Star Wars Actors You May Not Know Passed Away

The first "Star Wars" film came out over four decades ago, and it probably seemed unlikely at the time that stories about the Skywalkers and the Jedi would only be growing in popularity this far down the line. But the franchise hasn't only survived — it's thrived, changing everything from the cinematic landscape to the world of merchandising. But with as long as the series has been around, it's a sad reality that we've lost many of our favorite actors who've appeared in a galaxy far, far away.

In 2016, Carrie Fisher passed away at the age of 60. The Guardian praised the actress for her "mix of candor, sweetness, and wit," going on to say that, "No matter how hard her life was, or how poor some of her personal choices had been, her wry observations always seemed suffused with hope." However, Fisher isn't the only "Star Wars" actor who's passed away. Today, we'll be taking a look at some of the lesser-known names from the franchise who've died. They may not have all played as big a role in the series as Princess Leia, but each of these actors helped bring the magical world of "Star Wars" to life.

You never saw Kenny Baker's face or heard his voice in a "Star Wars" film, but in the first six movies, he portrayed one of the franchise's most iconic characters: R2-D2. 

That's right. R2-D2 wasn't a puppet or animatronic like so many creatures in the "Star Wars" universe. There was an actor inside that droid. Baker was only 3'8", and he's responsible for creating much of R2-D2's "personality." When Baker passed away in 2016 at the age of 81, StarWars.com wrote, "Whether it was the slow turn of Artoo's dome to convey suspicion or nervous wobbles signifying fear, Baker made a robotic being seem very human."

Baker played the droid in all three original films, and he also played an Ewok in "Return of the Jedi" (the one who steals the Imperial speeder bike). He even returned for the prequel trilogy, where he once again portrayed R2-D2. Baker was a prolific actor, as he appeared in many other films in the '70s and '80s. Some of his other credits include "Time Bandits" and "Willow."

Admiral Ackbar had a small role in the original "Star Wars" trilogy. He only appeared in "Return of the Jedi," and even then, he only had a few minutes of screen time. Even still, the character's appearance and iconic line — "It's a trap!" — made him a fan favorite, leading many to mourn the passing of voice actor Erik Bauersfeld.

In 2016, The Hollywood Reporter wrote that Bauersfeld, who also did work on films like "A.I. Artificial Intelligence" and "Crimson Peak," died at the age of 93. Interestingly, he argued that his movie voice work was always a secondary career that he stumbled into, as opposed to his work as a radio producer. He wrote, "The voice work I did in movies was accidental. I was working with Randy Thom on radio dramas at his technical quarters at Lucasfilm. One day Ben Burtt, sound designer for "Star Wars," came by and asked if I would audition for a voice in the movie."

Bauersfeld also voiced Bib Fortuna, one of Jabba the Hutt's associates. And he returned to the role of Admiral Ackbar in "The Force Awakens," which released just months before he passed away.

As he dies in the opening hour of the film, Uncle Owen is a small "Star Wars" character in the grand scheme of things, but his death is a launching point for Luke Skywalker, the hero of the original trilogy. So in a weird way, Owen is a super important character, meaning that actor Phil Brown was a pivotal player in "Star Wars" lore.

Sadly, Brown passed away in 2006 at the age of 89. Even though he was quite well-known when "Star Wars" was made, he'd faced quite a bit of hardship as an actor. In the 1950s, Brown was caught up in Senator Joseph McCarthy's communist trials, and he was actually blacklisted because he refused to comply with the House Un-American Activities Committee's demands to name communists in Hollywood. He denied being a communist himself, and he actually moved to London afterward to continue acting.

As it so happens, when it came time to make "Star Wars," George Lucas was filming in London and needed a local actor with an American accent, which brought Brown on board. Not long after, Brown was with Lucas in Tunisia, filming the movie's early scenes on Tatooine.

One of the more famous entries on this list, Peter Cushing was a massive star when he was cast as Grand Moff Tarkin in "A New Hope." He brought an immediate gravitas to the film, oozing menace and calm. He somehow came off as every bit as intimidating as Darth Vader himself, despite Vader being one of the all-time greats in the world of movie villains.

