# Star Wars Holiday Special (1978) **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [March 10, 2006, 9:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/star-wars-holiday-special-1978/347810 "2006-03-10T09:20:41Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![Mehitabel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/8797f3/32.png) [@Mehitabel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mehitabel)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2006, 5:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/star-wars-holiday-special-1978/347810/61 "2006-03-12T05:21:29Z")
Yep, found some [vidcaps](http://www.starman-imaging.com/archive/cfsnl/cfsnl01.htm) of Carrie, mostly in the notorious “Beach Blanket Bimbo” sketch (years before she wore a bikini for Jabba!) I remember her at the end flailing her arms and singing “Help me, help me, Obi Wan Keno-bee!” Sometimes I think back on growing up in the Seventies and wonder why we’re not all serial killers. ---
**Author:** ![GIGObuster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gigobuster/32/421_2.png) [@GIGObuster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GIGObuster)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2006, 5:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/star-wars-holiday-special-1978/347810/62 "2006-03-12T05:36:30Z")
> [@Mehitabel](#): > > Yep, found some [vidcaps](http://www.starman-imaging.com/archive/cfsnl/cfsnl01.htm) of Carrie, mostly in the notorious “Beach Blanket Bimbo” sketch (years before she wore a bikini for Jabba!) I remember her at the end flailing her arms and singing “Help me, help me, Obi Wan Keno-bee!” > > Sometimes I think back on growing up in the Seventies and wonder why we’re not all serial killers. Gilda Radner (RIP ☹ ) had the best line in the “Beach Blanket Bimbo” sketch: _Princess Leia_: Hi! _Radner as Annette_: Hi. I-I’m Annette… and this is my boyfriend Frankie… and these are my breasts! Regarding the Star Wars Holiday Special: I always have to mention that I had to endure it dubbed to Spanish back in the old country… It made it worse. ---
**Author:** ![Measure\_for\_Measure](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/measure_for_measure/32/557_2.png) [@Measure\_for\_Measure](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Measure_for_Measure)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2006, 5:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/star-wars-holiday-special-1978/347810/63 "2006-03-12T05:52:45Z")
I have not seen this monstrosity nor will I. Stomptokyo poses a good question: who is to blame for this? The producers? The directors? I’m guessing that the writers might make good candidates. Here are images of the credits: [Stomp Tokyo's Star Wars Holiday Special Gallery - Credits](http://www.stomptokyo.com/sings/swholiday/credits.html) IMDB lists Lucas as an uncredited writer: > **[The Star Wars Holiday Special (TV Movie 1978) - IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0193524/fullcredits)** > > The Star Wars Holiday Special (TV Movie 1978) cast and crew credits, including actors, actresses, directors, writers and more. Ken Welch and Mitzi Welch produced this calamity, Mitzi helped with the script and _they both wrote **songs** _, if you want to call them that. Surprisingly one of the writers [Pat Profit](http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0698493/) does not appear to be using a pseudonym. [Steve Binder](http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0004596/) directed: “His specialty has been producing and directing musical and variety specials…” Work includes Christmas on Ice, Alladin on Ice, Beauty and the Beast: A Concert On Ice, Soul on Ice (just kidding), Blondes vs Brunettes and The Barry Manilow Special. He also directed 2 eps of Gilligans Island. I think we’ve found our man. Go get him, boys. ---
**Author:** ![iamthewalrus\_3](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/258eb7/32.png) [@iamthewalrus\_3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iamthewalrus_3)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2006, 5:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/star-wars-holiday-special-1978/347810/64 "2006-03-12T05:53:38Z")
> [@Walloon](#): > > Carrie Fisher has talked openly about her cocaine-fueled past, but as far as I know she’s never said she was high when this special was made. You could probably take screen caps of the Mormon Tabernacle Choir singing and claim they were high. People just make funny faces when singing out. Nothing else in Fisher’s performance suggests she was high, e.g., slurred speech, delayed reactions. I based my claim on having watched the special, not on image captures. I had no idea until this thread that Carrie Fisher ever did drugs. And I still think she looks stoned. Look at her vacant stare and constant slight grin. ---
**Author:** ![Tuckerfan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/eada6e/32.png) [@Tuckerfan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tuckerfan)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2006, 7:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/star-wars-holiday-special-1978/347810/65 "2006-03-12T07:17:08Z")
> [@Walloon](#): > > Carrie Fisher has talked openly about her cocaine-fueled past, but as far as I know she’s never said she was high when this special was made. You could probably take screen caps of the Mormon Tabernacle Choir singing and claim they were high. People just make funny faces when singing out. Nothing else in Fisher’s performance suggests she was high, e.g., slurred speech, delayed reactions. In some of the previous threads on this abortion, several posters have claimed that Carrie states she was so whacked on drugs that she doesn’t remember doing the special. Of course, that could be BS on her part, or the posters repeating ULs, however, having seen the thing, I would not at all be surprised if Fisher was completely whacked out of her gourd when it was taped. ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Miskatonic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mr.miskatonic/32/310_2.png) [@Mr.Miskatonic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Miskatonic)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2006, 2:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/star-wars-holiday-special-1978/347810/66 "2006-03-12T14:40:44Z")
