Bob Anderson, Darth Vader’s swordsman, dies at 89

Bob Anderson, the man who played Darth Vader in his lightsaber duels in The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi, passed away yesterday. Though voiced by James Earl Jones and played by David Prowse for most of the original trilogy, Bob Anderson is the man in the suit whenever Darth Vader was engaged in those iconic lightsaber battles.

Beyond Star Wars, Bob Anderson worked on many films doing either stunts or working as a fencing coach. His credits include Highlander, The Princess Bride, The Mask of Zorro, The Lord of the Rings films and The Pirates of the Caribbean. He has also represented Great Britain in fencing at the Olympic Games.

Source: Entertainment Weekly.