British actor David Prowse has died at age 85. Prowse was originally a bodybuilder before he turned to acting. His sizable physique and imposing presence gained him many bit roles, mostly in British films, beginning with an amusing "blink-and-you'll-miss-him" cameo as Frankenstein's monster opposite David Niven in 1967 spoof version of "Casino Royale". He would later appear in a small role in Stanley Kubrick's "A Clockwork Orange". His most notable role was that of Darth Vader in the original "Star Wars" trilogy. The role allowed Prowse to capitalize on his fame for decades, as he was a popular fixture at fan conventions and autograph shows around the world. However, he ran afoul of LucasFilm when he publicly griped about having had his voice for Darth Vader replaced by that of James Earl Jones. Prowse also implied he had been cheated out of royalties on the films due to "Hollywood accounting". LucasFilm, which owned the series prior to Disney's acquisition of the franchise, banned Prowse from appearing at official "Star Wars" events. Despite this, Prowse continued to attend non-official "Star Wars"-themed shows and events where he was a big draw for fans and autograph collectors.
Prowse's other film appearances include "The Horror of Frankenstein", "Frankenstein and the Monster from Hell" and "Jabberwocky". Prowse would say his greatest career achievement was having been awarded an MBE for his popular persona as Green Cross Code Man, a superhero who appeared in British TV adverts in 1975 to promote road safety to children.