![david-prowse-darth-vader](https://doyouremember.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/MBDSTWA_FE020-702x370.jpg)
Actor David Prowse who played the villainous Darth Vader in the originalย Star Warsย trilogy consisting ofย Episodes IVย toย VIย โย A New Hopeย (1977),ย The Empire Strikes Backย (1980) andย Return of the Jediย (1983) โ has died at the age of 85.
Prior to portraying the most domineering villain in cinema history, David Prowse was a bodybuilder from a small housing estate in Bristol, England, born on July 1, 1935. His early jobs included a dance hall bouncer and a helper at a swim club. His interest in bodybuilding began at an early age, culminating in winning the British Heavyweight weightlifting championship in 1962. The notoriety gained from his bodybuilding allowed Prowse to transition into acting, with roles as Frankensteinโs monster in Hammer Films’ The Horror of Frankenstein (1970)ย and Frankenstein and the Monster from Hell (1974), as well as small roles in the James Bond spoof Casino Royale (1967) and Stanley Kubrick’s A Clockwork Orange (1971), where he was first noticed by Star Wars creator George Lucas.
Who played Darth Vader without the mask?
At 6โ6โ tall, Prowse had the shape and build to wear the costume and be the physical personification of the formidable Sith Lord Lucas was looking for in his sci-fi epic. Although happy to take the role of Darth Vader, Prowse has notoriously talked down his acting experiences, always feeling he deserved more responsibility, trust and recognition than he was given โ even going so far as to suggest his potent district West Country accent deserved to be the voice of Darth Vader rather than James Earl Jones, who has provided it from the beginning.
One of the biggest moments of the entireย Star Warsย saga was the stunning revelation inย The Empire Strikes Backย when Vader, who has been battling Mark Hamill’s Luke Skywalker with lightsabers, makes the stunning announcement that he is Luke’s father. It was a surprise to everyone,ย includingย Prowse, who was given false dialogue during filming and comments, “I didn’t actually know I was Luke Skywalker’s father until I saw it in the cinema.”
As Prowse himself explained in the forthcoming bookย Secrets of the Force: The Complete, Uncensored, Unauthorized Oral History of Star Warsย (available for pre-order), “I did all the dialogue all the way through the film. I discussed it with George Lucas. I said, ‘Well, what are we going to do?’ And he said, ‘Obviously weโll probably, what we call metalize it or robotize it.’ What I would do is sit down in the sound room and do every line over and then they could do what they wanted to it. But then with the finished film, I think it was a question of George deciding โฆ well, I donโt know whether he knew what he wanted as far as the voice was concerned. Then they just got James Earl Jones in to do it. I really never got lucky. I wouldnโt mind being covered up if people gave you the credit. But now Iโm covered up and Iโm not getting the credit at the same time. Every time, they mention Carrie Fisher, Mark Hamill, Harrison Ford, Alec Guinness, Peter Cushing, and stop! And then it says ‘The big villain of the film with the interesting voice is James Earl Jones,’ and thatโs as far as it goes.” Even when Vader was unmasked at the end ofย Return of the Jedi, actor Sebastian Shaw’s face was revealed.
What happened to David Prowse?
Following theย Star Warsย trilogy, he only acted in the filmsย Perfect Womanย (2006) andย The Kindness of Strangersย (2010). Sadly, he was plagued with severe arthritis for the majority of his life, symptoms first appearing when he was 13, but put under control for a time thanks to his involvement in weightlifting. Eventually, though, he would end up having both hips replaced, his ankle being fused and in 2001 his left arm became paralyzed followed by the right shortly thereafter. In 2009 he announced that he had been diagnosed with prostate cancer. In 2016 he announced his retirement from public appearances and events (which he had done many of over the years). He was married to Norma E. Scammell in 1963 and they had three children.
Prowse, who died on November 28, 2020 at age 85 following a short illness, did humorously recall his originally being cast as Darth Vader:ย “I didnโt have to read for it. I didnโt have to do anything. In fact, they offered me two parts. They offered me the part of Darth Vader and they offered me the part of Chewbacca. Peter Mayhew wasnโt even considered at that time. I said, ‘Tell me more about the parts.’ And he said, ‘Well, Chewbaccaโs like a giant teddy bear and Darth Vaderโs the big villain in the film.’ I said, ‘You know what you can do with Chewbacca. Iโll take the big villain.'”