Biography | Interviews | Resume
David was born on July, 1 1935 in Bristol
England and will always been known from a role he first played when he was 42 -
Darth Vader. He was the man behind the mask in the Star Wars Trilogy and felt he
received no credit at the time and has made it his mission to tell the world
that David Prowse IS Darth Vader. This is even how he signs Vader memorabilia.
The controversy arose when the film first premiered. Davids' thick British
accent was correctly replaced by the booming voice of James Earl Jones. This
caused many people to believe that James WAS actually in the suit. George Lucas,
the director of the first Star Wars in 1977, always maintained that David's
voice was going to be replaced. David maintains this is not the case. Even
though he played Vader in The Holiday Special, The Empire Strikes Back and
Return of the Jedi, he will never be playing Vader again.
The problem is that David was so mad about it that in recent
years he blasted Lucas for putting a black mans' voice in Vader because there
were no blacks in the film. Basically he is calling Lucas a racist saying he
bowed to pressure at the lack of minorities in the film. Whether this is true or
not, he has permanently been banned by Lucasfilm because of these remarks. It is
true that there are no blacks in the first film, but Billy Dee Williams was
given a prominent role in the second film. It seems he hasn't accepted the fact
that James Earl Jones voice really made the character, not the person in the
suit. The power of the voice can make a film. For example who wants to hear a
film with bad narration? A a strong voice can push the film to new heights -
just think of Malcolm's narration in ACO. Now can you imagine the film without
it?
In 1948 at the age of 13, David was very athletic, but
developed a problem with his left knee that was thought to be Tuberculosis. He
wore a brace on his entire leg until he was 15 which ended his athletic career.
He didn't have TB, but he had Osgood Schlatters disease, which was relatively
unknown back then. After school like most of us he had to take the odd job to
survive like selling vitamins and gym equipment, being a bouncer at a dance
hall, personal trainer, caber tossing in the Highland games and a game show
contestant.
In 1960 David entered the Mr. Universe contest and was able
to build up his strength becoming a world champion body builder with a massive
6' 7" frame. After much competition without finishing 1st he moved onto
Heavyweight Weightlifting achieving many records and becoming champion for three
straight years 1962-4. Because of his massive bulk it led him into film, but not
as the leading man he preferred. Instead he got the job of monsters in three of
the Hammer films, Doctor Who and Space 1999. It wasn't until Stanley Kubrick
cast him as Julian, a bodybuilder and Mr. Alexander's bodyguard, that the world
knew he could act in a regular role. When the greatest director of all-time
casts you, other directors take notice. David revealed in my interview that it
was his role in ACO that opened up the door to better parts. It was because of
ACO that George Lucas brought him in. He didn't even have to audition because if
Kubrick used him he must be good. He got the call in early 1975 having no clue
about Lucas, Star Wars or anything. Lucas offered him the big black armor clad
villain or the giant fuzzy dog part - Chewbacca. David picked Vader since as he
said, "everyone remembers the villain."
Soon after he got a call to play another roll that would
change his life, but this was not a film roll or a villain. It was for The Green
Cross Code Man. This roll has become his all-time favorite because it was more
than JUST a roll, it was a safety ad campaign to help save children from being
hit by cars when crossing the street. These were his lines, "First find a
safe place to cross then stop. Stand near the curb not on it. Look all around
for traffic and if traffic is coming let it pass. If there is NO traffic coming,
walk straight across the road, looking and listening as you cross." This
lead to a massive speaking campaign at schools all over England and the world.
Which in turn lead him to receiving an M.B.E. award in the Millennium
Honors list and was presented with a medal by the Queen in June of 2000.
In 1970 he opened a huge gym in London primarily for weight
training on five floors. It includes heavy gym, facilities for men and
women, a cardiovascular fitness gym and an aerobics studio. Famous clients
include Arnold Schwarzenegger, Stephanie Powers and Vennesa Redgrave. Because of
his expertise he was given the job of training Christopher Reeve for Superman in
the first film in 1978, a roll he wanted for himself, but wasn't cast because he
was too British.
He left acting in 1984 and the Star Wars revival began in the
mid 1990s he became in demand on the Star Wars Convention circuit starting in
1993. In 1997 he was part of the 'Men Behind the Masks' tour with fellow actors
who appeared in costumes like Jeremy Bulloch (Boba Fett), Peter Mayhem
(Chewbacca) and Kenny Baker (R2-D2). He has made appearances throughout the
world with them or by himself. He charges a hefty price for his autograph
anywhere from $15-25. It was on one of these tours that I met him and was able
to talk to him about ACO. He was very gracious and glad to talk about it.
