#alethea mcgrath

[archivyrep]

The relevance of Star Wars to pop culture depictions of archives [Part 2]

Continued from part 1

As was mentioned in the above shown video by Snoek-Brown, Dooku and Nu were apparently in a romantic relationship. The Wookiepedia entry seems to allude to this, saying the Qui-Gon Jinn "noticed that Dooku and Nu were normally very friendly" and quotes an interview in Star Wars Insider 75 (which Snoek-Brown mentioned), in which Nu's voice actress, Alethea McGrath, stated that a scene cut from the film stated that "Nu and Count Dooku used to be in love during Dooku's days in the Jedi Order"! I mentioned this in a previous article, noting it creates an ulterior motive for her and asked if she is "part of a cover-up of the record in that her previous love with Dooku clouded her judgment" and asked if "he took advantage of her, allowing him to delete the record", raising lots of questions.

Reprinted from my Wading Through the Cultural Stacks WordPress blog. Originally published on Oct. 12, 2022.

After some sleuthing, I found the original article. It is always better to look at the original source than looking at an abstract. In a small part of the article in this 2004 edition of Star Wars Insider, [8] McGrath said she was disappointed that Nu didn't get to use her lightsaber in the film, commented that she wore an "old-fashioned dress" instead of a cloak (which she expected), and notes the cut scene about the romance between Nu and Dooku, with her careering Dooku's face:

"It was a lovely bit. I got quite sentimental about it because [our characters had] been in love at one stage. I was almost tearful, you know. I touched his bronze face and thought of happy times, and I ended up saying, 'It was sad he turned to evil'".

I was curious, and it turns out that there are 50 Dooku / Nu fan fictions on Archive of Our Own, a fan-created community archive which won a Hugo Award in 2019. Looking through those is a discussion for another time. Anyway, on a related note, perhaps, is an article arguing that Star Wars has a lot to "tell us about perennial questions of constitutional design." [9]

© 2022 Burkely Hermann. All rights reserved.

Continued in part 3

Notes

[8] Tscharner-Patao, Gabriela. "Appearing Knightley (And the Women of Star Wars)", Star Wars Insider, Vol. 75, p. 35.

[9] On the other hand, there were no results for Star Wars in the International Journal of Digital Curation, the National Archives' Prologue magazine, and a number of other journals, such as Archives and Manuscripts, Archives and Records, Journal of Archival Organization, Journal of the Society of Archivists, Library & Archival Security. Also, of related interest may be "Learning from the news: Experiments in media, modality, and reporting about star wars".

[duchess-of-mandalore]

Alethea McGrath on Dooku and Jocasta Nu’s relationship

[emily-escott]

👇👇👇 Important canon vs headcanon infodump below 👇👇👇

These are basically all I had to work with back in the day, plus the Jango Fett: Open Seasons comics about Galidraan, exactly one image of (alive) Sifo Dyas and that interview with Alethea McGrath where she said she imagined Dooku and Jocasta had been a thing. Legacy of the Jedi establishes that Dooku and Qui-Gon are only ten years apart in age, and that’s pretty much what inspired my early comics. There’s also this kid named Lorian Nod who’s basically a worse, early version of Sifo Dyas, as well as Thame Cerulian who for some reason trains Dooku instead of just Yoda. This is basically all legends/eu now anyway, and I think that’s largely for the best lol

I’m gonna be honest, I haven’t read Dooku: Jedi Lost or anything else that’s come out recently 😬👍 I’m more or less aware of the plot and characters, but some of it disrupts the headcanons that I’ve developed over the years, so I really don’t get too much into it. This is important because that means you’re not gonna see any Rael Averross, and some of the characters’ timelines will be ✨different✨ lol. I headcanon that Dooku chose Qui-Gon shortly after being knighted, and Qui-Gon’s death ultimately gave Dooku the final push to leave the order. That being said, I love that Sifo Dyas has been fleshed out and I really enjoy a lot of the character development in general! So there’s gonna be plenty more Sifo in the future, but don’t think too hard about what I post because I’m just a silly guy who doesn’t know anything hahaha

Anyway, this basically didn’t cover anything lol but now you know that I’m just out here drawing these guys with very little regard for canon🕺

Do any of you guys have these books? Or did you read them? Are these ancient texts now?? We had all the Jude Watson Jedi Apprentice books but I think my mom donated them years ago.

