John
May the Fourth has become in recent years a fun date to look forward to. I’ve been a fan of the Star Wars franchise since I was a child, having burned out my family’s VHS tapes of the original trilogy in frequent viewings over the years. I remember looking forward to the return of Star Wars to the big screen with the Special Edition re-release and the Prequels, and with even greater anticipation for the recent Disney-made trilogy, which closes out the 9-episode saga this year.
Instead of simple anticipation, however, this particular “May the Fourth” is given a more somber note with the passing of Peter Mayhews, the actor who portrayed Chewbacca in the original trilogy. The actor joins the sadly growing list of deceased Star Wars cast and crew, the biggest names recently being Carrie Fisher and Kenny Baker (R2-D2).
It is difficult figuring out what words to say, especially for people who I’ve only known from their work on the big screen. What I can think of is that these people have become a part of history – their performances and efforts have helped to create vast communities that span generations. The universe of Star Wars, which they have contributed to, has given countless hours of enjoyment and inspiration to countless people, of whom I am one.
The effect of their lives has rippled throughout society over the decades since the first movie came out in 1977, bringing countless of fans into a galaxy far, far away – into a story of good versus evil, freedom versus tyranny. It told a story of a simpler time, of simple heroism and drama. Icons of popular culture were born when Darth Vader stalked down the hallway of the Tantive IV to the pale legions of Stormtroopers fighting against the likes of Luke, Leia, Chewie, and Han. The mystique of the Jedi was given form with Obi-Wan and Yoda, and levity carried on the metal shoulders of C3PO and R2D2.
May the Fourth, which became an unofficial-cum-official fandom holiday since it kicked off for the first time in 2011, has been a celebration of joy for Star Wars. And that joy is made all the more meaningful with remembering the people whose lives have been put into creating it for us all. Indeed, May the Fourth be with you.
Haoson
We remember those that have gone on a different journey in this year’s May the Fourth, because we are reminded also that there are still people who work behind the scenes to bring us this universe in whatever shape or form.
While we acknowledge every single one of those who shaped the whole Star Wars universe. I decided to commemorate, to remember that dates back to only the 2015. The year where the resurgence of the new chapters of Star Wars were seen once again on the big screen. I see that this is the fitting year that we started the commemoration as while we remember the end of the journey of these people, 2015 marked the year where Star Wars is seen again as a beginning of a new journey in this universe that we all fell in love with.
Deaths in 2015
- Khan Bonfils, who portrayed Saesee Tiin in Star Wars: Episode I The Phantom Menace, passed away from collapsing during rehearsals for a theater production of Dante’s Inferno at age 42 on January 5, 2015.
- Keith Swaden, a stuntman who played rebels and stormtroopers in all three films of the original trilogy, passed away at age 75 on January 18, 2015.
- Richard Bonehill, noted for playing a snowtrooper, a stormtrooper, and Rebel officer Palo Torshan in Star Wars: Episode V The Empire Strikes Back; and a stormtrooper, a Mon Calamari, an X-wing pilot, a TIE pilot, and named characters Nien Nunb, Ree-Yees, and Mosep Binneed in Star Wars: Episode VI Return of the Jedi passed away on February 4, 2015.
- David Esch, who voiced Han Solo in the video game Star Wars: Galactic Battlegrounds, passed away at age 65 on April 2, 2015.
- Sir Christopher Lee, who played Count Dooku/Darth Tyranus in Star Wars: Episode II Attack of the Clones, Star Wars: Episode III Revenge of the Sith and the Star Wars: The Clone Wars film, passed away at age 93 on June 7, 2015.
- George Coe, who voiced Tee Watt Kaa in Star Wars: The Clone Wars, passed away at age 86 on July 18, 2015.
- Jason Wingreen was the original voice of Boba Fett before it was replaced by Temuera Morrison‘s in the Special Edition DVD of The Empire Strikes Back. He passed away at the age of 95 on December 25, 2015.
Deaths in 2016
- Bill E. Martin, who voiced several characters in video games like Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic, the Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace video game, Star Wars: Bounty Hunter and Star Wars: X-Wing Alliance, passed away at age 70 on January 27, 2016.
- Joe Alaskey, who voiced the Important Merchant, the Interpreter and Watto’s flunky in the Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace video game, passed away at age 63 on February 3, 2016.
- Alethea McGrath, who portrayed Jocasta Nu on Star Wars: Episode II Attack of the Clones, passed away at age 96 on February 9, 2016.
- Drewe Henley, the actor who portrayed Garven Dreis on Star Wars: Episode IV A New Hope and later phostumously through archive footage on Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, passed away at age 75 on February 14, 2016.
- Ray West, the Oscar award winning sound editor who was credited as being a Re-Recording Mixer on Star Wars: Episode IV A New Hope, passed away at age 90 on February 17, 2016.
- Erik Bauersfeld—the original voice of Gial Ackbar in Star Wars: Episode VI Return of the Jedi, in Star Wars: Episode VII The Force Awakens, and in the video game Star Wars: X-Wing; and of Bib Fortuna in Star Wars: Episode VI Return of the Jedi—passed away at age 93 on April 3, 2016.
- Ian Watkin, who voiced COO-2180 in Star Wars: Episode II Attack of the Clones, passed away at age 76 on May 18, 2016.
- Ronald Falk, the voice of Dexter Jettster on Star Wars: Episode II Attack of the Clones, passed away in Australia on June 27, 2016.
