Look To The Stars News: George Lucas

Giving Back Fund Announces Top 30 Celebrity Charity Donations For 2011

Tue, 20 Dec 2011 19:20:00 +0000

The Giving Back Fund (GBF), a nonprofit organization that provides philanthropic management and consulting to the sports and entertainment industries, released its fifth annual Giving Back 30, a list of the 30 celebrities who made the largest donations to charity in 2011 according to public records.

The list includes celebrities from many walks of life including actors, writers, producers, musicians, comedians, and athletes.

Topping the list were actress Jami Gertz and her husband, Anthony Ressler, who donated $10,569,002 to the Ressler Gertz Foundation. Coming in second was musician Herb Alpert, who gave $9,104,829 to the Herb Alpert Foundation – which focuses on the arts, compassion and well being – followed by Mel Gibson, who gave $6,853,020 to the AP Reilly Foundation, which he started to support the Holy Family Church.

Celebrity Star Wars Fans Use The Force For Good To Help Charity

Thu, 15 Sep 2011 21:05:00 +0000

Lucasfilm has announced that – in celebration of the September launch of Star Wars: The Complete Saga on Blu-ray – it is linking up with celebrities, eBay and Major League Baseball to ask fans to Use the Force for Good to support Stand Up To Cancer (SU2C).

Emma Stone

Bill Cosby And P. Diddy To Attend Jackie Robinson Charity Awards Tonight

Mon, 07 Mar 2011 12:30:00 +0000

The 2011 Jackie Robinson Foundation Annual Awards Dinner will be held tonight – Monday, March 7th – at New York’s Waldorf=Astoria Hotel.

Hosted by legendary entertainer Bill Cosby for nearly three decades, the iconic event pays tribute to individuals who embody the humanitarian ideals of Jackie Robinson and raises funds for the Jackie Robinson Foundation.

The star-studded event promises to be an unforgettable evening as the Foundation honors three philanthropists. The ROBIE Humanitarian Award will be presented to Ingrid Saunders Jones. The ROBIE Achievement in Industry Awards will be presented to Sean “Diddy” Combs and Joseph R. Perella.

Star Wars Stars Sign Stormtrooper Helmet For Charity

Mon, 03 Jan 2011 15:30:00 +0000

eFX Inc. and the 501st TK Project auctioned one of the most unique Star Wars collectibles ever created in a special eBay charity auction last month to benefit the Make-A-Wish Foundation.

On its own, eFX’s replica Star Wars stormtrooper helmet is a sought-after collectible, but the version eFX is auctioning includes more than a dozen signatures from the talented cast and crew of the original Star Wars Trilogy, making it one of the most rare Star Wars collectibles ever offered to fans.

The helmet featured signatures from Star Wars creator George Lucas; actors Mark Hamill, Harrison Ford, Carrie Fisher, David Prowse, James Earl Jones, Frank Oz, Peter Mayhew, Anthony Daniels, Kenny Baker, Billy Dee Williams, Jeremy Bulloch and Warwick Davis; Star Wars: Episode IV: A New Hope and Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back producer Gary Kurtz, director Irvin Kershner (The Empire Strikes Back); screenwriter Lawrence Kasdan (Empire and Return of the Jedi); and composer John Williams.

Jane Goodall Launches Celebrity Charity Auction

Tue, 26 Oct 2010 14:00:00 +0000

The Jane Goodall Institute (JGI) has announced the start of an online auction to further the mission of renowned primatologist and conservationist Dr. Jane Goodall, DBE, UN Messenger of Peace.

Featuring a variety of one-of-a-kind experiences and merchandise, the auction will be hosted online at leading charity auction site charitybuzz at www.charitybuzz.com/JaneGoodall2 from October 19 to November 9, 2010, and will support JGI’s ongoing programs including chimpanzee preservation and protection, community-centered conservation in Africa, and Jane Goodall’s Roots & Shoots, JGI’s global environmental and humanitarian youth program in more than 120 countries.