In 1990 he injured his right hip while training with weights
and this has given him problems ever since. He had his hip replaced, but broke
his ankle soon after. He then had to come to the US to get a bone fusion
operation. Years later he reinjured his hip, had a blood disease, arthritis and
other problems he found out the real problem was with his spine. He has had both
hips replaced and one reset again. If that wasn't enough he was in a car
accident - someone rear ended him.
Because of all his medical problems in 1992 he started an
arthritis charity, Dave Prowse's Force Against Arthritis. The goal was to
collect money to build a new arthritis research center near where he lives.
He is married to Norma and has a daughter Rachel and two
other children with her. He is planning on releasing an autobiography
called 'Straight From The Forces mouth' - a nod to The Force in Star Wars.
A: Yes.
Q: What was it like working with Malcolm McDowell?
A: I found it very pleasant. I liked him very much. He was very easy to work with and I felt he was a very professional actor and a very good actor as well.
Q: Have you kept in touch with Malcolm now that you are a bigger villain then he is?
A: No, not Malcolm. No, he’s doing wonderful though. He’s playing all of these marvelous villain roles now. I mean he’s always played villain roles, but I think he’s playing more sinister villains than in the past.
Q: Is it true you suffered from exhaustion on the set of "ACO" from repeated takes of carrying Mr. Alexander in his wheelchair?
A: Well, it was more exhausting carrying Malcolm because we did that nonstop all day. We did like umpteen takes, and Malcolm is no lightweight, and when Stanley said that he wanted me to carry Patrick McGee in his wheelchair down the stairs I said, 'Look I’m not going to do it all day like the other scene.' He said, 'Of course not, we will shoot it as quick as we can.' So I said, 'Well your name's not 'One take Kubrick' is it?' And everyone thought I was going to get attacked right then and there for calling him 'One take Kubrick'. We ended up shooting in it in six takes. It was still a strenuous part and a strenuous role.
Q: Many actors say that Kubrick is cruel and too demanding to work with. What was your experience with him like?
A: As far as I was concerned I thought he was wonderful. I think Stanley certainly had a different perspective of me then of other actors. He never thought of me as an actor. He thought of me as more of a strongman and not as a regular actor and because of that I had a very nice association with him, he didn’t treat me like he treated actors, I mean he treated actors like shit, he really does. One time while we were filming the scene where they are trying to get Alex to commit suicide, John Savident is rolling the billiard balls across the table. Kubrick wanted him to get them in the pockets on the other side and Kubrick went mad trying to get John to get the balls in the pocket but it was just something he couldn’t do he actually made John break down into tears. I mean he was really a vicious director.
Q: Do you remember your lines from "A Clockwork Orange"?
A: No. No, I don’t.
Q: Do you have any final recollections on the making of "ACO"?
A: Yeah, I got involved in some of the stunt work. Stanley was very a demanding person and he would ask me to do things that I’ve never had to do on a movie before. For me it was a wonderful experience working with a wonderful director and I’ve never forgotten it. And of course the big thing for me was that all of a sudden it established me as an actor. I was acting for 10 years before "Star Wars" came out, I did 7 or 8 different movies and tons of TV work, but until Stanley and "A Clockwork Orange" everybody always thought of me as the monster, creature or the villain. Nobody would ever think of casting my as a happy father in a corn flake commercial. It was always because I had a big physique I was getting cast in all of these roles but Stanley saw something in me. After "ACO" I was doing all the major TV series and comedy series and all sorts of other work was coming my way. Then eventually Lucas came and offered me two parts in the movie. He offered me Chewbacca’s role and I turned it down. Then he said, 'Well how about doing the big villain in the film for me?' and I said, 'Sure I’d love to!' and that was it. I didn’t have to audition, I didn’t have to read and I was there. I would say that "Clockwork" was the most influential job in my career, I mean "Star Wars" was big but it didn’t do me much good as far as getting me work where as "ACO" was fantastic.
Interviewed by Victoria Moore for the London Metro newspaper 8/17/00
Q: Was Kubrick difficult to work with ?
DP: He was an absolute bastard as far as other actors were concerned. He
drove people into the ground - a very hard taskmaster. He'd shoot and shoot
and shoot for as many takes as he wanted. And then he might end up using one
of the earlier takes. Another thing he would do was to change the dialogue
all the time. People would have learned their lines and the poor actor had
to remember the changes to the changes. He wouldn't give you a break to
learn new lines, he'd just want to go on and on. I saw people reduced to
tears because Stanley kept going for them.
