NEW YORK: David Prowse, who played the role of Darth Vader in the original ‘Star Wars’ trilogy, has died at the age of 85, his agent Thomas Bowington confirmed.
“It’s with great regret and heart-wrenching sadness for us and millions of fans around the world, to announce that our client Dave Prowse MBE has passed away at the age of 85,” Prowse’s agents Bowington Management tweeted.
It’s with great regret and heart-wrenching sadness for us and million of fans around the world, to announce that our client DAVE PROWSE M.B.E. has passed away at the age of 85. #DaveProwse @starwars #DarthVader #GreenCrossCodeMan #iconic #actor #bodybuilder #MBE pic.twitter.com/dL2RmdIqg8
— Bowington Management (@BowingtonM) November 29, 2020
Bowington further said that David Prowse’s death was “a truly and deeply heart-wrenching loss for us and millions of fans all over the world”.
Born in 1935, Prowse started his career off as a professional weightlifter and won the British weightlifting championship in 1962. He was cast as Vader for his imposing physique, even though the role was voiced by James Earl Jones.
Mark Hamill, who played Luke Skywalker in the epic saga, tweeted that he was so sad to hear David Prowse has passed. “He was a kind man & much more than Darth Vader,” he wrote.
“Actor-Husband-Father-Member of the Order of the British Empire-3 time British Weightlifting Champion. He loved his fans as much as they loved him,” he added.
He played the role for almost 20 years, and earned an MBE in 2000. Other film credits include 1972’s “Minotaur” and 1977’s “Jabberwocky”, and he also appeared in many TV shows including “The Saint” and “The Benny Hill Show”.