George Lucas Pledges Millions To Education

Tue, 10 Aug 2010 12:30:00 +0000

Warren Buffett’s Giving Pledge, which asks billionaires to donate the majority of their wealth to charity, has garnered some high-profile followers.

Among the world’s elite who have signed up include Bill Gates, Ted Turner and Star Wars creator George Lucas. Oracle CEO Larry Ellison has also made a pledge worth hundreds of millions of dollars for charity.

“We’ve really just started but already we’ve had a terrific response,” said Buffett. “The Giving Pledge is about asking wealthy families to have important conversations about their wealth and how it will be used.”

Stars Support RFK's Human Rights Dream With Charity Auction

Fri, 09 Apr 2010 15:30:00 +0000

Whether you dream of dancing up a storm with Elton John or grabbing a cup of joe with Robert De Niro, learning to run a fashion empire from Diane Von Furstenberg or belting out a ballad with Alicia Keys, you can help support the RFK Center’s dream of worldwide human rights.

The 2010 Robert F. Kennedy Center for Justice and Human Rights’ spring auction is launching on April 8th at Charitybuzz with a star-studded line-up of once-in-a-lifetime experiences up for auction.

Pop culture icons including Gwen Stefani, Alicia Keys, Reggie Bush, Diane Von Furstenberg, Elton John, Robert DeNiro, Shepard Fairey and many more have donated jaw dropping experiences to raise funds for the 42-year-old organization dedicated to providing an ongoing base of support to human rights defenders around the world. Additional notable participants include: George Lucas, Michael Buble, Tim Gunn, Bill Maher, Whitney Houston, Oprah Winfrey, Venus Williams, Evan Lysacek, Ken Burns, Anderson Cooper, Bobbi Brown, George Lopez, Paula Zahn, Martin Sheen, Jimmy Smits, Ray Romano, John Cusack, James Taylor, Meryl Streep, Tom Ridge, Viggo Mortensen, and Laird Hamilton, with more A-listers joining the cause each day.

Philanthropy Spotlight: Harrison Ford

Fri, 27 Feb 2009 14:30:00 +0000

Look To The Stars’ Features Editor Tim Saunders takes an in-depth look at the career and philanthropy of Harrison Ford.

Unlike Indiana Jones, Harrison Ford actually likes snakes. In fact he likes a lot of the creatures that most people fear. He even has a Californian spider, Calponia harrisonfordi, named after him, its eight hairy legs enough to give almost anyone nightmares, and a South American ant also bears his name. Snakes of all sorts make their home around the white-painted ranch house he built himself in Jackson Hole, Wyoming, and they slither and slide their way in and out of the shrubs and pockets of grass that dot the barren landscape.

The mountains that surround Ford’s house are among the most rugged in the state. Their jagged peaks create a feeling that the whole world exists within their confines, and the arid plains that run between them consistently record some of the most extreme temperatures in the United States. It is an area that conjures up images of America’s pioneers, of Lois and Clarke, of place names such as Owl Creek, Dead Indian Pass, and the Big Horn Mountains, romantic visions of a past long gone.

Celebrity-Signed Guitars Up For Auction This Weekend

Fri, 27 Feb 2009 13:00:00 +0000

Look To The Stars would like to remind readers about the Phoenix Guitar Gala being held on Saturday, February 28, in Petaluma, California. As reported earlier, the event features an auction of guitars signed by some awesome stars.

Over 20 guitars signed by famous faces such as George Lucas, Carlos Santana, BB King, Seth Green, Devo, Stan Lee and many more will go under the hammer, with 100% of the proceeds supporting the free-of-charge after-school music, theater and arts programs for at-risk youth of the North Bay – as well as to help preserve the historic Phoenix Theater, which has served as an important performing arts venue for over 100 years – hosting a diverse group of artists ranging from Enrico Caruso to Louis Armstrong, from Carlos Santana, Sublime, and Metallica to Green Day and Hilary Duff.

