David Prowse Banned from Celebration 5

[Bizarro Amy]

Maybe someone else here knows more details about this than I do. I was told another story about the friction between Prowse and Lucas by a Star Wars fan, but I haven't been able to verify it. I think it was alluded to in the article linked at the beginning of this thread. According to that, Prowse leaked to the press while ROTJ was still filming that Darth Vader was going to die. That happened before they decided not to film him unmasked as Vader at the end. To my knowledge, Lucas has never admitted to a connection between the two events, but shortly afterward, Sebastian Shaw was chosen to play the dying Sith lord.

[Mikey]

I think I heard Lucas made a conscious effort to have English speaking baddies and American speaking heroes.

If this is true, I wonder why he went with JEJ as the voice of Vader ?

[huedell]

Excellent link Samurainoir! And that closes the point.

Not to me to me it doesn't... mainly because that doc was approved by
LUCASFILM.

In that footage it was very easy for the "Lucas crew" to handpick clips
that made Prowse's takes look foolish in contrast to our thoughts
on the "real" Vader movie moments referred to in those clips.

Not to mention that ANY thing that was shown in those clips
was unaltered by EQ on the voice, compression, etc....nor did it have
the sprucing up that a film score and VADER's trademark heavy breathing
sound FX would add...(and it certainly wasn't recorded in
the comfort of a soundbooth, which is where all James Earl Jones'
voicework was performed...as opposed to having to sqeak them out "live"
within a heavy costume as Prowse was made to.)

...and in addition there was an interview clip (or two?) of crew members
making dispariging remarks that were approved for the clip...so, if anyone
was going to say anything positive about Prowse's performance, if Lucas felt
that it'd make them look crude in any way, it surely would've been edited out.

Besides pointing out the flaws in those clips, the point is all moot
to me personally anyway because I think James Earl Jones' voice is awesome
as Vader, and, I'll add that what I think would "close the point"
in Prowse being replaced, is that regardless of how good an "edited Prowse" vocal performance would've been, I'm comfortable in saying I'd have
ultimately preferred James Earl Jones' voicework better.

[MIB41]

It always seemed a bit deluded when Prowse states in interviews that the the change to James Earl Jones' voice for Vader was racially motivated.

I think hearing his voice as Vader compared to Jones, pretty much sums up the reality of the situation.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YSm9DDxQv8E

I believe Threepio is a good example of the opposite happening. Where they never originally initially intended to have a robot with a british accent, it was Anthony Daniels' performance one set that really helped to bring the character to life with all the like-able earnest charm intact. He's written to be an annoying comedy relief character, and it could have just as easily gone the other way (JAR JAR!).

Not only did Daniels get to do deliver the vocal acting for his character in post, he was pretty much THE voice of the Star Wars tie-in media for the original trilogy, and became an excellent spokesperson for Star Wars at live events, including MCing the Star Wars Orchestra Tour, not to mention a very charming and gracious ambassador for Lucasfilm at any event he shows up at (probably because he doesn't have to get shoved into the suit to make a living as he did in the early years).

Excellent link Samurainoir! And that closes the point.

[Mikey]

Anthony Daniels is a fantastic guy! I was once at one of the Plano,TX. toy shows setup with a friend of mine...and I was waiting outside of the show on Saturday morning with the rest of the dealers when a hotel shuttle van pulled up and opened it's doors. Out stepped a couple of people....one of them was very thin framed..... I still didn't catch on to who it was. This person calmly walked over to the line and stood right next to me. I thought, "Hey, no biggie...we'll all be inside soon" THEN, Mr. Daniels turned to me and asked me what time it was......Holy Cow.....I almost jumped out of my skin when I heard his voice!!!!!!!!! I didn't want to be "that nerdy guy" but inside I was jumping like a 10 year old kid....."I" was standing next to C3PO!!!!!!!!!!!

I stood there chatting with Mr. Daniels for roughly 15 minutes......it was pure awesomeness!!!!!! He was sooo nice....and answered any questions that I had.


Sorry, I just had to share that story

Great story

[Sandman9580]

You know, I'm pretty sure the tipping point was Revenge of the Sith.

Prowse was to be in the suit at the end... until he who will not be named because he is by far the WORST actor in the history of acting decided he wanted to wear the stilts and put on the cape and mask.

Yeah, that was the perfect end to an embarrassing trilogy. There is no way that short, skinny shrimp could have filled out that suit. I loved how the sleeves were bigger than his gloves.

[kingdom warrior]

I'll always have him in the same catagory as the guy that was inside the Lost In Space robot's suit.

To me the real robot was Dick Tufeld

Tufeld may have been the voice but if you ask the cast who was the Robot they will all tell you it was Bob May who had to act and deliver the lines to the actors, he also knew the Cast lines also so if they got stuck he could feed it to them....


