What's the dirt on David Prowse?

I've heard that he's rumored to be a huge horse's ass, but what are the nitty gritty details?

(BTW, when A&E did the special on the original trilogy, they showed a clip of the opening scene with Vader, where Prowse's voice was heard. That was so freaking bad. Force bless James Earl Jones!)

 

Prowse has turned to the "Dark Side"

 

Prowse was recently interviewed in Dreamwatch magazine. Here are some excerpts:

*He says ANH was a "terrific" experience. ESB was "even better."

* He was ostricised by Lucas and Co after a newspaper made it seem like he gave away important plot material on RotJ.

*He initially thought he was going to do the Vader voice overs and was dissapointed that JEJ got that job. "Nobody has ever apologised or said anything to me about it."

*He feels in terms of voice overs he could have done an equal or better job, because that's part of an actors job, and "with the right coaching and the things they can do in a studio (synthesizers, etc.)" he "could have done it just as well."

*In his opinion George is a fantastic storyteller and filmmaker, but not one of the greatest directors. As we know, GL's directing pretty much consists of saying "Faster, more intense."

*The false dialogue in ESB that would be replaced by "No Luke, I am your father" didn't bother him.

*He was extremely angry that Sebastian Shaw would play Anakin at the end of RotJ. ("It was one of the worst things...in my entire film career.")

*"I think Jar-Jar Binks is the worst thing ever in film history."

*Despite all that had happened, he would have loved to reprise his role as Darth Vader in Episode III. He was even in Australia at the time of the filming and could have easily done it. (My own personal feelings on this: Prowse had The Suit for 3 movies. Give Hayden a chance.)

*Nobody asked him if he wanted to be interviewed for the DVDs. He would have liked to, and was disappointed that he wasn't asked.

 

Prowse walks with a cane. That would not make a scary Vader in Episode III.

 

Prowse walks with a cane

Man I can just imagine instead of a lightsaber fight you have a fight with walking sticks between Vader and Yoda.

 

While we are on the subject of Prowse, my Dvd's are signed by him, as he was in the Virgin Megastore in Bristol for the release, my dad lives in Bath, so he went in and got them for me. I was at work that day (I live in Poole) but I wish I had booked that day off. I'm going to keep them in good condition, and I dont plan on selling them on Ebay (I noticed someone selling signed ones the other day, they even provided pictures). Anyway, from what I've heard he's a nice bloke, when I used to live in Somerset, I had the same accent LOL (he's from those parts as well).

He used to be a bodybuilder back in the day, but he's getting on now, would have been nice for him to make a cameo or something (like Anthony Daniels in AOTC).

 

He was extremely angry that Sebastian Shaw would play Anakin at the end of RotJ. ("It was one of the worst things...in my entire film career.")

How ironic that Lucas just screwed Shaw over with Hayden...

 

LOL There's still hope for Dave yet then.

 

I would speculate that the main reason they didn't do an interview or commentary with Dave Prowse is that in the minds of GL and his syncophants, Hayden Christensen is now Darth Vader. JEJ may do the voice, but when all is said and done, Hayden is now the face of Vader. Reminding us all that there was once a powerful and skilled actor that once played him will only highlight how woefully inadequate Hayden is as Anakin/Vader so far...

Now don't get me wrong, I think that Hayden Christensen is a very good actor; just watch "Life as a House" if you don't believe me. But as the baddest villian of all time, he just hasn't made the cut so far. Hopefully ROTS will change our minds.

 

Or perhaps because Dave Prowse has so far added nothing to the saga that any other well-built actor could've done.

 

Yes, to Obi Frans you listen.

 

I don't think that is fair... it takes a pretty good actor to play a part like Vader using mostly body language alone; no facial expressions. Some of Vader's most memorable moments are pure acting.

 

Well Prowse wasn´t responsible for all of Vaders body-language, since he didn´t participate in any of the lightsaber-duels. The sword-fighting was done by legendary stunt-man Bob Anderson. So basically the only thing Prowse ever did was to walk around dressed as Vader in most of the character´s scenes, getting angry that he was replaced with better actors for the voice and face of Vader. The idea that he would have played Vader in the end of ROTS is ridicolous; would anyone bother with getting Prowse to the studio for that? No, and I´m glad they gave Hayden the chance to not just play Anakin, but also Vader. I think he deserved that.

