Over the past four decades, four people have played perhaps more pivotal roles than anyone else in creating the most beloved blockbuster movies of the modern era: Spielberg, Lucas, Frank Marshall and Kathleen Kennedy.
Spielberg crossed paths with Lucas during his film studies, and the two eventually became best friends and box office rivals. While vacationing in Hawaii together, they came up with the idea of collaborating on “Raiders of the Lost Ark.” Marshall caught Spielberg’s eye as a busy assistant to Peter Bogdanovich and brought him on years later to produce “Raiders.” Kennedy was inspired after seeing Spielberg’s “Close Encounters” to join the film industry, and after initially working as John Milius’ secretary, took on the same role for Spielberg and continued to be promoted. She worked with Marshall on “Raiders” to make miniature models, and the two fell in love.
Kennedy and Marshall would form Amblin Entertainment with Spielberg and produce his films, and would reunite with Lucas to not only put on “Temple of Doom”, but also to make cameos in the film. Spielberg, Lucas, Marshall, and Kennedy (and Sid Ganis) had remained in the background as missionaries as Dan Aykroyd’s Weber aided Indy and co. escape the clutches of Lao Che. Kennedy even dubbed cameos as the “Anything Goes” dancer at Club Obi Wan.
Cameos aren’t new to these industry titans; Spielberg appeared in such films as ‘The Blues Brothers’, ‘Gremlins’ and ‘Vanilla Sky’, while Lucas showed off his beard in ‘Hook’, ‘Beverly Hills Cop III’ and ‘Revenge of the Sith’. Marshall appeared in three of Bogdanovich’s films, as a pilot in “Raiders” and in “The Bourne LegacyKennedy hasn’t registered another acting credit, but is a bit busy these days running George’s old company, Lucasfilm.
