George Lucas

Date of Birth: May 14, 1944

Zodiac Sign: Taurus

Biography

George Walton Lucas Jr. is an American film director, producer, screenwriter, and entrepreneur. Born on May 14, 1944, in Modesto, California, Lucas is best known for creating the Star Wars and Indiana Jones franchises. He attended the University of Southern California’s School of Cinematic Arts, where he developed a passion for filmmaking. His first major success came with “American Graffiti” (1973), which was both a critical and commercial hit. Lucas founded Lucasfilm, his production company, in 1971. The release of “Star Wars” in 1977 changed the landscape of cinema, introducing groundbreaking special effects and storytelling techniques. The original trilogy, followed by the prequel and sequel trilogies, cemented Lucas’s status as a visionary filmmaker. In addition to his work in film, Lucas has been a significant force in the development of modern special effects, sound design, and computer animation. He founded Industrial Light & Magic (ILM) and THX, which have set industry standards for visual and auditory effects. Lucas has received numerous awards and honors throughout his career, including the Irving G. Thalberg Memorial Award from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. He sold Lucasfilm to The Walt Disney Company in 2012 but remains active in various philanthropic efforts, particularly in education.

5 Interesting Facts about George Lucas

1. George Lucas was initially interested in becoming a race car driver before an accident redirected his focus to film.

2. “Star Wars” was originally titled “The Adventures of Luke Starkiller, as taken from the Journal of the Whills, Saga I: The Star Wars.”

3. Lucas is a co-founder of the animation company Pixar, which began as a division of Lucasfilm.

4. He has been married twice, first to film editor Marcia Griffin and currently to businesswoman Mellody Hobson.

5. Lucas has consistently reinvested much of his wealth into educational and philanthropic causes, including the George Lucas Educational Foundation.

5 Most Interesting Quotes from George Lucas

1. “The secret to film is that it’s an illusion.”

2. “Dreams are extremely important. You can’t do it unless you imagine it.”

3. “A special effect without a story is a pretty boring thing.”

4. “You simply have to put one foot in front of the other and keep going. Put blinders on and plow right ahead.”

5. “The core of all the stories is that truth is the basis of everything. That’s the thing that makes it all work.”

Highest Net Worth Achieved

George Lucas’s highest net worth achieved is approximately $10 billion, primarily due to the sale of Lucasfilm to Disney for over $4 billion in 2012.

Children

George Lucas has four children: 1. Amanda Lucas (adopted during his first marriage to Marcia Griffin) 2. Katie Lucas (adopted as a single parent) 3. Jett Lucas (adopted as a single parent) 4. Everest Hobson Lucas (biological daughter with his current wife, Mellody Hobson)