David Prowse IS Darth Vader. At aged 75, not even cancer and arthritis have been able to slow down the Dark Lord of the Sith as the old boy from Bristol Grammar proves with the release of his new book “Straight From The Force's Mouth”. The Book reflects on Prowse's life and career, pieced together from his diaries and recollections and tells the story of the man behind the dark helmet and cape. It is a more interesting tale than simply that of the man who gave form to the timeless visage of Darth Vader. Indeed, David Prowse MBE, has met the Queen, President Reagan, is good friends with the Incredible Hulk and even trained Superman.

I talked to Prowse in between signing copies of his new book at Waterstones Cambridge and began by asking him about his days at Bristol Grammar “I hated every minute of it.” he says laughingly in his pronounced West Country accent “I went to a secondary modern school (before), where I was sort of in the 'A-Stream' and (then) I won a scholarship to the Grammar school... trouble was I went from being top of the 'A-Stream' to  being at the bottom in Grammar school, like the 'X-Stream'.. I was very good athletically I was a good athlete, I was a very good rugby player so I got on well very well everybody but not very well academically..” we laugh as I step back while Dave takes time to chat to fans lining up patiently to greet him. Halloween brings all kinds of people in various states of dress.

Outside is a detachment of Prowse's very own ceremonial brigade of Stormtroopers in full costume, members of the UK chapter of '501 Legion'  which is an international club of (primarily) Storm-Trooper costume enthusiasts who have adopted David Prowse as their Honourary Leader .

Their presence seems to attract much attention for David, who clearly enjoys meeting fans. “I was a body-builder to start with” resumes Prowse “I got very interested in exercising and I trained hard..”  “What kind of training was it?” I ask “Was it an 'old school' mentality, like they had up North with the shoot-fighting style in towns such as Warrington or Rugby?”  “No, body builders were always regarded as being a bit strange, they were thought of as a bit effeminate, but I don't think it was like that, (as a body-builder) you were a 'health culturalist'...I did body-building for quite a long period and eventually got invited and went to the Mr. Universe competition and after that I changed over (as) I was getting quite strong, to competitive weight-lifting.”

Indeed Prowse was British Weightlifing Heavyweight Champion 1962, '63 and '64. “Is this about the time you met (Incredible Hulk Actor and Mr. Universe) Lou Ferrigno?” I ask “Yeah” nods David “I met Arnold, and I met Lou when they came over for the Mr. Universe competition, and subsequent to that I've met Arnold a few times at different shows, And Lou Ferrigno I meet on a regular basis.” Indeed Ferrigno wrote the forward to Prowse's autobiography but I asked David if he remembered or had heard of a particular moment in pop culture history where Hulk Hogan actually earned the moniker of 'Hulk' after having sat next to Lou Ferrigno on a local Memphis Talk Show in the late 70's and (standing at 6ft 7in, 295 pounds with 24inch biceps), seemingly looked bigger than "The Hulk" himself, something which the host remarked on and eventually led to Hogans billing as “The Incredible Hulk Hogan”.

Prowse is quick to dismiss the comparison of course “There'd be no comparison between the two physiques, I mean Lou would make mincemeat of Hulk Hogan”. “With your look and strength, did you ever consider Professional wrestling yourself?” I pry “No.  I had one sort of amateur go at it, and I wrestled the then Metropolitan Police (Collegiate Wrestling) champion, but it wasn't my thing. I had a go at Professional Highland Games, but I wasn't athletic enough.” Prowse was of course being modest.

His considerable physical abilities and 'million dollar' look was the reason he was asked  to train Christopher Reeve for the part of Superman. “The director Richard Donner, rang me up and said 'Look we've got our Superman.. He's around 6'5 and weights about 13 stone', I said 'Thats positively skinny', he said 'Well yeah thats the problem do you think you could build him up for us? I said providing  I can have him, train him and get him to eat and drink exactly as I tell him all well and good. So he came under my guidance, he came to train with me at the gymnasium, I put 40lbs on him in 6 weeks.”

What was Reeve like as a person? “He was lovely, a very nice guy, we were like brothers”  Had Reeve ever expressed any nerves or anxiety to Prowse as his mentor in the run-up to donning the cape?  “I don't think so, no, he was quite good,  I think once he actually got into the suit then he totally changed completely and was very 'full of himself' as it were, we didn't get on after that.”

I remarked how success has repeatedly been known  to come between friendship in show-business “Well it certainly did with that one.” quipped David as he turned to sign another autograph. Reeve of course was not the only Hollywood legend that Prowse worked with. In 1971 he was Directed by Stanley Kubrick in “A Clockwork Orange” as Julian, the bodyguard of the hapless Mr. Alexander who unwittingly helps Malcom McDowell's character without realising he is the same man who raped and murdered his wife. It is the role in which he first came to the attention of Star Wars creator George Lucas who once famously stated “If you were good enough for Stanley Kubrick, you're good enough for me..” when offering Dave the role of Darth Vader.

Indeed Prowse has remarked  in the past at how Lucas enjoyed being told about Kubrick “Everybody wanted to hear about Stanley Kubrick he was such an icon...he was a very hard task master, a real perfectionist,  I always said that working with Stanley, you never do anything once when twenty times will do, so we just shot and shot and shot until Stanley got what he wanted.”

So what does the future hold for the man who gave the Dark Lord of the Sith corporeal form. Prowse noted “I'm doing some singing myself...I went to Las Vegas and sang with (the late MGM legend) Howard Keel (it) was a great experience and now there's a possibility that one of the major recording agents in Great Britain wants to work with me (to do) songs and big ballads from the shows.”

On the subject of future projects and his life and legacy, I wanted to ask Dave about his recent falling out with George Lucas which saw him effectively sidelined from any official Lucasfilm associated Star Wars conventions on account of his having (in George Lucas' words) “Burned too many bridges”. The two have appeared to have a trained relationship over the years but it didn't seem right to ask such a loaded question when Prowse was meeting families and his adoring fans on a Saturday afternoon.

I didn't see the journalistic integrity in bringing up the topic with the 75 year old actor, besides only a fool with a disturbing lack of faith would ever knowingly incur the wrath of Lord Vader.  Long queues had started to form and it was time for me to wrap things up. I finished by asking Prowse how he wished to be remembered “I want to be remembered as a nice person, somebody that has done some good in his life, had a very interesting career and hasn't upset too many people. (The Book) is my autobiography, I've kept diaries for years, I've met some wonderful people, done all sorts of different things and that's why I just wanted people to know a bit more about me than they do already.”

 

David Prowse's new book “Straight From the Force's Mouth : The Autobiography of David Prowse MBE” is by Apex Publishing and available online and at all good bookshops.