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Kenny Baker
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Kenny Baker
| Kenny Baker | |
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 Baker at a science fiction convention |
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| Born | {{#dateformat:24 August 1934 }} (age 75) Birmingham, England |
Kenneth "Kenny" Baker (born 24 August 1934) is a British dwarf actor and occasional musician, known as the man inside R2-D2 in the popular Star Wars film series.
Baker, who stands 3 ft 8 in (112 cm) tall, was a circus and cabaret performer with entertainer Jack Purvis when George Lucas hired him to be the man inside R2-D2 in Star Wars in 1977.
Baker appears in all six of the episodic theatrical Star Wars films. Baker played an additional role in 1983's Return of the Jedi as Paploo, the Ewok who steals an Imperial speeder bike. He was originally going to play Wicket W. Warrick, but he fell ill, and that role was handed over to Warwick Davis. Kenny featured on Justin Lee Collins's 'Bring Back Star Wars'. He revealed a feud between him and his co-star Anthony Daniels. He claimed Daniels had been rude to him on numerous occasions, and states that Daniels is rude to everyone, including fans.[1] He even said he wouldn't be in the same room as Daniels unless necessary.
Baker's other films include The Elephant Man, Time Bandits (also with Purvis), Amadeus and Jim Henson's Labyrinth. On television, he appeared in the British medical drama Casualty.
In the late 1990s, Baker launched a brief stand up comedy career. Baker played harmonica with the James Coutts Scottish Dance Band at Hugh McCaig's Silverstone Party in July 1997. Baker currently resides in Preston, England. While both he and his late wife have dwarfism, their two sons do not.
References
- ↑ Williams, Andrew (2005-05-19). "Kenny Baker". Metro (Associated Newspapers). http://www.metro.co.uk/fame/interviews/article.html?in_article_id=1217&in_page_id=11. Retrieved 2009-01-28.
