Revealed: The unsung British swordsman who played Darth Vader in THAT lightsaber battle with Luke Skywalker dies

Bob Anderson also worked on films including The Lord of the Rings, Pirates of the Caribbean and The Legend of Zorro

The man who played the legendary Darth Vader during fight scenes in the original Star Wars trilogy has died, it has emerged today.



Bob Anderson, 89, was a former Olympic swordsman who worked on many of the best known films of the past seven decades - but very few people are aware of the influence he had on some of our favourite movies.



He is most famous for donning Darth Vader's black helmet and fighting lightsaber battles in two of the original films - most memorably with Luke Skywalker in The Empire Strikes Back.



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Swordsman: Bob Anderson, as Darth Vader's stunt double, fights Luke Skywalker in the final film Return Of The Jedi Legendary fighter: Bob Anderson, left, choreographs a lightsaber battle in Return Of The Jedi Anderson worked as a sword master or trainer on movies including the James Bond film From Russia With Love, The Legend of Zorro and the first Pirates of the Caribbean film.

He also worked on the Lord of the Rings trilogy in which he was responsible for crafting fighting moves for some of the characters. It was announced today by The British Academy of Fencing that Mr Anderson died early on New Year's Day.

Kept secret: Bob Anderson's role in the original Star Wars trilogy was not initially publicised until it was revealed by Mark Hamill, who played Luke Skywalker, in an interview in 1983

His role as Vader’s stunt double in the lightsaber battles of The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi were not publicised until it was revealed by Mark Hamill, who played Luke Skywalker, in an interview in 1983.

He said: 'Bob Anderson was the man who actually did Vader’s fighting. It was always supposed to be a secret, but I finally told George I didn’t think it was fair any more.

'Bob worked so bloody hard that he deserves some recognition. It’s ridiculous to preserve the myth that it’s all done by one man.'

Sad loss: It was announced by The British Academy of Fencing that Bob Anderson died early on New Year's Day

The character of Darth Vader was played by David Prowse and voiced by James Earl Jones.

But it is Mr Anderson who severs Luke Skywalker 's hand in the iconic scene in The Empire Strikes Back where Vader tells Luke: 'I am your father.'

As a competitive fencer, Mr Anderson also represented Great Britain in the 1952 Olympic Games and the World Championships in 1950 and 1953 in the sabre event.

Achievements: Bob Anderson worked as a sword master or trainer on numerous movies including the first Pirates of the Caribbean film, which was released in 2003