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David Prowse MBE (born July 1, 1935) is an English body-builder, weightlifter and actor, most widely known for his role as the physical form of Darth Vader. He stands 6 ft 6¾ in (200 cm) in height and weighs 260 lb (118 kg)
Darth Vader
Arguably, Prowse is most famous for playing the physical form of Darth Vader in the original Star Wars trilogy. Although he spoke the dialogue during the production of the films, James Earl Jones overdubbed the character's voice in post-production, a fact over which Prowse bears some resentment towards Star Wars creator George Lucas. However, Lucas claims he wanted a "darker voice" (not in an ethnic term) that Prowse simply could not provide and never intended to use his voice. In the 2004 documentary, Empire of Dreams, actress Carrie Fisher, who played Princess Leia Organa in the original trilogy films, quipped that they nicknamed Prowse "Darth Farmer" due to his un-intimidating West Country accent.
To David Prowse, the most annoying incident concerning the voicing of Vader came during the filming of The Empire Strikes Back. The major plot twist in Empire is the revelation of who Luke Skywalker's father is. In Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope, Skywalker is told by Obi-Wan Kenobi that his father was betrayed and murdered by a young pupil named Darth Vader. However, in Empire, Vader himself reveals that he is actually Skywalker's father. According to Empire director Irvin Kershner, the shooting script had a false page with dialogue implicating Kenobi as his father's murderer, but at the time, only he and producer Gary Kurtz were privy to the knowledge that Darth Vader and Luke's father were the same person. Moments before the scene was filmed, Mark Hamill, the actor playing Luke, was taken aside privately and told the truth by Kershner, who encouraged him to ignore the dialogue Prowse was speaking and "use your own rhythm compared to what he's doing." In later years, Prowse claimed he would sometimes deliver joke versions of his lines in Empire and Return of the Jedi.
Prowse lobbied to be included in Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith, reprising his role as the fully-armored Darth Vader, but his requests fell on deaf ears. Hayden Christensen, who played Anakin Skywalker in Episode III as well as its predecessor, Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones, says he begged Lucas to have the costume designers build a suit that would fit him despite the fact that he is fully five inches shorter than Prowse. Thus, during scenes in the Vader suit, Christensen was actually looking out the mask's mouthpiece. Perhaps partly in response to this, Prowse has developed the habit of signing his autographs "David Prowse IS Darth Vader." This however, has been proven false, as Prowse was signing autographs in the 1990's with the signature long before the prequels were filmed.
Prowse continues to associate himself with his role in the Star Wars films and is involved in the convention circuit. Despite this, he has not been included in recent reunions of the original cast, such as those for the Empire of Dreams documentary and the 2005 Vanity Fair cover.
Other roles
Within the United Kingdom, Prowse is also well-known as the Green Cross Code Man, as a result of his association with the Green Cross Code road safety campaign for children which ran between 1971 and 1990 and for which he received the MBE in 2000.
He had a role as a bodyguard in the 1971 film A Clockwork Orange. He played the Minotaur in the 1972 Doctor Who serial The Time Monster, and had a small role as Hotblack Desiato's bodyguard in the 1981 BBC TV adaptation of The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy. He also appeared in the first series of The Tomorrow People on LWT.
Prowse played Frankenstein's Monster thrice. First he appeared in Casino Royale. Then he appeared in The Horror of Frankenstein in a more or less recognizable form. In Frankenstein and the Monster from Hell, he was heavily made up.
In June 2006 he played the role of a cannibal gardener in a new English independent film called Perfect Woman produced by Olympus Productions Limited. Its release is expected by the end of this year and viewers will be able to enjoy Dave Prowse in a bigger acting role than the recent ones.
Other activities
Prowse represented England in the weightlifting event at the 1962 British Empire and Commonwealth Games in Perth, Western Australia.
Prowse is married and has three children. He helped train Christopher Reeve for the role of Superman. He is also a notable graduate of Bristol Grammar School. He is now the official leader of the 501st Legion, a fan group dedicated to Star Wars costuming.
In 1999, thieves broke into Prowse's home and stole the lightsaber prop he used in the Star Wars trilogy and several of his other possessions .
Health problems
Dave Prowse has suffered from arthritis for much of his life. That has led to replacements of both hips and his ankle being fused, as well as several revisionary surgeries on his hip replacements . Prowse's arthritic symptoms first appeared at age 13, but seemingly disappeared when he took up competitive weightlifting. However, they reappeared in 1990.
In 2001, Prowse's left arm became paralyzed, then his right arm became paralyzed. He was diagnosed with septic arthritis caused by an infection Prowse blames on an allergy to some of the non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs he was prescribed. It nearly killed him.
Today, David Prowse works with various arthritis organizations in Britain and is vice-president of the Physically Handicapped and Able-bodied Association.