Erik Bauersfeld

Erik Bauersfeld, born on June 28, 1922 and passed away on April 3, 2016, lent his voice to the characters of Admiral Ackbar and Bib Fortuna in the film Star Wars: Episode VI Return of the Jedi. The recording sessions for Ackbar's dialogue lasted only an hour, while Fortuna's took just thirty minutes. He also auditioned for the part of Yoda, but Frank Oz was ultimately chosen. Later in his career, he revisited the role of Ackbar in both the computer game Star Wars: X-Wing and the movie Star Wars: Episode VII The Force Awakens. Bauersfeld, a native of Brooklyn, New York, discovered his passion for radio at the young age of 3 when his father introduced him to a crystal radio receiver. He dedicated 31 years to leading the drama and literature department at KPFA, a radio station based in Berkeley.