Before appearing in "Star Wars," Cushing was actually an icon in horror. He appeared in many of the "Dracula" and "Frankenstein" Hammer horror films of the '50s and '60s, and he also portrayed Sherlock Holmes in a few movies. Cushing passed away in 1994 at the age of 81. Despite this, he actually reprised his role as Tarkin in "Rogue One: A Star Wars Story," even though the film came out over 20 years after his death. Cushing was recreated in the film with state-of-the-art CGI, nearly defeating the uncanny valley (but not quite).

Peter Diamond was more of a stuntman and a coordinator than an actor. On his IMDb page, he's credited with nearly 250 roles in the "stunts" category. However, the man had a variety of small roles in the original "Star Wars" trilogy, and he had a large impact on several memorable scenes.

Some of the "Star Wars" roles Diamond appeared in include A'Koba, the Tusken Raider who attacks Luke Skywalker, and Garouf Lafoe, the guy who rats out Luke and Obi-Wan to the stormtroopers at the Mos Eisley cantina. He also appeared as various helmeted or background characters in the film, often when those roles called for dangerous stunts.

His other contribution to the original trilogy came from his role as the stunt coordinator. He actually created two different styles of lightsaber combat used by Luke Skywalker, Darth Vader, and Obi-Wan Kenobi. Diamond passed away in March 2004, at the age of 74.

A powerhouse English actress, Shelagh Fraser died in 2000 at the age of 79. She was in a small but memorable role in "A New Hope," as Luke's aunt, Beru. The character dies very early in the film, so Fraser was unable to contribute a ton to the film. However, Beru's murder spurs Luke into action, driving his character arc through much of the trilogy.

Fraser was mostly known as a stage actress in England, although she had several notable television and film roles that brought her quite a bit of fame. And even though her role in "Star Wars" is small, some would argue that she's indirectly responsible for Luke becoming the hero he winds up being. At a New York Comic-Con panel, author Meg Cabot argued that very thing, saying Aunt Beru's kindness and caring for Luke helped him overcome the Dark Side and defeat the Empire. It also helped him find the compassion to look for the good left in Darth Vader, without whom he never would have stopped Emperor Palpatine. So yeah, nice work, Aunt Beru.

Sir Alec Guinness, the original Obi-Wan Kenobi, passed away in the year 2000 at the age of 86. Even though Guinness' character died in "A New Hope," he actually appeared in the other films of the original trilogy, thanks to the power of the Force. His casting lent some immediate gravitas to the film, but he also infamously viewed the story as "fairy tale rubbish."

Guinness was a huge actor when he signed on for George Lucas' space opera. After all, he'd won an Oscar for "The Bridge on the River Kwai" and had starred in classics like "Lawrence of Arabia" and "Doctor Zhivago." And while many of the leading actors in "Star Wars" are big names now, they weren't at the time, making Guinness the biggest star in the movie in 1977. But why did he join the project if he hated the material? Well, there were a couple of reasons. First, he thought the moral of the story was good. Second, he wouldn't have to do any publicity for the film. And third, the studio offered him a massive salary. Despite the money, he ignored fan mail about "Star Wars," and he hated discussing his role as Obi-Wan.

The role was eventually passed along to Ewan McGregor, who portrayed Kenobi in the prequel trilogy and reprised the role in the Disney+ spin-off "Obi-Wan Kenobi." For those who grew up on the original trilogy, however, Guinness will always be Old Ben.

Drewe Henley appeared in the "Star Wars" franchise as Red Leader, the pilot who led Luke's squadron in the strike against the Death Star at the climax of "A New Hope." Sadly, he was accidentally credited as "Drewe Hemley" at the end of the film, but hey, at least he appeared in "Rogue One: A Star Wars Story" through archival footage and unused audio clips, as it was filmed shortly after his death.

In the film, Red Leader nearly destroys the Death Star. He launches his torpedoes at the exhaust port, but his aim is slightly off. Not long after his miss, his ship is destroyed, and the poor guy is killed. Henley, on the other hand, was a well-respected actor when he was cast in "A New Hope," but he had to retire not long after the film released due to his struggles with bipolar disorder. After working through his mental illness, he apparently settled down to run a bed and breakfast with his wife. Henley died in 2016 at the age of 75.

