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Kenny Baker (English Actor)
Kenneth George Baker (24 August 1934 – 13 August 2016) was an English actor, comedian and musician. He portrayed the character R2-D2 in the '' Star Wars'' franchise and also appeared in ''The Elephant Man'', ''Time Bandits'', ''Willow'', '' Flash Gordon'', ''Amadeus'', and ''Labyrinth''. Early life Baker was born and educated in Birmingham, Warwickshire, and at a boarding school in Kent. He was the son of Ethel (1906–1990), a pianist and dress maker, and Harold Baker (1908–1985), an artist, musician and draughtsman. He went to live with his father, stepmother and half-sister in Hastings, Sussex. Although his parents were of average height, Baker stood as an adult. Career Beginnings In 1951, Baker was approached on the street by a woman who invited him to join a theatrical troupe of dwarfs and midgets. This was his first taste of show business. Later, he joined a circus for a brief time, learned to ice skate and appeared in many ice shows. He formed a successfu ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Star Wars Celebration
The ''Star Wars'' Celebration is a fan gathering to celebrate the ''Star Wars'' franchise. It began in 1999, when Lucasfilm held the ''Star Wars'' Celebration in Denver, Colorado to celebrate the upcoming release of '' Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace''. Subsequent events have taken place to welcome forthcoming movies, as well as honoring the 30th and 40th anniversaries of the release of the original film. Overview Events Celebration I The ''Star Wars'' Celebration was held from April 30 – May 2, 1999, at the Wings Over the Rockies Air and Space Museum in Denver, Colorado, just three weeks before the release of ''The Phantom Menace''. An event "for the fans, by the fans," the event took place in the hometown of the Official ''Star Wars'' Fan Club, headed by Dan Madsen. "The Fan Club is based here in Denver," says Madsen, "so we thought it would only be appropriate that the Celebration be held here." The first ''Star Wars'' convention since 1987, the Celeb ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Circus
A circus is a company of performers who put on diverse entertainment shows that may include clowns, acrobats, trained animals, trapeze acts, musicians, dancers, hoopers, tightrope walkers, jugglers, magicians, ventriloquists, and unicyclists as well as other object manipulation and stunt-oriented artists. The term ''circus'' also describes the performance which has followed various formats through its 250-year modern history. Although not the inventor of the medium, Philip Astley is credited as the father of the modern circus. In 1768, Astley, a skilled equestrian, began performing exhibitions of trick horse riding in an open field called Ha'Penny Hatch on the south side of the Thames River, England. In 1770, he hired acrobats, tightrope walkers, jugglers and a clown to fill in the pauses between the equestrian demonstrations and thus chanced on the format which was later named a "circus". Performances developed significantly over the next fifty years, with large-scale theat ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
The Last Jedi
''Star Wars: The Last Jedi'' (also known as ''Star Wars: Episode VIII – The Last Jedi'') is a 2017 American epic space opera film written and directed by Rian Johnson. Produced by Lucasfilm and distributed by Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures, it is the second installment of the ''Star Wars'' sequel trilogy, following ''The Force Awakens'' (2015), and the eighth episode of the nine-part "Skywalker saga". The film's ensemble cast includes Mark Hamill, Carrie Fisher, Adam Driver, Daisy Ridley, John Boyega, Oscar Isaac, Andy Serkis, Lupita Nyong'o, Domhnall Gleeson, Anthony Daniels, Gwendoline Christie, Kelly Marie Tran, Laura Dern, and Benicio del Toro. ''The Last Jedi'' follows Rey as she seeks the aid of Luke Skywalker, in hopes of turning the tide for the Resistance in the fight against Kylo Ren and the First Order, while General Leia Organa, Finn, and Poe Dameron attempt to escape a First Order attack on the dwindling Resistance fleet. The film features the first posth ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Jimmy Vee