- Kenny Baker was the man inside R2-D2 in Star Wars: Episode I The Phantom Menace, Star Wars: Episode II Attack of the Clones, Star Wars: Episode III Revenge of the Sith, Star Wars: Episode IV A New Hope, Star Wars: Episode V The Empire Strikes Back, and Star Wars: Episode VI Return of the Jedi; he also portrayed Paploo in Star Wars: Episode VI Return of the Jedi. He passed away at age 81 on August 13, 2016.
- Ian Liston, who played Wes Janson and an AT-AT gunner in Star Wars: Episode V The Empire Strikes Back, passed away at age 68 on October 1, 2016.
- Peter Sumner, who played Lieutenant Pol Treidum in Star Wars: Episode IV A New Hope, passed away from a long illness on November 22, 2016.
- Carrie Fisher, who portrayed Princess Leia Organa throughout the original trilogy and in Star Wars: Episode VII The Force Awakens, passed away at age 60 on December 27, 2016.
Deaths in 2017
- Chris Wiggins, who voiced Mon Julpa in Star Wars: Droids, passed away from complications of Alzheimer’s disease at age 86 on February 19, 2017.
- John Forgeham, who portrayed Bolvan in Star Wars: Episode IV A New Hope, passed away from internal bleeding at age 75 on March 10, 2017.
- Margaret Towner, who portrayed Jira in Star Wars: Episode I The Phantom Menace, passed away at age 96 on April 10, 2017.
- John Cygan, who voiced several Star Wars characters such Dash Rendar, Rand Talor, Luke Skywalker, Darth Vader, Canderous Ordo and Ulic Qel-Droma, passed away from cancer at age 63 on May 13, 2017.
- Andy Cunningham, who was the mime artist and puppeteer for Ephant Mon in Star Wars: Episode VI Return of the Jedi, passed away from cancer at the age of 69 on June 5, 2017.
- William Hoyland, who portrayed Commander Igar in Star Wars: Episode VI Return of the Jedi, passed away from stomach cancer at the age of 73 on July 15, 2017.
- Barry Dennen, who voiced King Ramsis Dendup in Star Wars: The Clone Wars, passed away at age 76 on September 26, 2017.
- John Mollo, the costume designer for Star Wars: Episode IV A New Hope and Star Wars: Episode V The Empire Strikes Back, passed away at the age of 86 on October 25, 2017.
- Alfie Curtis, who portrayed Doctor Cornelius Evazan in Star Wars: Episode IV A New Hope, passed away at the age of 87 on November 30, 2017.
- Jim Baikie, a comic-book artist who inked, pecilled and colored Empire’s End, passed away at the age of 77 on December 29, 2017.
Deaths in 2018
- Allison Shearmur, the executive producer of both Rogue One: A Star Wars Story and Solo: A Star Wars Story, passed away from lung cancer at the age of 54 on January 19, 2018.
- Debbie Lee Carrington, a stuntwoman who portrayed Romba the Ewok in Star Wars: Episode VI Return of the Jedi and Weechee Warrick in Caravan of Courage: An Ewok Adventure, passed away at the age of 58 on March 23, 2018.
- Michael Ford, the set decorator of Star Wars: Episode V The Empire Strikes Back and Star Wars: Episode VI Return of the Jedi, passed away at age 90 on May 31, 2018.
- Bong Dazo, a comic-book artist who penciled many Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic comics and the Star Wars: The Force Unleashed comic-book adaptation, passed away at age 56 on June 29, 2018.
- Marie Severin, the comic book colorist who worked on several issues of Star Wars, Droids and Ewoks, passed away at the age of 89 on August 30, 2018.
- Gary Kurtz, the producer for Star Wars: Episode IV A New Hope and Star Wars: Episode V The Empire Strikes Back, passed away from cancer at the age of 78 on September 23, 2018.
- Marty Balin, lead singer of Jefferson Starship (as the holographic band) in The Star Wars Holiday Special, passed away at age 76 on September 27, 2018.
- Carlos Ezquerra, the comic book artist who pencilled and inkered the comic book series Mara Jade: By the Emperor’s Hand and the short comic Boba Fett ½: Salvage, passed away at age 70 on October 1, 2018.
- Stan Lee, editor of Marvel Comics and writer of the introduction of The Marvel Comics Illustrated Version of Star Wars, passed away from pneumonia at age 95 on November 12, 2018.
- Gloria Katz, who served as script doctor for the first draft of Star Wars: Episode IV A New Hope, passed away from ovarian cancer at age 76 on November 25, 2018.
- John Wreford, who portrayed Hija in Star Wars: Episode IV A New Hope, passed away at age 75 on December 11, 2018.
Deaths in 2019
- William Morgan Sheppard, who voiced the Heavy Gun Trooper and the Ruulian Strip Miner in Star Wars: Force Commander, passed away at age 86 on January 6, 2019.
- Bronco McLoughlin, a stuntman who played a stormtrooper in Star Wars: Episode IV A New Hope, passed away on March 26, 2019.
- Shane Rimmer, who played the Rebel Crew Chief in Star Wars: Episode IV A New Hope, passed away at age 89 on March 29, 2019.
- Vonda N. McIntyre, the author of The Crystal Star, passed away at age 70 on April 1, 2019.
- Frank Hensen, a stuntman who played a stormtrooper, a skiff guard and a rebel guard in Star Wars: Episode VI Return of the Jedi, passed away from a short illness at age 83 on April 25, 2019.
- Peter Mayhew, who played Chewbacca in the Star Wars original trilogy, Star Wars: Episode III Revenge of the Sith and Star Wars: Episode VII The Force Awakens, passed away at age 74 on April 30, 2019.
For the complete list of those who worked in the Star Wars Universe predating 2016, you can head here.