'Swordmaster' and stunt double who fenced with Errol Flynn and swung the lightsaber for Darth Vader
As a stunt double, Bob Anderson, who has died aged 89, was among the many unsung, unknown, uncredited and partially unseen performers of motion pictures whose purpose is to remain anonymous while making the star look athletic, acrobatic, courageous or devil-may-care. For those in the business, Anderson reigned supreme in the fencing department, earning the title of "swordmaster". Given the partly Japanese genesis of the Star Wars franchise, it was an apt description of the man who wielded the lightsaber for Darth Vader in his duels in The Empire Strikes Back (1980) and Return of the Jedi (1983).
In 1983 Mark Hamill, who played Luke Skywalker, blew Anderson's cover in an interview: "Bob Anderson was the man who actually did Vader's fighting. It was always supposed to be a secret, but I finally told George [Lucas, the creator] I didn't think it was fair any more.
As a stunt double, Bob Anderson, who has died aged 89, was among the many unsung, unknown, uncredited and partially unseen performers of motion pictures whose purpose is to remain anonymous while making the star look athletic, acrobatic, courageous or devil-may-care. For those in the business, Anderson reigned supreme in the fencing department, earning the title of "swordmaster". Given the partly Japanese genesis of the Star Wars franchise, it was an apt description of the man who wielded the lightsaber for Darth Vader in his duels in The Empire Strikes Back (1980) and Return of the Jedi (1983).
In 1983 Mark Hamill, who played Luke Skywalker, blew Anderson's cover in an interview: "Bob Anderson was the man who actually did Vader's fighting. It was always supposed to be a secret, but I finally told George [Lucas, the creator] I didn't think it was fair any more.
- 1/4/2012
- by Ronald Bergan
- The Guardian - Film News
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