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R.I.P. David Prowse


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British actor David Prowse, who played Darth Vader in the original "Star Wars" trilogy, has died aged 85, his management company announced Sunday.

Prowse died after a short illness, according to his agent Thomas Bowington. CNN reported in 2018 that Prowse was being treated for prostate cancer.

 

https://www.cnn.com/2020/11/29/entertainment/david-prowse-darth-vadar-star-wars-dies-gbr-scli-intl/index.html

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BBC article: https://www.bbc.com/news/entertainment-arts-55117704

 

He will be long remembered!

 

Best part of the article:

Prowse was a definitive presence in all three of the early films, thanks to his hulking 6ft 6in (1.98 m) frame, honed by the weightlifting skills which saw him represent England at the Commonwealth Games in the early 1960s.

 

During this period, he became close friends with rival bodybuilding competitors Arnold Schwarzenegger and Lou Ferrigno (later better known as TV's Incredible Hulk) - long before their on-screen fame.

 

Prowse claimed he was unaware the voice of Darth Vader would be dubbed by another actor

Even before he began acting, Prowse found success in Hollywood circles, preparing the late Christopher Reeve for the physical demands of his role as Superman, as the actor's personal trainer.

 

Prowse made his film debut in 1967 James Bond spoof Casino Royale playing Frankenstein's Creature, a part he was asked to play again in two films from the iconic Hammer film series, 1970's Horror Of Frankenstein and 1974's Frankenstein and the Monster From Hell.

 

He also regularly featured on cult series such as The Saint, Space 1999 and Doctor Who, in which he was cast as a minotaur in the 1972 episode The Time Monster, opposite Jon Pertwee.

 

Spotted by director George Lucas in the 1971 film Clockwork Orange, in which he played a bodyguard, Prowse was invited to audition for the roles of Darth Vader and Chewbacca in 1977's Star Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope.

Edited by Xina_LA
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He was a nice man. I had met him on a few fan events.

Once, I asked ghim, was his very first impression of the Vader costume was. And he answered that he thought that it war looking rather "insect-like" ...

 

Unfortunately I never got to meet him, but my oldest son did, and was nice enough to get me a signed picture, which is cool.

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