R2-D2 Portrayor Kenny Baker Passes Away at Age 81

CNN reports that Kenny Baker, the British actor best known for portraying iconic droid R2-D2 in the STAR WARS films, passed away on Saturday, August 13th at the age of 81. The news was shared by his niece, Abigail Shield who said Baker was ill for several years with a lung condition. She also revealed that her uncle, who stood at just 3 feet, 8 inches tall, never expected to "live past his teenage years because he was a 'little person'"

Baker appears as R2-D2 in six of the episodic theatrical Star Wars films, and played an additional role in 1983's Return of the Jedi as Paploo, the Ewok who steals an Imperial speeder bike.

Baker's other films include The Elephant Man, Time Bandits (also with Jack Purvis), Willow (also with Purvis and Warwick Davis), Flash Gordon,Amadeus and Jim Henson's Labyrinth. On television, he appeared in the British medical drama Casualty. He also had a part in the BBC production ofThe Chronicles of Narnia.

Baker continued his association with the character of R2-D2 in Star Wars: The Force Awakens, which was released in December 2015 in North America.

Image courtesy of Kenny Baker Official Web Site