 

It's tempting to compare David Prowse's performance to that of the other major actors-in-suits, Peter Mayhew and Anthony Daniels, and wonder why David Prowse wasn't asked back.

Anthony Daniels: created C-3PO's personality. Although different than what Lucas had planned, Lucas decided it worked and recognized that in C-3PO's case the timing of the movement and voice went together inseparably. Daniels is back in the PT because he has the voice. The suit limits movement so much that anybody who can wear it looks like Threepio, but since Daniels is doing the voice and wore the suit before, obviously they should stick with what works and let him do it all again.

Peter Mayhew: no voice performance, but Chewie's eyes are his own. His body language and walk are all quite distinctive. Chewie is an emotional character so there's quite a range of expression in Mayhew's performance that has defined what Chewie looks like. It would be very hard to put someone else in the suit and have it be Chewie.

David Prowse: the suit limits movement less than Daniels' but more than Mayhew's. But, because Vader is a cold and controlled personality (even when he's angry he's not waving his arms like Chewie), Prowse just doesn't express a wide range of body language in the OT. In the sense of what the actor is supposed to do, the role of Vader is the more physically restrictive than C-3PO. The main thing an actor wearing the Vader suit has to do is not look too "casual" because Vader is always serious and imposing. He stands very still and moves very directly. Because Prowse didn't perform the swordfighting or stunts and Lucas didn't use his voice, what we think of as Vader's body language has always been a composite performance. In ROTJ we do see more emotion indicated physically, but it's unique to the situation at the end of the story. Vader in ROTS should be based upon what Anakin has just gone through, so it makes the most sense for Hayden Christensen to play him. The most Hayden has to do in the suit is look believably like he's going to become the Vader we see in ANH. Bottom line: Prowse's services are not required in ROTS. "Deserve's got nothing to do with it," as Clint Eastwood's Unforgiven character said.

 

One of my college tutors knows David Prowse and draws some sort of art things for him.

 

David Prowse: TYhe "big guy in a suit" Vader.

Sebastian Shaw: The "make us cry" Vader.

Bob Anderson: Deadliest Sith Lord this side of the Rishii Maze.

 

Prowse walks with a cane.

So does the Emperor.

I met Prowse at C2, and talked with him for a while in the Hard Rock. He's a really nice guy.

 

Reminding us all that there was once a powerful and skilled actor that once played him will only highlight how woefully inadequate Hayden is as Anakin/Vader so far...


A powerful and skilled actor? You're not referring to PROWSE are you????

 

A powerful and skilled actor? You're not referring to PROWSE are you????

You're not defending Hayden are you?

Prowes was an actor for fun. His real career was bodybuilding and gym operation.

Hayden is going to go the way of Billy Williams.

EDIT: Ha, I just realized that since Billy is short for William, his name could be William Williams. Ha.

 

Prowse combined with James Earl is Vader. End of discussion. Those of you who want to downplay Prowse's legendary physical portrayal as Darth Vader as something "anyone" could do should be considered a dubious fan IMO. Something as slight as putting another tall man in that suit could have altered the history of STARWARS for the worse. Prowses consistant trademark gestures and walk made Vader arguably the greatest villain of all time.

But, we all see where this is going.

 

"End of Discussion", really? Somebodys got quite an ego there to pronounced THEIR judgement as the "end of the discussion"...especially on a DISCUSSION board.

And anyone who disagrees about Prowse's value as an actor doesn't meet the standards for Star Wars fandom?

Wow. Even for these boards that's pretty pretentious and arrogant.

But hey, it's true!!! No where else on planet Earth could Lucas have found another actor who could walk and gesture like Prowse. I know there's hundreds of thousands of tall actors all over the world with far more training and credentials and acting experience than Prowse, but only HE could have walked and gestured like THAT. And have you seen his stellar performance in Stanley Kubrick's A CLOCKWORK ORANGE?
Why Prowse MADE that film work! He carried a couple of other members of the cast up and down a flight of stairs! It was magnificent! I was moved beyond words! NO OTHER actor in the WORLD could have done it. He's the Laurence Olivier of tall, well-built actors. He walks! He gestures! He can lift other cast members! And he has a thick Scottish brogue that made him PERFECT for Gibsons' BRAVEHEART set in SCOTLAND. Oops...wait a minute, Gibson didn't hire him for that did he? Guess there wasn't a really great walking/gesturing part in it for the Scottish Prowse.