[charmwasjess]

Oh, yeah, thanks for the tag, Geode! I deeply head canon that Jocasta Nu would absolutely whip out unsolicited details about Dooku's sexual performance and measurements in the name of thorough documentation!!! It's data! Relevant relevant data! :D :D :D But to the actual question - yes! I believe that comes from an interview with the late great Alethea McGrath that mentioned both Jocasta and especially Dooku were originally supposed to have much larger roles in AotC, including a disaster love story. I don't think that much of it actually made it into deleted scenes or filming, but you can see the leftovers in the extended/deleted Archive scene, where Jocasta sure spends a lot of time lovingly petting Dooku's bust.

My guesses: given Jocasta's name being associated with a cursed mother from mythology, I suspect the relationship would have produced a child who was going to be A Problem in the plot. Given Jocasta's character look/design still includes a giant lightsaber scar on the side of her face, I do not imagine it had a happy ending. And I think it probably was going to be all something to do with the backstory on how and why Dooku left the Order.

Did u know that a cut scene from movie 2 implies that Dooku and Jocasta Nu (the badass jedi librarian) were married/lovers? (I think Obi-Wan should get a badass grandma, as a treat)

I couldn't find anything in the deleted scenes they published but wookiepedia/ an interview agrees with you and like??? what was in those cut scenes??? how did she imply it?? was it just like

Jocasta Nu: No, Kamino isn't a real system, I can't tell you anything about that Jocasta Nu: Would you like to hear about the sordid love affair I had with Master Dooku thirty-two years ago instead? Obi-Wan: I cannot express how little I want to hear that. Jocasta Nu: It all started when--

[badmovieihave]

Bad movie I have Knowing 2009

[catvaughnofthe318]

[tomeandflickcorner]

Star Wars Day- A Memorial

Happy National Star Wars Day, everyone!

Last year, I commemorated this day by beginning a 14 week-long project, in which I reviewed all existing Star Wars movies.  Of course, since Episode 9- Rise of Skywalker won’t be out until December, it will be a while longer before I can review that one.

So this year, I decided to take a moment to look back and remember all the Star Wars cast and crew we have lost throughout the years.  Because without their time and talent, the timeless saga might never have become the phenomenon it has become.

Leigh Brackett- Writer of the First Draft of Episode 5- The Empire Strikes Back (1915-1978)

John Barry- Production Designer for Episode 4- A New Hope and 2nd Unit Director for Episode 5- The Empire Strikes Back (1935-1979)

Graham Ashley- Gold Five in Episode 4- A New Hope (1927-1979)

Russ Manning- Writer and Penciller of the Star Wars newspaper comic strip from 1979 to 1980 (1929-1981)

Eddie Byrne- General Vanden Willard in Episode 4- A New Hope (1911-1981)

Richard Marquand- Director of Episode 6- Return of the Jedi (1937-1987)

Barry Gnome- Kabe in Episode 4- A New Hope (1914-1988)

Alex McCrindle- General Jan Dodonna in Episode 4- A New Hope (1911-1990)

Vince Colletta- Inked Marvel’s Star Wars #64: Serphidian Eyes(1923-1991)

Anthony Lang- Sim Aloo in Episode 6- Return of the Jedi (?-1992)

Peter Cushing- Grand Moff Wihuff Tarkin in Episode 4-A New Hope(1913-1994)

Tarik the Bear- Primary source for the voice of Chewbacca, as well as Lumpawaroo ‘Lumpy’ in the Star Wars Holiday Special (1977-1994)

Sebastian Shaw- Anakin Skywalker in the original version of Episode 6- Return of the Jedi (1905-1994)

Pat Welsh- Voice of Boushh in Episode 6- Return of the Jedi (1915-1995)

