Hamill: Forever Skywalker To Fans

The favorite character of many "Star Wars" fans will always be Luke Skywalker, who was brought to life on the big screen by Mark Hamill.

He tells The Early Show national correspondent Hattie Kauffman that, when "Star Wars" was being shot, he wondered whether it was supposed to be serious science fiction, or comedy.

"When you have robots arguing over who's fault it is, and a big furry dog flying a spaceship…to me, that's just unbelievably surreal," Hamill says.

Surreal, Kauffman points out, can also describe the film's impact on Hamill's life. Though he's been quite busy as a Broadway actor, a writer, movie director and producer, Hamill will always be known as Luke Skywalker.

"It just took hold and never let go," Hamill observes.

The first "Star Wars" movie came out not long after the Vietnam War, in May of 1977.

"We have to remember," Hamill notes, "these movies came out when the anti-hero was big, the embittered Vietnam veteran coming back. …We were a very cynical nation and this, I think, is a perfect opportunity for people to get back to their inner-child."

It was sort of like the good guys fighting the good fight, Hamill says, adding, "When I read it, I thought, 'Oh my gosh, it's a fairy tale. There's a wizard, there's a princess, there's a pirate, there's a farm boy.' "

And ever since, Kauffman says, fans have devoured that fairy tale, showing a devotion to detail even the stars can't match.

"Fans know much more about it than I do," Hamill admits. "I did the job and then it was over, and you sort of flush the memory banks to do other things. …I failed the 'Star Wars' trivia test. I don't know all these things. Who cares what kind of fuel the Wookie uses!"

But Hamill says fans never let him forget his famous role: "When I'm reminded is at the airport, or the grocery store, and you're berated by some parent because their child is spending way too much money on 'Star Wars' merchandise. Like I have anything to do with that!"

Hamill has turned down lots of offers to spoof Luke Skywalker, but he did agree to one, "Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back," because he thought, "This thing is so obscene, 500,000 'f-words,' pot smoking, lesbian jokes, oral sex, I mean yeah, there's no way you're gonna get it past the Lucas film lawyers."

But much to his surpise, "The only thing they were concerned about was, what color were the light sabers? It really shows you what gigantic nerds they are."

"At Lucasfilms?" Kauffman asked.

"Yeah!" Hamill confirmed. "And I say that with affection."

He has a thumbs-up for "Star Wars: Episode III -- The Revenge of the Sith": "My mouth was just hanging open at the effects. …I had a great time. I think George (Lucas) went off on a high note, which is wonderful."

And should Lucas want to do a third trilogy, might we see an older Luke Skywalker?

"Nobody wants to see me on the set saying, (in an old man's voice) 'When I held a light sabor, we held it like this, we didn't hold it like that," Hamill laughed. "Nobody wants that."

"Revenge of the Sith" was expected to take in at least 40-million dollars in its first day alone.