'May the force be with him, always': British Darth Vader actor David Prowse who played Luke Skywalker's father in original Star Wars trilogy dies aged 85 after a short illness
- David Prowse, 85, was the actor behind famous super-villain Darth Vader in the original three Star Wars films
- Originally from Bristol, the 6ft 6in former bodybuilder was cast as the iconic Sith Lord for his large physique
- The actor was most proud of playing Green Cross Code Man in television adverts, which earned him an MBE
The British actor who played Darth Vader in the original Star Wars trilogy has died aged 85 after a short illness.
David Prowse, a former bodybuilder, was best known for playing the iconic super-villain in the original three George Lucas movies.
The 6ft 6in actor, from Bristol, was cast as Vader for his physique, even though the role was voiced by James Earl Jones.
But the bodybuilder-turned-actor was most proud of playing the Green Cross Code Man.
Appearing in television adverts to warn children children about the dangers of crossing the road. The role earned him an MBE.
David Prowse, a former bodybuilder, was best known for playing the iconic super-villain Darth Vader (pictured right: Prowse in the Vader costume) in the original three Star Wars films. He also played the Green Cross Code Man, a role which earned him an MBE (pictured left)
The iconic moment Darth Vader reveals his true identity to his son Luke Skywalker in Empire Srikes Back, the second movie in the Star Wars trilogy - 1980
The 6ft 6in actor, from Bristol, (pictured here in 1981) was cast as Vader for his physique, even though the role was voiced by James Earl Jones
Prowse's agent Thomas Bowington today told the BBC 'may the force be with him, always'. Pictured here is Prowse signing autographs at a Star Wars celebration event in Los Angeles in 2007Prowse's agent Thomas Bowington told the BBC 'may the force be with him, always'.
'Though famous for playing many monsters - for myself, and all who knew Dave and worked with him, he was a hero in our lives.'
Mr Bowington called the actor's death 'a truly and deeply heart-wrenching loss for us and millions of fans all over the world'.
Prowse acting career lasted 50 years, but it was his role as the Sith Lord in Star Wars that brought him international fame.
He was reportedly spotted by Star Wars director George Lucas when playing a bodyguard in the 1971 film A Clockwork Orange, and invited to audition for the roles of Darth Vader and Chewbacca.
Despite being the man behind the mask, Prowse's West Country accent was deemed not suitable for the voice of the super-villain.
His lines were dubbed over by American actor James Earl Jones.
But it was through his bodybuilding that he becomes friends with Hollywood giants Arnold Schwarzenegger and original Incredible Hulk star Lou Ferrigno.
Prowse represented England at the Commonwealth Games in the early 1960s.
Tributes have since flooded in for Prowse, including from those from fans, top names within the film industry and those outside it.
Film director Edgar Wright described him as the man who 'stopped a whole generation of kiddies from being mown down in the street'.
'As a kid Dave Prowse couldn't be more famous to me; stalking along corridors as evil incarnate in the part of Darth Vader & stopping a whole generation of kiddies from being mown down in street as the Green Cross Code man. Rest in Peace, Bristol's finest.'
The man behind the mask: David Prowse has died at the age of 85 after a short battle with illness. Pictured: Prowse acts out the famous Vader 'force choke' from the movie
Prowse acting career lasted 50 years, but it was his role as the Sith Lord in Star Wars that brought him international fame
Despite being the man behind the mask, Prowse's West Country accent was deemed not suitable for the voice of the super-villain. His lines were dubbed over by American actor James Earl JonesActor Daniel Logan, who played Boba Fett in Star Wars: Episode II Attack Of The Clones, posted a picture to Twitter with Dave Prowse, writing: 'Sad to hear of the passing of a StarWars family member. RIP Dave Prowse.
'Darth Vader wouldn't be the same without you in the costume. We had many fun times & laughs at cons together over the years.
'Glad to have been able to call you a friend. Rest now and be one with the Force!'
