Prowse, originally from Bristol, UK, was cast in this role for his imposing stature, but the voice of the character belonged to James Earl Jones.
However, the athlete turned actor was the proudest of the interpretation of the Green Cross Code Man character. The role, which promoted road safety in the UK, brought him an MBE.
“May the force always be with him!” Said his agent, Thomas Bowington.
He added: “Although he is famous for playing many monsters, for me and for all those who knew Dave and worked with him, he was a hero in our lives.”
The actor died after a short illness.
Prowse’s career spanned 50 years, but his role as Sith Lord in Star Wars brought him international fame.
Unfortunately, his West Country accent was not suitable for this role, so his voice was doubled.
However, Prowse was present in all three films of the trilogy, due to his height of 1.98 m and his ability to lift weights, he representing England at the Commonwealth Games in the 60s.
During that time, Prowse became friends with Arnold Schwarzenegger and Lou Ferrigno (known for his role in the TV series Incredible Hulk), long before they became movie stars.
Before becoming an actor, Prowse enjoyed success in Hollywood by physically preparing Christopher Reeve for the role of Superman.
Prowse made his acting debut as a Frankenstein creature in the 1967 parody film Casino Royale, based on Ian Fleming’s first James Bond book. He later played the role twice, Horror Of Frankenstein in the 1970s, and Frankenstein and the Monster From Hell in 1974.
The actor has also starred in films such as The Saint, Space 1999, and Doctor Who.
Prowse has been a regular contributor to the Star Wars fan circuit and conventions around the world for nearly 40 years.
