![]() Unfortunately, his West Country accent was not deemed suitable for the part of a menacing Hollywood villain and his lines were dubbed. Prowse's career as an actor spanned 50 years, but it was his role as the Sith Lord in Star Wars that brought him international fame. Meanwhile, Mayor of Bristol Marvin Rees hailed Prowse's Bristol roots and his legacy: "A Bristol man and along with #WhyDon'tYou and #GrangeHill, part of our 70s and 80s childhoods," he wrote. "Dave was a huge part of our #confamily - his smile will be missed," he added, referring to the star's popular presence at fan conventions. The family of the late actor Peter Mayhew, who played Chewbacca alongside Prowse's Vader, posted a picture of the pair with R2-D2 actor Kenny Baker, who died in 2016: "I hope you're up there sharing a pint and a story with the boys," said the tweet posted by the Peter Mayhew Foundation.ĭoctor Who star John Barrowman recalled how Prowse "got me into shape" for a stage role in the musical Matador. "Dave's iconic figure dominated the finished film in '77 and has done so ever since," he wrote on Twitter on Sunday. ![]() Star Wars co-star - and fellow Briton - Anthony Daniels, who has played C-3PO in 11 of the 12 Star Wars instalments, paid tribute to Prowse's contribution to the epic series. "He loved his fans as much as they loved him." "He was a kind man and much more than Darth Vader," Hamill said on Twitter. Mark Hamill, who played Luke Skywalker in the Star Wars movies, said he was "so sad" to hear the news. "Though famous for playing many monsters - for myself, and all who knew Dave and worked with him, he was a hero in our lives."īowington called the actor's death, after a short illness, "a truly and deeply heart-wrenching loss for us and millions of fans all over the world". "May the force be with him, always!" said his agent Thomas Bowington. The role, promoting road safety in the UK, earned him an MBE. His autobiography Straight from the Force's Mouth was published in 2011.Prowse was cast as Vader for his imposing physique, even though the role was voiced by James Earl Jones.īut the weightlifter-turned-actor was most proud of playing the Green Cross Code Man. ![]() During this period, he reportedly became friends with rival bodybuilding competitors Arnold Schwarzenegger and Lou Ferrigno (the latter better known as TV's Incredible Hulk) - long before they became famous for their roles in cinema.īrought up in Bristol, England, Prowse spent his later years in Croydon as "a loving husband, father and grandfather." The former bodybuilder also represented England at the Commonwealth Games in the early 1960s. Read more: Star Wars then and now: 10 best film quotes ![]() Prowse made his film debut in the 1967 James Bond spoof Casino Royale, in which he played 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.īefore starting his acting career in Hollywood, Prowse trained the late Christopher Reeve for the physical demands of his role as Superman. Prowse, a former bodybuilder, represented England at the Commonwealth Games in the early 1960s Image: Geisler-Fotopress/picture alliance Bodybuilder-turned-actor However, his West Country accent was not deemed suitable for the Darth Vader part and the role was voiced by American actor James Earl Jones. Prowse's career as an actor spanned 50 years, but his role as the Sith Lord in Star Wars brought him international fame. Read more: 'Star Wars': The cult epic continues "Though famous for playing many monsters - for myself, and all who knew Dave and worked with him, he was a hero in our lives," he added.īowington said the actor died after a short illness, which was "a truly and deeply heart-wrenching loss for us and millions of fans all over the world." "May the force be with him, always!" said Bowington. Dave Prowse, the British actor who played the iconic Star Wars villain Darth Vader, has died, his agent Thomas Bowington said Sunday. ![]()
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