Star Wars

Actor Billy Dee Williams , known as Lando Calrissian to fans of the early "Star Wars" movies, has left his empire in Beverly Hills, selling his house for $2,790,600. Built in 1961 and set on more than half an acre in the Trousdale Estates neighborhood, the house is described as a "Zen-like contemporary" in the listing. The 5,295-square-foot home features French doors that open to a deck, swimming pool and spa. There are six bedrooms and six bathrooms including maid's quarters.

A drop in the number of subscribers for Star Wars: The Old Republic triggered a 10% slide in shares of Electronic Arts Inc. in after-hours trading Monday, overshadowing news of a better-than-expected quarter for the Bay Area game publisher. EA, which in February said it had 1.7 million active subscribers for The Old Republic, reported that the figure fell to 1.3 million at the end of April. Although "active subscribers" doesn't translate exactly to paying subscribers because it includes people using a 30-day free trial, it is a good gauge for how many people have bought the title and are actively playing it online.

E ven George Lucas showed up. That had been the biggest question for more than 9,000 fans who gathered over the three-day weekend for an exuberant 10th anniversary salute to "Star Wars." They crowded the halls of the Stouffer Concourse Hotel near Los Angeles International Airport, batting aside blue, black and white balloons trailing multicolored ribbons.

Actor Billy Dee Williams , known as Lando Calrissian to fans of the early "Star Wars" movies, has left his empire in Beverly Hills, selling his house for $2,790,600. Built in 1961 and set on more than half an acre in the Trousdale Estates neighborhood, the house is described as a "Zen-like contemporary" in the listing. The 5,295-square-foot home features French doors that open to a deck, swimming pool and spa. There are six bedrooms and six bathrooms including maid's quarters.

The legacy of "Star Wars" and the tempest in a very large teapot that seminal film has stirred in its vast legion of fans gets a nerd's eye view in the entertaining documentary "The People vs. George Lucas. " You don't have to be a "Star Wars" nut to enjoy this fast-paced film, though it's sure to resonate most with those whose childhoods — and beyond — were shaped by the 1977 phenomenon. Director Alexandre O. Philippe exhaustively covers the love-hate relationship "Star Wars'" most rabid enthusiasts have had with the franchise's über-creator — and subsequent corporate titan — George Lucas.

Carrie Fisher played Princess Leia Organa in the first three "Star Wars" movies. You know it, and she knows it, and she knows you know it, and that will bind you as long as you both shall live. Possibly you also know that she is the daughter of the actress Debbie Reynolds, and less probably you may know that she is the daughter of the singer Eddie Fisher, because you are less likely to know who Eddie Fisher was, as much of a pop star as he was in his day. "If my life wasn't funny it would just be true ?

"Star Wars" was born a long time ago, but not all that far, far away. In 1972, filmmakers George Lucas and Gary Kurtz were toiling on "American Graffiti" in their San Rafael office when they began daydreaming about a throwback sci-fi adventure that channeled the old "Flash Gordon" serials as opposed to the bleak "message" movies that had taken over the genre. "We had no idea what we were starting," says Kurtz, who was the producer of the first two "Star Wars" films and also a second-unit director.

What is "Star Wars: Visions" (Abrams: 176 pp., $40) all about? If you want, you can skip the prefaces by George Lucas, Sean McLain and J.W. Rinzler and go directly to Page 87. There you'll find an answer suggested by Peter Ferk's painting "The Stuff That Dreams Are Made Of. " It's one of the book's most emblematic images of fandom. A storyboard artist and animation director, Ferk captures what most of our "Star Wars"-obsessed bedrooms looked like when we were kids ? and what our own kids' rooms often still look like now. The twin-sized bed at the center of the painting is covered with toy spaceships and action figures.

As part of a multiattraction expansion this spring, Legoland California plans to update the Star Wars Miniland area that debuted last summer, add a pirate-themed shoot-the-chutes water ride and install a crab exhibit at the adjacent SeaLife Aquarium. Set to open March 29, the Star Wars Gallery will include 3-foot-tall Lego models of a dozen characters from the epic film saga, including Luke Skywalker, Princess Leia, R2D2, Yoda and Darth Vader.  At the same time, model builders will install new characters, weapons and spacecraft to existing Star Wars Miniland scenes rendered in 1:20 scale using Lego bricks.

Ralph McQuarrie , an illustrator who was responsible for creating the look of Darth Vader, C-3PO, R2-D2, the Stormtroopers and many other characters for director George Lucas' “Star Wars” movies, has died. McQuarrie, who shared an Academy Award for visual effects for “Cocoon” in 1986, was 82. McQuarrie, whose paintings helped persuade 20th Century Fox to greenlight what became the 1977 blockbuster “Star Wars,” died Saturday at his home in Berkeley, said John Scoleri, co-author of a book on McQuarrie's art. He had Parkinson's disease and recently had been in declining health.

