Dear Kid,

Guess what happened this day in 1978?

If you guessed Star Wars (the original) was released, you are correct.

Star Wars released 1978 From the animal files: Yoda was almost played by a monkey. Fortunately, the real Yoda showed up to play himself. Interestingly, he did not actually die during the making of the movie—that was just excellent acting.

From the recycling file: The phrase “I have a bad feeling about this” or “I have a very bad feeling about this” (or something similar) is said in each Star Wars movie.

From the cutting room floor: In the original screenplay some of the fighter pilots were women. None of them made it through the final cut.

From the cross-over files: The communicator Qui-Gon used in Episode 1 is made from a resin cast of a Gillette Ladies Sensor Excell Razor.

From the rewrite files: Jabba the Hut was originally a fuzzy, furry creature.

From the ad-lib files: Harrison Ford ad-libbed several of his lines including LIEA: “I love you.” HAN: “I know.”

From the baby names file: R2-D2’s name comes from the term REEL 2, DIALOG 2.

From the history files: Lucas based “Order 66” by Emperor Palpatine on Executive Order 1066, authorizing the internment of Japanese and Japanese Americans until the end of the war (and the dropping of the Hiroshima Bomb).

May the Force be with you today.

Love, Mom