The FORCE Behind the FORCE

How George Lucas created Hollywood's most beloved franchise

- KEITH GORDON

It might be hard for younger generations to comprehend a time before Luke Skywalker was a household name and adventures happened in a galaxy far, far away. After all, today's Star Wars' fans have access to at least nine primary films in addition to countless television series, animated shows, spin-offs, video games and an endless variety of merchandise. It's easy to forget that this fictional world, extending across the galaxies, all began with a single film by a young, precocious film school graduate named George Lucas.

Of course, Lucas would not only introduce the most iconic film property of all time, but would push the bounds of technology in filmmaking to places previously thought impossible, and in doing so, would profoundly change the film and television world forever. Whether writing, producing or directing, Lucas would help create many of popular culture's most significant projects, and the companies he created would help form today's modern film and television industry.

George Lucas was born in 1944 in Modesto, California. His family owned a stationery store, but Lucas had bigger aspirations, and followed an interest in filmmaking to a spot in USC's School of Cinematic Arts. His time at USC was pivotal to his career, and during that period he met not only his idol and future mentor in Francis Ford Coppola, but also another young filmmaker who was garnering a reputation as someone to watch. This was none other than Steven Spielberg, who would later team up to make the Indiana Jones franchise with Lucas.