[ad_1]
Star Wars legend David Prowse died without saying goodbye to his family, his heartbroken daughter revealed.
The 85-year-old, who played Darth Vader in famous science fiction movies, passed away on Saturday, prompting a host of tributes from fans and his co-stars.
The 6-foot-6-inch star born in Bristol was a former bodybuilder before playing the legendary villain, as well as becoming a road safety icon as the superhero, The Green Cross Man.
His daughter Rachel, 50, told The Sun that she died after two weeks in the hospital. He had previously been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s.
(Image: SWNS.com)
The tributes were led by Mark Hamill, 69, who played Luke Skywalker in the film franchise. He 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, three-time British Weightlifting Champion and Safety Icon, the Man of the Code of the Green Cross.
“He loved his fans as much as they loved him.”
Speaking about her father, Rachel said: “It might have seemed quite scary, but as a person he was a sweet, kind and generous man.
“He really was a gentle giant. And to us he was our father.”
(Image: Getty Images)
Rachel went on to say that she was heartbroken that she couldn’t say goodbye properly because “Covid’s restrictions meant we couldn’t see him.”
She said the nurses “said he was a cool guy” when they collected her belongings from the hospital.
Rachel added: “He was such a big than life character. He would have loved to see himself trending on Twitter.”
David began his career as a bodybuilder, weightlifter, and personal trainer, counting Superman star Christopher Reeve among his clients.
He played Luke Skywalker’s sinister nemesis in the original Star Wars film trilogy, although the character’s voice was provided by famous American actor James Earl Jones.
The Bristolian was reportedly nicknamed ‘Darth Farmer’ by his late Star Wars co-star Carrie Fisher, due to his heavy West Country accent.
(Image: Getty Images)
His agent Thomas Bowington confirmed the sad news in a statement Sunday morning.
“May the force be with him, always!” he wrote.
“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.”
He described the beloved actor’s passing as “a truly and deeply heartbreaking loss for us and millions of fans around the world.”
Prowse was a familiar face on British television for decades, with roles on Doctor Who in 1972, The Two Ronnies, The Kenneth Williams Show, and The Morecambe & Wise Show.
In recent years he also starred in the series Mission Backup Earth and Southern Troopers.
While one role the British actor was most proud of was that of Green Cross Code Man, helping educate millions in the UK on how to cross the street safely.
The star described the role as “the best job I’ve ever had,” and received an MBE for her work promoting road safety in 2000.
Do you have a story to sell? Contact us at [email protected] or call us directly on 0207 29 33033.
[ad_2]
