Irvin Kershner, known to most fans as the director of the first Star Wars sequel, The Empire Strikes Back, passed away in Los Angeles on Saturday, November 28. He was 87 years old.
"The world has lost a great director and one of the most genuine people I've had the pleasure of knowing," says Lucas. "Irvin Kershner was a true gentleman in every sense of the word. When I think of Kersh, I think of his warmth, his thoughtfulness and his talent. I knew him from USC -- I attended his lectures and he was actually on the festival panel that gave the prize to my THX short. I considered him a mentor.
"Following Star Wars, I knew one thing for sure: I didn't want to direct the second movie myself. I needed someone I could trust, someone I really admired and whose work had maturity and humor. That was Kersh all over. I didn't want Empire to turn into just another sequel, another episode in a series of space adventures. I was trying to build something, and I knew Kersh was the guy to help me do it. He brought so much to the table. I am truly grateful to him.
"He was a friend as well as a colleague. He will be missed."
Irvin Kershner was very proud of his work on The Empire Strikes Back, as this interview conducted for the film's 10th anniversary can attest. StarWars.com will be posting a more recent interview with Kershner in the coming hours, and also want to point readers to the many tribute articles appearing throughout the press and blogosphere -- check StarWars.com's Facebook and Twitter feeds for updates as the world mourns the loss of one of the Star Wars saga's brightest stars.
