Ralph McQuarrie I still get fan mail — people wondering if I worked on "Episode I" or just wanting to have my autograph." McQuarrie's production painting of R2-D2 and C-3PO wandering in the desert on the planet Tatooine was the first to be completed. His early concept for C-3PO was visibly inspired by the Art Deco "Maschinenmensch" robot from Fritz Lang’s 1927 film "Metropolis". The painting had a particular impact on actor Anthony Daniels, who was about to turn down the part of C-3PO; ""He had painted a face and a figure that had a very wistful, rather yearning, rather bereft quality,
The Big Heat published as a novel in 1953. Initially, McGivern's novel was to be produced by Jerry Wald, who wanted either Paul Muni, George Raft or Edward G. Robinson (who worked with director Fritz Lang in "Woman in the Window" and "Scarlet Street") for the role of Dave Bannion. Columbia Pictures paid $40,000 for McGivern's novel. Lang directed the film while Sydney Boehm wrote it. Boehm made many changes from the novel such as name changes. Commissioner Higgins is not in the novel and Lieutenant Wilks is the corrupt policeman. An honest policeman called Cranston, who was in the novel, was also