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Star Wars Trilogy: NPR Dramatizations #3
Return of the Jedi: The Original Radio Drama
A long time ago in a galaxy far far away, there came a time of revolution when Rebels united to challenge a tyrannical Empire. Experience the epic scope and power of the classic movie, Return of the Jedi, in this six-episode radio production. (3 hours)
4 pages, Audio CD
First published January 1, 1996
1 person is currently reading
177 people want to read
About the author
Brian Daley
47 books97 followersBrian was born in Englewood Hospital in Englewood, New Jersey on Dec. 22, 1947. A blizzard kept him and his mother at the hospital over Christmas, and the nurses sang "Away in a Manger" to them.
His middle name is Charles. He grew up in Rockleigh, NJ. His mother's name was Myra and his father's name was Charles. He has an older brother, David, and a younger sister, also named Myra. He had no children of his own, but he was always great with his two nieces and four nephews.
He went to Nathan Hale Elementary School in Norwood, NJ, and a consolidated High School - Northern Valley Regional High School in Old Tappan, NJ.
Brian loved to read, drive his '74 Corvette Stingray, spend summers with me on Martha's Vineyard, and travel to wild and exotic places like the jungles of Guatemala and Mexico, and the mountains of Nepal.
He said he wanted to write from an early age, about third grade. He also read a LOT of science fiction as a kid, and that inspired him.
After he graduated from high school in 1965 he joined the army and went to Vietnam for a year's tour of duty. Then he went to Berlin, Germany.
After the army he went to Jersey City State College, majoring in media. While attending college and working as a waiter at a local steak house, he also wrote his first novel, Doomfarers of Coromande. Del Rey Books accepted it and started him on his writing career. The editor picked Brian's manuscript out of the "slush" pile (unsolicited manuscripts) because it was the most neatly typed, but it wasn't accepted right away. The editor made Brian do a lot of re-writing.
When the first STAR WARS movie came out Brian saw it, and he was elated. He said he came out of the theater fundamentally changed. His editor asked which character he would like to write about for a movie-related novel. Brian said he picked Han Solo because Han was the only one who made a moral decision... he started out on the wrong side of the law, but joined with the good guys. And to tell you the truth, Brian was a whole lot like Han, a maverick.
He died of pancreatic cancer in February of 1996. He had just turned 49. He wrote the adaptation for National Public Radio drama THE RETURN OF THE JEDI while he was undergoing chemotherapy. He died at his house in Maryland the night the Jedi radio cast was toasting him at their wrap party, having finished the taping of the shows that day.
When they posted the notice of his death, messages began coming in from all over the world. The gist of them was that his passing created a "disturbance in the Force."
Brian Daley's first novel, The Doomfarers of Coramonde, was published on the first Del Rey list in 1977. It was an immediate success, and Brian went on to write its sequel, The Starfollowers of Coramonde, and many other successful novels: A Tapestry of Magics, three volumes of The Adventures of Hobart Floyt and Alacrity Fitzhugh, and, under the shared pseudonym 'Jack McKinney', ten and one half of the twenty-one Robotech novels. He first conceived of the complex GammaL.A.W. saga in Nepal, in 1984, and worked on its four volumes for the next twelve years, finishing it shortly before his death in 1996.
His middle name is Charles. He grew up in Rockleigh, NJ. His mother's name was Myra and his father's name was Charles. He has an older brother, David, and a younger sister, also named Myra. He had no children of his own, but he was always great with his two nieces and four nephews.
He went to Nathan Hale Elementary School in Norwood, NJ, and a consolidated High School - Northern Valley Regional High School in Old Tappan, NJ.
Brian loved to read, drive his '74 Corvette Stingray, spend summers with me on Martha's Vineyard, and travel to wild and exotic places like the jungles of Guatemala and Mexico, and the mountains of Nepal.
He said he wanted to write from an early age, about third grade. He also read a LOT of science fiction as a kid, and that inspired him.
After he graduated from high school in 1965 he joined the army and went to Vietnam for a year's tour of duty. Then he went to Berlin, Germany.
