Howard G. Kazanjian

Howard G. Kazanjian

Birth : 1942-07-26, Los Angeles County, California, USA

History

Howard G. Kazanjian (born July 26, 1942) is an Armenian-American film producer best known for the Star Wars films The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi, as well as the Indiana Jones movie Raiders of the Lost Ark. Kazanjian was an originating member of Lucasfilm, Ltd., serving as its vice president for approximately eight years (1977 to 1984).

Profile

Howard G. Kazanjian

Movies

Empire of Dreams: The Story of the Star Wars Trilogy
Self
From the earliest versions of the script to the blockbuster debuts, explore the creation of the Star Wars Trilogy.
Shortcut to Happiness
Executive Producer
In Manhattan, the aspirant writer Jabez Stone is a complete loser: he is not able to sell his novels, he lives in a lousy apartment and he does not have success with women. When one of his friends Julius Jenson sells his novel for US$ 190,000.00 to an editor, Jabez fells envy and promises to sell his soul to the devil for success and accidentally kills a woman with his typing machine. The Devil knocks on his door, fixes the situation and seals a contract with Jabez. His low quality novels have bad reviews but become best-sellers; Jabez enriches; has success with women, but has no time for his friends. Jabez meets with the publisher Daniel Webster who offers him a chance to break the contract with the devil.
Plotting 'Family Plot'
Self
Documentary about the making of Alfred Hitchcock's "Family Plot".
Carlo's Wake
Executive Producer
Carlo's Wake is a black comedy about the life, death and wake of an Italian-American patriarch and his colorful, combative extended family.
Demolition Man
Producer
Simon Phoenix, a violent criminal cryogenically frozen in 1996, escapes during a parole hearing in 2032 in the utopia of San Angeles. Police are incapable of dealing with his violent ways and turn to his captor, who had also been cryogenically frozen after being wrongfully accused of killing 30 innocent people while apprehending Phoenix.
From 'Star Wars' to 'Jedi' : The Making of a Saga
Executive Producer
From Star Wars to Jedi: The Making of a Saga is a 1983 television documentary special that originally aired on PBS. It is a behind-the-scenes look at the making of the original Star Wars trilogy, with particular emphasis on the final film, Return of the Jedi. Narrated by actor Mark Hamill, the documentary was written by Richard Schickel who had written the previous television documentaries The Making of Star Wars (1977) and SP FX: The Empire Strikes Back (1980).
Classic Creatures: Return of the Jedi
Himself
Go behind the scenes — and into the costumes — as production footage from Return of the Jedi is interspersed with vintage monster movie clips in this in-depth exploration of the painstaking techniques utilized by George Lucas to create the classic creatures and characters seen in the film.
Return of the Jedi
Producer
Luke Skywalker leads a mission to rescue his friend Han Solo from the clutches of Jabba the Hutt, while the Emperor seeks to destroy the Rebellion once and for all with a second dreaded Death Star.
The Making of 'Raiders of the Lost Ark'
Self
One of the first 'Making of...' movies to become a hit in its own right.
Raiders of the Lost Ark
Executive Producer
When Dr. Indiana Jones – the tweed-suited professor who just happens to be a celebrated archaeologist – is hired by the government to locate the legendary Ark of the Covenant, he finds himself up against the entire Nazi regime.
The Empire Strikes Back
Producer
The epic saga continues as Luke Skywalker, in hopes of defeating the evil Galactic Empire, learns the ways of the Jedi from aging master Yoda. But Darth Vader is more determined than ever to capture Luke. Meanwhile, rebel leader Princess Leia, cocky Han Solo, Chewbacca, and droids C-3PO and R2-D2 are thrown into various stages of capture, betrayal and despair.
More American Graffiti
Producer
College graduates deal with Vietnam and other issues of the late '60s.
Family Plot
First Assistant Director
Spiritualist Blanche Tyler and her taxi driver/unemployed actor boyfriend encounter a pair of serial kidnappers while trailing a missing heir in California.