Gary Kurtz was an American film producer best known for his collaborations with George Lucas and director Irvin Kershner. He produced American Graffiti, the original Star Wars, and The Empire Strikes Back, helping shape one of cinema's most influential franchises. Following his work on Star Wars, he produced films including The Dark Crystal, Return to Oz, and Slipstream. Throughout his career, Kurtz was recognized for supporting ambitious, character-driven fantasy and science fiction productions.