Having met Mr. Prowse at a convention once, and having interviewed him for a radio program, I can say that he seemed to be a perfectly nice guy, who seemed genuinely appreciative of the attention Star Wars had brought him. However, the dearth of speaking roles in major features on his resume following Star Wars would seem to indicate that it is only a small minority who appreciates the finer dramatic talents of Mr. Prowse. Major directors did not exactly flock to this guy after Star Wars saying, hey, get me that big muscle-bound guy with the killer walk and the amazing hand gestures whose VOICE Lucas didn't use! Dustin Hoffman? DeNiro? NO. Prowse! He Da Man.

 

In short, Prowse has both screwed and been screwed over by the big guys.

 

""End of Discussion", really? Somebodys got quite an ego there to pronounced THEIR judgement as the "end of the discussion"...especially on a DISCUSSION board."

The term "end of discussion" usually follows an indisputable fact. That David prowes and EarlJames come together to create Darth Vader is one of those facts. End, of, dis, scush, un.

"And anyone who disagrees about Prowse's value as an actor doesn't meet the standards for Star Wars fandom?"

Ofcourse not. His value as an actor was NEVER questioned before. Why is it a factor now in regards to films that have already been made famous with his help? Find me anything from the OT era that takes a shot at the actor who is portraying Darth Vader. I bet for many it didnt even cross their minds. Even bitter critics never even thought to comment on Prowses gestures or physical attributtes as Vader. Why? because he basically created what Vader is through his performance. Prowses performance is the reason for what you know Vader to be in all his visual glory. So naturally that it was NOT to be questioned. Until now. Someone raise their hand and answer why its a problem twenty years later. Its simple. We now have three new movies and there is a strange devide between the first trilogy and the current one. Creating three types of "fans". That is the reason for threads like these. Im sure the creator of the post Guinastasia knew very well that Prowse would be stoned here. The threads opening line is "I've heard that he's rumored to be a huge horse's ass..". The man is expressing displeasure with Lucas. You cant do that and walk away without a scratch. Not here.

What kind of moron would I be to love STARWARS and recognize Darth Vader as the greatest villian ever, then 20 years later start ragging on the actors performance of him. Thats stupid. Im a STARWARS fan and something that silly wouldnt even cross my mind. If prowse is a "horse's ass" thank the maker it didnt effect him as Vader.

 

I know what you're saying & its great that Dave Prowse did Vader as he did....we all love Vader, but Dave hasn't brought anything unique to him (like JEJ).

Vader is Vader, wether Prowse is in the suit or not - when the fights start, we don't go "hey someone else is in that suit!" because we don't even notice it. But if his voice had suddenly changed it would break the whole character.

For example - when we watch the Throne Room sequence in RotJ, there is NOTHING that tells us there's a different man in that suit.

See my point?

So once again, tell me what Dave Prowse brought to Vader that would make him (dave) stand out above any other wellbuilt person.

And i don't know him nor have i ever met him - but signing autographs with the text "David Prowse is the only Darth Vader" or boycotting Episode III because he can't be in the suit is pathetic.

 

"So once again, tell me what Dave Prowse brought to Vader that would make him (dave) stand out above any other wellbuilt person.'

He already "stood out" above "any other wellbuilt person". He got the part. The hypothetical question your asking is for Lucas to answer. He knew what he wanted in Vader and he felt Prowse was the one to provide that. It wasnt a matter of just putting ANYBODY in the suit. If that was the case, Lucas wouldnt have taken months to cast people. I might could understand a question of someone else being in the suit if something was wrong with the current performance. But it was obviously brilliant and that were gathered here is proof of that. With all due respect, this is down right silly. I bet if FrankOz was dumped after the CGI Yoda was built, people would be here talking about how badly Yoda moved around in the OT. We all know what this is here.