BBC/Tara Dolby Alf Hunter wearing his Raiders of the Lost Ark

A retired set decorator with experience on numerous iconic movies, including the first three Star Wars films and the Indiana Jones series, has revealed his confidence in the success of Star Wars.

Alf Hunter, hailing from Borehamwood, Hertfordshire, had a career spanning over 60 films, with a specialization in set painting. Having started his career at Elstree Studios in Borehamwood in 1951, Hunter earned a reputation for his exceptional skills, often being specifically requested by directors.

Reflecting on his involvement in the 1977 blockbuster, Hunter recalled expressing his conviction to George Lucas, stating, “I told George Lucas that I could tell when a film was going to be a winner, and Star Wars was up there.”

Getty Images Harrison Ford in front of the Falcon

In addition to his contributions to iconic films like The Shining and A Clockwork Orange by Stanley Kubrick, as well as Ridley Scott’s Blade Runner, Mr. Hunter’s daughter, Lisa Hunter, fondly recalls visiting the Star Wars set as a child. She vividly remembers exploring the Millennium Falcon, guided by her father’s warnings not to touch anything.

Following his work on Star Wars, Mr. Hunter teamed up with fellow decorator Jack Josey to contribute to Raiders of the Lost Ark, where they were pleasantly surprised by the personal acknowledgment from the film’s director. “Steven Spielberg shook my hand and thanked me for my sets,” Mr. Hunter recalled. Their involvement extended beyond painting sets to decorating the giant ball featured in the opening sequence, which presented its own challenges. “I forget how many times we had to decorate that bloody thing; every time it rolled on the floor, it damaged the paintwork.”

Reflecting on his career, Mr. Hunter fondly remembers working with director David Lean on Dr. Zhivago, a project that stood out as a career highlight. He expressed regret for not chronicling his experiences in a book, which would have included anecdotes like escorting Elizabeth Taylor to the local pub and candidly addressing Clint Eastwood as a “big handsome git” to his face.

Despite any hypothetical changes to his career, Mr. Hunter maintains that he would have chosen the same profession. From his perspective, “the bigger the star, the nicer the person.”