Monday the main activity was going into Philipsburg for some shopping. There were a lot of jewelry stores. Mostly jewelry stores. It was hard to find something that wasn’t a jewelry store. But I did find my reason for going to Philipsburg that day, Nick Maley‘s personal museum dedicated to his work in movie make-up and special effects. “The Yoda Guy”
When we got there there was paper taped to the door saying the museum was closed for a conference call. (It’s literally just Nick running the place, so hours are subject to his schedule.) But we didn’t have to wait long before the call was over, and Nick let us in. The rest of the fam took a short look around the shop–mom took a quick walk through the museum–and left to do whatever it is that they do. I stayed to take my time with the museum and chat a bit with Nick. We talked mostly about Lifeforce, which I hadn’t realized Nick worked on.
The shop has a lot of cool memorabilia from Nick’s career making films for sale, including items related to Superman, Krull, Highlander, and of course Star Wars. He has a lot of original pages from production-used scripts. He also has his own art for sale.
I knew I wanted something, so I spent a long time (long time) looking through everything Nick had. Of course script pages for the most iconic scenes are long gone, but there were a few that interested me, including a page from the scene from the Star Wars cantina showing Han Solo shooting before Greedo can draw and a page from the Battle of Yavin with Porkins (Red Six) so memorably played by William Hootkins.
In the end, since this was a visit to the “Yoda Guy” I decided on a Yoda print, which Nick graciously signed and personalized for me.
Quotes are from signs posted in the museum.
Another day in paradise
There were many stray dog along the beach
Make up and special effect artist Nick Maley worked on the original Star Wars,The Empire Strikes Back, and other films before moving to St Maarten to paint and become ‘The Yoda Guy”
“Prior to the making The Return of the Jedi, toys of the Ewoks had already been produced. Consequently, the movie’s creature builders had very limited creative input into what was fundamentally a reinvention of the Teddy Bear. They were forced the nylon fur fabric and other materials chosen by the toy manufacturer and felt the designs were over influenced by what would make the toys cheaper to produce. lot of padding was needed to simulate the toys ‘stuffed’ appearance. That made the costumes hot and awkward for the children and dwarfs inside the little furry suits.”
“Nick’s contract to build creatures for the original 1976 tar Wars movie. Lucasfilm paid Nick £65 a week.”
The exhibit had several life casts and death masks.This is the face of Abraham Lincoln.
Production storyboards with an early design for the Wookie.
Natives of Tattooine, based on illustrations by Ralph McQuarrie, costumed by John Mollo. “Covered from head-to-toe they are ideally protected from the planet’s harsh environment, and leave us wondering what kind of albino-like creature might be cocooned inside.”
“Boba Fett was developed in early 1978, between Star Wars: A New Hope and The EMpire Strikes Back to be a new character for Star Wars public appearances. At the time no one knew he was going to be in Empire. He was created to go on the road because Lucasfilm felt that we were over-exposing Darth Vader with public appearances.”
Early concept designs for Boba Fett’s helmet. “When Boba Fett became a bounty hunter in the second draft of The Empire Strikes Back that suit [originally designed to be a type of stormtrooper super commando, whose appearance concept artist Ralph McQuarrie had been working on] was adapted into the character that you know, but the suit was still labelled as the ‘super trooper’.”
Original storyboard for The Empire Strikes Back
First draft of “The Star Wars” July 1974
Second draft of “Adventures of the Star Killer” January 1975
“Nick assisted Stuart & Graham Freeborn while making this lifecast of Harrison Ford to put Han Solo in Carbonite.”
“The body of Alan Harris (who played Bossk) was molded separately and the elements were composited to make the final sculpt.”
Golden Tony as C-3PO
Artist Liz Moore
Early designs for Yoda
Nick also worked on Lifeforce (1985). “Screen used animatronic head from Lifeforce. This transformation required 4 robots, plus 2 prosthetic make-ups and a life-size articulated dummy. Everything was made from scratch in just 6 weeks. The eyes were operated by Nick’s wife, Gloria.”
“This custom made radio control handset was one of the first animatronic waldo devices ever built. The operator lays his hand on the device, and pots attached to each joint automatically measure finger anf wrist movements an transmit them to a receiver which generates similar actions in this mechanical arm.” Build for Lifeforce, it was reused for the Duran Duran “Wild Boys” music video.
Dustin Hoffman
Jack Nicholson
Val Kilmer
Christopher Lee and Peter Cushing
While this may have been the first time I asked for a selfie with a celebrity, it was obviously not Nick’s first time. He knew just the spot to capture the little green guy in the background.
