The man who directed the second installment of the “Star Wars” franchise, Irvin Kershner, has passed away. He was 87.
According to the Associated Press, Kershner passed away at his home in Los Angeles after battling a long illness.
Initially starting out as a musician, Kershner went on to become a director of documentaries, features and TV shows. Having fought in World War II, Kershner began his career by teaching film at the University of Southern California, but quickly made the move behind the camera via a detour as a stills photographer and TV director, calling the shots on “Stakeout On Dope Street” in 1958.
He directed of Sean Connery in “A Fine Madness”, Richard Harris in “The Return Of A Man Called Horse”, and Faye Dunaway in “Eyes Of Laura Mars” (based on John Carpenter’s screenplay).
His most famous effort was “The Empire Strikes Back,” the second film in the original “Star Wars” trilogy and by far the most critically acclaimed film of the entire saga.
His other most famous work was the infamous “Never Say Never Again”, a pseudo-remake of “Thunderball” that was an attempt to setup a rival James Bond franchise outside of the official MGM franchise. It failed.
Other noted works include 1990’s “Robocop II”.
What a strange day. I also just read that author John Steakley (ARMOR and VAMPIRES) also died today. I guess that makes three…
we also lost ingrid pitt star of some the better hammer horror movies a few days ago.
https://secure.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/wiki/Ingrid_Pitt
Ingrid Pitt . . . that takes me back some, to a far more impressionable age. I was just reading about her life, and realized I knew very little about her outside a few memorable roles.
An interesting, and all too short life.
Steakley wasn’t very prolific was he. Damn Vampire$ was good though.
You can listen to audio outtakes from the late Irvin Kershner’s interview in the documentary “The Nature of Existence” only on Mr Media Radio: http://www.mrmedia.com/2011/01/exclusive-empire-strikes-back-director.html