As fans know,Star Warsday is generally an occasion for fans to celebrate the beloved science-fiction franchise, as well as those responsible for keeping it alive in the decades since the first film debuted in 1977. However, a celebratory Tweet from actor Mark Hamill prompted fans to reminisce about one of the actor’s lesser-known works,Corvette Summer, instead.
While Hamill may be best know for portraying Luke Skywalker inGeorge Lucas' originalStar Warstrilogyand the later sequels from Disney, the revered actor has also delivered acclaimed performances on the stage and in the recording booth, with his voice work as the Joker inBatman: The Animated Serieslikely being his most well-known role outside of Lucasfilms' franchise. However, it might have been fair to assume few knew about Hamill’s role as Kenneth W. Dantley Jr. in the 1978 adventure comedy filmCorvette Summer, even if it was his first appearance on screen after the massive success ofStar Wars.
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That said, it appears a fair number of people of aware ofCorvette Summer, as many have taken to Twitter to express their love for film to Hamill himself. The recollecting was prompted byaStar Warsday TweetHamill wrote on his official Twitter account, acknowledging his experience with the film was a once-in-a-lifetime event and he’ll likely never work on another project that will earn its own day of celebration. In response, CNN’s Jake Tapper reminded Hamill that he once starred in a film worthy of a whole season, referencingCorvette Summer’s title, to which theStar Warsicon replied by posting the emoji shown crying tears of laughter. Another notable person to bring upCorvette Summerwas illustrator and animator Chris Morris, who informed Hamill that June 2nd, the day of the film’s release, is a special day in his home.
Directed by Matthew Robbins from a script he co-wrote with producer Hal Barwood,Corvette Summerfollowed Hamill’s Kenneth W. Dantley Jr. as travels to Las Vegas in search of his prized Corvette Stingray, which was stolen not long after he rescued the vehicle from a scrapyard and rebuilt it. Along the way, Dantley Jr. crosses paths with an odd woman named Vanessa, played byfutureGhostbustersstar Annie Potts. WhileCorvette Summerwas a box office success, the response to the film was more divided.
Nonetheless,Corvette Summerwas never forgotten, at least not by audiences who were around when it premiered. An episode ofMystery Science Theater 3000focused on the 1962 science fiction horror filmThe Brain That Wouldn’t Diegave a nod toCorvette Summerand aJustice LeagueActionmini-episode referenced the film when it was named as the favorite movie of the Trickster, who was voiced by Hamill.
Now,Corvette Summermight find a new audience who may have not have heard of the film until Hamill’s Tweet prompted the aforementioned conversations. Regardless, it’s nice to know that whileHamill may always be known forStar Warsfirst and foremost, there are many who will never forget his decades-worth of work outside of a Galaxy Far, Far away.
Star Warsis now available on Disney Plus andCorvette Summercan be streamed on Amazon Prime Video.
