By Lee Pfeiffer

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,...