Gary Kurtz, producer of cinema classics and favorites such as STAR WARS (1977), and THE DARK CRYSTAL (1982), has passed away at 78.
Born Gary Douglas Kurtz in Los Angeles, Kurtz worked as an assistant director in the 1960’s, before his career was interrupted by the Vietnam War, when he served in the U.S. Marine Corps. Upon returning, he moved up the ladder of studio pictures, acting as an associate producer on films such as CHANDLER with Warren Oates, and TWO-LANE BLACKTOP in 1971.
In 1973 he collaborated with a young and upcoming filmmaker named George Lucas, with their mutual friend Francis Ford Coppola to produce AMERICAN GRAFFITI. The nostalgia-fueled film was a sleeper hit and earned Kurtz and Coppola a Best Picture nomination.
Kurtz would continue his work with Lucas, and together they would make the historic, and industry-changing STAR WARS in 1977. The cultural phenomenon would be the highest earner of the year and become the highest-grossing film of all time, along with 10 Oscar nominations. Kurtz’s final collaboration with Lucas would be in 1980 with the first STAR WARS sequel, THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK. He would hit box office gold again in 1982 with the Jim Henson film THE DARK CRYSTAL.
His other producing credits include SLIPSTREAM (1989), with Mark Hamill, and the STAR WARS tribute film 5-25-77 in 2017.
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When a film wins the Oscar for Best Picture, the producer of that film is always the one that accepts the award, but despite that, the producing role seems to be one of the most thankless, and often overlooked role in a film production. While the director is the person on set, behind the camera barking orders, and spending endless hours in the editing room, the producer is the broad-strokes person; overseeing all aspects of production from casting, locations, personnel, financing, and much, much more. More so than the director, a producer takes on a film because they believe in it. Kurtz may not have a long list of awards and credits, but his bravery, and faith in a young and unproven George Lucas altered the flow of history; he believed in something new, something bold, and today’s cinema could use a lot more like him.
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Read Reel Speak’s blogs on the 40thanniversary of STAR WARS (HERE).
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