History of George Lucas in Timeline
George Lucas is an American filmmaker, best known for creating the Star Wars and Indiana Jones franchises. He is the founder of Lucasfilm, LucasArts, Industrial Light & Magic, and THX. A pioneer of the New Hollywood movement and modern blockbuster, Lucas is considered a significant figure in 20th-century cinema. He sold Lucasfilm to Disney in 2012. Despite his blockbuster success, he has largely remained an independent filmmaker.
1968: Douglas Trumbull's effects on 2001: A Space Odyssey
In 1968, Douglas Trumbull, best known for the effects on 2001: A Space Odyssey, declined to work on Star Wars because he was already committed to working on Steven Spielberg's film Close Encounters of the Third Kind (1977)
1969: Marriage to Marcia Lou Griffin
In 1969, George Lucas married film editor Marcia Lou Griffin, who later won an Academy Award for her editing work on the original Star Wars film.
1971: Lucasfilm Founded
In 1971, George Lucas founded a film production company called Lucasfilm.
1972: Douglas Trumbull's effects on Silent Running
In 1972, Douglas Trumbull, best known for the effects on 2001: A Space Odyssey, declined to work on Star Wars because he was already committed to working on Steven Spielberg's film Close Encounters of the Third Kind (1977)
1975: Industrial Light & Magic Founded
In 1975, George Lucas founded Industrial Light & Magic (ILM) to create visual effects for his films.
September 12, 1977: Lucasfilm Ltd. Incorporated
On September 12, 1977, Lucasfilm was incorporated as Lucasfilm Ltd.
1977: Awarded the Inkpot Award
In 1977, George Lucas was awarded the Inkpot Award.
1977: Visual Effects for Star Wars
In 1977, Industrial Light & Magic became the Special Visual Effects department on Star Wars, creating visual effects that had never been seen on film before.
1978: Star Wars Holiday Special
In 1978, Lucas's company, the Star Wars Corporation, Inc., produced the Star Wars Holiday Special for 20th Century Fox Television.
1980: Firing of Charles Weber
In 1980, George Lucas fired real-estate specialist Charles Weber after Weber requested fifty million dollars to invest in other companies and suggested that they sell Skywalker Ranch to do so.
1981: Adoption of Amanda Lucas
In 1981, George Lucas and Marcia Lou Griffin adopted a daughter named Amanda Lucas.
1983: Divorce from Marcia Lou Griffin
In 1983, George Lucas divorced film editor Marcia Lou Griffin.
1988: Birth of daughter Katie Lucas
In 1988, George Lucas adopted his daughter Katie Lucas as a single parent.
1991: Received the Irving G. Thalberg Award
In 1991, George Lucas received the academy's Irving G. Thalberg Award.
1991: The George Lucas Educational Foundation Founded
In 1991, The George Lucas Educational Foundation was founded as a nonprofit operating foundation to celebrate and encourage innovation in schools.
1993: Birth of son Jett Lucas
In 1993, George Lucas adopted his son Jett Lucas as a single parent.
1996: Telecommunications Act
In 1996, Lucas, through his foundation, was one of the leading proponents of the E-Rate program in the universal service fund, which was enacted as part of the Telecommunications Act.
2001: Reference to 2001: A Space Odyssey
George Lucas initially wanted to use tracks and film music in a similar manner to 2001: A Space Odyssey as inspiration for Star Wars.
June 9, 2005: AFI Life Achievement Award
On June 9, 2005, the American Film Institute awarded George Lucas its Life Achievement Award, shortly after the release of Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith.
2005: Donation to MLK Jr. Memorial
In 2005, George Lucas gave $1 million to help build the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial on the National Mall in Washington, D.C.
2005: Met Mellody Hobson
In 2005, George Lucas met Mellody Hobson at a business conference.
2005: Greatest Film Score
In 2005, the American Film Institute listed John Williams' score for Star Wars as the greatest film score of all time.
September 19, 2006: Donation to USC Film School
On September 19, 2006, the University of Southern California announced that George Lucas donated $175–180 million to his alma mater to expand the film school. This donation is the largest single donation to USC and the largest gift to a film school anywhere.