Morris Bush- Dengar in Episode 5- The Empire Strikes Back (1930-1995)

Brian Daley- Author of The Han Solo Adventures and the Star Wars radio dramas (1947-1996)

Jeremy Sinden- Dex Tiree in Episode 4- A New Hope (1950-1996)

Don Henderson- General Cassio Tagge in Episode 4- A New Hope (1931-1997)

Jack Purvis- Chief Jawa in Episode 4- A New Hope, Ugnaught in Episode 5- The Empire Strikes Back and Teebo in Episode 6- Return of the Jedi (1937-1997)

Archie Goodwin- Writer for the Star Wars newspaper comic strips and the Marvel Star Wars comics (1937-1998)

Declan Mulholland- Stand-in for Jabba the Hutt in Episode 4-A New Hope (1932-1999)

Mary Kay Bergman- Voiced multiple characters in the Episode 1- The Phantom Menace video game (1961-1999)

Edvin Biukovic- Penciller for X-Wing Rouge Squadron: The Phantom Affair and The Last Command (1969-1999)

Gil Kane- Illustrator for the Marvel Star Wars comics (1926-2000)

George Roussos- Illustrator for the Marvel Star Wars comics (1915-2000)

Alfredo Alcala- Illustrator for many classic Star Wars comics (1925-2000)

Chic Stone- Inker for Marvel’s Star Wars #45: Death Probe (1923-2000)

Sir Alec Guinness- Obi-Wan ‘Ben’ Kenobi in the original Star Wars Trilogy (1914-2000)

Shelagh Fraser- Aunt Beru in Episode 4- A New Hope (1920-2000)

Tom Chantrell- Designer of the Style C posters for Star Wars in 1977 (1916-2001)

Ted Burnett- Wuher the Bartender in Episode 4- A New Hope (1926-2001)

Heinz Petruo- Voiced Darth Vader in the German dub (1918-2001)

Claire Davenport- Yarna d’al’ Gargan in Episode 6- Return of the Jedi (1933-2002)

George Alec Effinger- Writer of The Great God Quay: The Tale of Varada and the Weequays (1947-2002)

Des Webb- The Wampa in Episode 5- The Empire Strikes Back (?-2002)

Art Carney- Saun Dann in The Star Wars Holiday Special (1918-2003)

Peter Diamond- Stunt Coordinator for Episode 4- A New Hope and  Episode 5- The Empire Strikes Back.  Also assisted with stunts in Episode 6- Return of the Jedi, as well as portrayed stormtroopers, Tusken Raiders and a snowtrooper throughout the original Star Wars Trilogy (1929-2004)

Bruce Boa- General Rieekan in Episode 5- The Empire Strikes Back (1930-2004)

Alf Joint- Stunt Performer in Episode 6- Return of the Jedi (1927-2005)

Brock Peters- Voiced Darth Vader in the Star Wars radio adaptations (1927-2005)

Michael Sheard- Admiral Kendal Ozzel in Episode 5- The Empire Strikes Back (1938-2005)

Hamilton Camp- Voice of Rune Haako in Galactic Battlegrounds (1934-2005)

Charles Rocket- Voice of Nym in Star Wars: Starfighter and Star Wars: Jedi Starfighter (1949-2005)

John Hollis- Lobot in Episode 5- The Empire Strikes Back (1927-2005)

William Hootkins- Jek Porkins in Episode 4- A New Hope (1948-2005)

Phil Brown- Owen Lars in Episode 4- A New Hope (1916-2006)

Paul Gleason- Jeremitt Towani in Ewoks: The Battle for Endor (1939-2006)

Tim Hilderbrandt- Designer of one of the original theatrical release posters for Star Wars.  Also credited for the artwork in the Shadows of the Empire project (1939-2006)

Lykke Nielsen- Voiced Princess Leia in the Dainish Star Wars audiotapes (1946-2006)

Dave Cockrum- Artist responsible for several covers for Marvel’s Star Wars comics (1943-2006)

