AUTOBIOGRAPHY
I read the script again. Seemed interesting enough. Well, it was a Stephen King adaptation. Should be good!
So, why didn't it appeal to me?
I'd been planning to get into this movie. The lead role was going to a nineteen-year-old named Carrie Fisher. I hadn't really heard of her, though. If she accepted the role, the credits would look rather odd. She would be playing the role of Carrie, anyway.
I went to sleep that night mulling over the script. I didn't really know whether I wanted the part or not. I finally got to sleep.
Next morning, I was up early. I don't really know why. I made my breakfast and ate it alone, as I always did. My friend came over, which was not a surprise. He told me about this movie audition. He couldn't tell me much but he urged me to try it. Not a bad idea. I didn't want to act in 'Carrie', anyway. This movie seemed like Flash Gordon, my favourite comic book.
I was called for the audition, lucky me! It wasn't like I hadn't expected it, though. I was told that I would be doing my audition with a guy named Harrison Ford. He was 6ft. tall, had brown hair and hazel eyes. He sat down on the chair and looked pretty nervous for some strange reason. He jumped up once asking whether he was blocking me. I'd already learnt up my piece, with expression and all. Harrison got stuck twice. It was a little unnerving. I tried to hide my smile at the end of the first piece. It was funny somehow.
The director, George Lucas, asked me my name and age. Mark Hamill. Twenty-four. I returned home.
Sometime later, I heard I got the part. They sent the script over and I started reading it. My audition scene was not part of the ultimate movie. Then I stopped. I suddenly thought of something. The lead role was of Luke Skywalker. I'd auditioned for that part. But, for the life of me I couldn't make out whether I was the Luke guy or Harrison was the Luke guy.
I read a bit more and I soon realised that I was the Luke guy. This movie was about me! I had the lead role! I could have danced with joy. I had never been given the lead role.
My initial enthusiasm on getting the lead role soon diminished giving way to enthusiasm of another kind. My all-time favourite actor, Alec Guinness, was going to be in the movie. I couldn't believe my luck! This was going to be great!
After the first day of shooting, I was bushed. Tunisia was really, really hot. I flopped into bed and slept like there was no tomorrow.
I soon made a friend on set. Anthony Daniels was playing C3po, my robot friend. He was around my age. He was British and quite fun to talk to. We were pretty lonely because everybody else basically ignored us. Harrison and Carrie, who had given up her part in 'Carrie' for a role in this movie, spent most of their time together. I tried hanging around Alec Guinness, but he didn't like talking about his movies. That was what I wanted to talk about.
Alec's birthday fell during the shooting. Not many people attended the small celebration. I made sure I was there. I guess I bugged him a lot. He soon handed me a dollar telling me to go away. A dollar! Unbelievable! If it had been a pound, I would've hung around. But a dollar! I couldn't refuse that.
I spoke to Harrison at some point of time. We basically talked about the flying ships and stuff. It was strange but fun. Not to mention exciting. I found most of the cast and crew pretty interesting. We all got on pretty well.
The problem was with Harrison. He barely ever learnt his lines. That was tough to deal with. The scene in the Millennium Falcon where we're blasting TIE fighters was difficult to do thanks to him. He changed the original dialogue to 'Don't get cocky'. That was shocking.
I pretty much enjoyed my scenes with Alec Guinness and Carrie. The scene on the Death Star where we had to jump across the bridge was scary, but we did it in the first shot. That was great.
The ceremony scene was very difficult. There were scores of extras, including some of the crew, acting like rebel troops. All they did was stand, turn and clap. They weren't happy about that. They talked a lot during the shooting and would spoil the scene completely. I decided to have a serious talk with them. I soon realised that they didn't even know what was going on. I told them the story. I explained to them how we'd won a battle and we were going to be given medals. Once they understood, the murmur vanished. The scene was well done.
Most of us signed on for a ten-year contract. But not Peter Cushing, who was another favourite actor of mine. George told me that I would probably have to stop acting after the movie was made. I didn't really take him seriously.
The shooting finished and I returned home with cherished memories of Alec Guinness, Carrie Fisher and Phil Brown. Not to mention Anthony Daniels who I managed to keep in contact with.
