CROCODILE ROCKS!!

By Scott Weller

Clare Abbasi, formerly Clare Taylor, one of the costume designers working alongside John Mollo on the original STAR WARS movie in 1976, has kindly contacted me via her daughter, Laura, and informed me that, contrary to prior popular belief, UK background actor Laurie Goode did NOT play one of the Saurin creatures (also known as Crocs within the original shooting) during the Cantina scenes filming at ELSTREE during April/May 1976. They have also confirmed that Goode only played a Stormtrooper on the film shoot. One of the other Saurins, the smaller one of the two seen in the Cantina, was indeed played by Barbara Frankland (who recently did a rare London STAR WARS signing), the other, not played by Goode, has yet to be confirmed (though if Clare/Laura gets back to me with any additional new info we’ll obviously amend this blog as soon as possible).

Additionally, Clare is very keen to point out that all of the Cantina background extras/aliens costumes were specifically made to measure on the selected actors/actresses-it certainly wasn’t the case, as has been said by certain background actors about that original filming, of the artists literally getting into any costume that fitted them.

On behalf of fandom, we’d like to thank Clare and Laura for getting in touch and solving/correcting/adding to another important part of detailing the making of the original STAR WARS movie.

Above image: left: an as yet unknown actor as a Saurin (not played by Laurie Goode (though he has been signing as the character at film/TV events/conventions)), right: Barbara Frankland (with hand in her mouth) as the second Saurin, during the original Cantina interior filming at ELSTREE during 1976. With thanks to Chris Baker.