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.
In the 1970s and 1980s, New York was going through some tough times, with spiraling crime and grime afflicting the great city. Director Michael Winner tapped into popular sentiments that society was falling apart and law enforcement was too overwhelmed to protect the citizenry. The resulting film, "Death Wish", was as controversial as it was a populist hit. Years before, the notion of a vigilante searching the streets of Gotham in the hopes of meeting up with would-be muggers would not have hit the emotional cord it did in 1974. Some critics called it fascist, others called it racist (despite the fact that Winner took pains to present a multi-racial depiction of the denizens of society). Yet, audiences responded with enthusiasm every time Charles Bronson (in a very fine, subdued performance) let loose on the villains. New York is going through some hard times again due to the impact of the virus, but it's likely Gotham will return to fine form once the current crisis has passed. Until then, "Death Wish"- along with films such as "Taxi Driver" and "Midnight Cowboy"- still serve as cinematic archaeological artifacts of a more challenging era that brought about plenty of problems in society, but also inspired some memorable films. -(Lee Pfeiffer)