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Kenny Baker (English actor)

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Kenny Baker
Baker at Star Wars Celebration VI in 2012
Born
Kenneth George Baker

(1934-08-24)24 August 1934
Birmingham, Warwickshire, England
Died13 August 2016(2016-08-13) (aged 81)
Preston, Lancashire, England
Resting placeLytham Park Cemetery & Crematorium, Lancashire, England
Occupation(s)Actor, comedian, musician
Years active1960–2015
Known forR2-D2 in Star Wars
Height1.12 m (3 ft 8 in)
Spouse
Eileen Baker
​
​
(m. 1970; died 1993)​
Children2

Kenneth George Baker (24 August 1934 – 13 August 2016) was an English actor, comedian and musician. He portrayed the character R2-D2 in the Star Wars franchise and also appeared in The Elephant Man, Time Bandits, Willow, Flash Gordon, Amadeus and Labyrinth.

Early life

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Baker was born and educated in Birmingham, Warwickshire, and at a boarding school in Kent.[1] He was the son of Ethel (1906–1990), a pianist and dress maker, and Harold Baker (1908–1949), an artist, musician and draughtsman.[2][1] He went to live with his father, stepmother, and half-sister in Hastings, Sussex.

Due to his dwarfism, Baker stood 1.12 m (3 ft 8 in) as an adult.[3] Both his parents were of average height.

Career

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Beginnings

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In 1951, Baker was approached on the street by a woman who invited him to join John Lester's theatrical troupe of little people. This was his first taste of show business. Later, he joined a circus for a brief time, learned to ice skate and appeared in many ice shows. He formed a successful comedy act called The Mini Tones with entertainer Jack Purvis and played in nightclubs.[4][5]

Star Wars

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While working with Purvis and the Minitones, Baker was selected by George Lucas to operate the robot ("droid") R2-D2 in the fantasy feature film Star Wars, released in 1977.[6] Baker recalled that he initially turned down the role,[4] concerned about breaking up the Minitones partnership when the duo had reached the final on the British television talent show Opportunity Knocks.[7]

Baker appears as R2-D2 in six of the episodic theatrical Star Wars films, and played an additional role in 1983's Return of the Jedi as Paploo, the ewok who steals an Imperial speeder bike.[1] He was originally due to play the ewok named Wicket, but he fell ill and that role was handed over to Warwick Davis.

As technology grew and the need to have Baker in the suit decreased over time, he was used sporadically in the prequel trilogy. In Star Wars: Episode II – Attack of the Clones, he was used in just one scene.[8]

Baker continued his Star Wars association with the R2-D2 character in Star Wars: The Force Awakens, which was released on 18 December 2015 in North America. He was going to be a member of the cast, but he served as consultant for the character instead.[9][1] In November 2015, it was confirmed that Jimmy Vee was cast as R2-D2 in Star Wars: The Last Jedi, replacing Baker.[10][11]

Other work

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Baker's other films include The Elephant Man, Time Bandits (also with Jack Purvis), Willow (also with Purvis and Warwick Davis), Flash Gordon, Amadeus and Jim Henson's Labyrinth.[1]

On television, he appeared in the British medical drama Casualty. He also had a part in the BBC production of The Chronicles of Narnia. In the late 1990s, Baker launched a brief comedy career. He played Casanova in the 1993 movie UFO.

In November 2009, his biography, From Tiny Acorns: The Kenny Baker Story, was written with Ken Mills and published by Writestuff Autographs.[12]

Personal life

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Baker resided in Preston, Lancashire.[5] He was married to actress Eileen Baker (who co-starred with him in the 1977 film Wombling Free) from 1970 until she died in 1993.[4] Although Eileen also had dwarfism, their two children did not inherit their parents' dwarfism.[13]

Baker was invited to attend the premiere of Star Wars: The Force Awakens in Los Angeles in December 2015, but was too ill to travel to the US.[14] He had been living with a lung condition for years.[4] Instead, Baker attended the film's premiere in London.[15][16]

Death

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Baker died on 13 August 2016.[4][1] His funeral was held at the Park Cemetery and Crematorium in Lytham St Annes on 24 August 2016.[17] His two sons, Christopher and Kevin survived him.[1]

Filmography

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Film

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Year Title Role Notes Ref.
1960 Circus of Horrors Dwarf Uncredited
1977 Star Wars: Episode IV – A New Hope R2-D2 [1][14]
Wombling Free Bungo
1980 Star Wars: Episode V – The Empire Strikes Back R2-D2 [1][14]
Flash Gordon Dwarf [14][18]
The Elephant Man Plumed Dwarf [1][14]
1981 Time Bandits Fidgit [1][14]
1983 Star Wars: Episode VI – Return of the Jedi R2-D2, Paploo [1][14]
1984 Amadeus Parody Commendatore [1][18]
1986 Mona Lisa Brighton Busker [1]
Labyrinth Goblin Corps [1][18]
1987 Star Tours R2-D2 Short film, uncredited
Sleeping Beauty Elf [18]
1988 Willow Nelwyn Band Member Uncredited [1]
1993 U.F.O. Giacomo Casanova
1999 The King and I Captain Orton Voice, credited as Ken Baker
Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace R2-D2 [1][14]
2002 24 Hour Party People Zookeeper Uncredited
Star Wars: Episode II – Attack of the Clones R2-D2 [1][14]
The Cage Merlin Short film
2005 Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith R2-D2 [1][14]
2013 One Night at the Aristo The Bartender Voice, short film
2015 Star Wars: The Force Awakens R2-D2 Consultant and final film role [1]