After the army he went to Jersey City State College, majoring in media. While attending college and working as a waiter at a local steak house, he also wrote his first novel, Doomfarers of Coromande. Del Rey Books accepted it and started him on his writing career. The editor picked Brian's manuscript out of the "slush" pile (unsolicited manuscripts) because it was the most neatly typed, but it wasn't accepted right away. The editor made Brian do a lot of re-writing.
When the first STAR WARS movie came out Brian saw it, and he was elated. He said he came out of the theater fundamentally changed. His editor asked which character he would like to write about for a movie-related novel. Brian said he picked Han Solo because Han was the only one who made a moral decision... he started out on the wrong side of the law, but joined with the good guys. And to tell you the truth, Brian was a whole lot like Han, a maverick.
He died of pancreatic cancer in February of 1996. He had just turned 49. He wrote the adaptation for National Public Radio drama THE RETURN OF THE JEDI while he was undergoing chemotherapy. He died at his house in Maryland the night the Jedi radio cast was toasting him at their wrap party, having finished the taping of the shows that day.
When they posted the notice of his death, messages began coming in from all over the world. The gist of them was that his passing created a "disturbance in the Force."
Brian Daley's first novel, The Doomfarers of Coramonde, was published on the first Del Rey list in 1977. It was an immediate success, and Brian went on to write its sequel, The Starfollowers of Coramonde, and many other successful novels: A Tapestry of Magics, three volumes of The Adventures of Hobart Floyt and Alacrity Fitzhugh, and, under the shared pseudonym 'Jack McKinney', ten and one half of the twenty-one Robotech novels. He first conceived of the complex GammaL.A.W. saga in Nepal, in 1984, and worked on its four volumes for the next twelve years, finishing it shortly before his death in 1996.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 33 reviews
October 2, 2017
It was enjoyable enough, but the actors taking over the roles seemed to make parodies of their movie counterpoints accents and speech mannerisms and I'm not sure that was a good idea. I wish it had added more to the story like the others had done.
PLUS, why, oh why, didn't they trim the 5 minutes of "credits" at the end of each episode? It's fine if you are listening to a radio show, but it just seems like filler on an audiobook version.
PLUS, why, oh why, didn't they trim the 5 minutes of "credits" at the end of each episode? It's fine if you are listening to a radio show, but it just seems like filler on an audiobook version.
August 30, 2015
I was a bit disappointed in the radio adaptation of "Return of the Jedi." It's short (just three CDs), does not add a lot to the story, and only one of the original actors (Anthony Daniels) returned.
The story is pretty faithful to the movie and the plot moves quickly. This isn't like "Star Wars," where you're on like the fourth CD before the entire team (Luke, Leia, Han, etc.) gets together. I like the addition of C-3PO having his feelings hurt because he wasn't informed of the plot to rescue Han. It seemed very true to the character.
Ann Sachs has improved as Leia, so I really didn't have a problem with her this time. Perry King is, well, as lightweight as ever and just not believable as Han. Brock Peters (Darth Vader), Bernard Behrens (Obi-Wan Kenobi), and John Lithgow (Yoda) also return and they do much better jobs than King. Billy Dee Williams has been replaced with Arye Gross and Mark Hamill with Joshua Fardon. Neither replacement is as good as the original, especially Gross. I can understand if Williams was unavailable, but why replace him with a white actor? Interestingly, Ed Begley, Jr. is Boba Fett and Ed Asner is Jabba the Hutt. Asner doesn't really get to do much other than make some noises as Jabba, but it's an interesting casting choice. Begley is like King - too light for the role. His Boba Fett isn't the least bit intimidating. Paul Hecht is good as the sinister Emperor.
Though not as good as the first two entries in the trilogy, "Return of the Jedi" is enjoyable and definitely worth a listen.
The story is pretty faithful to the movie and the plot moves quickly. This isn't like "Star Wars," where you're on like the fourth CD before the entire team (Luke, Leia, Han, etc.) gets together. I like the addition of C-3PO having his feelings hurt because he wasn't informed of the plot to rescue Han. It seemed very true to the character.
