- Born
- Died
- Birth nameGary Douglas Kurtz
- Gary Kurtz was born on July 27, 1940 in Los Angeles, California, USA. He was a producer and assistant director, known for Star Wars: Épisode IV - Un nouvel espoir (1977), American Graffiti (1973) and Dark Crystal (1982). He was married to Stephanie Clare Gabriel, Roberta Jimenez and Meredith Marie Alsup. He died on September 23, 2018 in London, England, UK.
- SpousesStephanie Clare Gabriel(September 2003 - September 23, 2018) (his death)Roberta Jimenez(1984 - 1992) (divorced, 1 child)Meredith Marie Alsup(April 14, 1963 - October 15, 1984) (divorced, 2 children)
- Came up with the title for L'Empire contre-attaque (1980)
- He invested in Return to Oz (1985) which failed at the box office. He filed for bankruptcy in 1985.
- He took over John Barry's second unit duties after his sudden death on the set of L'Empire contre-attaque (1980) until his replacement Harley Cokeliss arrived. Kurtz directed the scene in which Luke flees the Wampa cave.
- Father of Melissa Kurtz and Tiffany Hillkurtz
- He has produced three films that have been selected for the National Film Registry by the Library of Congress as being "culturally, historically or aesthetically" significant: American Graffiti (1973), Star Wars: Épisode IV - Un nouvel espoir (1977) and L'Empire contre-attaque (1980).
- [about the Star Wars movies] In terms of a saga of interrelated stories we always wanted to have each picture directed by a different person, to add a slightly different style or focus to the overall development, so that when they were eventually seen in a group one could see how the individual filmic styles added to the development of the characters.
- Tension between the actors comes and goes. Some days they get on well, others they don't but these are just the normal misunderstandings that take place under high tension. Actors, more than anyone else, suffer from continuous anxieties as to whether they're doing a good job, whether they'r approved of by other actors or members of the crew. They inflict upon themselves a sort of endless psychiatric self-analysis.
- Star Wars: Épisode IV - Un nouvel espoir (1977) - $50,000 + 5% of the net profits
- American Graffiti (1974) - $ ? + 5% of profits
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