Actor Kenny Baker gestures as he arrives for the United Kingdom premiere of the Star Wars Episode III in London’s Leicester Square in 2005.
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Kenny Baker, who played the “Star Wars” droid R2-D2 – one of the most beloved characters in the space-opera franchise – died August 13 in Preston, England.
Kenny appeared in six “Star Wars” movies and, along with portraying R2-D2, he also played Paploo, the Ewok who steals a speeder bike in 1983’s “Return of the Jedi“.
He was considered lucky to have survived childhood, his niece, Abigail Shield, told the London newspaper The Guardian. “Being a little person in those times, they didn’t have a very good life expectancy”, she said. “We’re all very proud of what he achieved in his lifetime”, she said.
While he was most recognized for his success in the Star Wars movies, Baker also had appearances in a number of memorable films from the ’80s and ’90s, including Flash Gordon, Time Bandits, The Elephant Man, and Goodies.
In 2009 he published a biography, co-written with Ken Mills, titled From Tiny Acorns: The Kenny Baker Story.
Baker really got his start as an actor in the 1960s, when he and Jack Purvis were part of a club act called the Mini-Tones. Had he known what a success Star Wars would become, Baker said he would have worked for less in the beginning, when franchise creator George Lucas “didn’t have a penny”.
He had been cared for by nephew Drew Myerscough, who found him on Saturday morning, after suffering from serious illness during the last few years.
Baker shot to fame in 1977 with his resourceful droid character in “Star Wars”. His former wife, the actress Eileen Baker, died in 1993.
20th Century Fox posted a photo of C3PO and R2-D2 on social media with the message: “Rest in peace, Kenny Baker, the heart and soul of R2D2”. Former co-star Ewan McGregor tweeted, “It was lovely working with Kenny”.
Director Kyle Newman added: “RIP KENNY BAKER – a small man, but no small gentleman”.
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Mr Mans said he was with Baker just over a year ago at a charity event at Buckingham Palace where they met the Queen and Duke of Edinburgh.
