Happy Birthday Mark Hamill!

Happy Birthday Mark Hamill! We of course know him best as Luke Skywalker, but he started in television starring as Kent Murray in General Hospital (1972-1973).  His first genre appearance was in Night Gallery with the episode “There Aren’t Any More MacBanes” (1972) as a messenger.  His first voice work was for The New Scooby-Doo Movies (1973).  Mark played Corey Anders on the Jeannie (1973) cartoon series, a Californian teen who finds the bottle that releases Jeannie.  One of Mark’s first big screen roles was voicing Sean, leader of the fairies, in Ralph Bakshi’s animated Wizards (1977).  Then, of course he had the role of Luke Skywalker in Star Wars (1977).  Yes, I know it is Star Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope, but I always think of it just as Star Wars.  Next, Mark played high school grad, Kenneth W. Dantley Jr., in Corvette Summer (1978).  Later, he was in the infamous, odd, but treasured tv special, The Star Wars Holiday Special (1978).  He hit the Broadway stage with The Elephant Man (1979).  Mark starred in the war film, The Big Red One (1980), before returning as Luke Skywalker in The Empire Strikes Back (1980). He finished the Original Trilogy becoming a Jedi Knight with Return of the Jedi in 1983.  Mark also was on Broadway with Amadeus (1983). 

Mark Hamill appearing with Peter Mayhew at Celebration, 2015, photo by the author.

He entered the superhero world playing the Trickster in The Flash (1991).  Another iconic role and well loved role was Mark playing the Joker in Batman: The Animated Series (1992-1994).  Also in 1994, he played Colonel Christopher Blair in the computer game, Wing Commander III: Heart of the Tiger.  Mark played Reverend George in John Carpenter’s Village of the Damned (1995).  For two episodes in 1995, Mark played Tobias LeConte in SeaQuest 2032.  He voiced the younger Blair in the animated series, Wing Commander Academy (1996).  Mark also co-created comic book series, The Black Pearl, published by Dark Horse Comics.  He starred in the Watchers 4 (1998) based on the Dean Koontz book.  Mark voiced Merlin in the live action Wing Commander (1999) movie.  Mark directed and was featured in Comic Book: The Movie (2004) filmed at San Diego Comic Con.  He of course returned at Luke Skywalker in Star Wars: The Force Awakens (2015).  Mark also returned as The Joker in the animated film, Batman: The Killing Joke (2016).  He was back as the Trickster on the current CW show, The Flash (2015-2016).  Mark took up the Jedi robes in Star Wars: The Last Jedi (2017).  One of his best voice roles was playing himself, The Joker, Trickster, and Swamp Thing in “Missing the Mark” (2017) episode of Justice League Action.  He voiced Luke Skywalker in the animated Star Wars: Forces of Destiny (2018).  He is currently on Kulipari: An Army of Frogs as Old Jir which is streamed on Netflix.  Also, voicing Dictatious in Trollhunters: Tales of Arcadia.  Mark has upcoming Star Wars: Episode IX.  Happy Birthday Mark Hamill!   

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