Star Wars Memories: My Time In The (Death Star) Trenches

by Craig Miller, Gary Kurtz (Foreword)

Craig Miller was the original Director of Fan Relations at Lucasfilm, working on "Star Wars" and "The Empire Strikes Back". As part of that, he was a publicist, a writer, an editor, and a producer. He wrote press material and articles, created and ran the Official Star Wars Fan Club, oversaw a staff who opened and responded to the seeming tons of fan mail the films received, worked with licensees, created a telephone publicity stunt that accidentally shut down the state of Illinois’ phone system, was the producer on projects ranging from episodes of "Sesame Street" to commercials for Underoos (“underwear that’s fun to wear”), operated R2-D2, and spent weeks hanging out on the set of "The Empire Strikes Back".In “Star Wars Memories” he talks about all of that and more, including Mark Hamill barbecuing him a burger in London, having lunch in a Sunset Strip restaurant with Harrison Ford while he rolled and smoked a joint, and watching Carrie Fisher introduce "The Empire Strikes Back"’s British production crew to tacos. In the words of Gary Kurtz, producer of "Star Wars" and "The Empire Strikes Back", “’Star Wars Memories’ gives a look at the original Star Wars films and Lucasfilm from Craig Miller’s unique perspective. This isn’t another ‘making of’ book with the same stories and information that have appeared in other books and countless magazine articles. It’s a book of stories you haven’t heard before; an insider’s look from someone who, himself, is a fan and found the whole experience joyful and exciting. These stories are told in a way that brings you in and makes you feel like you were there.”

Genres: Star Wars, Nonfiction

431 pages, Paperback

Published November 3, 2019

Reviews

[Derek McCaw · Rating 5 out of 5]

When it comes to something like Star Wars fandom, you may think you know all the stories. Craig Miller’s book proves there’s still more to be told, and in some cases, rediscovered. Working as Lucasfilm’s Director of Fan Relations in the years of A New Hope and The Empire Strikes Back, Craig was on set for memorable moments, and helped orchestrate a lot of marketing and publicity.

The book dispels some myths, uncovers a secret or two, and revives interviews that Craig did for the official Star Wars fan club magazine, Bantha Tracks. He also includes photos of rare memorabilia and posters, some that he helped design and all that just caused a flood of memories. It’s possible that some of his behind the scene photos have never been published before.

But for people IN fandom, one of the delights is a view into conventions as they were in the 1970s. It’s a far cry from today, and that’s the unavoidable disappointment to the book: Craig and his team didn’t know that someday there would be scads of books and so much interest in the fan relationships, so there are very few actual records of those presentations and panels — the photos included with these memories are what still exist, but they’re sparse.

Craig went on to work on marketing several other classic science fiction and fantasy films in the 80s, so I join the crowd of voices asking for a follow up book beyond Star Wars.

[Lisa · Rating 4 out of 5]

My full review can be found on Coffee With Kenobi: https://www.coffeewithkenobi.com/book...

[Krystal Rains · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am one of the last people that expected to enjoy this book, but I purchased two copies for the biggest Star Wars fans In my life. I mailed one copy and saved the second copy until I saw my other friend. While it was sitting on the table I got the urge to pick it up and flip through a few pages. Next thing I knew, I had read a third of the book. By then, I had to read until the end and wished for more.

This is not only a backroom look at the beginnings of the Star Wars franchise, it is a look at the interconnections of the movie industry and fans around the world. A tale told with the wisdom of reflection, it has the gleam of someone who not only loved what he did, he knew it was a matter of being in the right place at the right time with the perfect background to have the opportunity. With nods to those who encouraged, mentored and taught him along the journey, his career put all the facets to work in some unexpected ways.

Told in the manner of a story told at a private gathering, because many of them had been told just like that, you feel a personal connection to the narrative. Growing up in the era of Star Wars, Sesame Street and Jim Henson, I couldn't help but relate to the marketing campaigns and publicly. If someone with as little love for the franchise as I have, could enjoy this memoir, a true fan will absolutely love it.

[Jason Bennion · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hugely enjoyable read filled with anecdotes about the early days of the Star Wars phenomenon, the years between Star Wars and The Empire Strikes Back, by someone who was actually there. Lots of stuff in there I was vaguely aware of but didn't know the details, and lots of things I didn't know about at all. There are some unfortunate proofreading errors and layout issues, but the charm of the author's voice and of the stories he tells helped me overlook those. If you're a fan of a certain age , or are just interested in learning about what Star Wars was like before it became an industry, this is highly recommended.

