Howard Kazanjian | |
|---|---|
 Kazanjian in 2019 | |
| Born | Howard G. Kazanjian (1942-07-26)July 26, 1942 (age 83) |
| Alma mater | University of Southern California |
| Occupation(s) | Film producer, author |
| Years active | 1968–present |
| Spouse | |
| Children | 3 |
Howard Kazanjian (born July 26, 1942) is an Americanfilm producer best known for theStar Wars filmsThe Empire Strikes Back andReturn of the Jedi, as well as theIndiana Jones movieRaiders of the Lost Ark. Kazanjian was an originating member ofLucasfilm, Ltd., serving as its vice president for approximately eight years (1977 to 1984).
Kazanjian is a published non-fiction author, with a focus on the factualOld West of US history. In 2021, Kazanjian also published his well-received 340-pagememoirHoward Kazanjian: A Producer's Life,[1][2][3] edited and compiled by prolific Star Wars historianJ.W. Rinzler.[4]
Kazanjian was born inLos Angeles County, California, and is ofArmenian descent. His father was born in Tigranakert (Diyarbakır), while his mother was born inPasadena.[5] He graduated from theUniversity of Southern California. While there he first met a youngGeorge Lucas, and they became not onlyDelta Kappa Alpha cinema fraternity brothers but also long standing friends.[6] They were members of a clique of filmmakers known to the Hollywood system and the university circuit asThe Dirty Dozen.[7] During those college years, Kazanjian and Lucas both met their respective future wives, and the couples would often double date.
Kazanjian's early credits include beingFirst Assistant Director onAlfred Hitchcock'sFamily Plot andSecond Assistant Director onSam Peckinpah'sThe Wild Bunch. He later worked with director Robert Wise on his production ofThe Hindenburg. Kazanjian eventually moved into film production rather than directorial work. He later stated, "The films offered to me I don't want to direct. The films I want to direct are not offered."[8]
As Lucasfilm's Vice President of Production, Howard Kazanjian was intimately involved in the day-to-day strategic and practical operations of Lucasfilm during the times immediately after the 1977 release ofStar Wars until approximately 1984 or 1985.[9][10]
Kazanjian is most notable for having served as executive producer onRaiders of the Lost Ark and producer onReturn of the Jedi. He is also recognized as an uncredited producer onThe Empire Strikes Back, replacing producerGary Kurtz midway through the production.[11][12] ForJedi he came up with the idea of shooting the production under a fake name,Blue Harvest, in order to forestall any attempts atprice gouging by suppliers.Blue Harvest was purported to be ahorror film with the tag line "horror beyond imagination". Hats and T-shirts were printed up for the crew to wear and to further add to the authenticity of the ruse.[13]
During the casting ofRaiders, Kazanjian heavily campaigned forHarrison Ford to be cast asIndiana Jones, to the point he almost lost his job over it. Jones was intended to be a smoker and a drinker, but Kazanjian convinced Lucas andSteven Spielberg to remove that. The scene where sunlight passing through the Headpiece to the Staff of Ra reveals the location of the Well of the Souls was proposed by Kazanjian, who was inspired by the golden statues ofRamesses II at theAbu Simbel temples inEgypt. The temple was positioned so that sunlight would penetrate the sanctuary and illuminate the statues once a year.[9]
The issue of whether Ford would reprise his role ofHan Solo for the thirdStar Wars film arose duringpre-production. Kazanjian was responsible for getting him to return:
I played a very important part in bringing Harrison back forReturn of the Jedi. Harrison, unlikeCarrie Fisher andMark Hamill signed only a two picture contract. That is why he was frozen in carbonite inThe Empire Strikes Back. When I suggested to George we should bring him back, I distinctly remember him saying that Harrison would never return. I said what if I convinced him to return. George simply replied that we would then write him in toJedi. I had just recently negotiated his deal forRaiders of the Lost Ark withPhil Gersh ofthe Gersh Agency. I called Phil who said he would speak with Harrison. When I called back again, Phil was on vacation. David, his son, took the call and we negotiated Harrison's deal. When Phil returned to the office several weeks later he called me back and said I had taken advantage of his son in the negotiations. I had not. But agents are agents.[10]