2006: Began dating Mellody Hobson
In 2006, George Lucas began dating Mellody Hobson, president of Ariel Investments and chairwoman of Starbucks, after meeting in 2005.
2006: Inducted into Science Fiction Hall of Fame
In 2006, George Lucas was inducted into the Science Fiction Hall of Fame.
2007: Presented Best Director award at Academy Awards
In 2007, George Lucas appeared at the 79th Academy Awards ceremony with Steven Spielberg and Francis Ford Coppola to present the Best Director award to Martin Scorsese.
2007: Grand Marshal for Tournament of Roses Parade
In 2007, George Lucas served as Grand Marshal for the Tournament of Roses Parade and made the ceremonial coin toss at the Rose Bowl.
June 24, 2008: Testimony Before Congress
On June 24, 2008, George Lucas testified before the United States House of Representatives subcommittee on Telecommunications and the Internet as the head of his Foundation to advocate for a free wireless broadband educational network.
September 2008: Named one of the 100 "Greatest Americans"
In September 2008, The Discovery Channel named George Lucas one of the 100 "Greatest Americans".
2008: Indiana Jones and Star Wars: The Clone Wars
In 2008, George Lucas collaborated with Jeff Nathanson on the film Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull, directed by Steven Spielberg. Also in 2008, Lucas created and served as executive producer for Star Wars: The Clone Wars, an animated series on Cartoon Network.
2009: Inducted into California Hall of Fame
In 2009, George Lucas was one of 13 California Hall of Fame inductees in The California Museum's yearlong exhibit.
July 2, 2010: Rockwell Collection Displayed at Smithsonian
From July 2, 2010, to January 2, 2011, a collection of 57 Norman Rockwell paintings and drawings owned by George Lucas and Steven Spielberg were displayed at the Smithsonian American Art Museum in an exhibition titled "Telling Stories".
January 2, 2011: End of Rockwell exhibit at Smithsonian
On January 2, 2011, the exhibition titled "Telling Stories" showcasing a collection of 57 Norman Rockwell paintings and drawings owned by George Lucas and Steven Spielberg, closed at the Smithsonian American Art Museum.
January 2012: Retirement Announcement
In January 2012, George Lucas announced his retirement from producing large blockbuster films, and instead would re-focus his career on smaller, independently budgeted features.
June 2012: Kathleen Kennedy Appointment
In June 2012, it was announced that Kathleen Kennedy was appointed as co-chair of Lucasfilm Ltd, and would eventually succeed Lucas as the company's sole leader.
2012: Red Tails Production
In 2012, George Lucas self-funded and served as executive producer for Red Tails, a war film about the Tuskegee Airmen during World War II. He also took over directing of reshoots while director Anthony Hemingway worked on other projects.
2012: Sale of Lucasfilm
In 2012, George Lucas sold Lucasfilm to The Walt Disney Company for $4.05 billion, intending to donate the majority of the proceeds to charity.
2012: Disney Acquires Lucasfilm
In 2012, The Walt Disney Company acquired Lucasfilm. During this time, Kathleen Kennedy produced the film and its sequels.
January 2013: Engagement to Mellody Hobson
In January 2013, George Lucas and Mellody Hobson announced their engagement.
June 2013: Considering Lucas Cultural Arts Museum
In June 2013, George Lucas was considering establishing the Lucas Cultural Arts Museum in San Francisco, to display his collection of illustrations and pop art.
June 22, 2013: Marriage to Mellody Hobson
On June 22, 2013, George Lucas married Mellody Hobson at Lucas's Skywalker Ranch in Marin County, California.
July 2013: Awarded National Medal of Arts
In July 2013, George Lucas was awarded the National Medal of Arts by President Barack Obama for his contributions to American cinema.
August 2013: Birth of daughter via surrogate
In August 2013, George Lucas and Mellody Hobson had a daughter, born via surrogate.
May 2014: Chicago Site Proposed
In May 2014, a potential lakefront site on Museum Campus in Chicago was proposed for the Lucas Museum of Narrative Art.
June 2014: Chicago Selected
In June 2014, Chicago was selected as the location for the Lucas Museum of Narrative Art, pending approval of the Chicago Plan Commission, which was granted.
