Kenny Baker

Infobox actor
name = Kenny Baker

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caption = Baker at a science fiction convention
birthdate = August 24, 1934 (age 74)
birthplace = Birmingham, England

Kenneth "Kenny" Baker (born August 24, 1934) is a British dwarf actor and occasional musician, known as the man inside R2-D2 in the popular "Star Wars" film series.

Baker, who stands 3 ft 8 in (112 cm) tall, was a circus and cabaret performer with entertainer Jack Purvis when George Lucas hired him to be the man inside R2-D2 in "" in 1977.

Baker appears in all six of the episodic theatrical "Star Wars" films. Baker played an additional role in 1983's "" as Paploo, the Ewok who steals an Imperial speeder bike. He was originally going to play Wicket W. Warrick, but he fell ill, and that role was handed over to Warwick Davis. Kenny featued on Justin Lee Collins's 'Bring Back Star Wars'. He revealed a feud between him and his co-star Anthony Daniels. He claimed Daniels had been rude to him on numerous occasions. In some cases, blanking him completely. He even said he wouldn't be in the same room as him unless necessary.

Baker's other films include "The Elephant Man", "Time Bandits" (also with Purvis), "Amadeus" and Jim Henson's "Labyrinth". On television, he appeared in the British medical drama "Casualty".

In the late 1990s, Baker launched a brief stand up comedy career. Baker played harmonica with the James Coutts Scottish Dance Band at Hugh McCaig's Silverstone Party in July 1997. Baker currently resides in Preston, England. While both he and his late wife have dwarfism, their two sons do not.

External links

* [http://www.kennybaker.co.uk/ Kenny Baker's Web site]
*imdb name|id=0048652|name=Kenny Baker