Bob Anderson — Acting | Biography, Movies & Career

Biography

Robert James Gilbert Anderson, known as Bob Anderson (September 15, 1922 – January 1, 2012), was the swordmaster who played Darth Vader in his various fight scenes in The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi. He replaced David Prowse due to the actor's tendency to break lightsabers. Because of the height differences—Anderson was 6'1" (1.85m), while Prowse was 6'7" (2.02m)—Anderson's scenes were filmed from a lower angle to make him seem taller, or he stood on some small stilts or wore platform shoes. Anderson also played Rebel Officer Trey Callum during the Battle of Hoth in The Empire Strikes Back. Anderson later did swordfighting choreography and training for films such films as the The Lord of the Rings trilogy (with actor Christopher Lee) and the James Bond film Die Another Day (with stunt performer Jim Dowdall).

Born in Hampshire, England, Bob Anderson joined the Royal Marines and won several combined services titles in the sport of fencing. He served in the Mediterranean Sea during World War II. As a competitive fencer, he represented Great Britain at the Olympic Games in 1952 and the World Championships in 1950 and 1953 in the sabre event. He finished tied for fifth in the team sabre event at Helsinki in 1952.

Bob Anderson's cinema career began in 1952, when he choreographed fights for and coached Errol Flynn for the 1953 film The Master of Ballantrae. During rehearsal for a scene he accidentally slashed Flynn on his thigh, leading to notoriety in Hollywood as "the man who stabbed Errol Flynn". He went on to work as a stunt performer and/or fight choreographer in films such as The Guns of Navarone and the Bond films From Russia With Love and Casino Royale. His stature in Hollywood was cemented when he was selected by Stanley Kubrick in 1974 to act as the sword master for Barry Lyndon.

Anderson did not receive much recognition for his role as doubling for Darth Vader in the Star Wars films for years after their initial release, in part because David Prowse was so lauded for his portrayal that director George Lucas did not want to detract from the boost it gave the actor's career. In a 1983 interview, however, Mark Hamill paid homage to Anderson's contribution, saying: "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."

For the next thirty years, Anderson continued to work in cinema and was responsible for the swordsmanship in many films. He had a reputation for being a perfectionist, with director Martin Campbell giving him the nickname "Grumpy Bob". Among his credits as a fight choreographer and fencing coach are The Three Musketeers, First Knight with Sean Connery, The Mask of Zorro with actor Antonio Banderas, The Lord of the Rings trilogy with actor Christopher Lee, the James Bond film Die Another Day with stunt performer Jim Dowdall, and Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl with Johnny Depp. Shortly before his death, he was working on The Hobbit.

Anderson died on New Year's Day in 2012. He was 89 years old.