Bob Anderson

Those versed in Star Wars lore know well that Darth Vader was actually played by two men: James Earl Jones provided the voice and bodybuilder David Prowse the physique. But when it came to the films’ legendary lightsaber duels, Bob Anderson, a champion swordsman and fight choreographer, stepped into Lord Vader’s costume. Anderson, who died Jan. 1 at 89, was a world-class fencer who represented Britain in the 1952 Olympics and in two world championships. A master of the foil, pe and saber, he turned his talents to film. In a career that began with training Errol Flynn–whom Anderson accidentally stabbed in the thigh in a rehearsal–and lasted through the Lord of the Rings trilogy and the upcoming Hobbit films, he created some of the most memorable screen sword fights, including the ambidextrous cliff-top duel in The Princess Bride.