Q: Did you and Kubrick have any disagreements ?
DP: In my major scene in the movie I had to carry Patrick McGee in his
wheelchair down three flights of stairs and then do a dialogue scene as if
nothing had happened. I couldn't believe it. The combined weight must have
been over 200lbs. Kubrick said "Come on, you can do it, you're a
strongman".
I said "Yes, but your name's not exactly 'One-Take Kubrick' is it?".
Everyone thought I was going to get the sack as soon as I said that.
Q: You got away with it...
DP: He didn't regard me as an actor. I was a strongman-athlete who'd come
into the business. He'd ask me to sit with him and tell him about my
weightlifting and so on. I finished the movie with an open invite to go up
to his house whenever I wanted.
Q: Didn't you also play a vital role in the making of Full Metal Jacket?
DP: I was quite good friends with Stanley and he asked me if I had a sunbed.
He said he had six actors coming over from Hollywood. They were supposed to
be in Vietnam and he needed them to be tanned. He gave me five days to get
them browned for him. They changed color all right. In the end he bought a
sunbed off me to keep their tans topped up.
| Title | Role | Year | Notes |
| Casino Royale | Frankenstein's Creature | 1967 | |
| Hammerhead | George | 1968 | |
| The Beverly Hillbillies | Emlyn | 10/16/68 | "Coming Through the Rye" |
| The Saint | Tony | 2/2/69 | "Portrait of Brenda" |
| Crossplot | Wedding guest | 1969 | |
| The Horror of Frankenstein | The Monster | 1970 | 2 ACO Actors! |
| Ace of Wands | Kal | 1970 | "One + One + One are 4" |
| Callan | Wellington | 4/8/70 | "Where Else Could I Go?" |
| A Clockwork Orange | Julian | 1971 | Mr. Alexander's Bodyguard |
| Up the Chastity Belt | Sir Grumbell de Grunt | 1971 | |
| Up Pompeii | Man | 1971 | |
| Carry On Henry | Torturer | 1971 | |
| Vampire Circus | Strongman | 1972 | |
| Department S | Adolfo | 1/12/72 | "Treasure of the Costa Del Sol" |
| Doctor Who | Minotaur | 5/20/72 | "The Time Monster" |
| The Tomorrow People | Android | 1973 | "The Medusa Strain" |
| Arthur of the Britons | Col | 2/7/73 | Episode: "The Slave" |
| Arthur of the Britons | Brosk | 10/10/73 | episode: "Go Warily" |
| White Cargo | Harry | 1973 | |
| Blacksnake! | Walker's Brother | 1973 | |
| Frankenstein and the Monster from Hell | The Creature | 1974 | |
| Callan | Arthur | 1974 | |
| The Best of Benny Hill | Strongman | 1974 | TV "Wishing Well" |
| Confessions of a Pop Performer | Man at cinema | 1975 | |
| Space: 1999 | Cloud Creature | 1976 | Ep: "The Beta Cloud" |
| 3 Commercials | Green Cross code man | 1976 | Safety ads |
| Personal Appearances | Green Cross code man | 1976-90 | At schools |
| Star Wars | Darth Vader | 1977 | |
| The People That Time Forgot | Executioner | 1977 | |
| The Making of Star Wars | Darth Vader | 1977 | |
| Jabberwocky | Red Herring & Black Knights | 1977 | |
| Superman | Physical trainer | 1978 | Not in film on crew |
| Star Wars Holiday Special | Darth Vader | 1978 | TV |
| As You Like It | Charles | 1978 | TV |
| A Horseman Riding By | Jem Pollock | 1978 | TV Mini Series |
| Empire Strikes Back | Darth Vader | 1980 | |
| Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy | Hotblack Desiato's Bodyguard | 1981 | TV Mini Series |
| Return of the Jedi | Darth Vader | 1983 | |
| More Bloody Meetings | 1984 | ||
| Star Wars Monopoly | Darth Vader | 1997 | Board Game w/VHS |
| Light Lunch | Himself | 1998 | |
| Vita Lögner | Hotel Guest | 10/12/98 | Episode # 2.36 |
| The 100 Greatest TV Moments | Himself | 1999 | TV |
| Jack Docherty Show | Himself | 2001 | Interview |
| Stars Wars in Japan | Himself | 8/14/08 | G4 Interview |
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