Christine Hewett- Shada D’ukai in Episode 4- A New Hope (1943-2007)

Larry Ward- Voice of Greedo in Episode 4- A New Hope and Jabba the Hutt in Episode 6- Return of the Jedi.  Also helped develop the Huttese language alongside Ben Burtt (1944-2007)

Mark Haigh-Hutchinson- Project leader for Star Wars: Rouge Squadron and Shadows of the Empire video game.  Also worked on other Star Wars games (1964-2008)

Dwight Hemion- Executive Producer of The Star Wars Holiday Special (1926-2008)

John Alvin- Artist for various Star Wars posters, book covers and video covers, including the covers for the Jedi Acadamy trilogy and poster for Celebration IV in 2007 (1948-2008)

Harvey Korman- Krelman, Chef Gormaanda and Dromboid in The Star Wars Holiday Special (1927-2008)

Stan Winston- Visual Effects and Makeup Artist. Worked on the new Wookiee costumes for The Star Wars Holiday Special (1946-2008)

Don LaFontaine- Voice Actor who narrated the 1995 VHS release of The Making of Star Wars (1940-2008)

Bea Authur- Ackmena in The Star Wars Holiday Special (1922-2009)

Don Ivan Punchatz- Science Fiction writer who created the first Star Wars poster (1936-2009)

Mark Jones- Commander Nemet in Episode 5- The Empire Strikes Back (1939-2010)

Gareth Rigan- Executive Producer for Episode 4- A New Hope (1931-2010)

Richard Devon- Voice Actor for Star Wars: Ewoks (1926-2010)

Al Williamson- Comic Illustrator for various Marvel Star Wars comics and Classic Star Wars comics (1931-2010)

Alan Hume- Cinematographer for Episode 6- Return of the Jedi (1924-2010)

Jackie Burroughs- Voice of Morag in Star Wars: Ewoks (1939-2010)

Irvin Kershner- Director of Episode 5- The Empire Strikes Back (1923-2010)

Grant McCune- Chief Modelmaker for Episode 4- A New Hope (1943-2010)

Bob Anderson- Swordmaster who played Darth Vader in the fight scenes of Episode 5- The Empire Strikes Back and Episode 6- Return of the Jedi (1922-2012)

Ian Abercrombie- Voice of Palpatine/Darth Sidious in Star Wars: The Clone Wars film and TV Series (1934-2012)

David Anthony Pizzuto- Voice of Tanno Vik and Sedyn Kyne in the Star Wars: The Old Republic video game (1951-2012)

Ralph McQuarrie- Concept Artist for the original Star Wars Trilogy (1929-2012)

Bill Weston- Stuntman in the original Star Wars Trilogy (1941-2012)

Winston Rekert- Voice of Mungo Baobab and Sise From in Star Wars: Droids (1949-2012)

Colin Higgins- Wedge Antilles in Episode 4- A New Hope (?-2012)

Stuart Freeborn- Makeup artist for the original Star Wars Trilogy (1914-2013)

Carmine Infantino- Artist for many of the Marvel Star Wars comics (1924-2013)

Richard LeParmentier- Admiral Motti in Episode 4- A New Hope (1946-2013)

Gilbert Taylor- Cinematographer for Episode 4- A New Hope (1914-2013)

A.C. Crispin- Author of the Han Solo Trilogy and various short stories (1950-2013)

Christopher Malcolm- Rouge Two in Episode 5- The Empire Strikes Back (1946-2014)

Malcolm Tierney- Shann Childsen in Episode 4- A New Hope (1938-2014)

Aaron Allston- Author of thirteen Star Wars novels and several short stories (1960-2014)

Meshack Taylor- Voice of Wedge Antilles in the Star Wars radio Drama (1947-2014)

Joe Viskocil- Crew Member who worked on miniature explosions in Episode 4- A New Hope and miniature pyrotechnics for Episode 5- The Empire Strikes Back (1952-2014)

Khan Bonfils- Saesee Tiin in Episode 1: The Phantom Menace (1972-2015)

Keith Swaden- Stuntman for the original Star Wars Trilogy (1949-2015)