After I made the movie, Harrison and I went on this radio show, which was a lot of fun. Harrison barely said anything. I spoke about the space-ships and lightsabers. I told them how it was a science-fact movie and not science-fiction. The hosts seemed a little confused but I explained it soon enough.
I bought a fabulous BMW, later. It was really great. I took the car keys and decided to go for a spin. I put the music loud and drove really fast. I didn't realise how fast I was going until the BMW veered off the road and I found myself on a collision course with a tree. Everything went black.
I awoke in a hospital with a bunch of doctors staring at me and looking rather bewildered. I soon found out that they hadn't known who I was. They'd checked my license to find out. They told me that I'd broken my nose. It was a little hard to believe because people never came away from car crashes with just a broken nose. I had scars on my face, which were going to be permanent. I didn't look that different.
The press thought otherwise. As soon as they heard about my accident, they let the country know about it. But the audience got a highly exaggerated version of the accident. In the articles in the newspaper, I'd gone through extensive surgery and looked completely different. There wasn't anything bad written but it got a lot of people worried. I half-expected my parents and six siblings to land up in my house to check if I'd told them the truth about just breaking my nose.
Nevertheless, I got a contract soon for a movie called 'Corvette Summer'. It could be fun to make, so I decided to take it. I was introduced to my co-star, Annie Potts. We had a load of fun making the movie. I thoroughly enjoyed it.
1975 had been rather busy for me. I'd played a supporting role in 'Eric', which was a sad but beautiful movie about a boy with cancer. I played his younger brother. I'd also gotten a lot of other parts.
1976 was rather un-interesting. But the next year, Star Wars: A New Hope was released. Most of us were there for the premiere. George Lucas wasn't present. He'd run off because he didn't know how people would react to his movie. He'd had a tough time getting a production company. Universal had refused him downright but 20th Century Fox had given him a chance.
In the beginning I heard that people were going to sleep during the movie. That was a little depressing. But somewhere down the line, the audience started appreciating the movie. I got wind of the fact that the movie had to be re-released. I realised that Star Wars had just launched my career, as well as Carrie's and Harrison's.
I read the script again. Seemed interesting enough. Well, it was a Stephen King adaptation. Should be good!
So, why didn't it appeal to me?
I'd been planning to get into this movie. The lead role was going to a nineteen-year-old named Carrie Fisher. I hadn't really heard of her, though. If she accepted the role, the credits would look rather odd. She would be playing the role of Carrie, anyway.
I went to sleep that night mulling over the script. I didn't really know whether I wanted the part or not. I finally got to sleep.
Next morning, I was up early. I don't really know why. I made my breakfast and ate it alone, as I always did. My friend came over, which was not a surprise. He told me about this movie audition. He couldn't tell me much but he urged me to try it. Not a bad idea. I didn't want to act in 'Carrie', anyway. This movie seemed like Flash Gordon, my favourite comic book.
I was called for the audition, lucky me! It wasn't like I hadn't expected it, though. I was told that I would be doing my audition with a guy named Harrison Ford. He was 6ft. tall, had brown hair and hazel eyes. He sat down on the chair and looked pretty nervous for some strange reason. He jumped up once asking whether he was blocking me. I'd already learnt up my piece, with expression and all. Harrison got stuck twice. It was a little unnerving. I tried to hide my smile at the end of the first piece. It was funny somehow.
The director, George Lucas, asked me my name and age. Mark Hamill. Twenty-four. I returned home.
Sometime later, I heard I got the part. They sent the script over and I started reading it. My audition scene was not part of the ultimate movie. Then I stopped. I suddenly thought of something. The lead role was of Luke Skywalker. I'd auditioned for that part. But, for the life of me I couldn't make out whether I was the Luke guy or Harrison was the Luke guy.
I read a bit more and I soon realised that I was the Luke guy. This movie was about me! I had the lead role! I could have danced with joy. I had never been given the lead role.
My initial enthusiasm on getting the lead role soon diminished giving way to enthusiasm of another kind. My all-time favourite actor, Alec Guinness, was going to be in the movie. I couldn't believe my luck! This was going to be great!