The stupidest things stand out in my memory of this thing (I refuse to download it to watch it…much funnier to read the reviews.) Anyway, at one point the Stormtroopers are searching the Wookie hut looking for Chewie and Han Solo, or contraband, or something. Anyway, they are in the kids room, one of the Stromtroopers holds up a large stufed animal, dramaticly faces the camera holding it up, tears the head off the animal, and drops it without looking inside or anything. Even as an eleven year old I went ‘huh’. The fact that I watched this as a kid (and the Carrie Fisher SNL skits) demonstrated just how much Star Wars we craved in that age. That somehow a 2 hour movie with minimal background had crept into the collective concious. I would watch a syndicated movie clip show called ‘That’s Hollywood’ every time it was one just on the off chance that a 5 second clip from Star Wars might be shown. Its amazing how VCRs put that mentality out to pasture. ---
**Author:** ![sunfish](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/96bed5/32.png) [@sunfish](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sunfish)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2006, 2:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/star-wars-holiday-special-1978/347810/67 "2006-03-12T14:59:51Z")
As big a Star Wars fan as I was, I managed to miss this show somehow… and it seems like I didn’t miss anything. I did, however, buy the single released from the Star Wars Christmas album that came out in 1980. It’s called “What Can You Get a Wookie for Christmas (When He Already Owns a Comb?).” Yes, the song as is bad as you might guess from the title. I don’t suppose anyone wants to buy it from me? Purely as a collector’s item, of course. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Revtim](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/revtim/32/1042_2.png) [@Revtim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Revtim)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2006, 3:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/star-wars-holiday-special-1978/347810/68 "2006-03-12T15:29:24Z")
Were there any film or TV depictions of virtual reality before this show? ---
**Author:** ![saoirse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/5daacb/32.png) [@saoirse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/saoirse)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2006, 3:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/star-wars-holiday-special-1978/347810/69 "2006-03-12T15:36:30Z")
> [@GIGObuster](#): > > Regarding the Star Wars Holiday Special: I always have to mention that I had to endure it dubbed to Spanish back in the old country… It made it worse. Okay, that is something I would buy bootleg. I don’t suppose you know of any sites where that might be viewed? ---
**Author:** ![Rachael\_Rage](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/71c47a/32.png) [@Rachael\_Rage](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rachael_Rage)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2006, 4:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/star-wars-holiday-special-1978/347810/70 "2006-03-12T16:37:28Z")
> [@Cerri](#): > > I’d like to think there’s a special place in hell for anyone even remotely involved with this project, but I’ve grown old and jaded enough to realize there is truly no justice in this world. A few years ago, in the course of my work producing children’s plays, I inadventently wound up talking to the director of the SWHS (Steve Binder) on the phone a few times. I’m a huge Star Wars fan. I just couldn’t bring myself to mention the show to him, though. He seemed nice enough, why pour salt? BTW, I just ran across this [SW Holiday Special FAQ](http://www.starwarsholidayspecial.com/text/faq.htm) which you might find interesting… ---
**Author:** ![Rachael\_Rage](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/71c47a/32.png) [@Rachael\_Rage](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rachael_Rage)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2006, 4:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/star-wars-holiday-special-1978/347810/71 "2006-03-12T16:43:27Z")
> [@Measure for Measure](#): > > [Steve Binder](http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0004596/) directed…(snip)… > I think we’ve found our man. Go get him, boys. Ha! we overlapped posts. Sorry I missed my chance to ridicule and deride him directly, but I believe in turning the other cheek. Plus, my boss was befriending him, for some reason, so it wouldn’t be in my best interest to ridicule and deride. Apologies to all of the unavenged melted brains out there (including my own - I’ve seen the thing. Twice! Arrrrgh!) ---
**Author:** ![Walloon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/fbc32d/32.png) [@Walloon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Walloon)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2006, 5:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/star-wars-holiday-special-1978/347810/72 "2006-03-12T17:22:44Z")
> [@Revtim](#): > > Were there any film or TV depictions of virtual reality before this show? Define what you mean by virtual reality. ---
