Maria Jose Tenuto and John Tenuto: The Star Wars Radio Dramas

Dive into the captivating story of the "Star Wars" radio dramas, exploring their creation and the significant impact they had on NPR. Authors Maria Jose Tenuto and John Tenuto highlight the crucial role of writer Brian Daley, whose talent and connection to the "Star Wars" universe were instrumental in the success of these audio productions. Find out how the radio dramas masterfully translated the visual experience of the films into an audio format, showcasing the challenges and triumphs involved in their production, including securing rights and the artistry of sound design. You'll appreciate the enduring legacy of these unique "Star Wars" adaptations and their profound influence on NPR's trajectory.

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FEATURED TITLE

The "Star Wars" Radio Dramas: Brian Daley and the Serialization That Saved NPR. McFarland, softcover (2024) ISBN: 9781476695631 https://mcfarlandbooks.com/product/the-star-wars-radio-dramas/

BOOK DESCRIPTION

By 1977 National Public Radio (NPR) was in trouble, plagued by too little funding and small audiences. The phenomenal success of its adaptation of "Star Wars" as a radio drama in 1981 gave NPR the needed ratings, publicity, and boost in donations that kept it afloat at exactly the time it was threatened the most. Most importantly, "Star Wars" brought a new audience to NPR. As it did in theaters, where George Lucas’s films redefined movie making, so too did NPR’s "Star Wars" forever change the artistic world of radio drama.

That a radio network, dependent exclusively on audio, would find a lifeline in one of the most visually dynamic movies ever released is the stuff of irony. Utilizing new interviews with creatives such as Anthony Daniels (C-3PO), Ann Sachs (Princess Leia), Perry King (Han Solo), and director John Madden, and archival research, this book details how an unlikely alliance of academics, radio executives, Lucasfilm employees, actors, and behind-the-scenes artists banded together, despite the obstacles, to create a unique and consequential work. It is also the story of how writer Brian Daley was the fulcrum who made it all possible.

ABOUT THE AUTHORS

Maria Jose Tenuto and John Tenuto have been authors and sociology professors for 27 years. Maria Jose was named the 2019 Illinois Outstanding Adjunct Faculty of the Year by the Illinois Community College Trustee Association. John was named the 2020 Association of Community College Trustees’ Central Regional Faculty Member Award winner, recognizing him as one of the top five community college educators in the nation. The couple’s research has been featured in "Wired" magazine, "USA Today", "Chicago Sun-Times," and on CBS, Netflix, WGN, the History Channel, and the BBC. They have been invited to speak at the Official Star Trek Convention, Lucasfilm’s Star Wars Celebration, the St. Louis Science Center, and by the future birthplace of Star Trek’s James T. Kirk, Riverside, Iowa, and the town of Vulcan, Alberta, Canada. They were consultants on the United States Postal Service Star Wars Droids stamps.

After moving to Altoona, Iowa, they can each now legitimately quote James T. Kirk, and say, “No, I’m from Iowa. I only work in outer space.” They have been married for 26 years and have a 22-year-old son named Nicholas Jose Tenuto.

https://thetenutos.blogspot.com/

Other books by the Tenutos:

• Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan: The Making of the