The head-banging Stormtrooper from 'Star Wars' explains the infamous blooper

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Stormtrooper head band Lucasfilm final

Lucasfilm

The head-banging Stormtrooper in "Star Wars: A New Hope."

With Thursday marking the 40th anniversary of the release of "Star Wars: A New Hope," there are a lot of stories circulating that look back on the iconic first movie of the lucrative saga.

The Hollywood Reporter has published a deep dive on one of the movie's most infamous moments: the Stormtrooper who banged his head on a blast door. 

The shot comes toward the end of the section of the movie when Luke, Han, and company save Princess Leia from the Death Star. Stormtroopers barge into a control room, and if you look closely, one of the them walks right into the door that rises from the floor. 

THR tracked down the actor who played the head-banging Stormtrooper, Laurie Goode, and got to the bottom of what happened.  

What happened that day when you hit your head? 
On the second day of filming, I developed an upset stomach. By mid-morning I had paid three-to-four visits to the loo/bathroom. Having re-dressed myself and returned to the set, I felt the need to rush back to the gents' toilets, but I was placed in shot. On about the fourth take, as I shuffled along, I felt my stomach rumbling, and "bang", I hit my head! As I wasn't moving too fast it was more of a scuffed bash, so it didn't hurt, but as no-one shouted "cut" I thought the shot wasn't wide enough for me to be in frame. 

Which take was that? How many takes did you do of that scene?
I remember after the first two takes, we were told to hold our guns in our left hands as opposed to our right. So I believe the head-bang happening on the fourth take, whatever number of takes we did, the head-bang happened on the last take. When it first happened - that day - I told my fellow actor on the film, Mark Kirby, that I hit my head, but we didn't go for another take!

Goode said when he saw the movie, he couldn't believe George Lucas used the shot. 

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As the decades have passed and the blooper has become part of "Star Wars" lore, there's been a little controversy about the identity of the actor who banged his head. Actor Michael Leader, who died last year, has also claimed to be the head-banger. But Goode proclaims he's the guy. And he's even written a song about it (so you know he's got to be telling the truth).

 

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