Darth Vader actor David Prowse dies aged 85

David Prowse, the 6-foot 7 weightlifter and bodybuilder who provided his considerable stature to inhabit the role of Darth Vader in the original Star Wars trilogy has sadly passed away at the age of 85, it is reported.

"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 M.B.E. has passed away at the age of 85" his management wrote on Twitter as they broke the news.

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Prowse played Darth Vader, while the voice of the character was added by James Earl Jones.

David Prowse also portrayed Frankenstein's monster in three different movies and appeared in Stanley Kubrick's heralded A Clockwork Orange, in which he played the muscular manservant working for author Frank Alexander.

Prowse competed for the Mr. Universe bodybuilding title in 1960, before capturing the British weightlifting championship three years in a row, between 1962-64.

George Lucas offered him a part in Star Wars after seeing him in A Clockwork Orange.

"Lucas said to me, 'You've got a choice of two characters in the movie," Prowse recalled.

"He said, 'There's a character called Chewbacca, which is like a huge teddy bear, or alternatively, there's the main villain in the piece.' Well, there's no choice, is there? Thank you very much, I'll have the villain's piece."