According to an 1998 interview with editor/sound editor
Walter Murch at the Cinema Audio Society Annual Awards, Portman was the person who inspired the R2-D2 robot name for all the future Star Wars films. While working on
American Graffiti (1973), Murch was using Portman's shorthand and said out-loud "R2-D2". A sleepy
George Lucas woke up and asked what was said and Murch replied again. Lucas took notes that were later used a few years later on the first Star Wars film.