David Prowse, born on July 1, 1935 and passing away on November 28, 2020, transitioned from a career as a bodybuilder and weightlifter to acting. Notably, he portrayed Darth Vader within the original trilogy of Star Wars films.
Because of his impressive stature and build, David Prowse was cast as Darth Vader in Star Wars: Episode IV A New Hope. During the filming process, he would deliver his lines in his native Bristol accent while wearing the Vader suit. However, this conflicted with George Lucas's vision for the character's voice, leading to James Earl Jones being brought in to provide the voice of Vader, a fact that Prowse was unaware of during filming.
Prowse expressed disappointment over the lack of recognition he received for his role as Darth Vader. He stated that he chose to play Vader because he believed that villains are often the most memorable characters. Prowse frequently attended fan conventions, signing autographs with the phrase "David Prowse IS Darth Vader." Nevertheless, he was reportedly banned from official Star Wars conventions, including Star Wars Weekends held in Orlando, by George Lucas, allegedly due to Prowse being "annoying."
At the age of 85, Prowse succumbed to COVID-19 on November 28, 2020. Numerous prominent figures, including Lucas, Mark Hamill, Anthony Daniels, William Shatner, Rosario Dawson, and Elijah Wood, offered tributes in his honor.
- Official website (content now obsolete; backup link)
- David Prowse on Wikipedia
- David Prowse at the Internet Movie Database
- Dave Prowse (Darth Vader) on Star Wars Interviews (content now obsolete; archived from the original on September 30, 2022)