WOLFMAN JACK RADIO SHOW
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GEORGE LUCAS
"AMERICAN GRAFFITI"
Before George Lucas created the "Star Wars" and "Indiana Jones" films, he brought to the screen, an amusing and intimate look at teenage life in Northern California with his hit Universal Pictures film "American Graffiti." The movie introduced Wolfman Jack to a whole new audience.
Here's a note Mr. Lucas recently wrote for us about the Wolfman.
"Wolfman Jack had that one-of-a-kind voice that was both unmistakable and resonated with a generation coming up in the new age of rock-and-roll. His show was a bit manic, a bit racy, and always a good time.
I had cast him in my film American Graffiti because I wanted to capture the spirit of a time and its music. Wolfman Jack as a DJ and actor could personify the calm, exuberance, hope and fun of that era. As said in the film, "the Wolfman is everywhere!"
George Lucas
Wolfman Jack & George Lucas 1973
AMERICAN GRAFFITI TRAILER
George Lucas and Francis Ford Coppola talk about casting Wolfman Jack in "American Graffiti"
George Lucas is a writer, producer and director best known for his creation of the enormously successful 'Star Wars' and 'Indiana Jones' film franchises.
Born and raised in Modesto, California. George Lucas grew up in the suburbs, which inspired his 1973 film American Graffiti. He studied cinematography at the University of Southern California. There, he produced a short futuristic sci-fi film called Electronic Labyrinth: THX 1138 4EB and caught the eye of Francis Ford Coppola, who helped him enter the film business. Coppola convinced Warner Brothers to make a feature length version of the film and although a few critics recognized some philosophical depth behind all the technical wizardry, THX 1138 (re-titled) flopped terribly in its 1971 release.
Although intimidated by the failure of his first film, Lucas went back to work on his next project, American Graffiti. Released in 1973, the film featured such burgeoning young talents as Ron Howard, Richard Dreyfuss and Harrison Ford and was recognized as a stunning portrait of listless American youth in 1962 depicting, in Lucas's own words, "a warm, secure, uninvolved life." The film, made for only $780,000, grossed more than $100 million domestically. It earned five Academy Award nominations, including Best Picture, Best Screenplay and Best Director for Lucas and is still considered one of the most successful low budget features ever made.
