# David Prowse, the presence of Darth Vader, has joined the force **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Tags:** celebrity-death\ **Created:** [November 29, 2020, 1:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/david-prowse-the-presence-of-darth-vader-has-joined-the-force/926719 "2020-11-29T13:44:44Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![icon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/c6cbf5/32.png) [@icon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/icon)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2020, 1:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/david-prowse-the-presence-of-darth-vader-has-joined-the-force/926719/1 "2020-11-29T13:44:44Z")
Reported in many news sources, like this one; > **[David Prowse, Actor Behind Darth Vader, Dies At 85](https://www.npr.org/2020/11/29/939805103/david-prowse-actor-behind-darth-vader-dies-at-85)** > > Audiences heard James Earl Jones' voice as the iconic Star Wars villain, but it was Prowse behind Darth Vader's mask. Until I found out otherwise, I did not know that the voice and the body were of two different people. He was Darth Vader and a road safety guy. With Chewbacca gone, it looks like the biggest actors of the franchise are gone. Rest in Peace and may the force be with you `//i\\` ---
**Author:** ![ASL\_v2.0](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asl_v2.0/32/3525_2.png) [@ASL\_v2.0](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ASL_v2.0)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2020, 3:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/david-prowse-the-presence-of-darth-vader-has-joined-the-force/926719/2 "2020-11-29T15:17:22Z")
His work was undone. He lifted Ian McDiarmid over his head for nothing. ☹ ---
**Author:** ![cochrane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cochrane/32/10441_2.png) [@cochrane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cochrane)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2020, 4:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/david-prowse-the-presence-of-darth-vader-has-joined-the-force/926719/3 "2020-11-29T16:25:17Z")
He was also Christopher Reeve’s personal trainer for the movie _Superman_. ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2020, 5:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/david-prowse-the-presence-of-darth-vader-has-joined-the-force/926719/4 "2020-11-29T17:03:32Z")
He had a role in _A Clockwork Orange_ (at right) and also appeared in _Doctor Who._ He was the go to guy for UK TV shows that needed a monster or hulking presence. > **[A Clockwork Orange (1971)](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0066921/mediaviewer/rm2868812289/?ft0=name&fv0=nm0001190&ft1=image_type&fv1=still_frame)** > > Malcolm McDowell, David Prowse, and Patrick Magee in A Clockwork Orange (1971) ---
**Author:** ![Sherrerd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sherrerd/32/8_2.png) [@Sherrerd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sherrerd)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2020, 11:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/david-prowse-the-presence-of-darth-vader-has-joined-the-force/926719/5 "2020-11-29T23:17:01Z")
As the story goes, the notoriously retake-demanding Kubrick made Prowse carry Malcolm McDowell up and down those stairs many, many times. Prowse was justly rewarded by the universe (presumably) for that patient effort by eventually becoming a sci-fi icon. Condolences to his family, friends, and fans. ---
**Author:** ![Peter\_Morris](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/peter_morris/32/359_2.png) [@Peter\_Morris](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peter_Morris)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2020, 1:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/david-prowse-the-presence-of-darth-vader-has-joined-the-force/926719/6 "2020-11-30T01:51:12Z")
Damn you, 2020. 😪 ---
**Author:** ![DorkVader](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/73ab20/32.png) [@DorkVader](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DorkVader)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2020, 2:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/david-prowse-the-presence-of-darth-vader-has-joined-the-force/926719/7 "2020-11-30T02:24:22Z")
A moment of silence from me 😔 ---
**Author:** ![PastTense](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pasttense/32/14550_2.png) [@PastTense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PastTense)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2020, 7:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/david-prowse-the-presence-of-darth-vader-has-joined-the-force/926719/8 "2020-11-30T19:54:53Z")
Death due to complications from Covid: > **[‘Star Wars’ Actor David Prowse Died From Covid-19, Daughter Says – Report](https://deadline.com/2020/11/david-prowse-darth-vader-covid-coronavirus-cause-of-death-star-wars-1234623134/)** > > Actor David Prowse, who played Darth Vader in the first Star Wars trilogy, died of complications from Covid-19, his daughter has told UK newspapers. Prowse died Saturday at the age of 85, though a …