George Lucas

George Lucas. Historic Graffiti Cruise Route. May 14, 1944--George Lucas, Jr. was born to George Walton Lucas, Sr. and Dorothy (Bomberger) Lucas. He grew up surrounded by a loving family-two older sisters, Ann and Kate, a younger sister, Wendy, as well as a community of close-knit friends. , 1940's-1950's--George lived on Ramona Avenue in Modesto. A creative and inquisitive child, he showed his talents at an early age. He created cities and landscapes for his train set, published a neighborhood newspaper, designed spooky houses rigged with special effects in a friend's garage, produced carnivals, built forts, and even crafted a ramp for a roller coaster (a large tub on wheels) in another friend's backyard. Throughout his childhood, George's vivid imagination and unlimited creativity found fertile ground, and blossomed, in the quiet suburban neighborhood. , As a boy, George read comic books, biographies, histories, and National Geographic magazines. He listened to adventure and comedy shows on the radio (The Whistler and The Shadow), participated in Cub Scouts, and watched TV. He was 10 years old when his family bought a television. His favorite shows were Don Winslow of the Navy, Adventure Time, Crusader Rabbit, and other cartoons, westerns, mysteries, entertainment shows, and science fiction fantasies like Flash Gordon--genres which later influenced his Star Wars saga and Indiana Jones films. , 1949-1956--George attended John Muir Elementary School from kindergarten through 6th grade. , 1955--When George was 11, he flew down to visit one of his close friends from the neighborhood who had moved to Southern California three years earlier. They visited Disneyland on the second day it opened. From that day on, he eagerly anticipated the family trips to the Magic Kingdom. His love of Disneyland never diminished, and many years later, he helped to design new rides at the theme park based on his Star Wars and Indiana Jones movies. , 1956-1962--George attended Roosevelt Jr. High School and Thomas Downey High School. , 1959--George moved from Ramona Avenue to a 14 acre walnut ranch on the outskirts of town. He spent his time at the ranch experimenting with trick photography, developing his own photos, reading Mad Magazine, and listening to rock 'n roll records. , 1960--George got this first car, a Fiat Bianchina. It was a life-changing moment. No longer confined to the ranch, he began cruising the popular 10th Street and 11th Street loop with friends while listening to rock 'n roll music on the radio. These experiences would later inspire the soundtrack for American Graffiti., 1960-1962--When he wasn't cruising, George was working on his car at Foreign Car Service on Scenic Drive, getting it ready for autocross races as a member of the Ecurie AWOL Car Club. He also enjoyed attending other venues, like races at Laguna Seca, where he worked as a member of a pit crew. , One semester of his senior year, George built a set for the Peter Pan theatrical production. , 1962--Heading home on June 12, 1962, only days before his graduation from Thomas Downey High School, George was turning left at the corner of Sylvan Avenue and Rexford Drive to go toward his house. Another student, traveling at a very high speed in his large Chevy Impala, hit George's small Fiat on the driver's side. His car flipped three times before it crashed into a large tree. His seatbelt broke on the second flip, and he was thrown from the car, helping to save his life. Because he sustained critical injuries to his chest and lungs, he had a long recuperation period--two weeks in the hospital, followed by weeks of daily physical therapy sessions. Having been given this second chance, George decided he needed to do something meaningful and significant with his life. , 1962-1964--After the crash, George enrolled in Modesto Jr. College, and majored in anthropology. He graduated in 1964 with an Associate in Arts degree. It was during this time, while George was photographing cars on a racetrack, that he met Haskell Wexler, a well-known and respected Hollywood cinematographer. Impressed with George's camera work, Haskell recommended that George apply to the School of Cinema at the University of Southern California. At the same time, George was also encouraged by one of his close friends to join him at USC., Were You There? Tell us your story at: [email protected] , Researched by: Patti J. McCarthy, MFA, PH.D and Wendy Lucas . www.ModestoCruiseRoute.com