Television

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Year Title Role Notes Ref.
1962 Man of the World The Croat Episode: "Specialist for the Kill", credited as Ken Baker [16]
1975 Dave Allen at Large Salesman Season 4, Episode 36
1980 The Muppet Show R2-D2 Episode: "The Stars of Star Wars"
1981 The Goodies Dwarf Episode: "Snow White 2"
1982 The Hunchback of Notre Dame Pick Pocket TV film
1984 The Adventure Game HRH The Rangdo of Arg Two episodes
1985 Der Rosenkavalier Baron Och's Retinue TV film
1989 Prince Caspian and the Voyage of the Dawn Treader Dufflepud TV special
1990 Ben Elton: The Man from Auntie Invisible Demon Episode 5
1991 The Paradise Club Himself Episode: "Family Favours"
1992 Casualty Archie Episode: "Act of Faith"
1999 Boobs in the Wood Bruce the Convict Direct-to-video
2003 Swiss Toni Guyler Episode: "Cars Don't Make You Fat"
2007 Casualty Charles Isaac Episode: "The Miracle on Harry's Last Shift"

References

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  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t Ryan Gilbey (14 August 2016). "Kenny Baker obituary". theguardian.com. The Guardian. Retrieved 19 December 2024.
  2. ^ Henry, David (13 August 2016). "Kenny Baker, R2-D2 Actor in 'Star Wars' Films, Dies at 81". Bloomberg.com. Bloomberg L.P. Archived from the original on 1 December 2017. Retrieved 8 March 2017.
  3. ^ "The Man Inside R2D2 Lights Up an Opera". The Philadelphia Inquirer. 5 April 1985. Archived from the original on 9 April 2022. Retrieved 21 September 2016.
  4. ^ a b c d e Sanchez, Ray (14 August 2016). "Kenny Baker, 'Star Wars' R2-D2 actor, dies". CNN. Archived from the original on 21 September 2016. Retrieved 21 September 2016.
  5. ^ a b "Kenny Baker, Star Wars R2-D2 actor, dies aged 81". BBC News. 13 August 2016. Retrieved 19 December 2024.
  6. ^ Arnold, Alan (1980), Once Upon A Galaxy: A Journal of The Making of The Empire Strikes Back, New York: Del Rey-Ballantine Books, pp. 124–127
  7. ^ Christian, Roger (2016). Cinema Alchemist. Titan Books. ISBN 9781785650857. Retrieved 27 March 2019.
  8. ^ Bouzereau, Laurent; Duncan, Judy (1999). The Making of Star Wars, Episode I – The Phantom Menace. LucasBooks.
  9. ^ "Star Wars: Episode VII Cast Announced". StarWars.com. 29 April 2014. Archived from the original on 29 April 2014. Retrieved 29 April 2014.
  10. ^ Cameron K. McEwan (16 November 2015). "Doctor Who actor Jimmy Vee is the new R2-D2 in Star Wars Episode 8". Metro.co.uk. Archived from the original on 1 June 2016. Retrieved 22 December 2015.
  11. ^ "Little actor Jimmy Vee is Artoo-Detoo in Star Wars: Episode VIII?". makingstarwars.net. 16 September 2015. Archived from the original on 22 December 2015. Retrieved 22 December 2015.
  12. ^ "Kenny Baker – 'R2D2' in Star Wars – Signed Biography – 'From Tiny Acorns – The Kenny Baker Story' Autograph". writestuffautographs.com. Archived from the original on 1 December 2017. Retrieved 21 September 2016.
  13. ^ "Ciaran Brown meets actor Kenny Baker". ciaranbrown.com. Archived from the original on 5 March 2017. Retrieved 9 June 2016.
  14. ^ a b c d e f g h i j "Kenny Baker, actor behind R2-D2, dies". The Guardian. 13 August 2016. Archived from the original on 22 April 2019. Retrieved 13 August 2016.
  15. ^ Rottenberg, Josh (13 August 2016). "Kenny Baker, 'Star Wars' actor who brought R2-D2 to life, dies at 81". Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on 14 August 2016. Retrieved 14 August 2016.
  16. ^ a b "Kenny Baker - a life in pictures". the guardian.com. The Guardian. 13 August 2016. Retrieved 19 December 2024.
  17. ^ "Stars attend Star Wars actor Kenny Baker's funeral". Lancashire Evening Post. Archived from the original on 15 June 2023. Retrieved 15 June 2023.
  18. ^ a b c d "Kenny Baker Movies and Shows". tv.apple.com. Apple TV. Retrieved 21 December 2024.
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