Welcome to the new 8mm Forum!
The forum you are looking at is entirely new software. Because there was no good way to import all of the old archived data from the last 20 years on the old software, everyone will need to register for a new account to participate.
To access the original forums from 2003-2019 which are now a "read only" status, click on the "FORUM ARCHIVE" link above.
Please remember registering with your first and last REAL name is mandatory. This forum is for professionals and fake names are not permitted. To get to the registration page click here.
Once the registration has been approved, you will be able to login via the link in the upper right corner of this page.
Also, please remember while it is highly encouraged to upload an avatar image to your profile, is not a requirement. If you choose to upload an avatar image, please remember that it IS a requirement that the image must be a clear photo of your face.
Thank you!
Fellow Bristolian, Dave Prowse has died, aged 85, He was a body builder, but will be remembered as Darth Vader, he appeared in Hammer films as Frankenstein's Monster, and on British Television as The Green Cross Code Man.
I had the pleasure of meeting him on two occasions. The first was at the Blackpool convention in the Derann days when they went through a patch of hiring a film celebrity to attend (Kenny Baker and Shane Rimmer were two others I remember. I think they once tried for Ingrid Pitt but were unsuccessful).
The second was at a British Wrestlers Reunion at the pub and gardens of, the now late, Wayne Bridges around 10 years ago. I had an invite through a friend and lots of the surviving British wrestlers attended (Johnny Saint, Mick McManus etc). David was there, too, and I had the pleasure of having my photograph taken with him.
Yes. I was at Blackpool that day.
I can recommend Dave's autobiography. https://www.amazon.co.uk/Straight-Fo...ag=googhydr-21
He does into detail about his Star Wars days. He learnt all his lines as Darth Vader but was worried that his voice wouldn't record properly as he was wearing the mask. After each take he was assured it was OK. When the UK premiere was announced he was upset not to receive an invitation (and tickets). So he took his family and paid at the Box Office. They all awaited his appearance, Dave was horrified that it was not his own voice that emerged.
Sad to hear the news this morning. Fond memories enjoying a meal with Dave at Blackpool that year and buying him a drink. As one of the Hammer film stars said a year or two ago, not many of the legends left.
I don't know all his films, but he also played the "executioner" with that big sword, in "The People That Time Forgot"! He also did a good number of appearances on the Benny Hill show. Rest in peace!
Last edited by Osi Osgood; November 29, 2020, 03:27 PM.
None of the obituaries mentioned - perhaps because of references to his west country accent - that he lived in Croydon (South London), within a mile of me. The first time I saw him was around the late seventies, when he was a guest at a summer fate at a local school where had at least one child. He was signing items at a table and practically everyone was interested in his 'Star Wars' connection, but as a Hammer fan, I invited him to sign an item from 'Frankenstein and the Monster from Hell'. He certainly made a lot of appearances at events, including two or three Festivals of Fantastic Films in Manchester.
As a tribute, I'll screen my 'Vampire Circus' feature in my next show.
Along with living in Croydon, Dave Prowse used to have and run a gym on Marshalsea Road, London SE1.
When I was working as an investigator in the area during the mid '90s I would often see him having a pint or two in the Lord Clyde pub nearby after work.
Even then and in his early 60's he was still in 'good nick' and was a towering man!
Tweet
Comment