British actor Robin Askwith recalled first meeting Mr Prowse in 1972.
'Such sad news that dear Dave Prowse has passed away,' he wrote on Twitter.
'I first met him in his gym in 1972, West End gym and then he seemed to turn up in everything I did, once turning up in full Darth Vader kit to watch me roll around naked with Pamela Stephenson ....RIP Dave ...'
The Twitter account of the Peter Mayhew Foundation, set up in memory of the actor who played Chewbacca, shared a picture of Prowse with Mayhew and their co-star Kenny Baker.
'RIP Dave Prowse. I hope you're up there sharing a pint and a story with the boys.'
Publicist Consetta Parker said: 'I am very sad to hear the news about the passing of David Prowse. He was nothing but kind to me the brief time I worked with him.
'Star Wars has brought me so much joy and been my friend since I was a little girl.
'Getting to work with Darth Vader will be a memory I hold dear.'
TV anchor and news reporter Jay Shatara said: 'It was so fun watching the videos of him acting out the lines before James Earl Jones dubbed over. RIP David Prowse.
Actor Joe Manganiello said: 'David Prowse as Darth Vader was BRILLIANT. He was so unbelievably magical in that suit.
'I've watched Empire so many times with the sound off just to watch how he moved.
'His physical choices were as iconic as James' voice to me & aside from all of that he was such a nice man. RIP.
Another, professional wrestler CM Punk, said: 'Sad to learn about the passing of David Prowse. Star Wars was a gigantic part of my childhood, all the actors were heroes to me.
'From Porkins to Vader. All heroes. Rest in power, Lord Vader.'
Another American wrestler, Frankie Kazarian, said: ' RIP David Prowse. A gentleman and a scholar and the man responsible for bringing the physicality to the most iconic villain in the history of cinema. Darth Vader. Godspeed sir.'
Star Wars fans also took to Twitter to pay tribute to the actor, who played an iconic role in the original trilogy of the sci-fi films.
One said: 'Just heard the wonderful David Prowse has died. While I loved James Earl Jones' voice, I think we forget how much of a physical performance David brought to the role. May he rest in peace.'
Another said: 'So much about what makes Darth Vader so intimating is because of David Prowse. He gave the Sith Lord a physicality that would make him an icon.
'What a legacy to leave behind. Rest in peace, David Prowse. You were a powerhouse.'
Another added: 'Rest in peace David Prowse. Thank you for bringing Darth Vader to life.
'For being a fan favourite for Star Wars fans for generations. May the force be with you.'
One Twitter user, who looked after Prowse at a sci-fi convention in recent years, said: 'I looked after David Prowse at a comic/sci-fi convention a few years back.
'I bought him drinks and fruit; he asked me to come to all his conventions with him.
'It was a bittersweet day and I will always remember him with great fondness #TheForceIsWithYouAlways'.
Others paid tribute to Prowse's role as the Green Cross Code Man. Chris Ward said on Twitter: 'RIP David Prowse, aka the Green Cross Code Man. We all remember this as a kid.
'The man was iconic and such a talent in the film industry.'
The Green Cross Code Man: The role David Prowse was most proud of, which helped save the lives of children and earned him an MBE
David Prowse played the Green Cross Code Man - at first prior to his role in Star Wars.
The Green Cross Code man was a series made as part of a wider campaign to raise awareness of the Green Cross Code - a brand created by the National Road Safety Committee to raise awareness of pedestrian road safety in the United Kingdom. Introduced in 1971, the code procedure was designed to enable pedestrians to cross streets safely and specifically was aimed at children.
Road safety chiefs were concerned because, at the time, children accounted for half of all casualties on the road.
The code appeared to be instantly successful, with casualties dropping by 11 per cent. But six months later they had risen to the previous rate.
The Green Cross Code Man ran as a series of television adverts between 1975 and 1990 as part of a way to advertise the campaign.
