Fang Zei said:

I'd heard about Walken auditioning for Han Solo (the Kevin Spacey snl skit has made it infamous), but this is the first I've read of him being Lucas' first choice. Fascinating. I wonder who overruled him (or got him to change his mind).

There are several stories now, so its not definitive on whether Walken didn't take the role or Lucas/Casting Director wanted someone else. I do know that Walken was the first to read for Han Solo.

Another person who read for Princess Leia was Cindy Williams from Laverne and Shirley, as I believe she was also in American Graffiti? I wonder if she would have played a less bitchy Princess Leia?

As for Han Solo, Harrison Ford was just a designated reader for Lucas (because he knew Lucas from Graffiti) working with all the people who would be cast for Luke and Leia, and then I think Lucas finally thought about it one day and figured HE was the Han Solo he was looking for all the time!

I believe all the test readings are on the Empire of Dreams DVD? But its pretty surreal to watch!