During the time between the first two films, Hamill was involved in a serious automobile accident, fracturing his nose and left cheekbone. Hamill also appeared in the less-than-successful Star Wars Holiday Special in 1978 and later starred in the successful sequels The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi. Released in May 1977, Star Wars was an enormous, unexpected success and had a huge effect on the film industry. He suggested to Hamill that he audition for the role as it turned out, Hamill's agent had already set up the audition that gave him the role. After watching the auditions for a while, he realized that Hamill, his friend, would be perfect for the role of Luke Skywalker. Robert Englund was auditioning for a role in Apocalypse Now when he walked across the hall where auditions were taking place for George Lucas's Star Wars. He later enrolled at Los Angeles City College, majoring in drama. Kinnick High School, from which he graduated in 1969. By his junior year, his father was stationed in Japan, where Hamill attended and was a member of the Drama Club at Nile C. During his first year at James Madison High School in San Diego, his family moved back to Virginia, and Hamill attended Annandale High School. At age 11, he moved to the 5900 block of Castleton Drive in San Diego, California, where he attended Hale Junior High School. In his elementary years, he went to Walsingham Academy in Williamsburg, Virginia, and Edgar Allen Poe Middle School in Annandale, Virginia. His father's changes of station and attendant family moves led to the Hamill children switching schools often. Hamill has described his father as a staunch Roman Catholic, and " Nixon Republican". His father has English, Scottish, Irish, and Welsh ancestry and his mother was of half Swedish and half English descent. He is one of seven children, having two brothers, Will and Patrick, and four sisters, Terry, Jan, Jeanie, and Kim. Hamill was born in Oakland, California, to Virginia Suzanne (née Johnson) and U.S.