Star Wars on TV: glimpsing the characters on the small screen in the 1970s

Star Wars meets Donny and Marie, September 1977 

In the days before home video, films disappeared for years between their big-screen release and their appearance on TV.

That meant Star Wars fans lapped up any appearance, however fleeting, of the film's characters on TV.

The best books about the original Star Wars - part two

Today, I'm finishing my look at some of the most enjoyable or informative books for lovers of the original, 1977 Star Wars.

Its a chronological list, and I'm resuming with the weighty tome that marked the film's 30th anniversary.

Will the original, unaltered 1977 Star Wars ever be released on Blu-ray?

The approach to Yavin, as seen in the 1977 cut of Star Wars

With Christmas upon us, there is one gift that legions of first generation fans want but seem destined never to get. The original, unaltered, 1977 cut of Star Wars on Blu-ray or DVD.

Today, we consider whether we'll ever see Star Wars the way first generation fans remember it – and what form the ideal Blu-ray would take.

The cast of Star Wars on TV: the Donny & Marie show, 1977

The bizarre finale of the Donny & Marie Star Wars skit

The Star Wars Holiday Special was not the first time the blockbuster of the century crossed paths with television’s light entertainment industry. Today, Episode Nothing goes back to September 23, 1977, when characters from Star Wars appeared on Donny & Marie.

RIP Kenny Baker, 1934-2016: the man who was R2-D2

Kenny Baker with Anthony Daniels
on the set of Star Wars in 1976

The fan reaction to the death of Kenny Baker, the man who was R2-D2, showed how much the character meant to generations of Star Wars lovers. Episode Nothing reflects on Kenny Baker’s contribution to the original Star Wars – and considers what difference it made to have a real person operating the levers and lights to bring R2-D2 to life.