The Star Wars franchise is an irreplaceable part of pop culture and the nearly fifty-year franchise has fans around the globe. It spans films, TV shows, web series, animated shows, comics, toys, novels, and more. Apart from the main characters, in-world elements such as the Death Star, Stormtroopers, and Ewoks have their share of fans.
Many small and seemingly unimportant instances from the films have added to the charm of the franchise. One of which is actor Laurie Good, the Stormtrooper whose goof-up in the original Star Wars made it into the final cut of the classic film and made him famous.
Who Is The Stormtrooper That Banged His Head In Star Wars?
When it was released in 1977, the world had never seen anything like Star Wars. It was a cultural landmark and it revolutionized the way sci-fi films were made in Hollywood. Many aspects of the film such as its world-building, visual effects, and performances were lauded and have now become the trademarks of the franchise. One of them is the Galactic Empire’s loyal soldiers, the Stormtroopers.
The Stormtroopers were played by extras in the original trilogy. The actors have largely been uncredited for their performances and actors only later claimed that they were part of the films. However, since the franchise’s huge cultural impact, many prominent actors have made cameo appearances as Stormtroopers, such as Daniel Craig, Jason Sudeikis, and Kevin Smith.
While the Stormtroopers are famously known for their ability to miss their targets, there is one scene in the original Star Wars that has gone down as one of the most memorable moments of the franchise. In Star Wars: A New Hope, a scene shows a group of Stormtroopers walking into a control room and while they enter, one of the troopers hits their head on the ceiling of the room. While the shot quickly cuts away, the visual registers and has become one of the most memorable goof-ups in the franchise.
After over forty years, British actor Laurie Goode came forward to claim that he was the man in the trooper costume in the infamous scene. While another actor Michael Leader claims to be the one in the costume too, Goode states that he was the one who clonked his head.
What Happened To Laurie Goode On the Day Of Filming?
Actor Laurie Goode was reportedly cast as the infamous Stormtrooper as a replacement for fellow actor Peter Dukes. Dukes had reportedly phoned in sick and they needed an extra with similar measurements, and Goode’s agent had recommended him.
Goode mentioned the experience of shooting the scene where he bumped his head in an interview with The Hollywood Reporter. He said,
“On the second day of filming, I developed an upset stomach. By midmorning, I had paid three to four visits to the loo/bathroom. Having re-dressed myself and returned to the set, I felt the need to rush back to the gents’ toilets, but I was placed in [the] shot. On about the fourth take, as I shuffled along, I felt my stomach rumbling, and “bang,” I hit my head! As I wasn’t moving too fast, it was more of a scuffed bash, so it didn’t hurt, but as no one shouted “cut,” I thought the shot wasn’t wide enough for me to be in the frame.”
The actor revealed that the bang happened in the last take and that though he mentioned it to his fellow actor, the crew did not go for another take. When asked how he felt when he saw the goof in the finished movie, he said,
“Believing I probably wasn’t in the frame, I expected it to end up on the cutting-room floor. But when I did see it in the cinema, I thought: “OMG, that’s me!” I’ve been telling people the story ever since it occurred. In fact, the blooper once landed a small role in a Star Wars-themed pop promo in 1999.”
The actor has since tried to justify his claims, as actor Michael Leader has given similar claims. Laurie Goode reportedly even wrote a song about the incident. Good has since starred in shows such as Survivors, Messiah, and Doctor Who.
Also read:Harrison Ford Has Absolutely Hated One Major Part of Star Wars Movies Throughout the Years
Source: The Hollywood Reporter