Richard Bonehill- Snowtrooper, stormtrooper and Palo Torshan in Episode 5- The Empire Strikes Back and a stormtrooper, a Mon Calamari, an X-Wing pilot, a TIE pilot, Nien Numb, Ree-Yees and Mosep Binneed in Episode 6- Return of the Jedi (1949-2015)

David Esch- Voiced Han Solo in the Star Wars: Galactic Battlegrounds video game (1948-2015)

Sir Christopher Lee- Count Dooku/Darth Tyranus in Episode 2- Attack of the Clones and Episode 3- Revenge of the Sith (1922-2015)

George Coe- Voice of Tee Watt Kaa in Star Wars: The Clone Wars (1929-2015)

Jason Winreen- Original voice of Boba Fett (1920-2015)

Bill E. Martin- Voice Actor in Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic, Episode 1- The Phantom Menace video game, Star Wars: Bounty Hunter and Star Wars: X-Wing Alliance (1945-2016)

Joe Alaskey- Voice Actor in Episode 1- The Phantom Menace video game (1952-2016)

Alethea McGrath- Jocasta Nu in Episode 2- Attack of the Clones and Episode 3-Revenge of the Sith video game (1920-2016)

Drewe Henley- Garven Dreis in Episode 4- A New Hope, as well as Rouge One: A Star Wars Story through archive footage (1940-2016)

Ray West- Re-Recording Mixer for Episode 4- A New Hope (1925-2016)

Erik Bauersfeld- Original voice of Gial Ackbar in Episode 6- Return of the Jedi, Episode 7- The Force Awakens and the Star Wars X-Wing video game.  Also was Bib Fortuna in Episode 6- Return of the Jedi (1922-2016)

Ian Watkin- Voice of COO-2180 in Episode 2- Attack of the Clones (1940-2016)

Ronald Falk- Voice of Dexter Jettster in Episode 2- Attack of the Clones (1935-2016)

Kenny Baker- Largely known as the man inside R2-D2.  Also was Paploo in Episode 6- Return of the Jedi (1934-2016)

Ian Liston- Wes Janson and an AT-AT gunner in Episode 5- The Empire Strikes Back (1948-2016)

Peter Sumner- Lieutenenat Pol Treidum in Episode 4- A New Hope (1942-2016)

Carrie Fisher- Princess Leia Organa (1956-2016)

Chris Wiggins- Voice of Mon Julpa in Star Wars: Droids (1931-2017)

John Forgeham- Gunnery Captain Bolvan in Episode 4- A New Hope (1941-2017)

Margaret Towner- Jira in Episode 1- The Phantom Menace (1920-2017)

John Cygan- voiced several Star Wars characters in video games and audio dramas (1954-2017)

Andy Cunningham- Mime Artist and Puppeteer for Ephant Mon in Episode 6- Return of the Jedi (1950-2017)

William Hoyland- Commander Igar in Episode 6- Return of the Jedi (1943-2017)

Barry Dennen- Voice of King Ramsis Dendup in Star Wars: The Clone Wars (1938-2017)

John Molio- Costume Designer for Episode 4- A New Hope and Episode 5- The Empire Strikes Back (1931-2017)

Alfie Curtis- Doctor Cornelius Evazan in Episode 4- A New Hope (1930-2017)

Jim Baikie- Inked, penciled and colored Empire’s End (1940-2017)

Allison Shearmur- Executive Producer for Rouge One: A Star Wars Story and Solo: A Star Wars Story (1963-2018)

Debbie Lee Carrington- Romba in Episode 6- Return of the Jedi and Weechee Warrick in Caravan of Courage: An Ewok Adventure (1959-2018)

Michael Ford- Set Director for Episode 5- The Empire Strikes Back and Episode 6- Return of the Jedi (1929-2018)

Bong Dazo- Penciled many Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic comics and the Star Wars:The Force Unleashed comic adaptation (1962-2018)

Marie Severin- Colorist for several issues of Star Wars, Droids and Ewoks (1929-2018)

