There is no Star Wars without R2-D2, and Kenny defined who R2-D2 was and is.
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Mark Hamill is remembering his good friend Kenny Baker by celebrating his long, successful career. Baker’s nephew and carer, Drew Myerscough, said he found Baker dead Saturday at his home in Preston, northwest England.
“The problem was we had to get someone inside it”, “Star Wars” art director Leslie Dilley, who helped design R2-D2, said in 2007.
George Lucas, who created Star Wars, said: “Kenny Baker was a real gentleman as well as an incredible trooper who always worked hard under difficult circumstances”, he said”.
Thanks Kenny. I owe a great part of my childhood to you. “He WAS the droid I was looking for!” – a reference to a famous line from the first film.
The Star Wars community and its fans lit up Twitter with remembrances on Saturday, led by none other than Obi-Wan Kenobi himself, Ewan McGregor, and Boba Fett actor Daniel Logan. “It was lovely working with Kenny”.
Kenny, 81, appeared in every “Star Wars” film – beginning with 1977’s “A New Hope”.
For the third Star Wars movie, 1983’s Return of the Jedi, Baker doubled up, also playing an Ewok named Paploo.
“Star Wars” characters C-3PO, left, and R2-D2 arrive at a gala in Beverly Hills, Calif., in 2008. Baker accused Daniels of being snobbish; Daniels was once quoted by Britain’s Daily Mirror as saying Baker “might as well be a bucket”.
Baker also appeared in the 1980 sci-fi film “Flash Gordon” and the 1981 fantasy film “Time Bandits”, and more dramatic film, including “Amadeus” and “The Elephant Man”.
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Baker grew up in Birmingham, and was told as a child that he would probably not live past puberty.He met his wife Eileen following an appearance on the Michael Parkinson TV chat show, after she wrote in to say she was a little person and wanted to meet him.