Ann Sachs has improved as Leia, so I really didn't have a problem with her this time. Perry King is, well, as lightweight as ever and just not believable as Han. Brock Peters (Darth Vader), Bernard Behrens (Obi-Wan Kenobi), and John Lithgow (Yoda) also return and they do much better jobs than King. Billy Dee Williams has been replaced with Arye Gross and Mark Hamill with Joshua Fardon. Neither replacement is as good as the original, especially Gross. I can understand if Williams was unavailable, but why replace him with a white actor? Interestingly, Ed Begley, Jr. is Boba Fett and Ed Asner is Jabba the Hutt. Asner doesn't really get to do much other than make some noises as Jabba, but it's an interesting casting choice. Begley is like King - too light for the role. His Boba Fett isn't the least bit intimidating. Paul Hecht is good as the sinister Emperor.
Though not as good as the first two entries in the trilogy, "Return of the Jedi" is enjoyable and definitely worth a listen.
October 19, 2015
Like the other two radio dramas based on the original trilogy, this is a great expanded adaptation. We get to hear Luke constructing his lightsaber! Since this was produced just before the Special Editions, we get to hear the songs "Lapti Nek" and "Ewok Celebration." And since the Expanded Universe had been going on for years by this point, Mara Jade makes in appearance in Jabba's Palace! I also like Han's exchanges with Leia and Lando after they leave Tatooine. And Han's reaction to the Falcon's damage at the end is priceless! He also wonders whether or not Luke can use the Force on dice, which oddly precedes the filmng and release of The Phantom Menace, in which Qui-Gon Jinn does this. And though people did not yet know that Anakin Skywalker built C-3PO, it is very poignant now having him witness Luke giving Anakin a funeral pyre here and then asking Luke what he is looking at when he sees the Force ghosts. I love Luke's dialogue at the end: "Their fire is back in the universe. Let it burn, high and bright, to be seen by friend and foe. The Jedi have returned." This ending is MUCH better than any edit of the film's ending!
July 20, 2021
These radio dramas add nothing to the source material that make them worth listening to and if anything they detract a whole lot. Just because they contain original sound effects and music with some, mostly terrible (the kiss scene on the Falcon in ESB comes across way more #MeToo than the original intention), additional dialogue does not justify their existence. I thought the original was terrible so I put off listening to ESB; well Empire Strikes back was much better however RotJ now suffers from having way less of the original cast (Yoda sounds more like Jar-Jar!) so feels like amateur hour most of the time and it blows my mind that they replaced Billy Dee William's with a white guy for Lando Calrissian! Unbelievable, talk about a white-wash..
I know these radio dramas have their fans, but I have to assume those are original trilogy fans that had these before they had access to VHS/ laserdiscs to watch the real thing. Personally, I found the series insufferable.
I know these radio dramas have their fans, but I have to assume those are original trilogy fans that had these before they had access to VHS/ laserdiscs to watch the real thing. Personally, I found the series insufferable.
January 6, 2018
I didn't like this one as much as the first two. Mostly because Mark Hamill didn't come back for this one, so they had to get a new guy for Luke's voice. The new guy wasn't bad, but he wasn't Mark Hamill.
The voice actors they used for Han and Leia are the same ones they had for the first two adaptations. I wasn't that fond of them in the first two, but I think they did really good in this one. I'm not sure if they got better at sounding like Ford and Fisher, or if I just got used to their voices over time.
Anthony Daniels was the only member of the original movie cast to work on this (as far as I know). He's great as always.
And this, of course, has the same basic problem as the first two adaptations: all the action needs to be explained in dialog which makes the already corny dialog sound even cornier.
The voice actors they used for Han and Leia are the same ones they had for the first two adaptations. I wasn't that fond of them in the first two, but I think they did really good in this one. I'm not sure if they got better at sounding like Ford and Fisher, or if I just got used to their voices over time.
Anthony Daniels was the only member of the original movie cast to work on this (as far as I know). He's great as always.
And this, of course, has the same basic problem as the first two adaptations: all the action needs to be explained in dialog which makes the already corny dialog sound even cornier.
