Vale – Bob Anderson

While he’s not a household name, everyone should know who Bob Anderson is. Anderson was the man working behind the scenes of some of cinemas great sword fights, from Star Wars, The Princess Bride, to The Lord Of The Rings and even Peter Jackson’s currently-in-production The Hobbit. Mr Anderson was the man under Vader’s mask whilst dueling with Obi Wan in the original Star Wars, Luke Skywalker in Empire Strikes Back and Return of The Jedi, as well as choreographing the sword fighting sequences in films as diverse as Highlander, Barry Lyndon (for Stanley Kubrick), The Three Musketeers (1993, with Charlie Sheen and Keifer Sutherland), both recent Zorro films, and even the fencing sequence in Die Another Day. He also worked with the legendary Errol Flynn, on the film The Master Of Ballantrae. Chick-flick fans across the globe also need to remember that it was Bob who designed the amazing fight choreography in The Princess Pride. Up until his passing he was continuing to work, returning to Middle Earth for the Hobbit production, designing more fight sequences.

Among his on-screen appearances, he played a small role in the Doctor Who serial Enemy Of The World, and an Imperial Officer in The Empire Strikes Back.

Mr Anderson was 90.

Who wrote this?

Rodney Twelftree

“Some people say I like films. Those people are wrong. I *love* films.” – Me. I said this.

Rodney has been writing about films for well over two decades, appreciates a good wine, the love of his wife and kids, and the affection of his dog and cats. He has a fondness of cheesy 90’s action and classic Hollywood, hates that physical media is disappearing, and wishes somebody would make a high-budget series of The Neverending Story.

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