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A former bodybuilder turned actor, Prowse’s towering stature of almost two meters (6.5 feet) secured him the role of the infamous antagonist in the original Star Wars trilogy.
Mark Hamill, who played Luke Skywalker in the epic saga, tweeted that he was “very sad to hear that David Prowse passed away.”
“He was a kind man and much more than Darth Vader,” Hamill wrote.
It is 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… https://t.co/ookK5zgWj1
– Mark Hamill (@HamillHimself) 1606641769000
“Actor-Husband-Father-Member of the Order of the British Empire-3 times British Champion of Weightlifting. He loved his fans as much as they loved him.” Prowse agent Thomas Bowington announced the news on Facebook Sunday, writing: “It is with great sadness that we have to announce that our client Dave Prowse … passed away yesterday morning at the age of 85.”
“May the force be with him, always!” the agent later told the BBC.
Bowington added that Prowse’s death after a brief illness was “a truly and deeply heartbreaking loss for us and millions of fans around the world.”
But while donning the shiny black armor and cape, Prowse’s heavy Western English accent meant that the filmmakers turned to American actor James Earl Jones for the chilling voice that would emerge from behind the mask.
However, Prowse remained attached to the character, telling AFP in 2013 that he was “the greatest big screen villain of all time.”
‘Remember the bad guys’
Prowse was born in the city of Bristol, in the south-west of England, on July 1, 1935 into a working-class family, winning a scholarship to the prestigious local Bristol Grammar school.
He soon developed a love for weightlifting and went on to represent his country at the Commonwealth Games in the early 1960s before forging a career in Hollywood.
He trained Christopher Reeve for the role of Superman and was reportedly seen as an extra by Star Wars director George Lucas in 1971’s “A Clockwork Orange.”
Lucas asked him to audition for the roles of Vader and the furry giant Chewbacca, and Prowse chose the dark side because “you always remember the bad guys,” he once told the BBC.
The Peter Mayhew Foundation, created in memory of the actor who played Chewbacca, tweeted a photo of Mayhew with Prowse and his co-star Kenny Baker, along with the message: “RIP Dave Prowse.”
“Hope you’re up there sharing a pint and a story with the guys,” he added.
At home, Prowse is equally remembered for playing the “Code of the Green Cross” man, a superhero created as part of a public information campaign to teach children about road safety.
He played the role for almost 20 years and earned an MBE in 2000.
Other film credits include 1972’s “Minotaur” and 1977’s “Jabberwocky”, and he also appeared on many television shows such as “The Saint” and “The Benny Hill Show.”
Since the original Star Wars trilogy was released in the late 1970s and early 1980s, Prowse had traveled the world meeting staunch fans.
However, it was reported that she later fell out with director Lucas and was banned from participating in official events in 2010.
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