March 7, 2022
I still enjoyed this radio drama version of Return of the Jedi, but it was not as well done as the first two. Fewer details were added to the existing story, though the few scene extensions between Vader and the Emperor were decent. Only Anthony Daniels from the main cast (who has been the only person ever to voice C-3PO, last I read) returned for the third installment. Many cast members of the radio broadcast have stayed consistent between episodes, but the loss of Hamill and Williams as Luke and Lando, respectively, weakened the production because those are two distinctive voices that sound “wrong.” Worth listening to to finish out the trilogy, but nothing notable.
August 13, 2021
Eh. I hoped for more, considering the later release date seemingly to allow for more new content to be added, but this is much closer to the Empire Strikes Back drama than the standout A New Hope drama. Not bad for what it is, but maybe even less new material than Empire, and feels far more like a radio drama than the prior entries with characters clearly describing events we can't see. By the 90s, not really sure who this is for even if the cast does a fine job. Just feels like there was room to do something really fun here and they didn't go there.
December 24, 2021
I was unwell lately and I thought I could listen to a radio drama. It was amazing to listen to. There are extra details compared to the film, embellishments to the events of the film and even a character unique to this radio drama that wasn't as present in the film (technically he was but that's a long story and a non-speaking role, Major Devlin for those who need to know).
Excellent voice acting, there was almost no narration and the voice actors pushed through the narrative and events of things going on.
Excellent voice acting, there was almost no narration and the voice actors pushed through the narrative and events of things going on.
May 13, 2022
This was my least favorite of the Star Wars radio dramas. I don't know if it is because I kept comparing it to the movie (which I love by the way) or if it was the disconnect I felt for other reasons. It just felt like the story was hurried and it was difficult to relate to to characters in the way they were presented in the radio drama. I think maybe they made it too short to adequately portray the emotions of the story. Don't get me wrong, I still liked it and the voice actors did a great job with what they were given. I just feel that it could have been better written.
May 13, 2025
I think we all know the story for this one - Han is saved from being a wall decoration, the Emperor is building another Death Star (short on fresh ideas) and Darth Vader isn't as bad as he seems. Some extra material added, but nothing that amounts to anything. Stick with the original.
July 5, 2017
I have this on cassette, but cant find it listed here.
October 26, 2019
Audiobook - A Great way to listen to the Star Wars book
January 13, 2020
Granted it is not the original actors in all cases, but this is a very good adaptation of the movie.
January 30, 2020
Really enjoyed reading this...loved all the new bits and pieces added in from the different characters throughout that aren't in the actual movies/book adaptations...
August 23, 2020
It is enjoyable to review the stories of Return of the Jedi. This is a good audiobook.
November 6, 2020
Ear candy. Not as good as the others with Mark Hamill, but still fun.
November 9, 2021
Not as good or as deep with extras as the first two but still very good.
May 16, 2022
The greatest audiobook from NPR's radio drama club!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 7, 2023
Not really as bad as the other two, which sort of makes this one an even bigger waste of time.
December 2, 2015
This show was better than the Empire Strikes Back, but didn't actually reach the heights set by the first one. There was much less poor writing that explained in an obvious and awkward way the action that was going on, which was to my liking. Also, the voice work improved in spite of a few main characters not returning. I was very impressed by the new Luke, and would have put him on par with Mark Hamill. The Emperor was also very well castes and delivered the same tone we get in the movies. There were only a handful of scenes and dialogue that were new, but they were well done and appreciated. One hang up I had was similar to the last one where I felt like the exciting portions of the movie were shortened down such that they lasted less time than they do in the movie. I guess this is understandable, but at the same time- I wish they could've made one as good as their episode 4 production.
October 3, 2013
Published by HighBridge Audio.
Originally broadcast in 1996.
Multicast performance.
Duration: approximately 3 hours, 15 minutes.
The third installment of NPR's STAR WARS -based radio dramas was also written by sci-fi author Brian Daley (Sadly, he died of cancer very soon after it was recorded). The budget for RETURN of the JEDI was much, much smaller than the original so the recording was about half the length of the first. It still features the wonderful original music soundtrack by John Williams and the original sound effects that make the listener feel like they are part of the action.
