Marcia Lucas, the Oscar-winning editor of the original 1977 "Star Wars" and a key figure among women who shaped the New Hollywood era, has died at age 80, her family's lawyer confirmed Friday.
Lucas, married to "Star Wars" creator George Lucas from 1969 to 1983, died Wednesday from metastatic cancer at her home in Rancho Mirage, California, surrounded by loved ones, according to attorney Deidre Von Rock.
She edited George Lucas's early films "THX 1138" and "American Graffiti," as well as 1983's "Return of the Jedi." Her editing credits also include Martin Scorsese's 1970s classics "Taxi Driver," "Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore," and "New York, New York."
During an era when editing was one of the few senior creative roles open to women in Hollywood, Lucas joined the ranks of influential female editors like Dede Allen ("Bonnie and Clyde," "Dog Day Afternoon"), Verna Fields ("Paper Moon," "Jaws"), and Thelma Schoonmaker (Scorsese's films from "Raging Bull" onward).
Often called the unsung hero of "Star Wars," Lucas made crucial creative contributions. She convinced George Lucas to have Obi-Wan Kenobi die in his lightsaber duel with Darth Vader, transforming the character into a spiritual guide for Luke Skywalker. She also assembled the complex climactic assault on the Death Star from thousands of feet of footage.
"It was extremely complex and we had 40,000 feet of dialogue footage of pilots saying this and that. And she had to cull through all that, and put in all the fighting as well," George Lucas told Rolling Stone shortly after the film's release.
Born Marcia Griffin in Modesto, California, after World War II, she moved to Los Angeles with her mother after her parents divorced. She started as a film librarian before working on commercials and trailers. As an assistant editor on the documentary "Journey to the Pacific," she worked for Verna Fields, who also hired George Lucas, then a film student at USC.
The couple became engaged soon after. Their marriage ended in 1982, but they kept the divorce private until after "Return of the Jedi" premiered in 1983. Marcia Lucas later married Tom Rodrigues, a production manager at Skywalker Ranch, from 1983 to 1993.
She is survived by her daughters Amanda Lucas and Amy Soper, and grandchildren Felix Hallikainen, Aeliana Hallikainen, and Knox Soper.
"Her influence on film is indelible, but those who knew her best will remember the way she made life feel more vivid, more beautiful, more fun, and more full of love," a family statement read. "Her work was known for its emotional intelligence, rhythm, and humanity — a rare ability to find the truth of a scene and bring heart, momentum, and clarity to the screen."
