Teodor Bjerrang

Norwegian Unit

Teodor Bjerrang
Norwegian Unit

March 5th 1979, Lucasfilm lighted the fuse on what would turn out to be not only a moviemaking masterpiece, but also — a very demanding shoot. THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK, most peoples favourite Star Wars film, chose the icy plains of Finse and the Hardangerjøkulen Glacier in Norway as location needed to portray the frosty outback of the planet HOTH. They encountered the worst snowstorm in over 100 years — together with a crew consisting of norwegian filmworkers. It made history. To put it mildly.

We were all cold and working hard. To look at a script, hold a pencil, and look through a lens were feats in themselves in that snow, battered by a blizzard, wearing so much clothing. Anyone who starts to complain sets off a chain reaction. My attitude is that humor is the best way to relax tensions. I had icicles in my beard, so I made jokes about it.
— Irvin Kershner

NORWEGIAN UNIT

Location Second Unit

People at Finse, Norway when filming Star Wars : The Empire Strikes Back.

(in development) - name missing, do reach out.

Irvin Kershner : Director

Gary Kurtz : Producer

Bunny Alsop: (link 2) Assistant to Producer

Peter MacDonald : Second Unit Director

Alan Tomkins : Art Direction

Geoff Glover : Director of Photography

Bob Smith : Operating Cameraman

John Campell : Assistant Cameraman

Mike Brewster: Assistant Cameraman

John Keen : Second Assistant Cameraman

Greg Dupre : Second Assistant Cameraman

Frank Batt : Dolly Grip

Bill Westley : Assistant director

Ola Solum : Assistant director (N)

Sven Johansen : Production manager - as Svein Johansen (N)

Jim Bloom : Associate producer - as James Bloom

Graham Freeborn : Chief makeup artist:

Alan Arnold : Miscellaneous Crew: (Wrote the book; A Journal of The Making)

Bill Welch: Construction manager

Nick Allder : Mechanical effects supervisor

George Whitear : Still photographer

Keith Vowles : Props Assistant

Kay Rawlings : Continuity

Robert Watts : Associate producer

Colin Skeaping : Stunts

Bob Anderson : Stunts

Allan Bryce : Special Effects Technician

Phil Knowles : Effects Technician

Dave Watkins : Senior Effects Technician

Knut Vadseth : (Knut Vadreth) (N)

Christian Berrum (N)

Bjørn Jacobsen : Publicity Manager - 20th Century Fox Norway: (N)

Harald Lystad : CEO - 20th Century Fox in Norway: (N)

Kirsten Lystad (N)

Petter Julian Borgli (N)

Gordon Wright : Painter

Martin Gant : Effects technician: production and mechanical effects unit

Tom Egeland : Hoth Trooper (N)

Rune Vindenes : Hoth Trooper (N)

Arve Juritzen : Hoth Rebel Trooper (N)

Bernhard A. Steen : Hoth Rebel Trooper (N)

Odd Johan Nelvik : Hoth Rebel Trooper (N)

Trygve Hillestad : Hoth Rebel Trooper (N)

Sigbjørn Henanger : Hoth Rebel Trooper (N)

Carl Bang : Hoth Trooper

Alan Booth : Art department?

Kelvin Pike : Camera operator

Tomblin

Goodman

Reynolds

Gunnar Andersen : Photographer

Håkan Fristedt (SE)

Suschitzky

(43 extras used for the second unit shots - March 13, 1979)

Check if they visited Finse:

Philip Kohler : Location Manager

Bruce Sharman : Production Supervisor

Walter Henry : Rebel Technician on Hoth

Richard Bonehill : Stormtrooper / Snowtrooper / Rebel Soldier / Tauntaun Handler

Shaun Curry : Hoth Rebel Commander

Ian Durrant : Stormtrooper / Hoth Rebel

Joe Johnston : Captain Shawn Valdez - Hoth Rebel

Terry Richards : Wampa

Peter Roy : Snowtrooper

Tony Smart : Snowtrooper

Alan Swaden : Hoth Rebel

Marolyn Turk : Hoth Rebel

Empire is the first time I’ve ever seen anything I’ve done that I’m happy with.
— Harrison Ford

Cast

Mark Hamill : Luke Skywalker (Marilou Hamill)

Harrison Ford : Han Solo

Carrie Fisher : Princess Leia

Peter Mayhew : Chewbacca

Des Webb : Wampa Snow Creature

Dennis Lawson : Rebel Force Wedge (Rogue 3)

I was allergic to Hoth. I have hay fever. Sometimes they would put in too much explosive. The crew tended to forget we’re not the characters.
— Carrie Fisher

Finse 1979

Alan Arnold: Why hasn’t George Lucas come to Norway?

Gary Kurtz: He’s writing and I don’t think he could write where we are. Also, he’s engrossed with special effects material being prepared in California. And he doesn’t like cold climates!

 
When you’re on the set...while everything’s falling apart around you- the robot won’t move or some technical thing malfunctions - then you’re compromising day by day and dying a thousand deaths. On this picture I haven’t seen all the suffering. I’ve just looked at the film and said, “Oh, that’s turned out great” or “That scene could have been a little better,” but I wasn’t there watching Kersh suffer, struggling to get it better
— George Lucas
Artwork by Tore Stang

Artwork by Tore Stang

Martin Gant (Effects Technician), Phil Knowles (Effects Technician) and Dave Watkins (Senior Effects Technician).