According to the actual "Star Wars" credits, John Hollis played "Lando's Aide," as he's not actually given a name in the film. However, many Star Wars fans know him as Lobot, the cyborg who helps Lando Calrissian (Billy Dee Williams) fight back against the stormtroopers so the heroes can escape Cloud City.

According to some of the deeper "Star Wars" lore, Lobot originally used his cybernetic enhancements just to augment his intelligence. However, during a mission gone wrong with Lando, Lobot was injured and lost the aspects of his mind that made him human. So now, he's essentially a computer operating a human body. However, his unique cybernetics allow him to have a direct connection with Cloud City's computer system.

As for the actor, Hollis appeared in several other popular films, including most of the Christopher Reeves "Superman" movies, "Flash Gordon," and "For Your Eyes Only." After a 40-year acting career, Hollis passed away in 2005 at 77 years old.

William Hootkins is one of those actors that you just know you've seen before. He had a very definitive look, and he often appeared as significant background characters in movies. Besides his role as Porkins in "A New Hope," he also had roles in movies like "Flash Gordon," "Raiders of the Lost Ark," and "Superman IV." Outside of "Star Wars," his most well-known role probably came in 1989's "Batman," where he played corrupt Gotham Police Lt. Max Eckhardt. He was also a prolific voice actor, as he frequently lent his voice to radio plays and audiobooks.

In "A New Hope," Porkins was a part of Luke's Red Squadron during the assault on the Death Star. He flew as Red 6, and unfortunately, he couldn't contribute much to the battle. His ship malfunctioned early in the fight, and unable to maneuver, he was quickly shot down by Imperial forces. As for the actor, Hootkins died from pancreatic cancer in 2005. He was 57 years old.

One of the most prolific actors in the "Star Wars" franchise, Christopher Lee's IMDb page has him credited with a whopping 281 acting roles. Lee is absolutely one of the gods of geekdom, as he graced several of Hollywood's most notable franchises, and he portrayed Count Dooku in two of the prequel films, "Attack of the Clones" and "Revenge of the Sith."

Lee became a huge star due to his many appearances in the Hammer horror "Dracula" franchise, where he frequently collaborated with another "Star Wars" alum, Peter Cushing. Lee's imposing figure (he was 6'5") and commanding voice made him a perfect villain, which helped him a great deal in another massive film role: Saruman in "The Lord of the Rings."

A man of many talents, Lee also released heavy metal albums when he was in his 80s and 90s. Plus, he was knighted, and he retired from the Royal Air Force with the rank of flight lieutenant. Basically, Christopher Lee was cooler than any of us will ever be. He passed away in 2015 at the age of 93.

Peter Mayhew is an actor who, despite never showing his face, became one of the most iconic characters in the "Star Wars" franchise. He played Chewbacca, Han Solo's (Harrison Ford) friend and companion, and he helped bring humanity to a character where many other actors could've disappeared.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, Mayhew was a hospital orderly when he auditioned for the role. He even kept that job until after "Return of the Jedi" was released, and the 7'3" actor essentially made his living off of the one role for the rest of his life, going to conventions as a fan favorite for decades. He even reprised the role in 2015's "The Force Awakens."

Nearly everyone who worked with Mayhew on the "Star Wars" franchise had nothing but kind things to say about him. For example, on Twitter, Mark Hamill wrote that Mayhew "was the gentlest of giants" and "a big man with an even bigger heart," adding that, "I'm a better man for just having known him." Mayhew died in April 2019 at the age of 74.

Alex McCrindle played a very small role in "A New Hope," but he was actually the first actor to speak one of the "Star Wars" franchise's most famous quotes. McCrindle played General Dodonna, who tells the Rebels their plan of attack when the Death Star is approaching. After explaining that the Death Star's only weak point is a tiny exhaust port, some of the Rebel pilots express concern. Luke Skywalker speaks up that the target isn't impossible, which prompts this line from Dodonna: "Man your ships, and may the Force be with you."

The quote is often mistakenly attributed to Obi-Wan Kenobi, who never actually says that line in "A New Hope." Han Solo says it later on, when Luke is about to take off, but Dodonna is the first character to say it in a "Star Wars" film. As for the actor, McCrindle was known for television more for film, and "A New Hope" is one of the only big name films to his credit. He died in 1990 at the age of 78.

