I am sure you are all very sad to hear of the passing of actor Dave Prowse today. He was 85. This post has also been shared at the Facebook PCASUK Fan Page and will be updated throughout today. The comments thread is open at the page and you are of course, invited to join others at the page, to share your condolences and message there. - Marcus
For much for his 85 years, Prowse was a giant, in more ways than one. When I met him for the first time in the late 1970's he told me that after his impressive weightlifting regime made it possible to proudly represent England at the Commonwealth Games in the early 1960s, he was very happy and proud of playing the Green Cross Code Man
It was a role, that made him 'a super hero' promoting road safety for children in the UK, and earned him an MBE., he had just completed the latest tv clips for the initiative, the week before I met him. . . and was about to start working with an 'skinny' actor in his gym in Southwark, London who maybe playing, Superman. 'A chap called Reeve' he said, . . and we all know how impressive HE turned out!
During the interview, we decided it would be a good opportunity to take some photographs, with us. An idea was for him was to pick up my good friend Mandy,. He though that was too predictable and a clique, and that me being 5'ft 4 and Prowse standing a hulking 6ft 6in, would look funny! He offered to pick me up instead, and while I was thinking about it.. and before I knew it, I was held up in both his huge hands, sprawled like a 'damsel in distress'! During the speedy lift, a suspect ripping sound was heard. And when finally placed back to the safety of terrafirma, I was horrified to find my tight pants/trousers .. all the rage at time.. had split! Cue big laughs! Much amused, Prowse revealed he had lifted hundreds of people over the years, but that was a first! It was always the cue, when meeting again over years, I would worriedly ask, 'You are not going to lift me up again, are you?' and he would reply laughing, 'Can you trousers take it??'
Prowse was always very relaxed, very friendly, was always up for laugh, and at this time he excited about the next Star Wars film... and gave a great interview. His fame never changed him, he was always approachable, had a good memory for names and faces of fans, humble and a wealth of stories he wanted to share and interested in your life too.
A good mate, Donald Fearney, knew Prowse very well and has often told me about the secret work, that Prowse did for charities, often giving time and support, to anyone he thought he or his name could help.... and in other cases being very discrete, about how he helped others. He was known world wide, for his performance on screen in 'The Dark Side' ... but privately, the guy was as good as gold, and shone very brightly indeed . . .
Dave Prowse's career as an actor spanned 50 years, but it was his role as the Sith Lord #DarthVader in #StarWars that brought him international fame. During the mid 60's he reportedly became close friends with rival bodybuilding competitors #ArnoldSchwarzenegger and Lou Ferrigno (later better known as TV's Incredible Hulk) - long before their on-screen fame. Prowse made his film debut in back in 1967 in the James Bond spoof #CasinoRoyale playing Frankenstein's Creature, it was a role he would play again, with #PeterCushing in #Hammerfilms 'Frankenstein and the Monster from Hell' in 1974 and again with #RalphBates and #VeronicaCarlson in1970. He also regularly featured on cult #TV series such as #TheSaint, Space 1999 and #DoctorWho, in which he was cast as a minotaur in the 1972 episode The Time Monster, opposite #JonPertwee and the body guard in ''Hitch-hikers Guide to the Galaxy' for the #BBC series. Then everything changed, when he was spotted by director #GeorgeLucas in the 1971 film #ClockworkOrange, in which he played a bodyguard, Prowse was invited to audition for the roles of Darth Vader and Chewbacca in 1977's Star Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope.
With the success of Star Wars, Prowse soon became a regular on the fan circuit and attended conventions around the world for almost 40 years.
Despite all the enduring clamour for Star Wars, the Prowse always maintained that playing the Green Cross Code Man, which he first portrayed in 1975, was the "best job I ever had". Brought up in Bristol, UK he spent his later years living in Croydon "a loving husband, father and grandfather".
If you have never had the opportunity to read his 2011 autobiography, 'Straight from the Force's Mouth' I would highly recommend it! - Marcus
David Charles Prowse MBE July 1st 1935 - November 28th 2020