Gary Kurtz- Producer for Episode 4- A New Hope and Episode 5- The Empire Strikes Back (1940-2018)

Marty Balin- Lead Singer of Jefferson Starship, which was featured in The Star Wars Holiday Special (1942-2018)

Carlos Ezquerra- Penciled and Inked the comic book series Mara Jade: By the Emperor’s Hand and the short comic Boba Fett 1/2 Salvage (1947-2018)

Stan Lee- Editor of Marvel Comics who wrote the introduction of The Marvel Comics Illustrated Version of Star Wars (1922-2018)

Willard Huyck- Script Doctor for the first draft of Episode 4- A New Hope (1945-2018)

John Wreford- Lieutenant Hija in Episode 4- A New Hope (1943-2018)

William Morgan Sheppard- Voice of Heavy Gun Trooper and Ruulian Strip Miner in Star Wars: Force Commander (1932-2019)

Bronco McLoughlin- Stormtrooper in Episode 4- A New Hope (1938-2019)

Shane Rimmer- Rebel Crew Chief in Episode 4- A New Hope (1929-2019)

Vonda N. McIntyre- Author of The Crystal Star (1948-2019)

Frank Henson- Stormtrooper, skiff guard and a rebel guard in Episode 6: Return of the Jedi (1935-2019)

Peter Mayhew- Chewbacca (1944-2019)

Thank you, all.  Even though you are no longer here, your legacy will live on forever.  As Luke himself  once stated, no one’s ever really gone.

[gone2soon-rip]

ALETHEA McGRATH (1920-Died February 9th 2016,at 96). Alethea McGrath (1920-2016) was an Australian actress,perhaps best known to international audiences as the Jedi Archives keeper Jocasta Nu,in Star Wars:Episode II:Attack of the Clones,and as Miss Taylor in the Nicholas Cage apocalyptic thriller ‘Knowing’.She was a feature on Australian tv soaps,including Prisoner:Cell Block H & Neighbours.  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alethea_McGrath

[archivyrep]

Is Jocasta Nu in "Star Wars" an archivist or...a librarian? [Part 3]

Continued from part 2

Of course, those who have written stories with Nu have not realized this nuance, thinking of her as just an information provider and nothing more, nothing less.. Nu is doing much more than what librarians describe as a "reference interview," a way of describing a conversation between a library user and librarian, often at a reference desk, with a librarian explaining to a user's information need by trying to clarify what the user is saying and directing them to the appropriate resources.

Reprinted from my Wading Through the Cultural Stacks WordPress blog. Originally published on Nov. 25 2021.

Nu can be, and still is, an archivist even if she is working in a special library, as she clearly has archival duties, including controlling access to the contents of the Holocron Vault. She also has duties which some might attribute the librarians like helping Jedi find information using the data terminals of the Jedi Archives, said to be the greatest repository of knowledge in the galaxy. Those duties can easily be part and parcel of archival work.

The issue here is that Nu, who is overconfident in the role of the archival records and thinking they are immutable, is treated as an archivist and a librarian at the same time, even those these professions are not the same. The creators easily blended the two together, despite the fact those in each position have different roles, even if they work together. Libraries can exist within archives and vice versa, but libraries and archives are not the same, and should not be treated as the same. To act like they are interchangeable is to devalue the work of archivists and librarians alike, and contribute to misinformation and narratives which result in the loss of funding to archives, and likely even libraries as well.

In the end, I hope that a live-action or animated series within the Star Wars franchise has a better archivist character in upcoming series [4] and doesn't fall into the trap of acting like libraries and archives, librarians and archivists, are the same thing, as some of the fan fictions, which feature Nu as a character, likely do. They never have been the same thing and they never will be the same thing. The professions can surely work together, but the distinctions between each profession are important to ensure that necessary work can be completed, people are paid fairly, and inequities solved.

© 2022 Burkely Hermann. All rights reserved.

