[OT] Star Wars trivia

[Rogue]

All righty folks, I got $15 riding on this, so please post references and what-not.

Which came first: Star Wars (A New Hope) the movie, or the novel? And on a side note, did Lucas ever write any novels for Star Wars?

 

[Alaric_Prympax]

AFAIK Lucas did write the novel Star Wars which became A New Hope. Since I work in a bookstore I'll look tomorrow when I go to work to double check. Usually the book comes out a little before the movie but this one may be the exception so I do not know if the movie was first or the book; but I would say the book was out first.

Sorry for the round about answer.

I work 3 pm - 12 am so I post when I get back so that would be Wednesday morning (around 1 am).

 

[Randolpho]

My understanding was that Lucas wrote the novel alongside the movie, at around the same time. One influenced the other, etc.

 

[Akunin]

The Novel, by about 6 months.

the novel, written by George Lucas and ghost writer Alan Dean Foster, was published in December of 1976. The movie was released, IIRC, in May, 1977.

"A New Hope" was added to the title for the 1978 re-release.

 

[Alaric_Prympax]

I wasn't quite sure about Alan Dean Foster working on the novel, I'll check tomorrow. Unless you're sure. I just don't remember.

 

[der_kluge]

I always thought Star Wars started out as a Radio Drama? Or did that come afterwards?

 

[Rogue]

References

All righty, not to discredit anyone here... but I'm gonna need resources, or the possible facts posted are moot. I've found only that the book was written by Alan Dean Foster (False ID, as posted?) in 1986.... from Amazon.com, I believe. But that could just be the revised copyright date, too. Thanks for the contribute so far, you four.

-Rogue

 

[Barendd Nobeard]

Re: References

All righty, not to discredit anyone here... but I'm gonna need resources, or the possible facts posted are moot. I've found only that the book was written by Alan Dean Foster (False ID, as posted?) in 1986.... from Amazon.com, I believe. But that could just be the revised copyright date, too. Thanks for the contribute so far, you four.

-Rogue

The online catalog of the University of Texas lists the book as published in 1977 by Ballantine Books, with both Lucas and Foster as authors. It's a Book Club edition, but at least we know something was published in 1977.

AUTHOR: Lucas, George
TITLE: Star wars : from the adventures of Luke Skywalker / by George Lucas.
EDITION: Book club ed.
PUBLISHED: New York : Ballantine Books, 1977.
DESCRIPTION: 183 p., 8 leaves of plates : col. ill. ; 22 cm.
NOTES: "A Del Rey book."
Attributed to Alan Dean Foster.
Edition statement from dust jacket.
Later printing; printer's code on p. 183: S31 (ie. 31st week of 1977).
References: Currey, L.W. Science fiction, p. 192
COPY NOTES: HRC bookplate: Gift of UT Science Fiction and Fantasy Society; withdust jacket.
SUBJECTS: Science fiction, American
OTHER AUTHORS: Foster, Alan Dean, 1946-
OCLC NUMBER: 6054941

A-ha!! Just found another entry (same catalog)with a date of 1976 (looks like a 1982 re-print):

AUTHOR: Lucas, George
TITLE: Star wars : from the adventures of Luke Skywalker : a novel / by George Lucas.
PUBLISHED: New York : Ballantine Books, 1982, c1976.
DESCRIPTION: 220 p., (8) leaves of plates : ill. ; 18 cm.
NOTES: "A Del Rey book."
ISBN: 0345307356 (pbk.) :
OCLC NUMBER: 9168883
Locations:NO LONGER AVAILABLE - if no other copy is available, users with UT Austin ID may use Interlibrary Services Request

And another entry - copyright 1976 but published 1977:

AUTHOR: Lucas, George
TITLE: Star wars : from the adventures of Luke Skywalker : a novel / by George Lucas.
EDITION: 1st ed.
PUBLISHED: New York : Ballantine Books, 1976, 1977 printing.
DESCRIPTION: 220 p., (8) leaves of plates : ill. ; 18 cm.
NOTES: "A Del Rey book."
ISBN: 0345260791 :
OCLC NUMBER: 3111158
Locations:MOORE K-2-6 Architecture Library Moore Collection (Off Campus) USE IN LIBRARY ONLY - ASK AT CIRCULATION DESK
PS 3562 U234 S727 1977 PCL Stacks



[edit - found more info!]

 

[Welverin]

THE BOOK CAME FIRST

from the Del Rey books Star Wars site:

DEL REY AND Star Wars:
Del Rey Books was the original publisher for Star Wars books, beginning with the Star Wars novelization, which came out a few months before the 1977 movie. Besides the novelizations, we published the first-ever spin-off novel and many nonfiction books, including "Making of" books, the beloved "Art of" books, and the innovative "Essential Guide" series. And now...Episode I books and future novels are ours as well, under the new LucasBooks logo.

URL (towards the bottom):
http://www.randomhouse.com/delrey/starwars/

 

[Jack Haggerty]

Aha... But Uncle George had been working on soimething like a half dozen different versions and drafts of the script since '74, and had written a 14-page synopsis in '73.

The novel was published and released before the movie, but the script for the movie had been written long before the book.

For all of the published scripts, click here.

Notice:

Star Wars
Published Script: Star Wars, Episode IV: A New Hope, from the Journal of the Whills
Public Version of Fourth Draft.
Dated: "Revised Fourth Draft, January 15, 1976."
As published in The Art of Star Wars, Ballantine 1979.