66. Brian Jay Jones, Author of Jim Henson: The Biography and George Lucas: A Life

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When I think about monumental pop culture landmarks like Star Wars or The Muppets, it’s easy to feel like they’ve always existed. Both were a part of my life from an early age during the 1980s and well beyond. I’ve known about George Lucas and Jim Henson for a long time, but it’s mostly been the obvious material. That’s why it was so refreshing to read Jim Henson: The Biography and George Lucas: A Life from author Brian Jay Jones. Both of these extensive biographies offer a personal look at what made these famous artists click. The need for control and independence drove their visions to bring something new to our screens.

Brian Jay Jones is the author of biographies of Washington Irving, George Lucas, and Jim Henson. — Brian Jay Jones

Brian is my guest on this episode of The Tomorrow Society Podcast to talk about his background and provide insights on Henson and Lucas. Both men have connections to Disney and theme parks, and we discuss attractions like Star Tours, Captain EO, and Muppet Vision 3D that arose from those relationships. Brian also wrote a biography of Washington Irving, who also has a Disney connection through The Legend of Sleepy Hollow. We cover that book and why Irving isn’t such a household name. Finally, we dive into Brian’s upcoming book Becoming Dr. Seuss: Theodor Geisel and the Making of an American Imagination.

It was great to talk with Brian and learn more about what interested him about his subjects. I couldn’t resist asking Brian about Star Wars topics like the prequels, the recent films, and the upcoming Galaxy’s Edge lands at Disneyland and Walt Disney World. There’s so much to cover from the careers of artists like Henson and Lucas.