Notes

[4] According to CBR, the upcoming Star Wars: Crimson Reign #1 comic (available starting on December 1) includes a mysterious character known as the Archivist, who is Force-sensitive character, and is recounting the events from the comic from a holocron where she recorded what she experienced, but as CBR notes, " nothing is known about her other than her sensitivity to the Force and her radical belief that there is no difference between the light and dark sides of the Force" with her design seemingly "inspired by Iain McCaig’s early concept art for Darth Maul."

There's also an archivist appearing in the book, Star Wars: The High Republic: Mission to Disaster, which will be available beginning in January 2022, named Lyssa Votz. Starwars.com describes her as a "Jedi temple on Dalna, a human female in her late 20s and a fully trained Jedi Knight" who hates fighting, and is described by Lucasfilm Publishing creative director Michael Siglain as "always forgetting her lightsaber" but often carries a datapad in her hand at all times. So, I look forward to those.

[emily-escott]

I will never be over the deleted scene where Jocasta STROKES Dooku’s statue beard like ma’am???

RIGHT that’s where this nonsense all started haha. I wish I could find it but I swear I read in an interview somewhere once that Alethea McGrath said when she was filming that scene she got emotional because the two of them were in love? (I feel like I’m dreaming this or something lol)

[archivyrep]

"If an item does not appear in our records, it does not exist": Star Wars and archives in popular culture [Part 2]

Continued from part 1

From there, the movie transitions to the archives of the Jedi Temple said to contain "possibly the single largest source of information in the galaxy," a bit like the Library of Congress, having blue-glowing books/records:

Soon enough, Jocasta Nu (played by Alethea McGrath), the lone arranger of the Jedi Archives, asks him if he needs any assistance, helping him try to find the planet of Kamino, which does not appear in the archival star charts. Some of the more memorable parts of their interaction are shown below, with a focus on the archivist's responses particularly:

And the line that undoubtedly defines the whole interaction not only for the viewer but for Obi-Wan, in the sense of the movie's plot:

After not helping him, declaring that the archives is totally immutable, Obi-Wan is literally left to contemplate, like he is in the wrong and she is in the right:

Reprinted from my Wading Through the Archival Stacks WordPress blog. Originally posted on Aug. 8, 2020.

© 2022 Burkely Hermann. All rights reserved.

[archivyrep]

Archivists on the Issues: Fictional Archivists Out in the Open [Part 1]

Archivists on the Issues is a forum for archivists to discuss the issues we are facing today. Today’s post comes from Burkely Hermann (me), Metadata Librarian for the National Security Archive and current I&A Blog Coordinator. There will be spoilers for each of the books, animated series, films, and other media he will be discussing. It was published there on March 8, 2023 and will be published on my Wading Through the Cultural Stacks WordPress blog in late September.

Eight archivists-of-sorts in fiction. Top row, from left to right: Archie the Archivist (Regular Show), Jocasta Nu (Star Wars), Sunati (Always Human), Russ (Be Cool, Scooby Doo!). Bottom row from left to right: Unnamed archivist / records clerk (My Dictator Boyfriend), Atropos (Lore Olympus), Clotho (Lore Olympus), and Clark (Joker)

In January 2018, Cate Peebles wrote about examples of archives in popular culture, specifically in true crime documentaries. In her post, on this blog, she argued that archivists are missing in "moments of recognition" and said that representations of actual archivists are "few and far between". She concluded that no popular image of an archivist exists, but that archivists are "more present than ever" even if unseen, adding that "without records and their keepers, there are no stories to tell." In this article, I'd like to highlight some examples of fictional archivists that I've come across through the years, especially since starting my WordPress blog on the subject.

For one, there are some characters who who merge characters of archivists and librarians. This includes a reference librarian who manages a Yale University Library room which combines elements of archives and libraries into one institution in Can You Ever Forgive Me? (2018) and a character who is almost an archivist, named Archie the Archivist (voiced by John Cygan) in Regular Show. In the latter case, Archie works in a library and becomes a guardian to protect analog data, which could have some parallels to archivists as keepers of information.