James Vee (born 3 February 1959) is a Scottish actor, puppeteer and stunt performer. He is best known for playing a number of ''Doctor Who'' monsters and aliens including Bannakaffalatta in the 2007 Christmas special ''Voyage of the Damned'', as well as the Graske in the ''Doctor Who'' spin-off series ''The Sarah Jane Adventures''. He is also well known as the actor for R2-D2 in '' Star Wars: The Last Jedi'', replacing the late Kenny Baker, who died in August 2016. Career Vee started his career as a stunt double/performer for various small actors and extras in films such as ''Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone''. Vee also starred as Cheeky the dwarf in the King's Theatre, Glasgow adaptation of '' Snow White and the Seven Dwarves''. Vee originally auditioned for R2-D2 R2-D2 () or Artoo-Detoo is a fictional robot character in the ''Star Wars'' franchise created by George Lucas. He has appeared in ten of the eleven theatrical ''Star Wars'' films to date. At various p ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
The Force Awakens
''Star Wars: The Force Awakens'' (also known as ''Star Wars: Episode VII – The Force Awakens'') is a 2015 American epic space opera film produced, co-written, and directed by J. J. Abrams. The sequel to ''Return of the Jedi'' (1983), it is the seventh film in the "Skywalker Saga". Set thirty years after ''Return of the Jedi'', ''The Force Awakens'' follows Rey, Finn, Poe Dameron, and Han Solo's search for Luke Skywalker and their fight in the Resistance, led by General Leia Organa and veterans of the Rebel Alliance, against Kylo Ren and the First Order, a successor to the Galactic Empire. The ensemble cast includes Harrison Ford, Mark Hamill, Carrie Fisher, Adam Driver, Daisy Ridley, John Boyega, Oscar Isaac, Lupita Nyong'o, Andy Serkis, Domhnall Gleeson, Anthony Daniels, Peter Mayhew, and Max von Sydow. The film was announced after The Walt Disney Company's acquisition of Lucasfilm in October 2012. The film is the first ''Star Wars'' film to not extensively involve ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Warwick Davis
Warwick Ashley Davis (born 3 February 1970) is an English actor. He played the title character in ''Willow'' (1988) and the ''Leprechaun'' film series (1993–2003), several characters in the ''Star Wars'' film series (1983–2019), most notably the Ewok Wicket, and Professor Filius Flitwick and the goblin Griphook in the ''Harry Potter'' film series (2001–2011). Davis starred as a fictionalised version of himself in the sitcom '' Life's Too Short'' (2012–2013). He has also presented the ITV game shows ''Celebrity Squares'' (2014–2015) and ''Tenable'' (2016–2021). Active within the industry since he was twelve, Davis is one of the highest grossing supporting actors of all time (excluding cameo appearances), owing predominantly to his appearances in the ''Star Wars'' and ''Harry Potter'' series of films. Early life Davis was born on 3 February 1970 in Epsom, Surrey, the son of Susan J. ( Pain) and Ashley Davis, an insurance worker. He has a younger sister. He was ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Wicket W
In cricket, the term wicket has several meanings: * It is one of the two sets of three stumps and two bails at either end of the pitch. The fielding team's players can hit the wicket with the ball in a number of ways to get a batsman out. ** The wicket is guarded by a batsman who, with his bat (and sometimes with his pads, but see the laws on LBW, leg before wicket), attempts to prevent the ball from hitting the wicket (if it does, he is bowled out) and to score runs where possible. * Through metonymic usage, the dismissal of a batsman is known as the ''taking of a wicket'', * The cricket pitch itself is sometimes referred to as ''the wicket''. History The origin of the word is from wicket gate, a small gate. Originally, cricket wickets had only two stumps and one bail and looked like a gate, much like the wicket used in the North American game of wicket. The third (middle) stump was introduced in 1775, after Lumpy Stevens bowled three successive deliveries to John Sma ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Speeder Bike
Speeder bikes (also known as "jumpspeeders" or "hover bikes") and swoop bikes (or just "swoops") are small, fast transports that use repulsorlift engines in the fictional ''Star Wars'' universe. ''Return of the Jedi'' includes a prominent speeder bike chase; speeders and swoops also appear 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'' (added in the 1997 Special Edition, but absent on every earlier print), the animated TV series ''Star Wars: The Clone Wars'' and ''Star Wars Rebels'', and the ''Star Wars'' expanded universe's books, comics, and games. In real life a one-person, or an unmanned cargo, flying vehicle with four jet motors at the corners using artificial intelligence to maintain stability that has been described as a "flying motorbike" and named "Speeder" was under development in 2022, an idea that emerged from work with ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Ewok
