ben Burtt and raccoons (and tid-bits from Gremlins, the Ewok TV Movies and more), this is the interview for you.

Today we’re talking to Simon J. Williamson, performer for Max Rebo and many other iconic characters, including principal Gamorrean Guard, a Mon Cal Officer and even the blinks of Nien Nunb in Return of the Jedi.

If you’ve ever listened to this podcast before, you know how much I love the fascinating stories of the puppeteers and mime artists, especially from Jedi. And this is no exception.

Really buckle up because there’s a pretty in-depth discussion about Max Rebo’s biology (which has been researched in length by Mr. Pablo Hidalgo: https://www.starwars.com/news/star-wars-mysteries-getting-to-the-bottom-of-max-rebo)

For more information about Mr. Williamson’s upcoming appearances and his long and storied career with the Muppets and Jim Henson, go to his website: simonjwilliamson.co.uk  or follow him on Twitter, appropriately, @RealMaxRebo.

Designing the original figures and vehicles, Jim Swearingen had a huge effect on our perception of the original Star Wars. From 1976-79, this Kenner project became Swearingen’s project, witnessing portions of the film being made and even attending the first public showing.

Straight from an episode of Netflix’s Toys That Made Us, Mr. Swearingen takes us through that early period, before Star Wars was the phenomenon we know and love.

Today we’re talking to four-time Academy Award winner Richard Edlund, visual effects legend of the Original Trilogy. From the early days of ILM to his groundbreaking work on Raiders of the Lost Ark, Poltergeist and more, it was a huge honor to dive deep into Mr. Edlund’s incredible career.

We really get into specifics about some of the most complicated shots from the original Star Wars, including the iconic opening shot of the Star Destroyer.

For more information about speaking appearances, the Enhanced Depth project and his career, go to his website: RichardEdlund.com

Harrison Ellenshaw painted some of the incredibly detailed background matte paintings for the first two Star Wars movies. Working side-by-side with Ralph McQuarrie on the sequel, Mr. Ellenshaw made the galaxy far, far away into something believable and beautiful.

In addition to his work on the trilogy, Mr. Ellenshaw has had a varied visual effects career, including groundbreaking work on seminal classics like Tron, The Man Who Fell to Earthand Black Hole, for which he was nominated for an Academy Award.

We talk about it all, including (of course) Captain EO so definitely check it out!

Be sure to visit his website HarrisonEllenshaw.com and check out his (purchasable) artwork on Ellenshaw.com

Greg Proops, who played Fode, one of the two heads of the Podrace announcer in The Phantom Menace, is on the show today. LIVE from the green room of the Addison Improv, he tells an incredible, hilarious story about his time in the Star Wars universe, from being cast to doing voiceover work in The Clone Wars.

(There is also an anecdote that will change the way you look at Harrison Ford in Last Crusade forever.) Hopefully, you get a kick out of it as much as we did! It’s just a lot of fun.

Be sure to listen to his incredible podcast, The Smartest Man in the World on iTunes and check out GregProops.com for upcoming show dates (including stops in Toronto, Oregon and Washington). His act is really a blast.

Dave Barclay worked on both The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi, bringing two of the most iconic Star Wars characters ever to life. Beginning as a sculptor working with Stuart Freeborn, Mr. Barclay was then quickly ushered into the Henson world of puppets, controlling Yoda alongside Frank Oz. Returning to the galaxy to work as Jabba‘s right hand, Mr. Barclay has had a storied career in movies (including great work on Dark Crystal, Labyrinth and Who Framed Roger Rabbit?).

We go through as much as we can!

This episode’s guest, Hal Hickel, is an Animator Supervisor at Industrial Light & Magic, working on everything from The Phantom Menace (Boss Nass and the Droidekas) and Attack of the Clones (the Droid Factory and Battle of Geonosis) to Rogue One, helping to pioneer the incredible effects that brought Tarkin, Leia and K-2SO to the big screen.

Mr. Hickel has had a fascinating career, from Toy Story to Iron Man to his award winning work on Davy Jones and Pirates of the Caribbean. And we talk about it all, don’t worry.

It was a real treat talking to today’s guest: Nick Gillard, stunt coordinator for the Prequel Trilogy and father of the modern lightsaber technique. He is one of the unsung heroes of the making of these Star Wars movies.

Mr. Gillard was so humble and so gracious, literally pulling over during a long car ride to talk to Talking Bay 94. During our short conversation, we get into a lot, from the skill of Ray Park to the twelve minute uncut version of the Mustafar fight to some of the lost duels which were never even filmed.