The editor of one of the very first essential reads for Star Wars fans has passed away from the effects of Alzheimer’s disease. Carol Titelman, the former director of publications for Lucasfilm until the company moved from LA to northern California, was a name intrinsically connected to the early days of the saga, and another original trilogy name who has left us.
Titelman began her career at Lucasfilm answering phones in the months before “Star Wars: Episode IV – A New Hope’s” release. She rose to head three key departments — art, publishing and creative services, including all photography and negotiations of book deals — in support of George Lucas’ original trilogy. In the late ’70s, she aided the creation of art-focused books, particularly with editorial work on “The Art of Star Wars.”
Titelman’s most ambitious project, “The Art of Star Wars” was designed by Mike Salisbury and published by Ballantine in late 1979. The art book — which included the original “New Hope” script illustrated by Ralph McQuarrie — has since been reprinted in many formats and multiple languages, including the 1994 and 1997 expanded and special edition issues.
