Where Aren t They Now?: 5 Post-Star Wars Careers Almost as Pathetic as Mark Hamill's
Mark "Luke Skywalker" Hamill is living proof that a man only has so much good fortune coming to him in a lifetime. Hamill used up all of his by 1983, and has spent every year since voicing cartoons and being accosted by Star Wars geeks on the street.
As we recognize the tragedy that has been Hamill's post-Star Wars life, we should also take time to remember the other greats who suffered the same fate. Here are five men who were integral to the Star Wars franchise but whose careers outside the trilogy were almost almost as sad as Hamill's:
Peter Cushing
The character:
Imperial Officer Grand Moff Wilhuff Tarkin
The actor:
Peter Cushing was so old-school, he actually appeared in a Laurel and Hardy movie (A Chump at Oxford). That was before George Lucas was even freaking born. Cushing was best known for his work in Hammer horror films, often opposite longtime friend Count Dooku er, Christopher Lee. Cushing also played Dr. Who in two films and came very close to changing Star Wars history forever: he was originally considered for the role of Obi-Wan over Alec Guinness. Picture that.
Inestimable contribution to the films:
Tarkin was nothing less than the real badass of the first film. When Vader started air-choking a guy, it was Tarkin who told him to back it off and Vader did what he was told. Also, you thought it was scary when Anakin killed those kids in Episode III? Tarkin killed a whole planet's worth of them on Alderaan, and for even less reason.
Without Cushing's Tarkin next to him, Vader just looks silly with his mask and cape. Cushing's reptillian deathmask of a face made Tarkin look like a guy you could see on the news tonight, on trial for war crimes.
Most memorable line:
"You're far too trusting. Dantooine is too remote to make an effective demonstration. But don't worry, we will deal with your rebel friends soon enough."
Best Youtube video featuring character:
Our vote goes to this bizarre still of Tarkin looking particularly skeletal while a deep-voiced Latino man narrates in Spanish about God know what. If you speak Spanish, feel free to post a full translation in the comments section, as we're actually quite curious about it.
Weirdest merchandise based on character:
This full-body Tarkin costume, complete with disturbing rubber death mask and a wig of what looks like steel wire.
Best excerpt from Wikipedia entry on character:
"In an incident that became known as the 'Ghorman Massacre,' Tarkin ordered his ship to land on a platform where a large group of protesters were protesting the Imperial taxation on the distant planet Ghorman. Hundreds of Imperial subjects were crushed by Tarkin's transport in the landing."
Best excerpt from Wikipedia entry on actor:
"In 1989 Cushing was made an Officer of the Order of the British Empire. He retired to Whitestable, where he had bought a seafront house in 1959, and continued his hobby of birdwatching."
Where is he now?
Dead. But, between Star Wars and dying, he managed to appear in various films as a major, commissioner, commander and colonel, forever typecasting him and earning him a military funeral. He was also in a movie called Biggles: Adventures in Time which is apparently about a time-traveling WWI fighter pilot named Bigglesworth. We're guessing he didn't get knighted for that one.
Mark Hamill Career Sadness Rating: 15 (out of 100)
Cushing didn t have Hamill's high expectations, of course, because he wasn't the star. Also, he was knighted, though his knighting is one of those knightings (see Penelope Cruz) that could be seen more as a statement about how little it means to be knighted these days.
That "Man sized super-gun" Is one of LEGO's smaller gun models.
ReplyDoes a writer for an internet based magazine really have any business criticizing anyone's career? Let alone a person who is at the top of there field - even if that field is voice acting.
ReplyThis article just seemed more mean spirited than funny.
Mark Hamill made so much doing voicework and video games, not to mention the voice of the Joker.
Reply"Also, he was knighted, though his knighting is one of those knightings (see Penelope Cruz) that could be seen more as a statement about how little it means to be knighted these days." Have you even seen Peter Cushing in anything other than Star Wars? He was knighted because he was a damn good actor who was simply unappreciated. I mean, wow man. That was cheep. Also, Mark Hamill may not be in movies anymore, but he is still responsible for giving us the best version of The Joker ever. "You make me sad"
ReplyWhat's so sad about Peter Cushing's career? Or Mark Hamill's, for that matter?
ReplyI heard Mark Hamill is gay.
ReplyHoly crap, all the Swaim hate is really starting to piss me off. Most of this was the editor, not Swaim. Jack OBrien even admits it down in the comments.
ReplyHowever, I thought too hard about this to not post it, so: Stupid Writers Are Immature Morons.
MARK HAMILL IS A LEGEND IN VOICE ACTING SO GO f**k URSELF!!!
ReplyForget Heath Ledger...Mark Hamill is the one TRUE Joker.
Peter Mayhew's crazy, Jeremy Bulloch gets PAID doing SW cons, nobody expected for WEDGE to have a post-SW career, and Dave Prowse is Darth Vader, Dark Lord of the Sith, and Official Leader of the 501st Legion, so f**k you.
ReplyAlso, Peter Cushing's pre-SW career more than validates him as a great actor.
