Bob Anderson might be hailed as an industry legend today, but there was a time when no one knew who the Olympic fencer was and what he was doing in the film industry. To begin with, as the man beneath the suit of Darth Vader on more than one occasion, the stuntman has had his fair share of franchise roles, though barely ever as the star of the show, despite his invaluable contribution to the projects.
Anderson’s practice of fencing earned him a lot of medals in multiple fencing fields for the British Empire Games. The actor also participated in the 1952 Summer Olympics, but did not win an award. However, this does not mean that the actor did not put his fencing abilities to good use.
Bob Anderson trained Mark Hamill and Antonio Banderas
Having trained Luke Skywalker and Zoro himself, Bob Anderson knew his craft well. The actor had small uncredited acting roles in various films and was an important part of stunt teams of various high budget productions like Highlander, The Princess Bride, Star Wars, and the Three Musketeers.
Bob Anderson was an accomplished foil, épée, and saber fencer, serving as a Sword Master for a slew of historical, fantasy, and science-fiction films in his fine-decade-long career. Apart from this, the actor has served as a stunt double on more than a few occasions, including the first Star Wars film, and of course, its two sequels, where he fought as Darth Vader with Mark Hamill’s Luke Skywalker.
Bob Anderson’s passing was a huge loss to the industry and stunt community
Bob Anderson passed away on January 1st, 2012, leaving behind a vast legacy that spanned quite a few decades. The actor passed away at the age of 89. He was survived by his wife and his daughter, who donated his medals, swords, and film footage to a museum in the wake of his passing.
Anderson holds a special place in the history of films, taking it upon himself to train the most iconic figures in a generation. The fact that he taught Mark Hamill to fence, before facing his character in the suit of his father, Darth Vader (who mocked Luke’s in-universe master, Obi-Wan), is such an ironic detail that fans of the Star Wars franchise cannot help but appreciate.
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