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Howard Kazanjian (born July 26, 1942) is an 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, serving as its vice president for approximately eight years (1977 to 1984).
Kazanjian is a published non-fiction author, with a focus on the factual Old West of US history. In 2021, Kazanjian also published his well-received 340-page memoir Howard Kazanjian: A Producer's Life, edited and compiled by prolific Star Wars historian J.W. Rinzler.
Kazanjian's early credits include being First Assistant Director on Alfred Hitchcock's Family Plot and Second Assistant Director on Sam Peckinpah's The Wild Bunch. He later worked with director Robert Wise on his production of The 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."
During the casting of Raiders, Kazanjian heavily campaigned for Harrison Ford to be cast as Indiana 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 and Steven 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 of Ramesses II at the Abu Simbel temples in Egypt. The temple was positioned so that sunlight would penetrate the sanctuary and illuminate the statues once a year.
The issue of whether Ford would reprise his role of Han Solo for the third Star Wars film arose during pre-production. Kazanjian was responsible for getting him to return:
I played a very important part in bringing Harrison back for Return of the Jedi. Harrison, unlike Carrie Fisher and Mark Hamill signed only a two picture contract. That is why he was frozen in carbonite in The 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 to Jedi. I had just recently negotiated his deal for Raiders of the Lost Ark with Phil Gersh of the 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.
The ending scene of Return of the Jedi was originally only going to show the Force ghosts of Obi-Wan Kenobi and Yoda, but two days before the scene was shot, Kazanjian suggested that the ghost of Anakin Skywalker appear as well.
He has been an instructor at "Act One", a group designed to train Christians entering into film and television, Act One and was named by Beliefnet as one of the twelve most powerful Christians in Hollywood.
Kazanjian is an active member of the Armenian charity and cultural community, and a USC alumnus.
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.
In 2023, Kazanjian attended book signing events hosted by Armenian Film Society.
As of 2010, Kazanjian and George Lucas remain close friends.
| a.k.a. Star Wars: Episode V - The Empire Strikes Back | |
| Uncredited | |
| a.k.a. Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark | |
| a.k.a. Star Wars: Episode VI - Return of the Jedi | |
| Uncredited |
| Uncredited |
| Production executive |
| Special thanks |
| Very special thanks |
| The producers wish to thank |
| Hope's Legacy |
| 1983 | Return of the Jedi | Pilot | a.k.a. Star Wars: Episode VI - Return of the Jedi | |
| Voice role |
| Television film |
| Documentary |
| Television film |
| Television film |
| Television pilot |
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