6. David Prowse
Character & Films: Darth Vader (body only) in the original trilogy.
Before Star Wars: A body-builder by trade, Prowse's early career revolved around his physical appearance - making it all the more ironic that his face is never seen in
Star Wars. He played Frankenstein's monster twice, in
Casino Royale and
The Horror of Frankenstein, and appears briefly in
A Clockwork Orange,
The Tomorrow People and as the Minotaur in two episodes of
Doctor Who. In Britain he also headed up the 'Green Cross Code' TV campaign.
After Star Wars: He got Christopher Reeve into shape for the
Superman films and trained Cary Elwes for his role in
The Princess Bride. He continued to appear in 'muscle man' or bodyguard roles on
The Benny Hill Show and
Morecambe and Wise until his health began failing in the 1990s. He now works as an arthritis campaigner and was a regular on the convention circuit until 2010.
Did He Deserve Better?: Partially. Prowse can feel aggrieved for not having his voice used for Darth Vader, and Lucasfilm has not treated him kindly (he still hasn't been paid for
Return of the Jedi). But he's had a pretty good career considering that we never got to see his face.
Look No Further: Julian in
A Clockwork Orange (1971). He makes the dinner table scene all the more intimidating.