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. css-14iz86j-BoldText {font size: bold;} Dave Prowse, the former Bristol bodybuilder best known for playing Darth Vader in the original Star Wars trilogy, has died at the age of 85.
Prowse was cast as Vader for his imposing physique, although the role was voiced by James Earl Jones.
But the weightlifter turned actor took great pride in playing the Green Cross Code Man. His role in promoting road safety in the UK earned him an MBE.
« Although he is famous for playing a lot of monsters – to me and everyone who knew and worked with Dave, he was a hero in our lives. «
Mr Bowington described the actor’s death after a brief illness as « a truly and deeply heartbreaking loss for us and millions of fans around the world ». .
Prowse’s acting career lasted 50 years, but it was his role as the Sith Lord in Star Wars that earned him international fame.
Unfortunately, his West Country accent wasn’t considered suitable for the role of a menacing Hollywood villain, and his lines have been dubbed.
Prowse was definitely present in all three early films, though, thanks to his massive 6ft 6in (1). 98 m) frame, refined by the weightlifting skills he used to represent England in the Commonwealth Games in the early 1960s.
During this period, he was reportedly made close friends with rival bodybuilding competitors Arnold Schwarzenegger and Lou Ferrigno (later better known as the Incredible Hulk on TV) long before their on-screen fame.
Even before he started acting, Prowse had 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 played Casino Royale with Frankenstein’s Creature, a role that he would play again in two films from the legendary Hammer film series Horror Of Frankenstein (1970) and Frankenstein (1974) and The Monster From Hell (1974).
He has also appeared regularly in cult series such as The Saint, Space 1999 and Doctor Who, in which he was cast as the Minotaur in 1972 in the episode The Time Monster, alongside Jon Pertwee.
Prowse was seen by director George Lucas in the 1971 film Clockwork Orange, in which he played a bodyguard. He was invited to audition for the roles of Darth Vader and Chewbacca in Star Wars: Episode IV – A New Hope from 1977.
. css-yidnqd-InlineLink: link {color: # 3F3F42;}. css-yidnqd-InlineLink: visited {color: # 696969;}. css-yidnqd-InlineLink: Link,. css-yidnqd-InlineLink: visited {font size: bolder; Bottom margin: 1px solid #BABABA; -webkit text decoration: none; Text decoration: none;}. css-yidnqd-InlineLink: link: hover,. css-yidnqd-InlineLink: visited: hover,. css-yidnqd-InlineLink: link: focus,. css-yidnqd-InlineLink: visited: focus {edge-bottom-color: current color; Edge-Floor-Width: 2px; Color: # B80000;} @ supported (text underline offset: 0. 25em) {. css-yidnqd-InlineLink: Link,. css-yidnqd-InlineLink: visited {edge-down: none; -webkit text decoration: underline #BABABA; Text decoration: underline #BABABA; -webkit-text decoration-thickness: 1px; Text Decoration Thickness: 1px; -webkit-text-decoration-skip-ink: none; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; text-underline-offset: 0. 25em;}. css-yidnqd-InlineLink: link: hover,. css-yidnqd-InlineLink: visited: hover,. css-yidnqd-InlineLink: link: focus,. css-yidnqd-InlineLink: visited: focus {-webkit-text-decoration-color: currentcolor; text-decoration-color: currentcolor; -webkit-text-decoration-thickness: 2px; text-decoration-thickness: 2px; Color: # B80000;}} He later told BBC Tanya Beckett that he preferred Vader Chewbacca because the bad guys are always remembered. »
With the success of Star Wars, Prowse became a regular on the fan scene and attended conventions around the world for almost 40 years. However, it was rumored that he later quarreled with director Lucas and was banned from official events in 2010.
Despite the ongoing noise after Star Wars, the actor always claimed that playing the Green Cross Code Man, whom he first portrayed in 1975, was « the best job I’ve ever had ». .
In a striking green and white superhero suit, he became the face of British road safety for more than a decade, known for his catchphrase « Stop, look and listen ». .
Growing up in Bristol, he later lived in Croydon « a loving husband, father and grandfather ». .
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Darth Vader, David Prowse, Dave Prowse, Star Wars: Episode IV – A New Hope, Star Wars Original Trilogy
World News – GB – Dave Prowse: Darth Vader Actor dies at the age of 85
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