Star Wars actor Kenneth Colley dies aged 87

Star Wars actor Kenneth Colley has died on the age of 87, his agent has introduced.

The movie and tv performer is finest recognized for starring in The Empire Strikes Again and Return of the Jedi as Admiral Piett, an imperial officer in charge of Darth Vader’s flagship.

He died peacefully at his residence in Ashford, Kent, on Monday after contracting Covid and growing pneumonia, his agent Julian Owen stated in a press release.

“Ken Colley was one among our best character actors with a profession spanning 60 years,” Mr Owens stated.

“Ken regularly labored on stage, movie and tv taking part in an enormous array of characters, from Jesus in Monty Python’s Lifetime of Brian to evil and eccentric characters in Ken Russell movies, and the Duke of Vienna in Shakespeare’s Measure for Measure for the BBC.”

The assertion stated Colley had been admitted to hospital with an injured arm after a fall, however he rapidly contracted Covid which developed into pneumonia.

He died with mates at his bedside, it added.

In later years, Colley reprised his function of Admiral Piett when he voiced the character within the 2012 animated Lego manufacturing, Lego Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Out.

He additionally had components in worldwide productions together with Clint Eastwood’s Firefox and the Second World Warfare sequence Warfare and Remembrance.

Mr Owen stated Colley’s paticipation in Star Wars led him to being invited to conventions and fan occasions all around the world.

“Ken additionally cherished his backyard, artwork amassing and had a ardour for quick automobiles,” he added.

Colley can be recognized for enjoying Jesus in Monty Python’s Lifetime of Brian alongside John Cleese, Graham Chapman and Michael Palin.