The mission of the Petaluma Phoenix Theater is to foster the emotional, physical and social development of the young people we serve, specifically at risk youth, by enabling them to create and engage in programs for music, the arts, and health and wellness, while preserving and improving the historic Phoenix Theater as a resource for youth and the community at large.

George Lucas Signs Guitar For Charity Gala

Fri, 23 Jan 2009 12:30:00 +0000

A long time ago (earlier this week) in a galaxy far, far away (called Petaluma, California), Star Wars creator George Lucas signed a brand new Gibson guitar for a special charity auction.

The film making legend is one of 20 artists to sign instruments for the Phoenix Guitar Gala, an event that aims to raise money for the Petaluma Phoenix Center, a facility that offers music and arts programs. Proceeds from the auction will go towards the free-of-charge after-school music, theater and arts programs for at-risk youth of the North Bay. They will also help preserve the historic Phoenix Theater, which has served as an important performing arts venue for over 100 years and has hosted a diverse group of artists ranging from Metallica to Green Day and Hilary Duff.

Darth Vader Puts His Force Behind Charity Jump

Thu, 02 Oct 2008 14:00:00 +0000

Darth Vader isn’t all that evil – he’s helping a British man lose weight so he can skywalk for charity.

David Prowse – who played Darth Vader in George Lucas’ Star Wars films – is known for his work training actors, such as Christopher Reeve, to get fit. But in his latest role, the 73-year-old is doing what he loves best: helping raise money for a charity that helps people with disabilities.

British man Nick Lawson is planning to do a tandem skydive to raise money for Phab Kids – a charity of which Prowse is the vice president – and the former actor is helping him train for the event.

Celebrities Lend Their Hands To Charity

Fri, 16 Nov 2007 09:58:29 +0000

Over 40 celebrities from around the world are featured in a special new book to be released in time for Christmas.

“Celebrity Handprints”, set to be published on December 1, is the culmination of two years work for author James Preston. Since November 2005, Preston has scoured the globe in search of famous names who were willing to dip their hands in ink and leave a lasting mark on paper. And his peculiar pursuit opened doors to some of entertainment’s biggest stars, including Johnny Depp, Orlando Bloom, Matt Damon, and Keira Knightley.

Over the course of his travels, Preston collected more than 100 handprints and accompanying photos of some of the brightest stars in film, television, music and sports, 42 of which are to be included in the new book. All of the proceeds from the publication will go to benefit two British children’s charities – Children in Need and the Great Ormond Street Hospital.

AIDS Orphan Project in Running to Win $5M in American Express Contest

Tue, 17 Jul 2007 09:32:51 +0000

American Express Members Project, an online initiative for card-members to vote on ideas to make a positive impact in the world, announced results of elections for the Top 25 projects. Among the winners is Artists for a New South Africa’s innovative program “Help African Children Orphaned by AIDS,” the only orphan or AIDS effort in the Top 25.

ANSA’s initiative to Help African Children Orphaned by AIDS now has the chance to move into the Top 5. American Express card-members can vote online for ANSA’s project #6841 to help the charity win up to $5 million. Top 5 voting begins July 17 at 12:00 am EST and ends Sunday, July 22 at 11:50 pm EST. Card-members may vote once in each round.

ANSA’s project empowers African communities to care for orphans in their midst. South Africa has more people with HIV/AIDS and more AIDS orphans than any other country. Recognizing the magnitude of the crisis, ANSA brought together leading African AIDS and child welfare experts to develop It Takes A Village (ITV), a cost-effective method of delivering essential services to orphans. Implemented by local organizations, ITV’s pilot programs have operated successfully for three years in KwaZulu-Natal (South Africa’s hardest hit province), served over 5,000 orphans, and strengthened local capacity to provide vital services. ITV provides loving care, food, clothing, counseling, legal aid, medical assistance, and other essential help to an orphan for under 50 cents a day.