Sad news as Nelvana, the animation studio behind the animated portion of the 1978 Star Wars Holiday Special, a season of Droids and two seasons of Ewoks, not to mention animated classics from back in the day including Care Bears, Beetlejuice and more is closing its doors after 54 years of magic. With parent company Corus Entertainment struggling with ongoing financial issues, the company closed suddenly last week, bring to an end over half a century of animation, much of it embedded in the rich fabric of the Star Wars galaxy.
Nelvana’s Star Wars Legacy: From Holiday Special to Galactic Cartoons
Nelvana’s involvement with the Star Wars franchise represents a cornerstone of early animated expansions in George Lucas’s galaxy far, far away. This partnership not only introduced key characters and lore but also elevated Nelvana’s status in the animation world, blending Canadian creativity with Hollywood’s sci-fi epic.The Spark: The Star Wars Holiday Special’s Animated Gem
The collaboration kicked off in 1978 with the infamous Star Wars Holiday Special, a variety show that has become a cult curiosity despite its overall poor reception. Impressed by Nelvana’s 1977 special A Cosmic Christmas, Lucas commissioned the Toronto studio to produce an approximately 10-minute animated segment titled “The Story of the Faithful Wookiee” (also known as “The Faithful Wookiee”). Written by Lucas himself and directed by Clive A. Smith, one of Nelvana’s founders, the segment featured a distinctive animation style inspired by French artist Moebius, as per Lucas’s request.
Head to Pirate’s and Princesses for the full, in-depth article and tip your hat to the end of an era.