With its many alien races of all sizes, the "Star Wars" films have often had unique casting requirements. Jack Purvis was one of Hollywood's most well-known little person actors, so it's no surprise that George Lucas cast him in more significant roles across his original trilogy. Interestingly, Purvis actually played three different characters in each of the three original "Star Wars" films.

He played the head Jawa in "A New Hope," the chief Ugnaught in "The Empire Strikes Back," and Teebo the Ewok in "Return of the Jedi." He was no stranger to the entertainment scene when he was cast in the film, as Purvis had been in a touring musical group with fellow "Star Wars" actor Kenny Baker (R2-D2). The duo traveled to many bars and clubs with their musical-comedy show.

Purvis also appeared in several other memorable films, mostly in the 1980s, such as "Time Bandits," "Willow," "Brazil," and "Labyrinth." Purvis died at the age of 60 in 1997.

Darth Vader aka Anakin Skywalker has been played by multiple actors, but when his deformed, old man face is revealed in "Return of the Jedi," that's classically trained actor Sebastian Shaw. He also portrayed Anakin's Force ghost at the end of the film, appearing to Luke alongside Obi-Wan and Yoda (Frank Oz). (However, in more recent versions, George Lucas digitally replaced the Shaw version of Anakin with Hayden Christensen, who played Anakin in the prequel trilogy.)

Shaw was mostly known as a stage actor outside of "Star Wars" fandom. He was a member of the Royal Shakespeare Company, where he often played lead or featured roles. He was a Broadway veteran, and he was well known for taking on parts in daring and controversial plays. One theater he was acting in, where he was performing a play called "A Patriot For Me," actually had to change their classification to a nightclub in order to escape censorship laws.

Lucas choosing to digitally replace Shaw with Christensen sparked some controversy, but many a "Star Wars" fan won't forget the reveal of Darth Vader's face. Shaw passed away in 1994 at the age of 89.

Larry Ward might not be the most famous "Star Wars" actor. In fact, the man only has two movies to his credit: "A New Hope" and "Return of the Jedi." But he loaned his voice to two of the franchise's most memorable baddies. In the original film, he played the notorious bounty hunter Greedo. And in "Return of the Jedi," he provided the dialogue for everybody's favorite space gangster, Jabba the Hutt.

Even more important than giving the giant slug his voice, however, was helping to develop the entire language he spoke. The foundation for "Huttese" (yes, that's what it's called) was laid down by sound designer Ben Burtt. He based the language on Quechua, the language of a group of indigenous Peruvians. Burtt played Quechua recordings for Ward, then told the actor to improvise dialogue that sounded like it. Thus, Huttese was born. Sadly, Ward passed away in 2007 at the age of 63.

Jason Wingreen didn't actually appear in the "Star Wars" films, but his voice brought life to a fan-favorite villain. Wingreen was the original voice of Boba Fett, the intergalactic bounty hunter who tracks down Han Solo.

Wingreen was a well-known television actor when he auditioned for "Star Wars." He appeared in many different shows, and if you've ever watched television from the '60s, '70s, or '80s, then you've probably seen Wingreen without even realizing that he voiced the most feared bounty hunter in the galaxy. In the world of TV, Wingreen was probably best known for "The Untouchables" and "All in the Family." He originally auditioned for the role of Yoda, but Frank Oz got the part. It's a testament to Wingreen's talent that Boba Fett became such a massively popular character. He only recorded four lines for the role and went uncredited. In fact, it wasn't until the year 2000 that the public even knew who voiced the villain. Wingreen passed away in 2016 at the age of 95.

In March 2020, TMZ reported that Andrew Jack — a veteran actor and dialect coach for over 30 years — had passed away from complications due to COVID-19 on the morning of the 31st. Andrew Jack contributed to the "Star Wars" franchise in multiple ways. Fans might recognize him as Caluan Ematt, a major in the Resistance forces in "The Force Awakens" and a general in "The Last Jedi." He was also the voice of Moloch in "Solo: A Star Wars Story." However, Jack's real contribution to "Star Wars" (and cinema in general) came as a dialect coach.