After the first day of shooting, I was bushed. Tunisia was really, really hot. I flopped into bed and slept like there was no tomorrow.
I soon made a friend on set. Anthony Daniels was playing C3po, my robot friend. He was around my age. He was British and quite fun to talk to. We were pretty lonely because everybody else basically ignored us. Harrison and Carrie, who had given up her part in 'Carrie' for a role in this movie, spent most of their time together. I tried hanging around Alec Guinness, but he didn't like talking about his movies. That was what I wanted to talk about.
Alec's birthday fell during the shooting. Not many people attended the small celebration. I made sure I was there. I guess I bugged him a lot. He soon handed me a dollar telling me to go away. A dollar! Unbelievable! If it had been a pound, I would've hung around. But a dollar! I couldn't refuse that.
I spoke to Harrison at some point of time. We basically talked about the flying ships and stuff. It was strange but fun. Not to mention exciting. I found most of the cast and crew pretty interesting. We all got on pretty well.
The problem was with Harrison. He barely ever learnt his lines. That was tough to deal with. The scene in the Millennium Falcon where we're blasting TIE fighters was difficult to do thanks to him. He changed the original dialogue to 'Don't get cocky'. That was shocking.
I pretty much enjoyed my scenes with Alec Guinness and Carrie. The scene on the Death Star where we had to jump across the bridge was scary, but we did it in the first shot. That was great.
The ceremony scene was very difficult. There were scores of extras, including some of the crew, acting like rebel troops. All they did was stand, turn and clap. They weren't happy about that. They talked a lot during the shooting and would spoil the scene completely. I decided to have a serious talk with them. I soon realised that they didn't even know what was going on. I told them the story. I explained to them how we'd won a battle and we were going to be given medals. Once they understood, the murmur vanished. The scene was well done.
Most of us signed on for a ten-year contract. But not Peter Cushing, who was another favourite actor of mine. George told me that I would probably have to stop acting after the movie was made. I didn't really take him seriously.
The shooting finished and I returned home with cherished memories of Alec Guinness, Carrie Fisher and Phil Brown. Not to mention Anthony Daniels who I managed to keep in contact with.
After I made the movie, Harrison and I went on this radio show, which was a lot of fun. Harrison barely said anything. I spoke about the space-ships and lightsabers. I told them how it was a science-fact movie and not science-fiction. The hosts seemed a little confused but I explained it soon enough.
I bought a fabulous BMW, later. It was really great. I took the car keys and decided to go for a spin. I put the music loud and drove really fast. I didn't realise how fast I was going until the BMW veered off the road and I found myself on a collision course with a tree. Everything went black.
I awoke in a hospital with a bunch of doctors staring at me and looking rather bewildered. I soon found out that they hadn't known who I was. They'd checked my license to find out. They told me that I'd broken my nose. It was a little hard to believe because people never came away from car crashes with just a broken nose. I had scars on my face, which were going to be permanent. I didn't look that different.
The press thought otherwise. As soon as they heard about my accident, they let the country know about it. But the audience got a highly exaggerated version of the accident. In the articles in the newspaper, I'd gone through extensive surgery and looked completely different. There wasn't anything bad written but it got a lot of people worried. I half-expected my parents and six siblings to land up in my house to check if I'd told them the truth about just breaking my nose.
Nevertheless, I got a contract soon for a movie called 'Corvette Summer'. It could be fun to make, so I decided to take it. I was introduced to my co-star, Annie Potts. We had a load of fun making the movie. I thoroughly enjoyed it.
1975 had been rather busy for me. I'd played a supporting role in 'Eric', which was a sad but beautiful movie about a boy with cancer. I played his younger brother. I'd also gotten a lot of other parts.
1976 was rather un-interesting. But the next year, Star Wars: A New Hope was released. Most of us were there for the premiere. George Lucas wasn't present. He'd run off because he didn't know how people would react to his movie. He'd had a tough time getting a production company. Universal had refused him downright but 20th Century Fox had given him a chance.
In the beginning I heard that people were going to sleep during the movie. That was a little depressing. But somewhere down the line, the audience started appreciating the movie. I got wind of the fact that the movie had to be re-released. I realised that Star Wars had just launched my career, as well as Carrie's and Harrison's.