In Search of . . . : Mark Hamill

We all know what happened to Han Solo--that is, Harrison Ford. And Princess Leia--i.e., Carrie Fisher--has hardly disappeared. But whither Luke Skywalker?

Mark Hamill, the actor who soared to fame and riches as the boyish hero in George Lukas’ “Star Wars” trilogy, spent most of the ‘80s in New York, where he played a surprisingly wide range of characters--to some strong reviews--on Broadway and off.

At age 37, married with three kids, he’s now back in L.A., “writing full-time” and hoping to produce independent films.

“I’m forever optimistic,” he says of his uneven movie career. “I have fun working. I’m just not a bitter person. But you come back to L.A. and it’s kind of a cold, hard shock to realize your stock has fallen. . . .”

Not that he’s without jobs. Hamill will be seen Thursday night as a nasty villain, the Trickster, on the CBS series “The Flash,” a favorite show of his children. And he’s been busy in low-budget independent features, including Trimark Pictures’ “Black Magic Woman,” an erotic suspense drama that goes straight to video in April.

Despite the huge success of “Star Wars” (1977) and its sequels, big film roles outside the series eluded Hamill. “I really wanted to get back to the stage,” he says. “It was for my own peace of mind.” Between 1981 and 1987, he appeared on Broadway in “The Elephant Man,” “Amadeus,” “Harrigan n’ Hart” and “The Nerd,” and toured with several stage productions.

In 1988, he changed his film image by playing a vicious bounty hunter in “Slipstream,” a futuristic thriller that was released internationally in theaters--but only on video in the U.S.

For his children’s sake, he now shuns work that requires much travel, preferring to pitch projects and write. His goal: “Non-studio, medium-budget films. That’s how you can put most of yourself into it, with the least amount of interference.”

Hamill, who began acting professionally at 17, is philosophical about his movie career.

“I feel that my future as a (film) actor may be limited. I’m being very pragmatic. I’m not going to sit around waiting for that breakthrough role. You want to continue to be creative (in other ways). This is my business. I could never go into aluminum siding at this point. I’m in for the long haul.

“It’s way too early to write me off. I really believe I’m going to come back with a vengeance. I just don’t necessarily think it will be before the camera.”

--From John M. Wilson