Actor David Prowse, known for being the physical actor behind Darth Vader in the original Star Wars film trilogy, has passed away. He was 85 years old.

Prowse's passing was confirmed on Twitter by talent agency Bowington Management. "It's with great regret and heart-wrenching sadness for us and million of fans around the world, to announce that our client Dave Prowse MBE has passed away at the age of 85."

Born in Bristol, England on July 1, 1935, Prowse was a bodybuilder who won the British Heavyweight Weightlifting Championship in 1962, 1963 and 1964. He left Bristol in 1963 to venture into the world of acting, with his first film role being an uncredited appearance as Frankenstein's Creation in the 1967 (non-Eon Productions) James Bond film Casino Royale. One of his best-known pre-Star Wars roles came in 1971, when he played the character of Julian in director Stanley Kubrick's film adaptation of A Clockwork Orange. In 1975, Prowse gained notoriety as the Green Cross Code Man, a British superhero designed to teach children road safety. His involvement with the campaign as a whole lasted from 1971 to 1990. In 2000, his contributions earned him the MBE.

Prowse was on the ground floor of George Lucas' now-beloved Star Wars franchise, making his debut as Darth Vader in the original film. While James Earl Jones famously provided the voice for Vader, it was Prowse who wore the Dark Lord's iconic suit in 1977's Star Wars, 1980's The Empire Strikes Back and 1983's Return of the Jedi. Prowse also tried to get the part of Superman in Richard Donner's classic 1978 film starring the DC superhero. While he was ultimately turned down, he was still involved in the film, putting his weightlifting background to use by training actor Christopher Reeve for the role.

Prowse's final on-screen appearance came in the 2017 music video for Jayce Lewis' song "Shields." The actor had previously decided to retire from the public eye at the request of his family, as his health had begun to deteriorate. He was married to Norma E. Scammell, with the couple having three children.

Source: Twitter\@BowtingtonM