Derek Lyons(I)

Founder of martial arts system, ZenSwim.

[on filming Star Wars: Episode IV - Eine neue Hoffnung (1977)]I got on very well with Mark Hamill; we found out we had the same date of birth - September 25. It was like a holiday camp, we had these tents outside H stage and we'd all eat together. I remember there was a big set to the left of H stage and Mark asked, 'What is it, Derek?' and I found out it was the Oliver stage, from Lionel Bart's Oliver, so I said, 'Look, Mark, if I bring my camera - the next day - we can get some photographs taken.' Now, I didn't want a photograph taken with Mark Hamill because he was Mark Hamill - I didn't know who the hell he was, I didn't know who anyone was. Anyway, the next day I brought my little camera and we went and looked at these amazing Dickensian sets and Peter Mayhew followed us and we took some photographs. So I took photographs of Mark, Mark took photographs of me, Peter Mayhew took photographs of me and Mark. We got on so well. Every day, we chatted and laughed and he was great.