David Prowse, the actor who played Darth Vader in the original Star Wars trilogy has died. He was 85.
In a statement to BBC, Prowse’s agent, Thomas Bowington, said he died after a short illness. “Though famous for playing many monsters — for myself, and all who knew Dave and worked with him, he was a hero in our lives,” Bowington said, calling Prowse’s death “a truly and deeply heart-wrenching loss for us and millions of fans all over the world.”
Prowse made his film debut in the 1978 James Bond spoof Casino Royale. The actor also also had roles on The Saint, Space 1999 and Doctor Who. Prowse was invited to audition for the roles of Darth Vader and Chewbacca in 1977’s Star Wars: Episode IV — A New Hope, and he chose to play Vader, with James Earl Jones voicing the character.
Mark Hamill wrote on Twitter: “So sad to hear David Prowse has passed. He was a kind man & much more than Darth Vader. Actor-Husband-Father-Member of the Order of the British Empire-3 time British Weightlifting Champion & Safety Icon the Green Cross Code Man. He loved his fans as much as they loved him. #RIP.”
Editorial credit: Dan Jamieson / Shutterstock.com