Kenny Baker (English actor)

{{Infobox person

| name = Kenny Baker

| image = Kenny Baker at Star Wars Celebration VI (7868145702).jpg

| caption = Baker at Star Wars Celebration VI in 2012

| birth_name = Kenneth George Baker

| birth_date = {{Birth date|1934|8|24|df=yes}}

| birth_place = Birmingham, Warwickshire, England

| death_date = {{Death date and age|2016|8|13|1934|8|24|df=yes}}

| death_place = Preston, Lancashire, England

| resting_place = Lytham Park Cemetery & Crematorium, Lancashire, England

| known_for = R2-D2 in Star Wars

| occupation = Actor, comedian, musician

| height = 1.12 m

| spouse = {{marriage|Eileen Baker|1970|1993|reason=died}}

| children = 2

| years active = 1960–2015

}}

Kenneth George Baker (24 August 1934 – 13 August 2016) was an English actor, comedian and musician. He portrayed the character R2-D2 in the Star Wars franchise and also appeared in The Elephant Man, Time Bandits, Willow, Flash Gordon, Amadeus and Labyrinth.

Early life

Baker was born and educated in Birmingham, Warwickshire, and at a boarding school in Kent.{{cite web |author1=Ryan Gilbey |title=Kenny Baker obituary |url=https://www.theguardian.com/film/2016/aug/14/kenny-baker-obituary |website=The Guardian |access-date=19 December 2024 |date=14 August 2016}} He was the son of Ethel (1906–1990), a pianist and dress maker, and Harold Baker (1908–1949), an artist, musician and draughtsman.{{cite news| url= https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2016-08-13/kenny-baker-man-inside-r2-d2-in-star-wars-films-dead-at-81| title= Kenny Baker, R2-D2 Actor in 'Star Wars' Films, Dies at 81| first= David| last= Henry| newspaper= Bloomberg.com| date= 13 August 2016| publisher= Bloomberg L.P.| access-date= 8 March 2017| archivedate= 1 December 2017| archiveurl= https://web.archive.org/web/20171201032137/https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2016-08-13/kenny-baker-man-inside-r2-d2-in-star-wars-films-dead-at-81| url-status= live}} He went to live with his father, stepmother, and half-sister in Hastings, Sussex.

Due to his dwarfism, Baker stood {{convert|1.12|m|abbr=on}} as an adult.{{cite web| url=http://nl.newsbank.com/nl-search/we/Archives?p_product=PI&s_site=philly&p_multi=PI&p_theme=realcities&p_action=search&p_maxdocs=200&p_topdoc=1&p_text_direct-0=0EB29939267751E4&p_field_direct-0=document_id&p_perpage=10&p_sort=YMD_date:D| work=The Philadelphia Inquirer| title=The Man Inside R2D2 Lights Up an Opera| date=5 April 1985| access-date=21 September 2016| url-access=subscription| archivedate=9 April 2022| archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20220409230358/http://nl.newsbank.com/nl-search/we/Archives?p_product=PI&s_site=philly&p_multi=PI&p_theme=realcities&p_action=search&p_maxdocs=200&p_topdoc=1&p_text_direct-0=0EB29939267751E4&p_field_direct-0=document_id&p_perpage=10&p_sort=YMD_date:D| url-status=live}} Both his parents were of average height.

Career

= Beginnings =

In 1951, Baker was approached on the street by a woman who invited him to join John Lester's theatrical troupe of little people. This was his first taste of show business. Later, he joined a circus for a brief time, learned to ice skate and appeared in many ice shows. He formed a successful comedy act called The Mini Tones with entertainer Jack Purvis and played in nightclubs.{{cite news |title=Kenny Baker, Star Wars R2-D2 actor, dies aged 81 |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-37072736 |access-date=19 December 2024 |publisher=BBC News |date=13 August 2016}}

