The audio drama and Star Wars world is whirling at the news that Erik Bauersfeld passed away. Known widely as Admiral Ackbar from the famous Return of the Jedi episode of the original trilogy, Bauersfeld was known mostly as a radio man who acted for decades in our favourite medium. NPR has a great series of references to his iconic Star Wars character in this article about the Star Wars Voice Actor… Bauersfeld stumbled into the famous role while working on an audio drama for Lucasfilm. A prolific and respected radio dramatist as well as a longtime fixture of Berkeley station KPFA, Bauersfeld worked in radio for much of his life. He adapted, performed and produced full-length productions of classic dramas for radio, including the work of Eugene O’Neill, Edgar Allen Poe, Guy De Maupassant, Franz Kafka and Fyodor Dostoyesvsky.
Tag: George Lucas
In a generation far, far away, Americans everywhere were treated to Star Wars the Radio Drama trilogy in 1981, 83, and 96. While my reintroduction to modern audio drama was The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy as CBC replayed the British phenom just before the bus came in the morning, yanks were thrilling about George Lucas‘ game changing space fantasy not only on the screen, but in the theatre of the mind. Adapted by the incredibly talented Brian Daley, the extended Star Wars series lit the imagination of the current crop of Gen-X’ers who currently dominate the audio drama realm.
The Lawrence Public Library Staff write this article, expressing their own (although I suspect it was just one person’s) enthusiasm reliving the classic series:
…the “Star Wars Radio Drama” adds new depth to a classic story so many of us have come to love. And most importantly, it’s a lot of fun. And luckily for us, we don’t have to wait years between episode; the library’s copy comes with dramatizations of both “The Empire Strikes Back” and “Return of the Jedi.” So get listening!
May The Force be with you, always….