David Prowse, the actor who played Darth Vader, has died

The former champion weightlifter and bodybuilder was 85.

David Prowse, best known for playing the physical form of Darth Vader in the three original 'Star Wars' movies, has passed away at the age of 85.

Originally known in the UK for his appearance in a road safety campaign as the Green Cross Code, Prowse had a number of small roles in movies and television before taking the role of Darth Vader in 1977's 'Star Wars'.

Prowse was in Stanley Kubrick's 'A Clockwork Orange', Hammer horrors such as 'Vampire Circus', 'The Horror of Frankenstein', and 'Frankenstein and the Monster from Hell', where he was cast alongside his 'Star Wars' co-star, Peter Cushing. Prowse also had roles in 'Doctor Who', 'Space: 1999', and 'The Tomorrow People' before landing the role which he's become most associated with.

The story goes that Prowse's original voice was originally going to be used by George Lucas, until the English crewmembers informed him that Prowse's accent wasn't nearly as threatening as he thought. Indeed, most of the crew referred to Prowse as 'Darth Farmer', eventually leading to James Earl Jones being drafted into dub over the lines.

Over the years, Prowse had a number of issues with Lucasfilm, eventually leading him to be barred from all official 'Star Wars' conventions in 2010, owing to a dispute between Prowse and George Lucas that had long simmered for decades.

Prowse is survived by his wife and three children.