E.T.: Creating Movie Magic That’s Out Of This World

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Drew Barrymore on the set of "E.T.". (Photo by Sunset Boulevard/Corbis via Getty Images)
On June 11, 1982, E.T. stole viewers' hearts, becoming an immediate blockbuster and surpassing Star Wars as the highest-grossing film of all time (it held the record for 11 years until Jurassic Park in 1993). It received nine nominations at the 55th Academy Awards, winning four, as well as two Golden Globes and five Saturn Awards. After its screening at the United Nations on September 17, 1982, Spielberg received a UN Peace Medal. In 1994, it was added to the National Film Registry of the Library of Congress.