He's also among several celebrities China reportedly has
banned from traveling in Tibet because of their involvement
with "Kundun," a film written by his wife, Melissa Mathison,
about the exiled religious leader Dalai Lama.
CARRIE FISHER (Princess Leia Organa) ... returns to the screen later this year in the comedy "Austin Powers." In addition to dozens of film and
television roles, the 40-year-old Fisher has written three
novels, including the fictionalized memoir "Postcards From
The Edge," which was made into a movie in 1990.
PETER CUSHING (Grand Moff Tarkin, the commander of the Death
Star) ... died of cancer in 1994. He was 81. Despite a long
career covering a variety of movie, television and stage
roles, Cushing is probably best known for his appearances in
low-budget British horror films in the 1950s and 1960s.
SIR ALEC GUINNESS (Ben (Obi-Wan) Kenobi) ... now 82, made his stage debut in 1934 and still plays occasional television and movie roles. He was knighted in 1959 for a long career as an actor, director and writer.
Guinness won an Academy Award for Best Actor for the 1957
movie "The Bridge on the River Kwai" and an honorary Oscar in
1980 for "advancing the art of screen acting through a host
of memorable and distinguished performances".
His 1985 autobiography is called "Blessings in Disguise."
ANTHONY DANIELS (C-3PO)
... appeared in the British-made TV series "Prime Suspect."
He also used his falsetto C-3PO voice in the 1985 cartoon
series "Droids."
Daniels, 50, and other "Star Wars" actors have appeared at
science fiction and comic book shows. The self-described
world's expert on C-3PO also is said to be co-writing a comic
book about the character.
KENNY BAKER (R2-D2) ... can be seen in the movies "The Elephant Man," "Amadeus," "Mona Lisa" and "Time Bandits."
The 3-foot-8 inch English actor is 62. According to Premiere
magazine, he tours with a one-man cabaret act.
PETER MAYHEW (Chewbacca)
... was a hospital attendant at the time he was cast,
Premiere reports. Other than the "Star Wars" trilogy, the
7-foot-2 inch Mayhew has had just one other film role, in
1977's "Sinbad and the Eye of the Tiger."
Mayhew, 52, was a film editor early in his career and is now
active on the "Star Wars" convention circuit.
DAVID PROWSE (Lord Darth Vader)
... now owns a fitness center in London and has not appeared
in a movie since 1983's "Return of the Jedi." However, the
61-year-old Prowse recently reprised the Darth Vader role for
the computer game Rebel Assault II, according to Premiere.
Although he spoke Vader's lines as "Star Wars" was being
made, Prowse says he didn't know James Earl Jones had dubbed
his voice until the movie came out.
BILLY DEE WILLIAMS (Lando Calrissian)
... has a career as a painter as well as actor. Since
1991 he has had several solo exhibitions.
Williams, 58, still works in movies (including last year's
"Mask of Death") and has more than 50 TV and film credits to
his name.
FRANK OZ (Yoda) ... is the director of "In and Out," a movie comedy coming out this year. But Oz, 52, is probably best known as the man
behind Miss Piggy and other Muppet characters.
JAMES EARL JONES (voice of Lord Darth Vader) ... has played more than 100 film, television and theater roles, earning a Tony Award for his Broadway performance in
"The Great White Hope."
Jones, 66, will appear in a made-for-cable movie this year
called "The Second Civil War." Known for his deep, commanding
voice, Jones titled his autobiography "Voices and Silences."
It's a voice heard on television every day announcing "This
is CNN."