As for Prowse there's no reason to be rude to fans, that's uncalled for. He should take lessons from Anthony Daniels who really left an impression on my son at a convention in jersey he took the time to talk to him and was great with every one there.....

[Lonestarhobbies]

Not only did Daniels get to do deliver the vocal acting for his character in post, he was pretty much THE voice of the Star Wars tie-in media for the original trilogy, and became an excellent spokesperson for Star Wars at live events, including MCing the Star Wars Orchestra Tour, not to mention a very charming and gracious ambassador for Lucasfilm at any event he shows up at (probably because he doesn't have to get shoved into the suit to make a living as he did in the early years).

Anthony Daniels is a fantastic guy! I was once at one of the Plano,TX. toy shows setup with a friend of mine...and I was waiting outside of the show on Saturday morning with the rest of the dealers when a hotel shuttle van pulled up and opened it's doors. Out stepped a couple of people....one of them was very thin framed..... I still didn't catch on to who it was. This person calmly walked over to the line and stood right next to me. I thought, "Hey, no biggie...we'll all be inside soon" THEN, Mr. Daniels turned to me and asked me what time it was......Holy Cow.....I almost jumped out of my skin when I heard his voice!!!!!!!!! I didn't want to be "that nerdy guy" but inside I was jumping like a 10 year old kid....."I" was standing next to C3PO!!!!!!!!!!!

I stood there chatting with Mr. Daniels for roughly 15 minutes......it was pure awesomeness!!!!!! He was sooo nice....and answered any questions that I had.


Sorry, I just had to share that story

[LadyZod]

You know, I'm pretty sure the tipping point was Revenge of the Sith.

Prowse was to be in the suit at the end... until he who will not be named because he is by far the WORST actor in the history of acting decided he wanted to wear the stilts and put on the cape and mask.

[samurainoir]

It always seemed a bit deluded when Prowse states in interviews that the the change to James Earl Jones' voice for Vader was racially motivated.

I think hearing his voice as Vader compared to Jones, pretty much sums up the reality of the situation.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YSm9DDxQv8E

I believe Threepio is a good example of the opposite happening. Where they never originally initially intended to have a robot with a british accent, it was Anthony Daniels' performance one set that really helped to bring the character to life with all the like-able earnest charm intact. He's written to be an annoying comedy relief character, and it could have just as easily gone the other way (JAR JAR!).

Not only did Daniels get to do deliver the vocal acting for his character in post, he was pretty much THE voice of the Star Wars tie-in media for the original trilogy, and became an excellent spokesperson for Star Wars at live events, including MCing the Star Wars Orchestra Tour, not to mention a very charming and gracious ambassador for Lucasfilm at any event he shows up at (probably because he doesn't have to get shoved into the suit to make a living as he did in the early years).

[Lonestarhobbies]

I had the pleasure of meeting Prowse back in the mid 90's...and he was pleasant to me.

Now, I did meet Temura Morrison (Jango Fett) and that guy was a complete ***. I swear to God, this Dbag literally ran over my wife in an aisle (slammed directly into her from behind) then rudely trodded on down the aisle. His handlers also bumped into me and nearly knocked a huge box of vintage Star Wars ships and parts out of my arms-----did we even hear a single "Sorry"?? Hell no....

I still shelled out the $35 I think it was for his autograph because I'd come there for one for me (signed to Brian) and one for a friend online. I so badly wanted to thank him for being such a Dbag after I had my signatures....but I said screw it.....

[Mikey]

He's like any Museum guy who pushes the limit until they're finally banned.

Prowse had 30 years to mellow out and he still never did.

If it wasn't for Lucas and Star Wars he wouldn't even be known today.

When most people think of Hammer they think of just Cushing and Lee.

[toys2cool]

I've always heard he was a jerk

[spamn]

It's funny. There are fans of the Friday the 13th series who hate when Jason isn't played by Kane Hodder. There is such a thing as a physical performance, and it's entirely possible for one person to give a better one than another, even without spoken lines, even following cues from a director.

Is David Prowse one of those people? I suspect not. But to completely dismiss him despite all the screen time Vader had strikes me as a little unfair.

Now Jeremy Bullock (Boba Fett)? I'm pretty sure his contribution is more like you describe.

But Vader was a key player in all three films, and Prowse was the guy that did it and deserves some props for it. Of course, I'm pretty sure Peter Mayhew didn't get crazy Star Wars money either, and the same can be said of his performance.

[ScottA]

If he's such a pain in the asking or hates Lucas et. all, then why would he even do or be asked to do conventions all the years? You'd think he'd decline or no one would bother asking him. Oh, wait. Yea, money.