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Star Wars Actor Kenny Baker Dies at Age 81 (theguardian.com)
An anonymous Slashdot reader quotes The Guardian:
The British actor who played R2-D2 in the Star Wars films has died at the age of 81 after a long illness. Kenny Baker, who was 3-feet 8-inches tall, shot to fame in 1977 when he first played the robot character.
He went on to play the character in The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi, as well as the three Star Wars prequels from 1999 to 2005. He also appeared in a number of other much loved films in the 1980s, including The Elephant Man, Time Bandits and Flash Gordon.
Baker's niece told the newspaper that "He brought lots of happiness to people and we'll be celebrating the fact that he was well loved throughout the world..."
He went on to play the character in The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi, as well as the three Star Wars prequels from 1999 to 2005. He also appeared in a number of other much loved films in the 1980s, including The Elephant Man, Time Bandits and Flash Gordon.
Baker's niece told the newspaper that "He brought lots of happiness to people and we'll be celebrating the fact that he was well loved throughout the world..."
That really stinks. Baker was a nice man and very open to his fans. He was also in Time Bandits- another beloved movie.
At the very least- you could say he was a man who didn't make the world a worse place, Though I suspect he did far better than that.
RIP Kenny.
Another consultant who stuck it out.
"We are the Priests, of the Temples of Syrinx..."