Lucasfilm Ltd. & TM. photos Luke Skywalker engages in a perilous lightsaber duel with Darth Vader in "Star Wars: Episode V The Empire Strikes Back."

By Barbara Vancheri
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette With the 30th anniversary of George Lucas' "Star Wars" approaching, our intrepid magazine staff dug through our archives and brought back a wealth of wonderful coverage from the first movie, "Star Wars: Episode IV A New Hope" to the last installment, "Star Wars: Episode III Revenge of the Sith."

	Sell-out crowds line up for a showing of Star Wars in this photo taken circa June 1977 outside the Loew's cinema on Times Square in New York City. Click photo for larger image. Related coverage: Share your 'Star Wars' memories The Readers Write: 'Star Wars' memories, May 2007 'Star Wars' fans get marathon of all 6 films as convention opens 'Star Wars' a Joyous Space Trip, May 25, 1977 Star Wars Celebration IV, Thursday, May 24 to Monday, May 28, 2007 U.S. Postal Service and "Star Wars" stamps

A Star Wars timeline

May 14, 1944:

George Lucas, future filmmaker, is born in Modesto, Calif. According to some accounts, he is an introvert and frequent target of bullies. He makes a name for himself with a little 1973 movie called "American Graffiti."

March 1976:

Shooting begins on a space fantasy called "Star Wars." In one of the savviest moves of all time, Lucas cuts his directing fee by $500,000 to gain ownership of merchandising and sequel rights. Ca-ching!

May 25, 1977:

"Star Wars," written and directed by Lucas, opens, and a franchise is born. Post-Gazette readers find this headline atop George Anderson's review: " 'Star Wars' a joyous space trip." He suggests it "may be the greatest comic book movie ever made." Across the country, house records tumble.

Aug. 1, 1977:

Sales of T-shirts adorned with Darth Vader's black, helmet-like visage approach a million a month. Any day now, floodgates will open and release children's costumes, lunch boxes, bubble gum, toys and other tie-ins.

Dec. 31, 1977:

By year's end, "Star Wars" displaces "Jaws" as Hollywood's biggest grosser. After reissue in January 1997, it will gross $461 million in North America. Only "Titanic" has made more money.

Yoda (portrayed by Frank Oz) makes his first on-screen appearance in "Star Wars: Episode V The Empire Strikes Back." Click photo for larger image. Related coverage: 'Star Wars' Force Intact in 'Empire', May 21, 1980

March 29, 1978:

"Annie Hall" wins the Oscar for Best Picture, but "Star Wars" gets the gold for art direction-set decoration, costume design, film editing, score, sound, visual effects and, for Ben Burtt, an Allegheny College alum, special achievement. Burtt is honored for creation of alien, creature and robot voices.

May 21, 1980:

"The Empire Strikes Back" opens at the Warner, Downtown, and three Showcase cinemas. In its initial release and 1997 reissue, it grosses $290 million in the United States and Canada.

May 26, 1983:

In a sign of how movie business has shifted away from Downtown, "Return of the Jedi" opens here strictly in the suburbs. "Return," which also returns to theaters in '97, grosses $309 million.

	The notorious Jabba the Hutt holds court in a scene from "Star Wars: Episode VI Return of the Jedi." Click photo for larger image. More Coverage: 'Return of the Jedi' worth the wait, May 26, 1983

Nov. 25, 1984:

ABC airs "The Ewok Adventure," a TV movie about Wicket (an Ewok from "Return of the Jedi"). A sequel, "Ewoks: The Battle for Endor," premieres on ABC Nov. 24, 1986.

Sept. 7, 1985:

ABC premieres two Saturday morning cartoon series: "Droids: The Adventures of R2-D2 and C-3PO" runs a single season, while "Ewoks" lasts two years.

May 27, 1987:

Lucas thrills a crowd of 2,000 attending a celebration of the 10th anniversary of "Star Wars" by announcing a second trilogy is in the works.

March 30, 1992:

On Oscar night, Lucas receives the Irving G. Thalberg Memorial Award.

November 1994:

Lucas, now 50, starts work on "Star Wars: Episode I -- The Phantom Menace." His tools are legendary: A No. 2 pencil and red three-ring binder.