= ''Star Wars'' =

While working with Purvis and the Minitones, Baker was selected by George Lucas to operate the robot ("droid") R2-D2 in the fantasy feature film Star Wars, released in 1977.{{citation | last= Arnold| first= Alan| title= Once Upon A Galaxy: A Journal of The Making of The Empire Strikes Back| publisher= Del Rey-Ballantine Books| location= New York| year= 1980| pages= 124–127}} Baker recalled that he initially turned down the role,{{cite web| url= http://www.cnn.com/2016/08/13/entertainment/actor-kenny-baker-dies/| title= Kenny Baker, 'Star Wars' R2-D2 actor, dies| first= Ray| last= Sanchez| publisher= CNN| date= 14 August 2016| access-date= 21 September 2016| archivedate= 21 September 2016| archiveurl= https://web.archive.org/web/20160921215907/http://www.cnn.com/2016/08/13/entertainment/actor-kenny-baker-dies| url-status= live}} concerned about breaking up the Minitones partnership when the duo had reached the final on the British television talent show Opportunity Knocks.{{cite book |last1=Christian |first1=Roger |title=Cinema Alchemist |date=2016 |publisher=Titan Books |isbn=9781785650857 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=iGL4CwAAQBAJ&pg=PT36 |access-date=27 March 2019 |language=en}}

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. He was originally due to play the ewok named Wicket, but he fell ill and that role was handed over to Warwick Davis.

As technology grew and the need to have Baker in the suit decreased over time, he acted sporadically in the prequel trilogy. In Star Wars: Episode II – Attack of the Clones, he acted in just one scene.{{cite book |last1=Bouzereau |first1=Laurent |last2=Duncan |first2=Judy |title=The Making of Star Wars, Episode I – The Phantom Menace |date=1999 |publisher=LucasBooks}}

Baker continued his Star Wars association with the R2-D2 character in Star Wars: The Force Awakens, which was released on 18 December 2015 in North America. He was going to be a member of the cast, but he served as consultant for the character instead.{{cite web|url=http://starwars.com/news/star-wars-episode-7-cast-announced.html|title=Star Wars: Episode VII Cast Announced|publisher=StarWars.com|date=29 April 2014|access-date=29 April 2014|archive-date=29 April 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140429172655/http://starwars.com/news/star-wars-episode-7-cast-announced.html|url-status=dead}} In November 2015, it was confirmed that Jimmy Vee was cast as R2-D2 in Star Wars: The Last Jedi, replacing Baker.{{cite news|url=http://metro.co.uk/2015/11/16/doctor-who-actor-jimmy-vee-is-the-new-r2-d2-in-star-wars-episode-8-5505452/|title=Doctor Who actor Jimmy Vee is the new R2-D2 in Star Wars Episode 8|author=Cameron K. McEwan|work=Metro.co.uk|date=16 November 2015|access-date=22 December 2015|archivedate=1 June 2016|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20160601063403/http://metro.co.uk/2015/11/16/doctor-who-actor-jimmy-vee-is-the-new-r2-d2-in-star-wars-episode-8-5505452/|url-status=live}}{{cite web| url= http://makingstarwars.net/2015/09/little-actor-jimmy-vee-is-artoo-detoo-in-star-wars-episode-viii/| title= Little actor Jimmy Vee is Artoo-Detoo in Star Wars: Episode VIII?| date= 16 September 2015| publisher= makingstarwars.net| access-date= 22 December 2015| archivedate= 22 December 2015| archiveurl= https://web.archive.org/web/20151222120440/http://makingstarwars.net/2015/09/little-actor-jimmy-vee-is-artoo-detoo-in-star-wars-episode-viii/| url-status= deviated}}

Baker attended several conventions as part of Star Wars Celebration as a guest. Celebration Europe III in July 2016 marked his last appearance at Celebration.

= Other work =

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 of The Chronicles of Narnia. In the late 1990s, Baker launched a brief comedy career. He played Casanova in the 1993 movie UFO.

In November 2009, his biography, From Tiny Acorns: The Kenny Baker Story, was written with Ken Mills and published by Writestuff Autographs.{{cite web| url= http://www.writestuffautographs.com/shop/products/kenny-baker-r2d2-star-wars-from-tiny-acorns-the-kenny-baker-story-genuine-signed-book-autograph-00029.htm| title= Kenny Baker – 'R2D2' in Star Wars – Signed Biography – 'From Tiny Acorns – The Kenny Baker Story' Autograph| publisher= writestuffautographs.com| access-date= 21 September 2016| archive-date= 1 December 2017| archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20171201033150/http://www.writestuffautographs.com/shop/products/kenny-baker-r2d2-star-wars-from-tiny-acorns-the-kenny-baker-story-genuine-signed-book-autograph-00029.htm| url-status= dead}}

