David Prowse trivia | 46 facts about the actor who played Darth Vader

David Prowse was the actor who wore the cape of Darth Vader in the first Star Wars film in 1977. He was selected for the role by George Lucas.

So let’s dive into some trivia and facts.

1. His full name is David Charles Prowse
2. He was born on July 1, 1935
3. He died on November 28, 2020
4. He was an English bodybuilder, weightlifter and character actor in British film and television
5. Worldwide, he was best known for physically portraying Darth Vader in the original Star Wars trilogy
6. Though, the character’s voice being performed by James Earl Jones
7. In 2015, he starred in a documentary concerning that role, entitled I Am Your Father
8. Prior to his role as Vader, Prowse had established himself as a prominent figure in the UK as the first Green Cross Code man
9. A character used in road safety public information aimed at children
10. Prowse was brought up on the Southmead housing estate in Bristol
11. Gaining a scholarship to Bristol Grammar School
12. Prowse was tall, standing 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m)
13. He developed an interest in bodybuilding
14. His early jobs included a bouncer at a dance hall
15. There he met his future wife, and a helper at Henleaze Swimming Pool
16. Following his successes from 1961 in the British heavyweight weightlifting championship, he left Bristol in 1963 to work for a London weightlifting company
17. Prowse won the British heavyweight weightlifting championship in 1962 and the following two years
18. He represented England in the weightlifting event at the 1962 British Empire and Commonwealth Games in Perth, Western Australia
19. Prowse helped to train Christopher Reeve for the lead role in Superman (1978) after lobbying for the part himself
20. He trained Cary Elwes for his role as Westley in The Princess Bride (1987)
21. Prowse also became fitness consultant to Harrods, ripped up phone books under the stage name ‘Jack the Ripper’
22. He opened a series of gyms, including The Dave Prowse Fitness Centre in Southwark, London
23. Prowse was married from 1963 to Norma Scammell
24. He was the father of three children
25. He was a prominent supporter of Bristol Rugby Club
26. Prowse lived in Addiscombe, Croydon, in south London from 1963
27. Prowse publicly declared his support for the United Kingdom Independence Party in the 2009 European Parliament election
28. Prowse suffered from arthritis for much of his life
29. This led to replacements of both hips and his ankle being fused, as well as several revisionary surgeries on his hip replacements
30. Prowse’s arthritic symptoms first appeared at age 13, but seemingly disappeared when he took up competitive weightlifting
31. However, they reappeared in 1990
32. In 2001, Prowse’s left arm became paralysed, followed by his right
33. He was diagnosed with septic arthritis caused by an infection which nearly killed him
34. The amount of surgery he had was stated to have reduced his height from the 6 feet 6 inches (198 cm) of his younger days
35. Prowse worked with multiple arthritis organisations in Britain and was vice-president of the Physically Handicapped and Able-bodied Association
36. In March 2009, Prowse revealed that he was suffering from prostate cancer
37. From early 2009, he underwent radiation therapy at the Royal Marsden Hospital in South London
38. He discovered that he had the cancer following his participation in a charity event in aid of a prostate cancer charity, where a representative of the charity asked whether, as a man over 50, he had had a PSA test
39. The conversation stayed in his mind, and on a future visit to a general practitioner, he requested the blood test that eventually led to diagnosis
40. In 2009, he was said to be in remission
41. In November 2014, the Daily Mirror reported that Prowse had dementia
42. However, Prowse himself denied this, admitting instead he had problems with his memory, which he put down to age
43. In October 2016, Prowse announced his retirement from all public appearances and events, later attributing the decision to ill health and the wishes of his family
44. A final onscreen appearance was later announced and filmed with the Welsh musician and his long-time friend Jayce Lewis in a sci-fi music video titled Shields
45. Prowse died at a hospital in London, England, on 28 November 2020, aged 85, after a short illness
46. Prowse was appointed Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) for services to charity and to road safety in the 2000 New Year Honours