Jack helped many of the actors in the later "Star Wars" films perfect their accents. As TMZ noted, it's very likely that Jack taught John Boyega how to hide his British accent for the part of Finn. He also helped the actors learn to speak fictional languages. As original "Solo" director Christopher Miller explained (via USA Today), he and Phil Lord "asked [Jack] to teach Alden [Ehrenreich] to speak Shyriiwook," and Miller said he'd "always remember listening to them gargle-roar at each other back and forth."

Outside of the "Star Wars" franchise, Jack worked on accents in some of the biggest films ever made, including "Avengers: Endgame" and the "Lord of the Rings" series. He leaves behind quite a legacy, and our condolences go out to his friends and family.

You couldn't blame Richard LeParmentier for feeling a little short of breath in his scenes. LeParmentier played Admiral Motti (credited as "General Motti"), the man who dared mock Vader's Force practices during a meeting between several Imperial officers in "A New Hope." Motti in general is a pretty smug customer even by Galactic Empire standards, dismissing General Tagge's (Don Henderson) warnings to not underestimate the Rebels while the Death Star's still being completed. Confident the space station will wipe the Rebels from the history books, Motti then starts ragging on Vader when the Sith Lord compares the Death Star's power unfavorably to that of the Force, leading Darth to pull out the old Force-choke technique. Tarkin likely saves Motti's life by having Vader back off, but not before chastising them both for squabbling. Motti makes it up to Tarkin later, though, when he directs the Death Star toward Alderaan and leads Imperial operatives in blowing it sky high.

LeParmentier relished the role, once proudly describing Motti as "the only Imperial officer who ever stood up to Darth Vader." The actor even started up a now-defunct Motti fan site and reprised the character in a 2012 Xbox commercial that recreates his most famous "Star Wars" scene. Had the 66-year-old not passed away in 2013, he and other "Star Wars" actors would've played their roles once again in "Motti Now," a fan project by LeParmentier that went through various permutations, including a comic book.

Things might've gone better for the Empire if General Tagge had been involved in overseeing the Death Star, rather than Darth Vader and Grand Moff Tarkin. At the very least, the character deserves the "I told you so" award. Played by Don Henderson, Tagge is also in the scene in "A New Hope" where Vader chokes Motti, cautioning his fellow Imperial officers to take the Rebels' theft of the Death Star schematics seriously. Tagge also expresses dismay when Tarkin announces the Imperial Senate's dissolution, but neither Motti nor Tarkin pay much heed to the heaping helping of common sense Tagge flings at them.

While "Star Wars" gained the British actor recognition outside of the U.K., Henderson himself hadn't realized how memorable he'd been to fans until many years later. The actor even admitted to former "Star Wars: The Official Magazine" contributor Iain Lowson that his involvement in "A New Hope" had slipped his mind until he saw it with his son in the movie theater. That didn't stop him from having a healthy acting career that lasted nearly three decades, particularly gaining acclaim and attention in the U.K. for portraying quirky law enforcement officer George Bulman in "The XYY Man." Henderson passed on June 22, 1997, just a few months after his "Star Wars" character returned to theaters in the Special Edition version of "A New Hope."

Though not a big player in "A New Hope," you'll likely remember Eddie Byrne's character Commander Willard, the first fellow member of the Rebellion whom Leia interacts with on Yavin IV when she finally makes it there with Luke, Han, Chewbacca, R2-D2, and C-3PO (Anthony Daniels). Though a small part, Willard actually does do something fairly important in the film, namely having the Death Star plans extracted from R2-D2 so the Rebels can figure out how to attack the moon-shaped station. His brief but warm exchange with Leia also immediately establishes the Rebels as a kind and caring faction as opposed to the more militant, fear-driven Imperials.

Interestingly, Byrne was no stranger to two of the higher-profile actors in "A New Hope." In 1966's "Island of Terror," Byrne, portraying Dr. Reginald Landers, seeks out help from bone disease expert David West (Edward Judd) and pathologist Brian Stanley, played by Grand Moff Tarkin actor Peter Cushing, in stopping mysterious creatures terrorizing Petrie's Island. And if the thought of a Rebel and Imperial working together weren't surprising enough, try this — in the 1959 movie "Scapegoat," Byrne plays a friendly bartender who helps Sir Alec Guinness' character, John Barratt, become better acquainted with his physical double Jacques De Geu, also played by Guinness. Sadly, the chances of the three actors appearing in another film together ended when Eddie Byrne passed away on August 21, 1981.

