Richard Marquand
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Richard Marquand (22 September 1938 – 4 September 1987) was a Welsh film director best known for directing the blockbuster Star Wars film Return of the Jedi.
Born in Llanishen, Cardiff, he was educated at Emanuel School, the Université d'Aix-Marseille in Marseille, France and King's College, Cambridge. In 1970, he began a career writing and directing for television and motion pictures. His noted films include Eye of the Needle (1981) and Jagged Edge (1985).
Marquand was then chosen by producer George Lucas to direct Star Wars Episode VI: The Return of the Jedi. In his commentary track on the DVD, Lucas explains that Marquand "had done some great suspense films and was really good with actors. Eye of the Needle was the film I'd seen that he had done that impressed by the most, it was really nice done and had a lot of energy and suspense". Marquand is the only non-American to have directed a Star Wars movie.
In 1987, Marquand directed Hearts of Fire, a film vehicle for rock icon Bob Dylan. The film was reviewed extremely poorly and went almost straight to video.
Three years after the release of Jedi, Marquand died of a stroke in Tunbridge Wells, Kent at the age of 48. His son James Marquand is also a director.
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