The Empire Strikes Back (radio)

The Empire Strikes Back was a ten-part radio adaptation of the original film, The Empire Strikes Back produced in 1983 and first broadcast on National Public Radio in the US.

It is the second series of the expanded radio dramatization of the original Star Wars trilogy, and lasts for a total of five hours. It was produced and broadcast by National Public Radio as part of NPR Playhouse as a follow-up to the success of the first radio series, Star Wars (1981).

The series was made with the full cooperation of George Lucas, who donated the rights and allowed the use of sound effects and music from the films. It is part of Star Wars canon within its Expanded Universe.

Like the first radio drama, The Empire Strikes Back was written by Brian Daley and directed by John Madden. Billy Dee Williams reprised his role as Lando Calrissian, and John Lithgow played Yoda.

Cast

 * Luke Skywalker .... Mark Hamill
 * Lando Calrissian .... Billy Dee Williams
 * Han Solo .... Perry King
 * See Threepio (C-3PO) .... Anthony Daniels
 * Princess Leia Organa .... Ann Sachs
 * Yoda .... John Lithgow
 * Ben (Obi-Wan) Kenobi .... Bernard Behrens
 * Lord Darth Vader .... Brock Peters
 * Beta .... James Eckhouse
 * Dak .... Peter Friedman
 * Deck Officer .... Ron Frazier
 * General Rieekan .... Merwin Goldsmith
 * Admiral Ozzel .... Peter Michael Goetz
 * General Veers .... Gordon Gould
 * The Emperor .... Paul Hecht
 * Two OneBee .... Russel Horton
 * Controller .... Jame Hurdle
 * Captain Needa .... Nicholas Kepros
 * Admiral Piett .... David Rache
 * Boba Fett .... Alan Rosenburg
 * Imperial Pilot .... Jay Sanders
 * Wedge .... Don Scardino

Additional voices:
 * David Alan Grier
 * Sam McMurray
 * Steven Markle
 * Stephen D. Newman
 * John Pielmeier
 * Geoffrey Pierson
 * Gary Tacon
 * Jerry Zaks


 * Narrator .... Ken Hiller



Episode list

 * 1. Freedom's Winter
 * 2. The Coming Storm
 * 3. A Question Of Survival
 * 4. Fire And Ice
 * 5. The Millennium Falcon Pursuit
 * 6. Way Of The Jedi
 * 7. New Allies, New Enemy
 * 8. Dark Lord's Fury
 * 9. Gambler's Choice
 * 10. The Clash Of Lightsabers

Synopsis of Expanded Universe scenes
Unlike the first Radio Drama, Star Wars, The Empire Strikes Back follows a narrative much more closely aligned with the original film on which it is based. There are some small segments of action or dialogue which may be highlighted as treatments of Expanded Universe material, but the overall narrative does not diverge substantially from the original plot.


 * Episode V opens with the battle of Renegade Flight over Derra IV, during which Commander Narra is killed.


 * Obi-Wan Kenobi's apparition to Luke Skywalker in the Hoth snowstorm takes Luke by surprise&mdash;the dialogue suggests that this is the first time Luke has seen the spirit of Obi-Wan.


 * Expanded dialogue reveals the rivalry and power struggles between Admiral Ozzel and Captain Piett.


 * Expanded dialogue reveals Captain Needa begging Vader not to kill him after apologizing for losing the Millennium Falcon in the Hoth asteroid field. Vader goes on to remark that Needa is inept.  This changed Needa's portrayal, as he had previously witnessed Vader's execution of Ozzel for improper tactics.  Needa's willingness to accept responsibility for failure portrayed him as a man of integrity and principle.  Begging Vader for his life lessened this gesture.  Vader's assessment of Needa's ineptness being added also changed this interaction somewhat.  It is likely that the dialogue was added to make clear to the audience what had happened, as no visual medium was present to portray Vader's execution of Needa.


 * We learn something of the background of 2-1B and how the medical droid once served in an Imperial medical facility.


 * At the climax of Luke Skywalker's lightsaber duel against Darth Vader in Cloud City, Luke audibly announces his decision to jump off the gantry into the service shaft, leaving the listener in no doubt that Luke intended to kill himself rather than join Vader.