[ad_1]
Updated 1 hour ago
STAR WAR STARS has paid tribute to David Prowse, the British actor who played Darth Vader in the original Star Wars trilogy, who has passed away at the age of 85.
The weightlifter-turned-actor, who also earned an MBE for playing the Green Cross Code Man to promote road safety, died after a brief illness, his agent Thomas Bowington said.
Mark Hamill has hailed his Star Wars co-star Dave Prowse as “a kind man” who was “much more than Darth Vader” upon his death at age 85.
Hamill, who played Luke Skywalker alongside Prowse, tweeted: “Very sad to hear that David Prowse has passed away. He was a kind man and much more than Darth Vader.
“Actor-Husband-Father-Member of the Order of the British Empire-3 times British Champion of Weightlifting and Safety Icon, the Man of the Code of the Green Cross. He loved his fans as much as they loved him. “
Daniel Logan, who played young Boba Fett on Attack Of The Clones, recalled meeting Prowse over the years at various Star Wars conventions.
He said on Twitter: “Sad to hear the passing of a #StarWars family member. RIP Dave Prowse. Darth Vader wouldn’t be the same without you in costume.
“We had a lot of fun times and laughed at the cons together over the years. I’m glad I was able to call you friend. Rest now and be one with the Force! “
The Peter Mayhew Foundation Twitter account, created in memory of the actor who played Chewbacca, shared a photo of Prowse with Mayhew and his co-star Kenny Baker.
RIP Dave Prowse. Hope you’re up there sharing a pint and a story with the guys. #DarthVader #DaveProwse #RIPDaveProwse #StarWars ”.
Mayhew died in 2019 and Baker, who played R2-D2, died in 2016.
Agent Thomas Bowington confirmed Prowse’s death in a statement, saying: “May the force be with him, always!”
He added: “Although famous for playing many monsters to me and everyone who knew and worked with Dave, he was a hero in our lives.
“A constant source of inspiration, encouragement and kindness. A truly and deeply heartbreaking loss for us and millions of fans around the world!
“But the great power of Prowse in our lives will always remain with us! A loving husband, father and grandfather. ”
Prowse won the role playing Vader due to his impressive 6-foot-6-inch physique, but with his accent deemed not very suitable, the role was played by James Earl Jones.
No news is bad news
Support the magazine
your contributions help us continue to deliver the stories that are important to you
Support us now
“May the force be with him, always!” Bowington said in a statement to the BBC.
“Although he is famous for playing many monsters, to me and to everyone who knew Dave and worked with him, he was a hero in our lives.”
Bowington called the actor’s death after a brief illness “a truly and deeply heartbreaking loss for us and millions of fans around the world.”
Prowse represented England in weightlifting at the Commonwealth Games in the early 1960s before embarking on an acting career.
He was reportedly discovered by Star Wars director George Lucas while playing a bodyguard in the 1971 film A Clockwork Orange, and invited to audition for the roles of Darth Vader and Chewbacca.
He once told the BBC that he chose Vader over his furry co-star because “you always remember the bad guys.”
Film director Edgar Wright described him as the man who “prevented an entire generation of children from being shot down in the street.”
“As a kid Dave Prowse couldn’t be more famous to me; stalking the halls as evil incarnate in the role of Darth Vader and preventing a whole generation of children from being shot down in the street as the man from Green Cross Code. Rest in peace, the best in Bristol. ”
Elsewhere, his career included collaborations with comedy classics like The Two Ronnies, Kenneth Williams, Morecambe, and Wise and Benny Hill. He also appeared in Monty Python’s Carry On Henry and Jabberwocky.
In 1972 he appeared as the Minotaur in the Doctor Who episode The Time Monster, alongside Jon Pertwee as the eponymous Time Lord.
[ad_2]