**Author:** ![GIGObuster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gigobuster/32/421_2.png) [@GIGObuster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GIGObuster)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2006, 8:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/star-wars-holiday-special-1978/347810/73 "2006-03-12T20:29:02Z")
> [@saoirse](#): > > Okay, that is something I would buy bootleg. I don’t suppose you know of any sites where that might be viewed? Sadly, in the old country, video cassettes were just being introduced or were very rare, searches on the web only point to Spanish sites that show slides of this monstrosity but it seems they are using only copies in English. It may help in further searches to notice that in Spanish Star Wars is “Guerra de las Galaxias” While searching, I found this amusing item: > **[Películas en oferta | Casa del Libro](https://www.casadellibro.com/ofertas-peliculas)** > > Descubre las mejores películas en oferta en Casa del Libro, ¡hasta un 80% de descuento! The Mel Brooks parody _Space Balls_, was titled diferent in Spanish: they followed a very old tradition of titling movies in a way that shows a connection to a previous hit. So, Mel had a hit with _The crazy history of the world part I_, and then in Spanish we had “_La Loca Historia de las Galaxias_” -The crazy history of the Galaxies! :smack: 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Revtim](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/revtim/32/1042_2.png) [@Revtim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Revtim)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2006, 8:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/star-wars-holiday-special-1978/347810/74 "2006-03-12T20:46:57Z")
> [@Walloon](#): > > Define what you mean by virtual reality. I was thinking along the lines of an immersive computer-generated artificial environment, where the user has to have devices over his eyes/head or plugged into his brain so the virtual environment takes over at least the visual sense. I do not really recall what it was like in the Star Wars special, I saw it when it aired, but haven’t been able to make myself watch it since. I’ve tried a couple times, but I never make to the VR section. What did you have in mind? I’ll try not to Pit you if it does not meet my definition… 😉 ---
**Author:** ![ouryL](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ouryl/32/6067_2.png) [@ouryL](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ouryL)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2006, 12:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/star-wars-holiday-special-1978/347810/75 "2006-03-13T00:08:27Z")
When I think back on 1978, I actually have found memories of that TV special as being a highlight. ---
**Author:** ![saoirse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/5daacb/32.png) [@saoirse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/saoirse)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2006, 12:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/star-wars-holiday-special-1978/347810/76 "2006-03-13T00:11:45Z")
Ah well. I shall keep my nose to the wind on that one. ---
**Author:** ![Walloon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/fbc32d/32.png) [@Walloon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Walloon)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2006, 12:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/star-wars-holiday-special-1978/347810/77 "2006-03-13T00:16:19Z")
> [@Revtim](#): > > I was thinking along the lines of an immersive computer-generated artificial environment, where the user has to have devices over his eyes/head or plugged into his brain so the virtual environment takes over at least the visual sense. Well, sort of but not really. In _Westworld_ (1973) we saw point of view shots from the android robot gunfighter’s eyes as he hunted his prey. They were done by computer animation. ---
**Author:** ![mobo85](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b19c9b/32.png) [@mobo85](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mobo85)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2006, 3:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/star-wars-holiday-special-1978/347810/78 "2006-03-13T03:46:35Z")
> [@Measure for Measure](#): > > who is to blame for this? “Co-written by Bruch Vilanch?!” Anyway, my comment was that a couple years back, there was a _Star Wars_ mockumentary produced by Lucasfilm called _RD-D2: Beneath the Dome_, all about R2-D2’s meteoric rise to fame. _TV Guide_ interviewed Lucas about working with R2, and my favorite line in the interview was that R2 came up with the idea for the _Star Wars Holiday Special_. ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2006, 4:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/star-wars-holiday-special-1978/347810/79 "2006-03-13T04:22:25Z")
> [@Mr. Miskatonic](#): > > Anyway, they are in the kids room, one of the Stromtroopers holds up a large stufed animal, dramaticly faces the camera holding it up, tears the head off the animal, and drops it without looking inside or anything. Even as an eleven year old I went ‘huh’. As a total SW geek, I believe I can explain this-the Empire is incredibly xenophobic towards non-humans. Some species get it worse than others, and Wookiees were especially persecuted-they were used as slaves.\* So the Stormtrooper did it on purpose, just like say, maybe a Nazi might have done the same to a young Jewish child during the 1930s-deliberately destroy a stuffed animal. Or let’s say you have a lynching in the 1930s-you have some Klansmen searching a the house of a poor black family for the one they want, they might break some of the kid’s toys. In the last film, ROTS, because the Wookiees helped the Jedi, and fought the clone troopers who came to take down Yoda and some of the other Jedi, the entire planet and species was punished. \*That’s how Han met Chewie. Han was an Imperial officer, and at one point, he was assigned to a labor detail of Wookiee slaves. Chewie lashed out at the guy in charge, the guy was about to shoot him, and Han saved him. Han was drummed out of the military, and Chewie swore a life debt to Han. ---
**Author:** ![rjung](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/45deac/32.png) [@rjung](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rjung)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2006, 9:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/star-wars-holiday-special-1978/347810/80 "2006-03-13T21:12:30Z")
> [@Lute Skywatcher](#): > > And [Luke, Chewie, and the droids were on the Muppet Show a couple of years later](http://www.lucasfan.com/swtv/muppets.html). Yes, but the _Muppet Show_ appearance was **good.** [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/star-wars-holiday-special-1978/347810.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/star-wars-holiday-special-1978/347810.md?page=5)