The Star Wars Holiday Special, a combination of a Wookie story, variety show, cartoon, and Princess Leia singing, aired in 1978 but was disliked by creator George Lucas. The special, which takes place after the first film and before the second, was an attempt to keep viewers interested during the three-year release gap. The cheesy story and attempts to mix styles were met with disdain, and the special was never shown on American television again.
The Star Wars Holiday Special is a little-remembered entry in the Star Wars universe. This two-hour special, which combined a story about Wookie Chewbacca’s family with elements of a variety show, a cartoon, and even Princess Leia singing, aired in 1978 in America and was never shown on American television again . Creator George Lucas has often expressed his dislike for the special, but many cult fans love it for its universally panned, cheesy story.
The original Star Wars movie was released in 1977 and rocked the movie world with its epic story and unheard-of special effects. George Lucas, the mastermind behind the franchise, was inundated with possibilities for where to take his new universe. Investing time and presumably money into the Star Wars Holiday Special was a fascinating and still much-discussed choice by Lucas, who perhaps thought it would keep viewers interested in the series during the three-year release gap between Star Wars: A New Hope and The Empire Strikes Back.
In the Star Wars Holiday Special, which takes place after the first theatrical film and before the second, Chewbacca’s mother, parents, and son eagerly await his return on Life Day, a holiday similar to Christmas. Under orders from Darth Vader, Chewie and Han Solo are hunted down by Imperial shock troops, some of whom raid Chewie’s home in hopes of capturing him. Chewbacca’s son Lumpawarrump, or Lumpy, attempts to allay his fears by watching a cartoon featuring Han, Chewie, and Luke Skywalker. The cartoon also introduces the character Boba Fett, who would go on to become a major villain in the rest of the theatrical series.
Chewbacca’s family manages to fend off the menacing stormtroopers until Han and Chewie arrive and save the day. The Wookiee family continues to the magical Tree of Life, where Luke Skywalker and Han Solo join them along with droids C-3PO and R2-D2 and Princess Leia. The princess sings a song about unity and everyone celebrates heartily.
The Star Wars Holiday Special was met with almost complete disdain for its cheesy story, overly cutesy dialogue, and weird attempts to mix styles by adding songs and cartoons. George Lucas was apparently devastated by the result, having not spent much time personally overseeing the project. The special never aired again in America, although it was shown once in Australia in the 1980s. No video or DVD of the Star Wars Holiday Special has ever been released, but pirated copies are plentiful among fans.
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