[Patrick Hayes · Rating 5 out of 5]

Outstanding read by the man who was hired in '76 by George Lucas to run press for Star Wars and the original Star Wars Fan Club Bantha Tracks.

I've been a fan since '77 and thought I had read everything there is to know about all that happened behind the scenes of Star Wars. Author Miller has shown me I have not. Great interviews that I've never read, behind the scenes coverage I've not encountered (Miller was there!), stories I've not heard, and photos I've not seen.

This needs to be in every Star Wars fan's library. It's that simple. Highest possible recommendation.

[John Goodwin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Craig Miller, the first Director of Fan Relations for Lucasfilm Ltd., played a pivotal role during the creation of Star Wars and The Empire Strikes Back. As a publicist, writer, producer, and innovator, Craig crafted groundbreaking ways to engage and grow the Star Wars fanbase, helping cement its place as a cultural phenomenon. Beyond Star Wars, Craig has been a key figure in the Writers of the Future contest since its inception, and he shares insights from its early days.

Craig’s book, Star Wars Memories: My Time in the (Death Star) Trenches, is a treasure trove of behind-the-scenes stories from his time in the Star Wars universe. From accidental mishaps to industry-defining moments, Craig’s tales are as entertaining as they are revealing.
The book addresses:
1. How Craig landed the dream job of Director of Fan Relations for Star Wars.
2. The scope of his role and what it meant to be the bridge between Lucasfilm and its passionate fans.
3. His favorite interviews with Star Wars legends like Mark Hamill, Carrie Fisher, and Harrison Ford.
4. Memorable filming locations and what made them stand out.
5. The hilarious and chaotic story of how Craig accidentally shut down the state of Illinois’ telephone system.
6. The epic saga of Kenner vs. Hasbro and the licensing misstep that rivals publishers rejecting Harry Potter.
7. The impact and legacy of the Star Wars comics.

Listen to Craig in episode #346 at https://on.soundcloud.com/DhpcbKLwuGQ...

[Jeremiah · Rating 4 out of 5]

Just when you think that there was nothing else to be said about Star Wars and Lucasfilm, a book like Craig Miller's Star Wars Memories comes along and proves you wrong. What a fun read!

Miller's prose is humble and understated, even though arguably he was a doing "social media" interaction with fans decades before such a thing existed. The Star Wars Fan club was a big part of a lot of our lives in the 80s, and Bantha Tracks was a fun resource for a long time. It's amazing that he was almost solely responsible for the first two full years of that publication.

It's worth every penny on Kindle, I highly recommend it.

[Clayton Barr · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fantastic read for any Star Wars fanboy. Miller became Director of Fan Relations for Lucasfilm as Star Wars was gearing up for release and he has a ton of stories to tell from behind the scenes. You thought you knew it all? You have another think coming if you haven't read this book.

The only reason it doesn't get five stars from me is it could have used another proofreading pass for typos and bit of formatting clean-up here and there.

Miller tells his stories and anecdotes in a relatable fashion. I felt like I could have had his job in 1977 if only I'd lived in L.A. at the time...and had been and adult..!

This one's staying on my shelf for good!

[Rocco DeVilliers · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Fun Informative Read

I thoroughly enjoyed reading Miller’s account of being part of Lucasfilm during the early days of Star Wars. The author gives a fun peek behind the curtain during the production and promotion of Star Wars and The Empire Strikes Back.

[Will Plunkett · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'd give it a 3.5 if I could: stories were great (I got to see him at a SW Day event share many of these with his electronic presentation), but the spelling and margin alignments and errors and repetitions were just too many to overlook, even for a small publisher.

[Gary · Rating 4 out of 5]

4+ out of 5 stars. Craig saw it all and is a marvelous storyteller about his time at Lucasfilm during the era of the original trilogy. Highly recommended for Star Wars fans, looking forward to reading his new one, More Movie Memories.

[KadathVoyager · Rating 5 out of 5]

After all these years, this is the first actual Star Wars non-fiction book I have read. This "man in the trenches" has a close-up view of the making and promotion and fandom of this profoundly influential film and its first sequel.