Personal life

Baker resided in Preston, Lancashire. He was married to actress Eileen Baker (who co-starred with him in the 1977 film Wombling Free) from 1970 until she died in 1993. Although Eileen also had dwarfism, their two children did not inherit their parents' dwarfism.{{cite web|url=http://www.ciaranbrown.com/kbaker.html|title=Ciaran Brown meets actor Kenny Baker|publisher=ciaranbrown.com|access-date=9 June 2016|archivedate=5 March 2017|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20170305005246/http://www.ciaranbrown.com/kbaker.html|url-status=live}}

Baker was invited to attend the premiere of Star Wars: The Force Awakens in Los Angeles in December 2015, but was too ill to travel to the US.{{cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/film/2016/aug/13/kenny-baker-r2-d2-dies-star-wars|title=Kenny Baker, actor behind R2-D2, dies|work=The Guardian|date=13 August 2016|access-date=13 August 2016|archivedate=22 April 2019|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20190422085526/https://www.theguardian.com/film/2016/aug/13/kenny-baker-r2-d2-dies-star-wars|url-status=live}} He had been living with a lung condition for years. Instead, Baker attended the film's premiere in London.{{cite news|last1=Rottenberg|first1=Josh|title=Kenny Baker, 'Star Wars' actor who brought R2-D2 to life, dies at 81|url=http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/herocomplex/la-et-hc-kenny-baker-obit-star-wars-20160813-snap-story.html|access-date=14 August 2016|work=Los Angeles Times|date=13 August 2016|archivedate=14 August 2016|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20160814101032/http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/herocomplex/la-et-hc-kenny-baker-obit-star-wars-20160813-snap-story.html|url-status=live}}{{cite web |title=Kenny Baker - a life in pictures |url=https://www.theguardian.com/film/gallery/2016/aug/13/kenny-baker-a-life-in-pictures |work=The Guardian |access-date=19 December 2024 |date=13 August 2016}}

Death

Baker died on 13 August 2016, 11 days before his 82nd birthday. His funeral was held at the Park Cemetery and Crematorium in Lytham St Annes on 24 August 2016.{{Cite news |title=Stars attend Star Wars actor Kenny Baker's funeral |work=Lancashire Evening Post |url=https://www.lep.co.uk/news/stars-attend-star-wars-actor-kenny-bakers-funeral-768675 |access-date=15 June 2023 |archivedate=15 June 2023 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20230615193525/https://www.lep.co.uk/news/stars-attend-star-wars-actor-kenny-bakers-funeral-768675 |url-status=live }} His two sons, Christopher and Kevin, survived him.

Filmography

=Film=

class="wikitable sortable" \|+
Year ! Title ! Role ! class="unsortable" \| Notes ! {{Tooltip\|Ref.\|Reference}}
1960 \| Circus of Horrors \| Dwarf \| Uncredited \|
rowspan="2" \| 1977 \| Star Wars: Episode IV – A New Hope \| R2-D2 \| \|
Wombling Free \| Bungo \| \|
rowspan="3" \| 1980 \| Star Wars: Episode V – The Empire Strikes Back \| R2-D2 \| \|
Flash Gordon \| Dwarf \| \| {{cite web \|title=Kenny Baker Movies and Shows \|url=https://tv.apple.com/us/person/kenny-baker/umc.cpc.39cq5dv5hkzvqqn1o4oovwlit \|website=tv.apple.com \|publisher=Apple TV \|access-date=21 December 2024}}
{{Sort\|Elephant Man\|The Elephant Man}} \| Plumed Dwarf \| \|
1981 \| Time Bandits \| Fidgit \| \|
1983 \| Star Wars: Episode VI – Return of the Jedi \| R2-D2, Paploo \| \|
1984 \| Amadeus \| Parody Commendatore \| \|
rowspan="2" \| 1986 \| Mona Lisa \| Brighton Busker \| \|
Labyrinth \| Goblin Corps \| \|
rowspan="2" \| 1987 \| Star Tours \| R2-D2 \| Short film, uncredited \|
Sleeping Beauty \| Elf \| \|
1988 \| Willow \| Nelwyn Band Member \| Uncredited \|
1993 \| U.F.O. \| Giacomo Casanova \| \|
rowspan="2" \| 1999 \| {{Sort\|King and I\|The King and I}} \| Captain Orton \| Voice, credited as Ken Baker \|
Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace \| R2-D2 \| \|
rowspan="3" \| 2002 \| 24 Hour Party People \| Zookeeper \| Uncredited \|
Star Wars: Episode II – Attack of the Clones \| R2-D2 \| \|
{{Sort\|Cage\|The Cage}} \| Merlin \| Short film \|
2005 \| Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith \| R2-D2 \| \|
2013 \| One Night at the Aristo \| {{Sort\|Bartender\|The Bartender}} \| Voice, short film \|
2015 \| Star Wars: The Force Awakens \| R2-D2 \| Consultant and final film role \|

class="wikitable sortable"