David Prowse played the Green Cross Code Man - at first prior to his role in Star Wars.
In the adverts the character has the power to teleport from his monitoring station at 'Green Cross Control' to any location where children are in need of pedestrian safety instruction.
He accomplishes this by use of a wristwatch-like 'dematerialiser' device
In 1975 the number of children killed on the roads had fallen to 505, the lowest since the 1950s.
By 2003 - several years after the TV advertising campaign had ended - the figure was 171 children.
In 2014 the Green Cross Code Man series was revived, with Prowse playing the character in his 80th year, in two adverts produced for Road Safety Week in the United Kingdom.
The campaign was aimed at young adults and warning them of the danger of using their mobiles near to roads.
Prowse was awarded an MBE for his role in the campaign.
The group behind the campaign is now known as the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents.
Obituary: David Prowse: The Bristol born Mr Universe contestant who would bring life to a super-villain from a galaxy far, far away...
Born in 1935, David Prowse grew up in the city of Bristol in the south-west of England. After growing up in the Southmead housing estate, won a scholarship to Bristol Grammar School
He was the bodybuilding Mr Universe contestant who would later bring to life an iconic super-villain from a galaxy far, far away.
Born in 1935, David Prowse grew up in the city of Bristol in the south-west of England.
He was raised by his mother and never knew his father, according to IMBD, and, after growing up in the Southmead housing estate, won a scholarship to Bristol Grammar School.
But Prowse's true path was one in which he would rely more heavily on his brawn than his brain.
His passion as a young teenager was for bodybuilding and he later competed in the Mr Universe competitions - alongside another soon-to-be film icon Arnold Schwarzenegger.
Following his successes from 1961 in the British heavyweight weightlifting championship, he represented England at the 1962 Commonwealth Games in Perth, Australia.
He left Bristol in 1963 to work for a weightlifting company in London - where he found yet more success.
Prowse landed a job as a fitness consultant for Harrods and would also shred phone books with his bare hands - a trick he would perform under the stage-name 'Jack the Ripper'.
It was a trick made easier by his enormous 6ft 6in frame - which would later help him land the role of Star Wars super-villain Darth Vader.
His acting career wouldn't begin until 1967 when he played the role of Frankenstein's Monster in the spy-parody Casino Royale.
He later landed a role in the iconic British dystopian crime film A Clockwork Orange - in which he played Frank Alexander's bodyguard Julian.
Prowse hit British television screens as a the Green Cross Code Man in the mid-1970s - a role he would later describe as the one he was most proud of.
In the role he played a road safety hero, who would help children to learn the Green Cross Code - an initiative designed to reduce the number of children being hit by cars at the time.
His road safety heroics would later earn him in MBE.
But it was his role as a villain, and an iconic one at that, which earned him world-wide recognition.
He was reportedly spotted by Star Wars director George Lucas in A Clockwork Orange, and was invited to audition for the roles of Darth Vader and Chewbacca.
Prowse was given the role of Vader - the evil all-black suited antagonist of the original Star Wars trilogy.
Despite being the man behind the mask, Prowse's West Country accent was deemed not suitable for the voice of the super-villain.
His lines were dubbed over by American actor James Earl Jones.
Prowse also missed out when Vader was finally unmasked at the end of the trilogy.
Lucas cast Sebastian Shaw to play Vader's dying moments - wanting a more experienced actor than Prowse to play the emotional ending.
Prowse suffered from arthritis for much of his life. This led to replacements of both hips and his ankle being fused, as well as several revisionary surgeries on his hip replacement
Despite being Lucas' main man in the Vader suit, Prowse and his director never saw eye-to-eye.
The former Green Cross Code legend claimed in 2018 he had been 'ostracised' by director George Lucas, and hadn't spoken to him since Return Of The Jedi wrapped in 1983.
