- "I never took up the sword; I think the sword took me up."
- ―Bob Anderson
Robert James Gilbert Anderson, known as Bob Anderson (September 15, 1922 – January 1, 2012), was the swordmaster who played Darth Vader in his various fight scenes in The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi. He replaced David Prowse due to the actor's tendency to break lightsabers. Because of the height differences—Anderson was 6'1" (1.85m), while Prowse was 6'7" (2.02m)—Anderson's scenes were filmed from a lower angle to make him seem taller, or he stood on some small stilts or wore platform shoes. Anderson later did swordfighting choreography and training for films such as The Lord of the Rings trilogy (with Christopher Lee), the Zorro movies with Antonio Banderas and the James Bond film Die Another Day (with stunt performer Jim Dowdall).
Anderson also played Rebel Officer Trey Callum during the Battle of Hoth in The Empire Strikes Back.[3][4][5]
Anderson died on New Year's Day in 2012. He was 89 years old.
Filmography[]
| Year | Title | Contribution(s) |
|---|---|---|
| 1980 | The Empire Strikes Back | Trey Callum, swordmaster who stood in for David Prowse as Darth Vader |
| 1983 | Return of the Jedi | swordmaster who stood in for David Prowse as Darth Vader |
Sources[]
- Star Wars: Episode V The Empire Strikes Back (stunt double)
"The New Wonder Column" – Star Wars Insider 26- Star Wars: The Complete Vader
- "Launch Pad" – Star Wars Insider 132
- Star Wars in 100 Scenes
- Star Wars: The Lightsaber Collection
- Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga: The Official Collector's Edition
Notes and references[]
- ↑ Heller, Corinne: 'Darth Vader' sword master Bob Anderson dies at 89 (2012-04-01). OnTheRedCarpet. Archived from the original on June 21, 2012.
- ↑
"Launch Pad" – Star Wars Insider 132
- ↑ Oldbury, Dave Louis: My Bob Anderson Starwars Autograph (2011-06-21). Star Wars Autograph Collecting. let-the-wookie-win.com. (backup link not available)
- ↑ Oldbury, Dave Louis: My Bob Anderson Starwars Autograph (2011-08-27). Star Wars Autograph Collecting. let-the-wookie-win.com. (backup link not available)
- ↑ Oldbury, Dave Louis: My Bob Anderson Starwars Autograph (2011-08-27). Star Wars Autograph Collecting. let-the-wookie-win.com. (backup link not available)
External links[]
- Bob Anderson on Wikipedia
- Bob Anderson at the Internet Movie Database
- Secret Swordmaster on Hyperspace (content removed from StarWars.com; backup link)