Year

! Title

! Role

! class="unsortable" | Notes

! {{Tooltip|Ref.|Reference}}

1960

| Circus of Horrors

| Dwarf

| Uncredited

rowspan="2" | 1977

| Star Wars: Episode IV – A New Hope

| R2-D2

Wombling Free

| Bungo

rowspan="3" | 1980

| Star Wars: Episode V – The Empire Strikes Back

| R2-D2

Flash Gordon

| Dwarf

| {{cite web |title=Kenny Baker Movies and Shows |url=https://tv.apple.com/us/person/kenny-baker/umc.cpc.39cq5dv5hkzvqqn1o4oovwlit |website=tv.apple.com |publisher=Apple TV |access-date=21 December 2024}}

| Plumed Dwarf

1981

| Time Bandits

| Fidgit

1983

| Star Wars: Episode VI – Return of the Jedi

| R2-D2, Paploo

1984

| Amadeus

| Parody Commendatore

rowspan="2" | 1986

| Mona Lisa

| Brighton Busker

Labyrinth

| Goblin Corps

rowspan="2" | 1987

| Star Tours

| R2-D2

| Short film, uncredited

Sleeping Beauty

| Elf

1988

| Willow

| Nelwyn Band Member

| Uncredited

1993

| U.F.O.

| Giacomo Casanova

rowspan="2" | 1999

| {{Sort|King and I|The King and I}}

| Captain Orton

| Voice, credited as Ken Baker

Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace

| R2-D2

rowspan="3" | 2002

| 24 Hour Party People

| Zookeeper

| Uncredited

Star Wars: Episode II – Attack of the Clones

| R2-D2

| Merlin

| Short film

2005

| Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith

| R2-D2

2013

| One Night at the Aristo

| {{Sort|Bartender|The Bartender}}

| Voice, short film

2015

| Star Wars: The Force Awakens

| R2-D2

| Consultant and final film role

=Television=

class="wikitable sortable" \|+
Year ! Title ! Role ! class="unsortable" \| Notes ! {{Tooltip\|Ref.\|Reference}}
1962 \| Man of the World \| {{Sort\|Croat\|The Croat}} \| Episode: "Specialist for the Kill", credited as Ken Baker \|
1975 \| Dave Allen at Large \| Salesman \| Season 4, Episode 36 \|
1980 \|{{Sort\|Muppet Show\|The Muppet Show}} \| R2-D2 \| Episode: "The Stars of Star Wars" \|
1981 \| {{Sort\|Goodies\|The Goodies}} \| Dwarf \| Episode: "Snow White 2" \|
1982 \| {{Sort\|Hunchback of Notre Dame\|The Hunchback of Notre Dame}} \| Pick Pocket \| TV film \|
1984 \| {{Sort\|Adventure Game\|The Adventure Game}} \| HRH The Rangdo of Arg \| Two episodes \|
1985 \| Der Rosenkavalier \| Baron Och's Retinue \| TV film \|
1989 \| Prince Caspian and the Voyage of the Dawn Treader \| Dufflepud \| TV special \|
1990 \| Ben Elton: The Man from Auntie \| Invisible Demon \| Episode 5 \|
1991 \| The Paradise Club \| Himself \| Episode: "Family Favours" \|
1992 \| Casualty \| Archie \| Episode: "Act of Faith" \|
1999 \| Boobs in the Wood \| Bruce the Convict \| Direct-to-video \|
2003 \| Swiss Toni \| Guyler \| Episode: "Cars Don't Make You Fat" \|
2007 \| Casualty \| Charles Isaac \| Episode: "The Miracle on Harry's Last Shift" \|

class="wikitable sortable"

Year

! Title

! Role

! class="unsortable" | Notes

! {{Tooltip|Ref.|Reference}}

1962

| Man of the World

| {{Sort|Croat|The Croat}}

| Episode: "Specialist for the Kill", credited as Ken Baker

1975

| Dave Allen at Large