Anthony Daniels returned as See-Threepio. Mark Hamill, however,...
Read more at: http://dwdsreviews.blogspot.com/2013/...
Originally broadcast in 1996.
Multicast performance.
Duration: approximately 3 hours, 15 minutes.
The third installment of NPR's STAR WARS -based radio dramas was also written by sci-fi author Brian Daley (Sadly, he died of cancer very soon after it was recorded). The budget for RETURN of the JEDI was much, much smaller than the original so the recording was about half the length of the first. It still features the wonderful original music soundtrack by John Williams and the original sound effects that make the listener feel like they are part of the action.
Anthony Daniels returned as See-Threepio. Mark Hamill, however,...
Read more at: http://dwdsreviews.blogspot.com/2013/...
October 16, 2015
This last installment of the NPR produced radio drama retellings of the Star Wars trilogy was the most disappointing. Its length is just a little longer than the movie meaning there is no room for expanding the story or showing scenes from new points of view. Because this last installment is so action packed the listeners get to spend extended periods of time listening to the characters describe what is happening. Finally, the acting is somehow worse. Mark Hamill is replaced as Luke Skywalker with an actor who is actually even more whiny than Hamill was in Star Wars. No one wants to listen to a whiny Jedi Knight.
April 1, 2016
Pretty bad :( ... easily the worst of the 3 radio dramas. So much of the improvised dialogue from the films is SO campy, SO cheesy, and utterly cringe-worthy. I felt embarrassed listening to it myself. Thank goodness I didn't try to force my wife to sit through it. It really jumped the shark when Luke tells the Emperor (final 30 min-segment), "I'll never join the dork side" (yes, the voice actor actually says "dork" instead of "dark"). Just awful. The bit where Leia tells Luke that Han is going to "make him [Luke] an uncle" made my jaw nearly drop. What?! *face in palm*
Save yourself the time/money and listen to (and enjoy more) something else.
Save yourself the time/money and listen to (and enjoy more) something else.
January 8, 2017
The beauty of the Star Wars and Empire radio plays is that they often show us familiar scenes from another perspective or fill in gaps between the film's edits. Sadly, this third play does very little of that. It pretty much follows the established screenplay with very few embellishments. The only major addition is Luke building his new lightsaber in Obi-Wan's hovel.
Mark Hamill and Billy Dee Williams' voices are sorely missed and the replacement actors sounded wildly different than the established characters. Luke is super-nasal. Lando has no swagger (or accent).
It passed the time on my long car ride but wasn't anywhere near as fun as the first two.
Mark Hamill and Billy Dee Williams' voices are sorely missed and the replacement actors sounded wildly different than the established characters. Luke is super-nasal. Lando has no swagger (or accent).
It passed the time on my long car ride but wasn't anywhere near as fun as the first two.
September 12, 2015
Unlike the other Star Wars original trilogy radio dramas produced for NPR, Return of the Jedi adds very little material. What one hears in the radio drama is basically the same material viewed on film. This approach is different from the earlier books in this series. A New Hope and The Empire Strikes back are both 10 radio episodes, Return of the Jedi is six. The lack of additional content does not take away from the work as it remains true to the source. This is Return of the Jedi in all of its glory.
February 10, 2016
This radio play reminded me that Return of the Jedi is the Star Wars movie I like the least. The plot isn't all that interesting and the parts that are supposed to resonate most with Vader and Luke just don't do it for me. I think the first two are much better. This is also the first of the radio plays that doesn't have Mark Hammil as Luke. Overall it's a good radioplay, it's just that the source material wasn't as good.
May 28, 2008
Good CD I love the Star Wars Radio Dramas the donwside to this one is Mark Hamel isn't proforming Luke Skywalker's part.
March 14, 2014
this one zipped right on by.
October 17, 2015
A major letdown compared to the previous two. It only featured one major star (Anthony Daniels) and it was much shorter.
November 27, 2015
Enjoyable! Not as much new material added, as the first two radio dramas. High production value and a very fun listen. So ready for the new Star Wars episode VII movie to come out now!!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 33 reviews