December 11, 1984: Lucas Divorced

George Lucas owes a lot to Marcia, the former Mrs. Lucas. Not only did she provide moral support, she was also a stellar film editor. The pair worked well together, but Hollywood marriages have a way of dissolving over time.

The Lucas marriage was no different, and what had once been an excellent partnership was finally on the rocks. Where Mr. Lucas wanted to retain control of the Lucas businesses, Mrs. Lucas was willing to settle for cash.

The quandary led George to approach Apple to buy what would later become Pixar--a pitch the company rejected. Steve Jobs was intrigued and later bought the company for $10 million. The divorce that eventually made Steve Jobs a billionaire was finalized this week in 1984.