For some, it's a tossup between the Ewoks and Jar Jar Binks for who is more of a disturbance in the Force. Oh, wait. Another galactic controversy might soon make its way to a screen near you: It's called Kinect Star Wars . The new $50 controller-free game hits the market today, but posts , clips and comments have been making the rounds online. What's the big deal? Well, apparently the game has Yoda, padawan training, lightsaber combat, pod racing, a Rancor monster, Force moves, Leia, speeder bikes and a dance battle between Han Solo and Lando Calrissian.

When director George Lucas hired illustrator Ralph McQuarrie in 1974 to do a series of paintings visualizing scenes from his script for an intergalactic war movie he was trying to sell, McQuarrie liked the concept for the space fantasy. He just didn't think it would ever get made. "My impression was it was too expensive. There wouldn't be enough of an audience. It's just too complicated," he recalled in a 1999 interview with the San Diego Union-Tribune. "But George knew a lot of things that I didn't know.

Ralph McQuarrie , an illustrator who was responsible for creating the look of Darth Vader, C-3PO, R2-D2, the Stormtroopers and many other characters for director George Lucas' “Star Wars” movies, has died. McQuarrie, who shared an Academy Award for visual effects for “Cocoon” in 1986, was 82. McQuarrie, whose paintings helped persuade 20th Century Fox to greenlight what became the 1977 blockbuster “Star Wars,” died Saturday at his home in Berkeley, said John Scoleri, co-author of a book on McQuarrie's art. He had Parkinson's disease and recently had been in declining health.

The new romantic drama"The Vow"is poised to steal the hearts of moviegoers this weekend. The tear-jerker starring Channing Tatum and Rachel McAdams could gross $35 million to $40 million in its debut, according to those who have seen pre-release audience surveys. Sony Pictures, whose Screen Gems label produced the film, is projecting a more conservative domestic opening of $28 million to $30 million. It should be a strong weekend at the multiplex, as three other new movies are also expected to bring in healthy ticket sales.

Many of the best-received commercials during Sunday's Super Bowl referenced movies — they just weren't for movies heading to the local cineplex any time soon. Several car ads that sparked some of the biggest interest on Twitter and other social-media platforms during the big game alluded to classic older films. Meanwhile, studio spots for major upcoming releases — including Marvel's "Avengers," Universal's "Battleship," Disney's "John Carter" and Paramount's "G.I. Joe: Retaliation" — passed without any great excitement or anticipation from a large number of online commenters.

John D. Lowry, an entertainment technology innovator who founded Lowry Digital Images, the renowned movie restoration company in Burbank that worked its magic by returning film classics such as "Casablanca" and "Star Wars" to their pristine state for DVD release, has died. He was 79. Lowry died Jan. 21 at his home in Camarillo, said his son David. The cause of death is unknown. "John Lowry's passion for cinema and expertise in technology were essential in preserving the work of filmmakers for future generations to enjoy," George Lucas told The Times in a statement.

"Star Wars" missile system: May the "farce" be with you. JAMES A. FARRIS Los Angeles

As part of a multiattraction expansion this spring, Legoland California plans to update the Star Wars Miniland area that debuted last summer, add a pirate-themed shoot-the-chutes water ride and install a crab exhibit at the adjacent SeaLife Aquarium. Set to open March 29, the Star Wars Gallery will include 3-foot-tall Lego models of a dozen characters from the epic film saga, including Luke Skywalker, Princess Leia, R2D2, Yoda and Darth Vader.  At the same time, model builders will install new characters, weapons and spacecraft to existing Star Wars Miniland scenes rendered in 1:20 scale using Lego bricks.

A sinking ship, clashing lightsabers, talking clownfish: Some 2012 movies will look mighty familiar, with added dimension. Studios have converted several of their highest-grossing catalog titles to 3-D and are rereleasing them in theaters. The list includes James Cameron's Oscar-winning blockbuster weepie, "Titanic. " Young Kate Winslet and Leonardo DiCaprio are due back on the deck of the doomed luxury liner April 6, shortly before the 100th anniversary of the ship's sinking. George Lucas will unspool the first "Star Wars" prequel, "Episode I: The Phantom Menace," in 3-D on Feb. 10, And on the heels of last year's surprise box-office hit "The Lion King 3-D" comes an updated version of the underwater adventure "Finding Nemo," due Sept.