Kenneth George Baker

 Kenneth George Baker (August 24, 1934 – August 13,2016)

He was an English actor and musician. He is best remembered for portraying the character R2-D2 in the Star Wars science fiction movie franchise. Although his parents were of average height, Baker stood 3 ft 8 in (1.12 m) as an adult. While working with Purvis and the Minitones, Baker was selected by George Lucas to operate the robot ("droid") R2-D2 in the science fiction feature film Star Wars, released in 1977.Baker recalled that he initially turned down the role. 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 going to play Wicket, but he fell ill and that role was handed over to Warwick Davis. He revealed a feud between him and his co-star Anthony Daniels, claiming Daniels had been rude to him on numerous occasions, and stated that Daniels is rude to everyone, including fans. 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 stand-up comedy career. He played Casanova in the 1993 movie U.F.O. Baker died on August 13, 2016, eleven days before his 82nd birthday, following a brief additional illness.