The ending scene ofReturn of the Jedi was originally only going to show the Force ghosts ofObi-Wan Kenobi andYoda, but two days before the scene was shot, Kazanjian suggested that the ghost ofAnakin Skywalker appear as well.[9]
Kazanjian has authored books withChris Enss. In 2004, they collaborated onThe Cowboy and the Senorita: A Biography of Roy Rogers and Dale EvansISBN 0-7627-3053-6 andHappy Trails: A Pictorial Celebration of the Lives of Roy Rogers and Dale EvansISBN 0-7627-3089-7; In 2006,The Young Duke: The Early Life of John WayneISBN 0-7627-3898-7; in 2009,Thunder over the Prairie: The True Story of a Murder and a Manhunt by the Greatest Posse of All TimeISBN 0-7627-4493-6.[14]
He has been an instructor at "Act One", a group designed to train Christians entering into film and television,[15] and was named byBeliefnet as one of the twelve most powerful Christians in Hollywood.[16]
Kazanjian is an active member of the Armenian charity and cultural community, and aUSC alumnus.[17]
Since 1998, Kazanjian has been co-chairman and 50% shareholder of Tricor Entertainment, Inc, an independent production company, which owns and operates a 19,000+ seat theater chain in Southeast Asia and a film distribution company.[18][19]
In 2023, Kazanjian attendedbook signing events hosted byArmenian Film Society.[20]
Kazanjian lives and works in the community ofSan Marino, California with his wife Carol (née Eskijian), and three children, Peter, Noah, and Andrew.[21]
As of 2010, Kazanjian and George Lucas remain close friends.[9]
He was producer for all films unless otherwise noted.
| Year | Film | Credit | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1979 | More American Graffiti | ||
| 1980 | The Empire Strikes Back | a.k.a.Star Wars: Episode V - The Empire Strikes Back | |
| Uncredited | |||
| 1981 | Raiders of the Lost Ark | Executive producer | a.k.a.Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark |
| 1983 | Return of the Jedi | a.k.a.Star Wars: Episode VI - Return of the Jedi | |
| 1990 | The Rookie | ||
| 1993 | Demolition Man | ||
| 1999 | The Sky Is Falling | Executive producer | |
| Carlo's Wake | Executive producer | ||
| 2000 | The Amati Girls | Executive producer | |
| 2001 | Extreme Days | Executive producer | |
| The Homecoming of Jimmy Whitecloud | Executive producer | ||
| 2003 | Shortcut to Happiness | Executive producer | |
| 2004 | The Bridge of San Luis Rey | Executive producer | |
| Worlds Apart | Supervising producer | ||
| 2017 | South Dakota | Executive producer |
| Year | Film | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1967 | The Cool Ones | Assistant director | Uncredited |
| 1968 | Finian's Rainbow | ||
| 1969 | The Wild Bunch | Second assistant director | Uncredited |
| The Great Bank Robbery | |||
| Once You Kiss a Stranger | Assistant director | ||
| 1970 | The Christine Jorgensen Story | ||
| 1974 | The Girl from Petrovka | First assistant director | |
| The Front Page | |||
| 1975 | The Hindenburg | ||
| 1976 | Family Plot |
| Year | Film | Role |
|---|---|---|
| 1977 | Rollercoaster | Production executive |
| Year | Film | Role |
|---|---|---|
| 2001 | All Over Again | Special thanks |
| 2009 | Sutures | Very special thanks |
| 2016 | Christmas Ranch | The producers wish to thank |
| 2021 | Hope's Legacy |
| Year | Film | Role | Notes | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1983 | Return of the Jedi | Pilot | a.k.a.Star Wars: Episode VI - Return of the Jedi | |
| Voice role |
| Year | Title | Credit | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1996 | Rattled | Executive producer | Television film |
| 1995−96 | JAG | ||
| 2005−06 | Danger Rangers | Executive producer | |
| 2016−17 | Mark Hamill's Pop Culture Quest | Executive producer | Documentary |
| 2017 | Celebrate the World! The Hey Wordy! Movie | Executive producer | Television film |
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1973 | Trapped | Assistant director | Television film |
| 1974 | The Rockford Files | Television pilot |
| International | |
|---|---|
| National | |
| Artists | |
| People | |
| Other | |
