RIP Dave Prowse

Jonathangus

Arguably the most iconic screen baddie of all time.  And kept us 70s kids safe crossing the road.

RIP Dave.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-55117704

sweepy

On this mornings breakfast news they played the dolly mic which picked up Dave Prowse’s West Country accent, it was unintentionally hilarious tbh 

mrkb

There was a great disturbance in the Force..

That BBC tribute linked by OP has a clip of the Bristolian Darth Vader- hilarious!

Loved him as Vader and the Greencross code dude... RIP Dave.

guitartango

This is not the way

EricTheWeary

MrsTheWeary just been telling me, sad. RIP. 

scrumhalf

Dave was a client of the accountancy firm where I did my training. He went for me once, he thought I'd lost the cash for his gym's payroll. He had one leg in plaster so I was able to stay out of his reach. He wasn't the most commercially astute of people, I remember the partner who dealt with him asking him many times not to sign anything financial without consulting with him first.

Around that time he had an American girlfriend who was about half of his size, and there were times when he was genuinely terrified of her.

fields5069

He touched my bottom once. RIP.

ICBM

Greatest screen villain of all time. Even if some of his menace was in James Earl Jones' voice, Prowse's physical presence was the key - he was able to convey complete ruthlessness and power by his movements alone, even though his face was never seen.



RIP

So sad to hear David Prowse has passed. He was a kind man & much more than Darth Vader. Actor-Husband-Father-Member of the Order of the British Empire-3 time British Weightlifting Champion & Safety Icon the Green Cross Code Man. He loved his fans as much as they loved him. #RIP pic.twitter.com/VbDrGu6iBz

— Mark Hamill (@HamillHimself)

November 29, 2020

Funkfingers

The year before his big career break, Prowse was a member of the supporting cast on The Kenneth Williams Show. 

Philly_Q

He'll always be the Green Cross Man to me.  Even when he was Darth Vader I thought of him as the Green Cross Man.

Sounds like he'd been in poor health for quite some time.  RIP.

guitartango

Don't forget he was also the Black Knight...Against the knights who say..

tone1

Philly_Q said:

He'll always be the Green Cross Man to me.  Even when he was Darth Vader I thought of him as the Green Cross Man.

Sounds like he'd been in poor health for quite some time.  RIP.

I’ve been listening to the news who say he was the Green Cross man too, but I remember him as the Green Cross Code Man.....

breezytele

There exists a plausible rumour that the cover of Argus by Wishbone Ash inspired Darth Vader’s costume.
(Well, there’s  even a UFO on the back of the album..)

It was a huge commercial hit, and the timing is good, coming as it did in 1972, which would fit with the gestation of the first Star Wars (released 1977)


https://www.facebook.com/ClassicRockMagazine/posts/the-story-of-an-album-that-may-have-inspired-darth-vader/10157157516635883/

Mudcrutch

I first came across Dave when he played Julian in the Film A Clockwork Orange then met him a few times in Harrods Knightsbridge in the mid 70s where he was a personal trainer before he did Star Wars.
He was a nice guy.
Sad news.

Philly_Q

tone1 said:

Philly_Q said:

He'll always be the Green Cross Man to me.  Even when he was Darth Vader I thought of him as the Green Cross Man.

Sounds like he'd been in poor health for quite some time.  RIP.

I’ve been listening to the news who say he was the Green Cross man too, but I remember him as the Green Cross Code Man.....

Philly_Q

breezytele said:

There exists a plausible rumour that the cover of Argus by Wishbone Ash inspired Darth Vader’s costume.
(Well, there’s  even a UFO on the back of the album..)

It was a huge commercial hit, and the timing is good, coming as it did in 1972, which would fit with the gestation of the first Star Wars (released 1977)


https://www.facebook.com/ClassicRockMagazine/posts/the-story-of-an-album-that-may-have-inspired-darth-vader/10157157516635883/

Good story if it's true.  And a classic album.

ICBM

breezytele said:

There exists a plausible rumour that the cover of Argus by Wishbone Ash inspired Darth Vader’s costume.

I think it's equally or more likely it could have been inspired by Hermann Göring - the helmet is very German-looking, combined with a cape and jackboots...

I seem to remember Lucas saying his original concept of Vader was as a "seven-foot stormtrooper".

Reading up on Prowse it seems that despite his importance to the films he was a little badly treated by Lucas - he was apparently promised he would be revealed as Vader at the end of ROTJ, but was replaced by Sebastian Shaw. Ironically, Prowse looked more like an older Hayden Christensen than Shaw did. The rest of the crew also referred to him as 'Darth Farmer' behind his back because of his West Country accent.

He was also later barred from attending fan conventions by Lucas.

not_the_dj

ICBM said:

breezytele said:

There exists a plausible rumour that the cover of Argus by Wishbone Ash inspired Darth Vader’s costume.

I think it's equally or more likely it could have been inspired by Hermann Göring - the helmet is very German-looking, combined with a cape and jackboots...

I seem to remember Lucas saying his original concept of Vader was as a "seven-foot stormtrooper".

Like a lot of Star Wars it's a mash up of different things. There's a Samurai warrior in there as well.

ICBM

not_the_dj said:

Like a lot of Star Wars it's a mash up of different things. There's a Samurai warrior in there as well.

Indeed - the mask especially. I have to say I find the Argus one a bit far-fetched though - it's a fantastic album but I wouldn't be surprised if Lucas was completely unaware of it. The warrior is meant to be a Spartan, I think - the Vader association is just a coincidence of the shape of the helmet and the cloak.

breezytele

Yes, has to be a mix .Certainly looks Samurai like, as well as SS like

 But if I find that photo of Darth with a Flying V, you’ll be hearing from me .

EricTheWeary

breezytele said:

Yes, has to be a mix .Certainly looks Samurai like, as well as SS like

 But if I find that photo of Darth with a Flying V, you’ll be hearing from me .

Nah, we all know Vader had a Musicman ( light) Sabre.