As the world of Star Wars fandom mourns the loss of Jonathan Rinzler and remembers the immense contribution he made to archiving the Star Wars story – as well as creating some stellar moments via his writing work on The Clone Wars – his former Lucasfilm collegues remember him, including the man who started it all, George Lucas.
Rinzler worked closely with George Lucas for 15 years, joining Lucasfilm in 2001 and serving as the executive editor for Lucasfilm publishing, then called Lucasbooks, until 2016. “Jonathan was a sure and steady presence across the years as both a writer and executive at Lucasfilm,” Lucas recalled Wednesday. “With his kind and contemplative nature, you could see a glint in his eye, the wheels turning when he had a new idea and a quiet fervor with which he sought out ever more detail for the books he wrote and edited. The works he left behind are touchstones to times and places we can each remember and appreciate in our own way.”
Jonathan was also remembered by colleagues Lynne Hale and Dave Filoni.
Friends and former colleagues mourned the loss as news broke, celebrating Rinzler’s prodigious career. His meticulous research allowed for unvarnished accounts of film history that would have otherwise gone untold. Rinzler’s passion for writing and research was clear in his storytelling, but many remembered his kindness above all else.
“In addition to being an incredible writer, Jonathan was such a kind and beautiful person,” said Lynne Hale, Lucasfilm’s VP of publicity and communications. “His dedication and passion for preserving our cultural heritage and his deep knowledge of our films make his books extraordinary. The many books he authored while at Lucasfilm can be found on almost every Star Wars director and employees’ bookshelf, and are a constant resource and reminder of who we are as a company and what we continually strive to achieve. Jonathan’s memory will live on within the halls of Lucasfilm, and his kind, generous nature will remain forever in our hearts.”
His writing credits included penning the two-part arc “The Disappeared” for Season 6 of Star Wars: The Clone Wars. “I knew Jonathan as a writer and was fortunate to work with him on two episodes of The Clone Wars,” said Dave Filoni. “His Making of Star Wars books are the most in-depth accounting of the films I have ever seen. I am sure his work will be to the benefit of generations of filmmakers to come. And in that he has fulfilled one of the greatest tenets of a Jedi, to ‘Pass on what you have learned.’ Something Jonathan did brilliantly.”
