George Lucas: Creating an Empire
Episode 13 · 2001-01-11
- Documentary
Episode overview
Trace the journey of the filmmaker whose imagination reshaped modern storytelling and revolutionized the movie industry. The episode follows Lucas from his early days at USC, where his fascination with experimental film and technology took root, through the breakout success of American Graffiti, which opened the door to his most ambitious creation. Biography explores how Star Wars emerged from Lucas’s love of mythology, adventure serials, and cutting‑edge effects, becoming a cultural phenomenon that transformed Hollywood’s approach to blockbuster filmmaking, merchandising, and visual innovation. The program highlights Lucas’s founding of Industrial Light & Magic, Skywalker Sound, and Lucasfilm, revealing how his technical vision pushed cinema forward. Through interviews, archival footage, and personal reflections, the episode presents a portrait of a quiet, determined storyteller who built an entertainment empire and forever changed the landscape of popular culture.
60 minutes
Season 10 episodes
1. Larry Flynt: Fighting Dirty1997-01-15
2. Al Lewis: Forever Grandpa2000-01-06
3. Jimmy Hoffa: The Man Behind the Mystery2000-01-12
4. John J. Pershing: The Iron General2000-01-13
5. John Steinbeck: An American Writer2000-01-19
6. Mary Magdalene: The Hidden Apostle2000-01-20
7. Pol Pot: Secret Killer2000-01-26
8. Sally Hemings: Redefining History2000-01-27
9. Stonewall Jackson2000-02-02
10. Yvonne De Carlo: Gilded Lily2000-02-03
11. Enzo Ferrari: Passion for Speed2001-01-04
12. Genovese: Portrait of a Crime Family2001-01-10
13. George Lucas: Creating an Empire2001-01-11
14. Henry Hill: Goodfella2001-01-17
15. Calamity Jane2002-01-03
16. Donald Rumsfeld: Top Gun2002-01-09
17. General George Patton: A Genius for War2002-01-10
18. Hitler and Stalin: Roots of Evil2002-01-16
19. Home Improvement: A Half-Hour of Power2002-01-17
20. John & Abigail Adams: Love and Liberty2002-01-23
21. Joseph Stalin: Red Terror2002-01-24
22. Lewis & Clark: Explorers of the New Frontier2002-01-30
23. Mahatma Gandhi: Pilgrim of Peace2002-01-31
24. Mark Twain: His Amazing Adventures2002-02-06
25. Osama Bin Laden: In the Name of Allah2002-02-07
26. Pablo Escobar: The Terror of Columbia2002-02-13
27. RFK: His Many Sides2002-02-14
28. Ronald Reagan: The Role of a Lifetime2002-02-20
29. The Extraordinary Voyages of Jules Verne2002-02-21
30. The Manson Women: An American Nightmare2002-02-27
31. Saturday Night Live2002-04-22