Prowse had been accused of leaking plot details to the press - something he denies doing - to a point where he was given an alternate line to read during The Empire Strikes Back climax, in which he told Luke Obi-Wan Kenobi had killed his father rather than the shock reveal of Luke being Vader's son.
'Lots of silly stories have gone round saying they didn't like my Bristol accent... but I did't go around saying 'Oh-ar my dear, I'm gong to 'it you with me lightsaber now'.
In 2010 he was banned from attending Star Wars conventions by
Asked what he would say to Lucas if he had the chance, he said: 'I'd like to know the reasons for the problems I've been having'.
But while his relationship with Lucas was reportedly a rocky one, his place in Star Wars history remains cemented - and he often attended signings at sci-fi conventions - much to the delight of his fans.
Outside of acting, Prowse was married from 1963 to Norma Scammell and was the father of three children.
He was a prominent supporter of Bristol Rugby Club.
Prowse suffered from arthritis for much of his life. This led to replacements of both hips and his ankle being fused, as well as several revisionary surgeries on his hip replacement.
In 2009 he was diagnosed with prostate cancer - but was said to be in remission later that year.
In October 2016, Prowse announced his retirement from all public appearances and events, later attributing the decision to ill health and the wishes of his family
A final onscreen appearance was later announced and filmed with the Welsh musician and his long-time friend Jayce Lewis in a music video titled Shields.
'Haemorrhoids do not concern me, Admiral': David Prowse admits he purposely messed up his lines as Darth Vader while filming Star Wars
By Ross McDonagh for DailyMail.com
They are big, intrusive and - for Imperial Star Destroyers - they are certainly a pain in the butt.
David Prowse revealed in 2018 how he purposely messed up his lines as Darth Vader while filming Star Wars.
The actor even admitted that in one particularly tense scene in The Empire Strikes Back, he replaced 'asteroids' with 'haemorrhoids'.
As part of his These Are The Actors You're Looking For series - which he chases down the stars of the original films - Jamie Stangroom challenged the actor on the rumour he had invented his own dialogue from behind Vader's mask.
Prowse infamously found out after A New Hope was released in 1977 that George Lucas had dubbed over his delivered lines with the voice of James Earl Jones.
So in the 1980 sequel, he admitted, he had a little fun with the script, including one scene when an apprehensive Admiral Piett came to inform the Sith Lord - who had just strangled his superior to death - that they had lost the Millennium Falcon they were pursuing in an asteroid field.
'Asteroids do not concern me Admiral, I want that ship', was how Star Wars fans remember the infamous line; but Prowse admitted he delivered it a little differently.'I think I said 'Haemorrhoids do not concern me; I need a sh*t', he recalled.
How actor Kenneth Colley - who played the newly promoted Imperial admiral - kept a straight face remains a mystery — especially since the Dark Lord of the Sith was sitting in his 'personal meditation chamber' at the time.
'That's the very first time that's ever been said outside,' he laughed. 'You've got an exclusive there.'
While Prowse admitted James Earl Jones did an admirable job, he believes he could have had a good stab at it — and has recently been to a studio to record all of Vader's dialogue for a project.
'Lots of silly stories have gone round saying they didn't like my Bristol accent... but I did't go around saying 'Oh-ar my dear, I'm gong to 'it you with me lightsaber now',' he smiled in his thickest brogue.
The former Green Cross Code legend claimed he had been 'ostracised' by director George Lucas, and hadn't spoken to him since Return Of The Jedi wrapped in 1983.
Prowse had been accused of leaking plot details to the press - something he denies doing - to a point where he was given an alternate line to read during The Empire Strikes Back climax, in which he told Luke Obi-Wan Kenobi had killed his father rather than the shock reveal of Luke being Vader's son.
'Silly things, like they've stopped me from doing the Disney Star Wars weekends... I used to love doing the Disney Star Wars,' Prowse lamented.
Asked what he would say to George Lucas if he had the chance, he would say: 'I'd like to know the reasons for the problems I've been having'.
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