Given how many characters in "Star Wars" wear armor or are outright aliens, there are plenty of actors from the saga whose faces you never see in the films. Such is the case with Des Webb, who is the Wampa that Luke and his poor tauntaun have the unfortunate coincidence of running into while making the rounds on Hoth. While Webb himself isn't visible to viewers, as he's inside a big hairy costume, fans of the unaltered original trilogy may recall that the Wampa doesn't appear on-screen quite as much before 1997. Blame Webb's costume, which was just too cumbersome for the actor to pull off all the Wampa's feats, as detailed in "Star Wars Insider" No. 33. The 1997 Special Edition version of "Empire" added more Wampa footage, but rather than summon Webb to don a now more practical version of the suit, Howie Weed, who helped put the new Wampa costume together, stepped into the fuzzy costume.

Webb's acting roles were few and low-key. Interestingly, however, the final film he's credited in, "Morons from Outer Space," has an intro that emulates the scene in "A New Hope" where Darth Vader's Star Destroyer first appears. Webb died on May 21, 2002 — a mere five days after "Star Wars: Episode II — Attack of the Clones" made its U.S. debut.

While the voice fans hear in the unaltered version of "The Empire Strikes Back" is Jason Wingreen's, the man in the battered Mandalorian armor in both "Empire" and "Return of the Jedi" is actually Jeremy Bulloch. As the actor explained to Sci-Fi Central, Bulloch was actually juggling his days shooting as Fett with his evening job as a theater actor. The packed schedule didn't affect his ample enthusiasm for the role, however, even though, as he admitted to StarWars.com, the costume wasn't exactly the coziest.

Bullock being the original Boba Fett is well-known to the "Star Wars" faithful. Perhaps not as common knowledge, however, is the fact that Bullock appears unmasked in "Revenge of the Sith" as a different character, Captain Colton, who takes several of the heroes to Coruscant to figure out why Clone Troopers are killing Jedi. Boba Fett isn't actually Bulloch's only part in "Empire," either — he's also Empire lackey Lieutenant Sheckil, who seizes Leia when she warns Luke that Vader's been expecting the young Jedi.

Despite his multiple roles, Fett remains the one most associated with Bulloch, and he appeared in several features and even fan films afterward in roles that paid homage to his iconic character. Though he passed away from Parkinson's complications on December 17, 2020, he was given the ultimate gift from his fans some years earlier: his very own Boba Fett armor.

Ray Stevenson isn't actually a stranger to the "Star Wars" franchise. He first ventured into a galaxy far, far away in "Star Wars: Rebels" as Gar Saxon before reprising his role in "Star Wars: The Clone Wars." He was the Mandalorian leading the corrupt Prime Minister Almec's troops in battle against the Republic as well as carrying out Darth Maul's dirty work.

Stevenson's reinsertion into the franchise, however, carries a great sadness, as he passed away on May 21, 2023 — only three months before the debut of his next "Star Wars" project, "Ahsoka." There he portrays corrupted Jedi Baylan Skoll, who, along with Nightsister Morgan Elsbeth (Diana Lee Inosanto) and Skoll's young apprentice, Shin Hati (Ivanna Sakhno), have their hopes set on tracking down the Grand Admiral feared in canon and Legends lore alike, Grand Admiral Thrawn (Lars Mikkelsen). Yet they find opposition in Ahsoka Tano (Rosario Dawson) and her estranged Padawan, Sabine Wren (Natasha Liu Bordizzo), who hope tracking Thrawn's location can bring them to "Star Wars Rebels" star Ezra Bridger (Eman Esfandi), as the two were last seen together dealing with some pretty dire circumstances. While Stevenson is not alive to see fans' reaction to "Ahsoka," he's expressed great joy in taking part, telling Screen Rant Plus he considers the series "sprinkled with pixie dust."