The Eternal 'Darth Vader' Dave Prowse Passes Away... "May the Force Be with Him"

British actor Dave Prowse, who played Darth Vader in the movie 'Star Wars'
[Image source = Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Choi Eun-young] Dave Prowse, the British actor who played the villain Darth Vader in the globally renowned Hollywood film 'Star Wars,' has passed away at the age of 85.

On the 28th (local time), his representative announced that Prowse died at the age of 85 after battling an illness, quoting a famous line from the movie: "May the Force be with him, always!"

They also stated, "Although he was famous for playing monsters, to everyone who knew Dave and worked with him, he was a hero."

Prowse was a British weightlifter and bodybuilder standing 198 cm tall, who debuted as an actor in 1967 with '007 Casino Royale.'

He played the role of Frankenstein at that time and starred in two films about Frankenstein in 1970 and 1974.

Later, he gained worldwide popularity by portraying Darth Vader, considered the ultimate villain, in the 'Star Wars Original Trilogy.'

Thanks to the success of Star Wars, he toured the world for nearly 40 years, showing great affection for the role of Darth Vader.

In George Lucas's 1977 release 'Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope,' he chose to audition for Darth Vader instead of the furry character Chewbacca, saying, "People always remember the bad guys, so I chose Vader over Chewbacca."

British actor David Prowse, who played Darth Vader in the series, attended an event at the Catalonia International Fantastic Film Festival held in Sitges, Spain, in 2015. [Image source = AFP Yonhap News]

During his lifetime, Prowse played a role for 10 years teaching the principle of "Stop, look around, and listen," for which he was awarded the Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE).

He was also known for his dedication to public service, proudly stating that the superhero role he played in a children's drama created by the British government in the 1970s to promote safe road crossing culture, 'Green Cross Code Man,' was his proudest role.

Meanwhile, as a representative weightlifter of England, United Kingdom, he built a friendship with Arnold Schwarzenegger, who competed in bodybuilding contests, and took on various roles in Hollywood, including serving as the personal trainer for Christopher Reeve, the lead actor in the 1978 film 'Superman.'