ReplyIn case there aren't 165 people below me telling you the same thing, allow me to correct you:
ReplyMARK HAMILL IS THE JOKER. SUCK IT, POORLY-COMPENSATED CRACKED WRITER.
BOBA FETT ISN'T DEAD!
Reply Hide All See All 3 RepliesThat all depends on if he was able to use Ko Sai's "clone therapy" treatment to prolong his life even further.
I don't know how that ended, because I gave up on the books when Jacen Solo went crazy and killed Mara Jade.
He died in the series, just because Lucas and others made an expanded universe explanation saying he didn't die so all the nerds will stop crying is halarious.
actualy he is alive in Thimotys Zahns books. Lucas said they were better then he could wright and were canon. oh and make us happy not so much they killed Chewie and other popular charcters actualy pissed fans off mire then a bit.
And Mark Hamill makes more money in 6 weeks of doing voice overs than you will EVER Make in a year.
ReplyOh, yeah, that sucks so bad!
Mark Hamill's acting career is pathetic? Hasn't anyone seen The Guyver?!!!!!
ReplyMark Hamill has had a fantastic career
ReplyThis article is pathetic. He could at least have checked Mark Hamill's imdb page before writing this. Everyone knows he's played the Joker (brilliantly, I might add), but his list of work on important animated work is shockingly long. He is one of the most successful voice actors of all time, that's hardly pathetic.
ReplyMark Hamill is laughing all the way to the bank. Six figure salary for 6 weeks work. That's pathetic? Damn, and as a voice actor, he can even wear his PJ's to work!
Plus, Hamill has the tearjerking rendition of "Only You" during the Arkham City credits.
It's chilling.
"Pathetic" is a matter of opinion. Mark Hamill is one of the only recent Jokers to avoid drug addiction, psychological breakdown and/or death because of it (I've heard Jack Nicholson went through the first two, he just survived). Granted he never had to physically be the Joker.
ReplyReally? I got the impression that Nicholson had to tone it down a little to play the Joker. They should still retitle that movie; The Joker (with Batman).
Okay, rather than just hating on the article, I'll provide some explanations as to WHY I disagree with it.
ReplyFirst off, Peter Cushing kinda died like 17 years after Star Wars, and he was an old man at the time he was in it. To say he had a pathetic post Star Wars career would be like saying Alec Guinnness had a pathetic post Star Wars, they were both in about the same amount of movies after Star Wars.
Now that that one is out of the way, I'll move onto Jeremy Bulloch, David Prowse and Peter Mayhew. Problem with this is all 3 of them wore masks, so thus as pointed out in the article nobody really knew their faces as a result of the movies. Two of them didn't even have lines, so their job description for the role was pretty much "Guy in a costume". Not exactly gonna open the door for a lot of work. Also in Peter Mayhew's case, he's like freaking 7 feet tall! Not exactly a lot of acting roles available right there beyond big freaky tall guy.
Lastly Wedge, While all Star Wars fans know him, most people who aren't Star Wars fan probably wouldn't much less the name of the actor who plays him, hell until the third movie he was in what? The last 10-15 minutes of the First Movie and like 5-10 Minutes of the second? He had MAYBE a dozen lines if you combine the 3 movies. Minor characters from most movies aren't exactly certain to have any future career success, they fill in the role that is required and nothing more.
Now if one of the main characters who actually had more than a couple lines and you actually saw their faces during the movie had "Pathetic" Post-Star Wars Career, I could see humor in that. But it's not like most of the ones listed were granted certain cinematic success purely because they were involved in Star Wars.
I would say that George Lucas had the most pathetic post-Star Wars career of all.
1. Howard the Duck.
2. The Star Wars Prequels.
3. Strong-arming both Steven Spielberg and Harrison Ford into making a lackluster Indiana Jones movie that didn't need to be made.
4. Being lawsuit-happy over anything and anyone that he believes infringes on his copyright, including amateur reviews that use clips of the SW movies. This is the reason the guys at Red Letter Media took so long to produce and post the Plinkett reviews...there was always a chance that Lucasfilm's lawyers would storm their studios.
5. Cranking out a score of unnecessary "special defects" for the Star Wars blu-ray set, much to the ire of former Star Wars fans.
I met Prowse thanks to the fact that he guest starred in an Indie fan film by an Indianapolis local known as "Saving Star Wars". A drama/English teacher from my highschool costarred in the film, and we had a small showing in our main theatre. After a little question/answer session from the director, he could be found lurking menacingly in the back. XD
ReplyIt's really quite a funny movie - following a couple of now-grown childhood friends as they go on a quest to get George Lucas to do right by the Star Wars franchise as requested by the main character's terminally ill son. Shenanigans ensue as they accidentally kidnap Lucas and hold him hostage at a local convention.
If you think Mark Hamill has had it bad, you're sorely mistaken. He may not have had as high profile a career as co-star Harrison Ford, but he's been just as successful in other areas, from Broadway to comic books to animation. Seriously, people who lament the "sore career" of Mark Hamill really just don't know anything about him.
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