Similarly, there's Madame Jocasta Nu in Star Wars, specifically in Attack of the Clones and the Star Wars: The Clone Wars animated series. She is played by Alethea McGrath in the film and voiced by Flo Di Re in the animated series. Madame Nu is described as a librarian and archivist, but seems to manage a library-archives hybrid known as the Jedi Archives, within the Jedi Temple. She is best-known for declaring, in Attack of the Clones, that "if an item does not appear in our records, it does not exist," an arrogant and untrue statement which ignores reality of archives as memory institutions and their role in society. Madame Nu differs fundamentally from the unnamed librarian in the dark, haunting Thatcher Memorial Library shown in a scene of Citizen Kane (1941). The librarian in the latter has been described as one of the world’s meanest archivists. Played by Georgia Backus, she has her hair tied up in a bun and has "an intimidating stare on her face", acting as a "real dragon lady at the gates of knowledge." This is not the type of archives you want to go to! It is not the image which should be projected.

There are various archivists, of sorts, in other media. For instance, in the webcomic, Always Human, Rae, a friend of the protagonist, Sunati, dreams of becoming an archivist and fulfills this dream during the run of the comic. More directly, an episode of Be Cool, Scooby-Doo!, entitled "Silver Scream", features Russ, a young film archivist who works in a film archive room and is a bit eccentric. Other archivists appear in issues of the popular webcomic Lore Olympus in 1980s style dress, helping characters who request records about their past memories, or in the webcomic My Dictator Boyfriend. In the latter case, the archivist/records clerk is manipulated to write a birth form for the ruler's wife, Anna, even though the son isn't even born! [1]

There are other prominent depictions. For one, there is a records clerk, named Clark (played by by Brian Tyree Henry), who brings out a medical hospital record for Arthur Fleck in Joker (2019). However, Fleck, who later becomes the Joker, steals the record from the clerk because he hasn't filled out the appropriate paperwork to take the file with him. Then there's the well-known depiction of a classy archivist named Abigail Chase (played by Diane Kruger) who appears in National Treasure (2004) and National Treasure: Book of Secrets (2007). It is a depiction which has been oft discussed by archivists. Archivists also make an appearance in former webcomics like Power Ballad, and currently running ones like Brimstone and Roses.

There are many more examples, like supposed newspaper archivist (and former newspaper reporter) in the animated series, Stretch Armstrong, who has a newspaper archives in his basement. He declares in one episode, "some say I’m packrat, archivist I say!" Even The Simpsons has a character who runs the Springfield Historical Society, in the episode "Lisa the Iconoclast" which could be called an archivist. Rapunzel's Tangled Adventure, otherwise known as Tangled: The Series, features, along with other archivy themes, a keeper of a museum, known as The Spire, named Calliope (voiced by Natalie Palamides). She is a scholar who does magic tricks and has a messy library. Most recently, a character named Arizal (voiced by Christine Marine Cabanos) is the protagonist of Recorded by Arizal. She puts together vlogs explaining why she wants to be a record keeper, often another name for an archivist.

© 2022-2023 Burkely Hermann. All rights reserved.

Continued in part 2

Notes

[1] Hermann, Burkely. "Libraries, records, and Kore: Archives on Mount Olympus." Wading Through the Cultural Stacks, Nov. 28, 2020; Hermann, Burkely. "Popular culture and the duties of archivists." Wading Through the Cultural Stacks, Feb. 27, 2021; Hermann, Burkely. "Evil Anna and How I Learned to Love Archival Manipulation." Wading Through the Cultural Stacks, Apr. 3, 2021.

[emily-escott]

I’m just loving your Dooku and Quigon comics and art not to mentions it’s nice to see a fellow Jocasta Nu x Dooku shipper. Truly whenever you post any art it makes my day keep up the great work up.

Thank you, I appreciate it! What can I say, I have a soft spot for tall nerd boys falling for tough bookworm girls❤️ I can’t find a source for this but I distinctly remember reading an interview with the Alethea McGrath who played Jocasta and she said she felt emotional when they were filming the scene in the archives with the bust of Dooku because, in her mind, the two of them were in love 🥺 I thought that was so special