Mark Hamill

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Mark Hamill (born September 25 1951 in Oakland, California) is an American actor and voice actor. Hamill is best known for his portrayal of farmboy-turned-Jedi knight Luke Skywalker in the original Star Wars films. After the Star Wars films, Hamill has had a successful career on Broadway, as a voice actor in animation and computer and video games, and as a comic book creator.

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The original Star Wars trilogy

For his portrayal of Luke Skywalker, Hamill was twice honored with the Saturn Award for Best Actor (Film) (given by the Academy of Science Fiction, Fantasy & Horror Films), in 1980 for Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back and in 1983 for Star Wars Episode VI: Return of the Jedi. Image:Hamill.jpg On 11 January 1977, on the way to shoot one of the final scenes needed for Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope, Hamill was involved in a car accident that caused damage to his face. An A&E Network Biography special, "Mark Hamill: A Force to Be Reckoned With", claims that the damage was extensive and Mark Hamill had to have multiple plastic surgeries to reconstruct his face. Hamill and other sources, however, insist that he suffered from just a broken nose, only needed one reconstructive surgery, and that the severity of his injury has been greatly exaggerated. In the second Star Wars film, Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back, he is seen with a new scar along his upper lip which may or may not be related.

Reprints of Joseph Campbell's The Hero with a Thousand Faces (which influenced George Lucas as he was developing the Star Wars films) issued after the release of Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope in 1977, used the image of Mark Hamill as Luke Skywalker on the cover [1].

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Animation

In addition to his role as Luke Skywalker, Hamill is also best known as the voice of the Joker in Batman: The Animated Series and the other animated series that followed it.

His success in the role has led to various villainous and/or deranged roles in other animated series, including the Gargoyle in the animated series of The Incredible Hulk, the Hobgoblin in Spider-Man: The Animated Series, Maximus in Fantastic Four, Captain Stickybeard in Codename: Kids Next Door, and the deranged shock jock Dr. Jak in Phantom 2040. He even parodied his Joker role in the Tom and Jerry Kids episode Droopy Man Returns. He also voiced Larry 3000 in Time Squad, and recorded voice tracks for Zim on Nickelodeon's Invader Zim, but was ultimately turned down for the role; the part was later given to Richard Steven Horvitz (he didn't scream longest and loudest). Two recent notable performances have included Colonel Muska in the English language version of Castle in the Sky and the Mayor of Pejite in Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind, both directed by Hayao Miyazaki and distributed by Disney. One of Hamill's current projects is providing voice acting overdubs for Robotech: The Shadow Chronicles, the sequel of the 1980s adapted anime series Robotech. Also did the voice Christopher Blair in the animated series Wing Commander Academy. More recently, he provided the voices of Fire Lord Ozai in Avatar: The Last Airbender, Jameson Burkright in the mini-series comedy The Wrong Coast, and Yamma in the joint Cartoon Network, Production I.G. anime series IGPX Immortal Grand Prix and the Skeleton King on Super Robot Monkey Team Hyperforce Go!.

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Other work

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Trivia

  • He is one of seven children, having four sisters and two brothers.
  • He has been married to the same woman, Mary Lou York, since December 17, 1978, with whom he has three children. They met when she was his dental hygienist.
  • He attended Walsingham Academy (founded by the Sisters of Mercy) in Williamsburg, Virginia. He briefly attended Annandale High School before his family moved to Japan when he was 16.
  • He attended Yokohama High School, now known as Nile C. Kinnick High School. Kinnick H.S. has an award named in his honor; it is presented every year in June to two seniors (one male, one female) who excel in drama.
  • He recently appeared in a Comcast commercial as a 'future expert'.
  • He campaigned for George McGovern during the 1972 presidential race.
  • He was originally cast as David Bradford on Eight is Enough. Having just completed Star Wars, Hamill felt the movie was going to be a hit, and wanted to focus on his film career. And while he did play David in the pilot, Grant Goodeve played the character for the rest of the show's run.
  • Appeared with Carrie Fisher in Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back. It was the first time either of them had been in a movie together since Return of the Jedi. Neither knew the other was involved until shortly after principal photography wrapped.
  • British comic The Beano at one time was advertising its fan club saying that Mark Hamill was a member.
  • He based the voice he gave the Joker for Batman: The Animated Series on a combination of Hannibal Lecter and Jerry Lewis.
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External links

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