Between 1999 and 2009 Lightsabre.co.uk brought news, fanfic, podcasts and much, much more to the masses. Our nineteenth guest portrayed General Crix Madine in Return of the Jedi – Dermot Crowley.
Lightsabre – Dermot, welcome to Lightsabre.
DC – Thank you Mark.
Lightsabre – You’ve been in numerous productions, from Falling for a Dancer with Colin Farrell, The Legend of Bagger Vance with Will Smith to Dead Gorgeous and Father Ted, and yet you are probably most widely remembered as General Madine in Return of the Jedi. How do you feel about that?
DC – Well it’s something that I have no control over really, and I am delighted that General Madine’s brief appearance had such an impact. The Star Wars movies aren’t just some of the most successful films ever made, but they have achieved an iconic status now, and have touched the lives of so many people. Hopefully I will continue to be known as General Madine, as opposed to being remembered as General Madine, for a few more years yet.
Lightsabre – Tell us something of your career. How did you begin in entertainment and what led you to where you are today?
DC – I’ve wanted to be an actor for as long as I can remember. My first memory of this desire manifesting itself was when I was cast as a shepherd in the nativity play at school. Unfortunately I got mumps during the rehearsals, and the part of the bolshie shepherd had to be recast by the teacher. I remember being taken to see the play, and being so jealous and angry with my replacement 4 year old that I determined there and then to become a star. It’s been all downhill since then.
Lightsabre – What has it been like to be a part of the Star Wars phenomenon?
DC – It’s an extraordinary feeling to realise that the world wide interest in Star Wars shows no sign of abating. I have started attending conventions in the past few years, and it’s wonderful meeting such committed informative fans.
Lightsabre – We often hear funny stories from the sets of the movies. What memories do you have of being on set back in 1982, surrounded by puppeteers and props?
DC – I remember Caroline Blakiston and I coming on to the set for the first time and being knocked out by the sheer scale of it all. I did a lot of blue screen filming with the second unit also, which George Lucas directed. It was very thrilling to be going to work to command a battle every morning.
Lightsabre – General Madine had a life outside of the movies and met his death in Kevin J Anderson’s Darksaber novel. Have you ever had chance to read or see any of those books or comics and if so, what did you think of them?
DC – I think that the richness of the back stories of the characters in the Star Wars universe has been a powerful factor in the continuing worldwide popularity of the movies. A great deal of the credit for this must go to the writers of the books and comics, some of which I have seen and enjoyed very much.
Lightsabre – In Bagger Vance you were fortunate enough to be directed by Oscar winning director Robert Redford. What kind of an experience was that, as well as working with the brilliant trio of Will Smith, Charlize Theron and Matt Damon?
DC – It was a wonderful experience working with Robert Redford. He’s very calm on set. His own vast experience as an actor makes him especially incisive and supportive when an actor may have a problem with a scene. He’s charming, caring, courteous, and very funny. We shot most of the film in Georgia and South Carolina. Matt and Will were fun, and Charlize tells some of the funniest jokes I have ever heard, and will not repeat in a family oriented web site.
Lightsabre – What would you change about your Star Wars experience if you could go back and do it again.
DC – It was so enjoyable and exciting at the time, that it would a pleasure to just do it all over again exactly as it was.
Lightsabre – Madine had more scenes shot on the bridge of the Headquarters Frigate than were ultimately seen in the finished version of Return of the Jedi. Were you hopeful that more would be seen in the Special Editions and the DVD’s, or were you not surprised to see them missing?
DC – It’s true that several scenes were shot which didn’t make it into the movie, but then that’s true of all films. It didn’t bother me in the least that they haven’t been seen.
Lightsabre – There’s talk of a Star Wars TV series. Would you be interested in a role, maybe as a relative of Madine, now that he’s deceased?
DC – His twin brother would be fascinating.
Lightsabre – What do you foresee for yourself in the future?
DC – The numbers 1, 19, 23, 24, 46 ,47, with the bonus ball 22.
Lightsabre – A quick question about our site. Any comments?
DC – A fascinating site for all Star Wars fans.
Lightsabre – It’s been a great interview, and thanks for being our guest. Just one final question. General Madine, Father Liam Deliverance and Norman Strangerson from Jonathan Creek are all waiting, in the rain at a bus stop next to a large muddy puddle. Madine has his military training to avoid a drowning, Father Liam his partial insanity and Strangerson his ability to alter time. Who manages to stay dry?
DC – Father Liam kicks down the bus shelter forming a bridge over the puddle for himself, General Madine and Norman to cross the road and wait for a small Imperial shuttle bus on the other side, thus enabling all three to remain dry. “How peculiar” thought Norman, I’m sure this happened tomorrow”.
This interview was originally posted on lightsabre.co.uk on 26th June 2005.