The Ewoks (singular: Ewok) are a fictional species of small, furry, mammaloid, bipeds in the '' Star Wars'' universe. They inhabit the forest moon of Endor and live in arboreal huts and other simple dwellings, being seen as primitive in comparison with other sentient species. Ewoks debuted in the 1983 feature film ''Return of the Jedi'' and have since appeared in two made-for-television films, '' The Ewok Adventure'' (1984) and '' Ewoks: The Battle for Endor'' (1985), as well as a 2D animated series, several books and games, and briefly in the 2019 feature film '' Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker''. Concept and creation George Lucas created the Ewoks because he wanted ''Return of the Jedi'' to feature a tribe of primitive creatures that bring down the technological Empire. He had originally intended the scenes to be set on the Wookiee home planet, but as the film series evolved, the Wookiees became technologically skilled. Lucas reversed the syllables to designate a new s ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Return Of The Jedi
''Return of the Jedi'' (also known as ''Star Wars: Episode VI – Return of the Jedi'' is a 1983 American epic space opera film directed by Richard Marquand. The screenplay is by Lawrence Kasdan and George Lucas from a story by Lucas, who was also the executive producer. The sequel to '' Star Wars'' (1977) and ''The Empire Strikes Back'' (1980), it is the third installment in the original ''Star Wars'' trilogy, the third film to be produced, and the sixth chronological film in the "Skywalker Saga". The film stars Mark Hamill, Harrison Ford, Carrie Fisher, Billy Dee Williams, Anthony Daniels, David Prowse, Kenny Baker, Peter Mayhew and Frank Oz. Set one year after ''The Empire Strikes Back'', the Galactic Empire is constructing a second Death Star to exterminate the Rebel Alliance. With intel that the Emperor will be onboard, the Rebel fleet launches a full-scale attack on the Death Star in hopes of both destroying it and the Emperor. Meanwhile, Rebel hero Luke Skywalker ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Opportunity Knocks (UK TV Series)
''Opportunity Knocks'' is a British television and radio talent show originally hosted by Hughie Green, with a late-1980s revival hosted by Bob Monkhouse, and later by previous winner Les Dawson. From its origin on BBC Radio in 1949 the show provided a platform to fame for acts such as Spike Milligan and Frankie Vaughan. One of the most popular shows on British television, in the 1960s and 1970s it had a weekly audience of 20 million viewers. The original radio version started on the BBC Light Programme, where it ran from 18 February to 29 September 1949, but moved to Radio Luxembourg in the 1950s. It was shown on ITV from 20 June 1956 to 29 August 1956, produced by Associated Rediffusion. A second run commenced on 11 July 1964 and lasted until 20 March 1978, produced first by ABC and then by Thames. During this period Bob Sharples was musical director.Bob Sharples obituary, ''The Guardian'', 9 September 1987 p. 34 Green presented a single episode of ''Opportunity Knocks'' for ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Star Wars (film)
''Star Wars'' (retroactively titled ''Star Wars: Episode IV – A New Hope'') is a 1977 American epic space opera film written and directed by George Lucas, produced by Lucasfilm and distributed by 20th Century Fox. It is the first film in the '' Star Wars'' film series and fourth chronological chapter of the " Skywalker Saga". Set "a long time ago" in a fictional universe where the galaxy is ruled by the tyrannical Galactic Empire, the story focuses on a group of freedom fighters known as the Rebel Alliance, who aim to destroy the Empire's newest weapon, the Death Star. Luke Skywalker becomes caught in the conflict while learning the ways of a metaphysical power known as "the Force" from Jedi Master Obi-Wan Kenobi. The cast includes Mark Hamill, Harrison Ford, Carrie Fisher, Peter Cushing, Alec Guinness, David Prowse, James Earl Jones, Anthony Daniels, Kenny Baker, and Peter Mayhew. Lucas had the idea for a science-fiction film in the vein of '' Flash Gordon'' aro ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
