George Lucas

Date of Birth: May 14, 1944

Zodiac Sign: Taurus

Biography

George Lucas is a renowned American filmmaker, director, producer, and entrepreneur. Born on May 14, 1944, in Modesto, California, Lucas is best known as the creator of the groundbreaking “Star Wars” and “Indiana Jones” franchises, which have had a profound impact on modern cinema and pop culture. Lucas’s journey in filmmaking began at the University of Southern California (USC) School of Cinematic Arts, where he directed several short films. His student film “Electronic Labyrinth: THX 1138 4EB” won first prize at the 1967-68 National Student Film Festival, which caught the attention of Warner Bros. This led to his first feature film, “THX 1138” (1971), a dystopian science fiction film that gained a cult following. In 1973, Lucas directed “American Graffiti,” a nostalgic coming-of-age film set in 1962 that became a critical and commercial success, earning five Academy Award nominations. The success of “American Graffiti” allowed Lucas to pursue his dream project, “Star Wars.” Released in 1977, “Star Wars” became a global phenomenon, revolutionizing special effects, sound design, and merchandising in the film industry. Lucas continued to expand the “Star Wars” universe with two sequels, “The Empire Strikes Back” (1980) and “Return of the Jedi” (1983), as well as a prequel trilogy released between 1999 and 2005. Apart from “Star Wars,” Lucas co-created the “Indiana Jones” series with Steven Spielberg, starting with “Raiders of the Lost Ark” in 1981. He also founded Lucasfilm, LucasArts, and the renowned visual effects company Industrial Light & Magic (ILM). In 2012, Lucas sold Lucasfilm to The Walt Disney Company for over $4 billion, a deal that included the rights to the “Star Wars” and “Indiana Jones” franchises. Since then, Lucas has focused on philanthropy, particularly in education, through the George Lucas Educational Foundation.

5 Interesting Facts about George Lucas

1. George Lucas originally wanted to be a race car driver but changed his career path after a near-fatal car accident in high school.

2. “Star Wars” was initially turned down by multiple studios before being picked up by 20th Century Fox.

3. Lucas wrote and directed only four of the nine “Star Wars” films in the Skywalker saga.

4. He co-founded the animation company Pixar in 1979, which was later sold to Steve Jobs.

5. Lucas has donated over $1 billion to charitable causes, particularly in education.

5 Most Interesting Quotes from George Lucas

1. “Always remember, your focus determines your reality.”

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

3. “You can’t do it unless you imagine it.”

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

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

Highest Net Worth Achieved

George Lucas’s highest net worth achieved is approximately $10 billion.

Children

George Lucas has four children: 1. Amanda Lucas (adopted with his first wife, Marcia Lou Griffin) 2. Katie Lucas (adopted as a single parent) 3. Jett Lucas (adopted as a single parent) 4. Everest Hobson Lucas (born via surrogate with his current wife, Mellody Hobson)