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Mark Hamill
Age
61
Birthday
Sep. 25th, 1951
Born in
Concord, California, USA
Height
5' 9"
His father was a captain in the United States Navy; he grew up in California, Virginia, New York and Japan. He majored in drama at Los Angeles City College and made his acting debut on "The Bill Cosby Show" (1969) in 1970. He played a continuing role (Kent Murray) in TV's "General Hospital" (1963) and co-starred in the respected TV comedy series "The Texas Wheelers" (1974). Real fame came with his film debut (he was voice only in Wizards (1977)) with the hero role of Luke Skywalker in Star Wars (1977), Star Wars: Episode V - The Empire Strikes Back (1980) and Star Wars: Episode VI - Return of the Jedi (1983). He experienced a disfiguring car crash, but later played in Broadway, returning to film in 1989.
TRIVIA:
- Is one quarter Swedish.
- Attended Nile C. Kinnick High School (known as Yo-Hi) in Yokohama, Japan, where as a senior he played Henry Aldrich in the high school production of Clifford Goldsmith's "What A Life," Naval Base. School is now on the Yokosuka Naval Base in Japan, where it is known by its original name, Kinnick High. Original site of the high school where Hamill acted is now a MyCal department store.
- Father of 'Nathan Hamill' (qv) (b. 25 June 1979), Griffin (b. 4 March 1983), Chelsea (b. 27 July 1988).
- He was originally cast as David on _"Eight Is Enough" (1977)_ (qv), and asked to be released from his contract before _Star Wars (1977)_ (qv) came out because he sensed the movie would be successful, and Hamill wanted to focus on his movie career. ABC refused to release him from his contract, thinking that having a successful movie star connected with the show would help "Eight is Enough" (1976). Hamill was then in a car crash in December 1976 and injured his face. This made him unavailable for shooting the TV series, and ABC was forced to recast the role of David, which then went to 'Grant Goodeve' (qv).
- He did all his own stunts in _Star Wars: Episode VI - Return of the Jedi (1983)_ (qv) -- except two places: where "Luke Skywalker" jumps off the plank into the Sarlaac, turns, and flips back onto the plank and on the Death Star when Vader throws his saber at the supports of the catwalk. According to "The Making of Return of the Jedi" by John Philip Peecher (c. 1983), his stunt double, 'Colin Skeaping' (qv), performed both of these stunts.
- He was a friend of 'Robert Englund' (qv), the actor best known for playing "Freddy Krueger" in the "Nightmare On Elm Street" films. Englund, himself, auditioned for the role of "Luke Skywalker" and, when he didn't get the part, he encouraged Mark to go and audition after him.
- He did all his own stunts in _Star Wars: Episode V - The Empire Strikes Back (1980)_ (qv), except in the scene in Cloud city where he is sucked out of a window.
- Director 'Stephen Weeks (I)' (qv) originally wanted him for the part of "Sir Gawain" in _Sword of the Valiant: The Legend of Sir Gawain and the Green Knight (1984)_ (qv) but the producers refused and insisted on 'Miles O'Keeffe' (qv).
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