The Star Wars Holiday Special was a two-hour television special (including commercials) broadcast on November 17, 1978 on CBS. In it, Chewbacca and Han Solo visit Kashyyyk, Chewbacca's homeworld, to celebrate Life Day. Along the way, they are pursued by agents of the Galactic Empire who are searching for rebels on the planet. The special introduces three members of Chewbacca's family: his father, Itchy, his wife, Malla, and his son Lumpy. Later Star Wars novels would also feature these characters, notably Michael P. Kube-McDowell's Black Fleet Crisis trilogy .
The program also features cameos by other Star Wars characters, including Luke Skywalker, C-3PO, R2-D2, Darth Vader, and Princess Leia (who sings the film's "theme song", set to the music of John Williams' Star Wars theme, near the end).
The Holiday Special is important for being the first film-length Star Wars story after the original movie, and for showing an expanded look at parts of that universe. For the most part, however, the plot serves as little more than a means to string together a series of musical numbers, celebrity cameos, and other variety-show acts. These include songs and comedy routines by such '70s talents as Jefferson Starship, Diahann Carroll, Art Carney, Harvey Korman, and Bea Arthur. Easily the most notable segment is an animated cartoon featuring the pre-Empire Strikes Back debut of Boba Fett.
The Star Wars Holiday Special is reviled by some Star Wars fans for its meager plot and low production values and beloved of others for its unabashed wackiness and pure sense of fun. Regardless, it continues to be sold and traded as a bootleg video, and many Star Wars fans have a copy in their collection. George Lucas, who wrote the basic story for the special but otherwise had very little to do with it, reportedly said that if he had his way, he would destroy every copy. Some fans, however, continue to hope that one day it will see an official release, if only as a comedic novelty.
Rumors of a followup special called "A Very Star Wars Christmas" have propagated in recent years, but are an April Fool's prank. Also, a digitally remastered version of the original special was claimed to exist by many fans, but in fact did not. It was later revealed to be only a slogan used to sell copies, many times with expensive prices on eBay and at conventions. Another edition of the special with a few extra seconds of the famed Boba Fett cartoon segment is rumored to exist, although its credibility is doubtful.
The Star Wars Holiday Special is technically canon in the Star Wars films, despite the fact that George Lucas despises it. Although not officially released, it can be easily found on eBay on DVD and VHS for those interested, with an average price of $10-$25 - "...if," as Shepherd Smith of Fox News put it, "you should want such a thing." It is an entertaining piece of Star Wars history. Despite Lucas's best attempts at hiding this from the public, The Star Wars Holiday Special will almost certainly continue to live on, with the help of diehard Star Wars fans across the world.
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