October 2014: Received Honorary Membership of SMPTE
In October 2014, George Lucas received Honorary Membership of the Society of Motion Picture and Television Engineers.
2014: Star Wars: The Clone Wars ended
In 2014, George Lucas finished his role as creator and executive producer for Star Wars: The Clone Wars on Cartoon Network. This series bridged the events between Attack of the Clones and Revenge of the Sith, and featured the last Star Wars stories in which Lucas was involved in a major way.
January 2015: Disney Discards Story Ideas
In January 2015, George Lucas stated that Disney had discarded his story ideas for the Star Wars sequel trilogy.
August 2015: Inducted as a Disney Legend
In August 2015, George Lucas was inducted as a Disney Legend.
December 6, 2015: Honoree at Kennedy Center Honors
On December 6, 2015, George Lucas was an honoree at the Kennedy Center Honors.
December 18, 2015: The Force Awakens Released
On December 18, 2015, The Force Awakens, directed by J. J. Abrams, was released. The new sequel trilogy was jointly produced by Lucasfilm and The Walt Disney Company, which had acquired Lucasfilm in 2012.
December 24, 2015: Lucas Compares Disney to "White Slavers"
On December 24, 2015, during an interview with Charlie Rose, George Lucas likened his decision to sell Lucasfilm to Disney to a divorce and outlined the creative differences between him and the producers of The Force Awakens. Lucas criticized The Force Awakens for having a 'retro feel' and also drew criticism for likening Disney to 'white slavers', for which he later apologized.
2015: Strange Magic Release
In 2015, George Lucas wrote the CGI film Strange Magic, his first musical, which was produced at Skywalker Ranch and directed by Gary Rydstrom.
April 15, 2016: Donation to Obama Foundation
On April 15, 2016, it was reported that George Lucas had donated between $501,000 and $1 million through the Lucas Family Foundation (now the Hobson/Lucas Family Foundation) to the Obama Foundation, which is charged with overseeing the construction of the Barack Obama Presidential Center on Chicago's South Side.
June 24, 2016: Abandoning Chicago Plans
On June 24, 2016, George Lucas announced that he was abandoning his plans to locate the Lucas Museum of Narrative Art in Chicago, due to a lawsuit by a local preservation group.
October 2016: Lucas Not Involved in Indiana Jones Story
In October 2016, George Lucas announced his decision to not be involved in the story of the fifth Indiana Jones film but would remain an executive producer.
2016: Supported Hillary Clinton
In 2016, George Lucas supported Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton in the run-up for the U.S. presidential election.
January 17, 2017: Los Angeles Location Announced
On January 17, 2017, George Lucas announced that the Lucas Museum of Narrative Art would be constructed in Exposition Park, Los Angeles, California, with completion due in 2026.
2017: The Last Jedi
In 2017, The Last Jedi, the second film in the sequel trilogy, was released; Lucas described the film as 'beautifully made'.
2018: Involvement in Solo
In 2018, George Lucas had cursory involvement with Solo: A Star Wars Story.
2019: Meeting with J.J. Abrams
In 2019, George Lucas met with J. J. Abrams before Abrams began writing the script to the sequel trilogy's final film, The Rise of Skywalker, which was released in 2019.
2021: Donation to NYU for Martin Scorsese Institute
In 2021, George Lucas and his wife Mellody Hobson made a donation to NYU through the Hobson/Lucas Family Foundation to establish the Martin Scorsese Institute of Global Cinematic Arts.
2021: Stormtrooper action figure released
In 2021, coinciding with Lucasfilm's 50th anniversary, an action figure of George Lucas in stormtrooper disguise was released as part of Hasbro's Star Wars: The Black Series.
May 2024: Honorary Palme d'Or at Cannes Film Festival
In May 2024, George Lucas was given the Honorary Palme d'Or at the Cannes Film Festival, considered one of the highest recognitions in the film industry.
2026: Lucas Museum of Narrative Art Completion
The Lucas Museum of Narrative Art in Exposition Park, Los Angeles, California, is due to be completed in 2026.
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