	Scene from "Star Wars Episode I, the Phantom Menace." Click photo for larger image. Related coverage: Review of "Star Wars: Episode I -- The Phantom Menace", Sunday, May 16, 1999 Stars lined up to join the Force, Sunday, May 16, 1999 By George, he thinks he's got it, Sunday, May 16, 1999 On The Arts: In Hollywood, they put their money where their hype is, Sunday, May 30, 1999

Summer 1997:

Production begins on the first new "Star Wars" picture in a decade and a half. Cast and crew head to England, Italy and Tunisia, while special effects experts work their wiles at Lucas' Industrial Light & Magic in Northern California.

Winter-spring 1997:

The first three "Star Wars" films are re-released, with new digital soundtracks, cleaned-up color, some new effects and at least one restored scene.

November 1998:

A two-minute, 10-second trailer for "The Phantom Menace" arrives in theaters and introduces Anakin Skywalker, who grows up to be Darth Vader. Many patrons pay to see the preview, not the feature.

May 3, 1999:

The force of the marketing machine is with us: Toys R Us opens its doors just past midnight, and shoppers snap up Battle Droids, Darth Mauls and Queen Amidalas. Pepsi, Frito-Lay, Taco Bell, Pizza Hut and KFC are on board as promotional partners, and TV commercials commence.

	Hayden Christensen, left, who plays Anakin Skywalker, and Natalie Portman, who portrays Padme Amidala, appear in "Star Wars: Episode II--Attack of the Clones." Click photo for larger image. Related coverage: 'Clones': Figuring out the Force , Thursday, May 16, 2002 Review of "Star Wars: Episode II -- Attack of the Clones", Thursday, May 16, 2002

May 19, 1999:

"Star Wars: Episode I -- The Phantom Menace," made for $115 million, opens on 2,800-3,000 screens and eventually makes $431 million. Reviewers, including the PG's Ron Weiskind, predict kids may love Jar Jar Binks but adults will find him annoying enough to wish someone would slice him in half with a light saber.

May 16, 2002:

"Star Wars: Episode II -- Attack of the Clones" opens. Anakin Skywalker is now a moody teen played by Hayden Christensen, and he takes the first fateful step down that slippery slope where, at the bottom, Darth Vader awaits. The movie makes $311 million and shores up a sensational summer at the box office.

July 24, 2004:

Lucasfilm announces the title of "Episode III." It's "Revenge of the Sith."

March 13, 2005:

Lucas predicts, correctly, that the final installment will earn a PG-13 rating. "I don't think I would take a 5- or 6-year-old to this. It's way too strong," he says on "60 Minutes."

	Hayden Christensen portrays Anakin Skywalker who is lured to the dark side in "Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge Of The Sith." Click photo for larger image. Related coverage: Test your knowlege: A Star Wars trivia quiz, Sunday, May 15, 2005 Some facts about the films, Sunday, May 15, 2005 Review of "Star Wars: Episode III -- Revenge of the Sith", Wednesday, May 18, 2005 Long wait comes to end for serious 'Star Wars' fans, Thursday, May 19, 2005 Movie theaters prepare for midnight release of final 'Star Wars' movie, Thursday, May 19, 2005 Remembering Star Wars: A long time ago, in a theater far, far away ... Memories from three self-proclaimed "Star Wars" geeks, Sharon Eberson, Rob Owen, Tony Norman, Friday, May 20, 2005 An interactive presentation on Star Wars, May 2005

April 23, 2005:

Lucas tells a fan convention in Indianapolis he is developing two "Star Wars" projects for TV. One is an animated half-hour that expands on the Cartoon Network's "Clone Wars" miniseries, and the other is a live-action series focusing on several of the franchise's supporting characters.

May 18, 2005:

At the stroke of midnight, "Star Wars: Episode III -- Revenge of the Sith" opened and the circle was complete. Lucas admits he'll be in trouble with parents for making a violent film, but "I have to tell the story I intended."

May 25, 2007:

The 30th anniversary of George Lucas' "Star Wars: Episode IV A New Hope;" the epic space movie that enriched popular culture with phrases like "A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away," majestic music, Luke Skywalker, light sabers, Princess Leia hair buns, Han Solo, Darth Vader, Obi-Wan Kenobi, the Force, talking robots and Jedi mind tricks.