Posted on 08/13/2016 1:58:01 PM PDT by Morgana
Kenny Baker, the British actor who rose to fame by playing the robot R2-D2 in six “Star Wars” films, died on Saturday. He was 81.
His death was confirmed by a spokeswoman for Lucasfilm, the company that created and produces the enormously popular “Star Wars” franchise.
Mr. Baker was a little person whose adult height was widely reported to be 3 feet, 8 inches. He referred to his short stature as “my height difficulties” in an autobiographical sketch on his official website, but it would have been impossible for a taller man to play the role that made him famous.
“They said, ‘You’ve got to do it; we can’t find anybody else. You’re small enough to get into it and you’re strong enough to be able to move it,’” he said of R2-D2’s cylindrical metal costume in a video interview in Stockholm that he shared on his website. “I was a godsend to them, really.”
(Excerpt) Read more at nytimes.com ...
So is he in D’Qar Heaven?
He brought so much pleasure to so many.May he RIP.
RIP R2. he was the straight one of the 2..
I especially loved his singing voice in the Star Wars films....
I didn’t even know there was a person inside.
C3PO, yes it was obvious.
Rest in peace, Kenny. You were wonderful.
I didn’t know R2-D2 was played by an actor. I thought it was a machine.
Whoever did the voice of his sidekick CPO-3 was also obviously English.
Did he also short circuit?
They Killed Kenny! /southpark
RIP, little droid.
Indeed. I liked him in Time Bandits, too.
Cheers,
Jim
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