STAR Wars actor Kenneth Colley has died at the age of 87 after contracting Covid and developing pneumonia.
The English actor is most famous for starring in The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi as Admiral Piett, an imperial official in command of Darth Vader's flagship.
Julian Owen – who served as Colley's agent for 10 years – issued a statement which said that the actor died "peacefully" on Monday June 30 in Ashford, Kent.
The statement read: "He had been admitted after a fall with an injured arm, however he quickly contracted Covid which developed into pneumonia.
"He passed away peacefully with friends at his bedside."
It also praised Colley as "one of our finest character actors", highlighting his six-decade career.
The tribute continued: "Ken continually worked on stage, film and television playing a vast array of characters, from Jesus in Monty Python's Life of Brian to evil and eccentric characters in Ken Russell films, and the Duke of Vienna in Shakespeare's Measure for Measure for the BBC."
In later years he reprised his role of Admiral Piett when he voiced the character in the 2012 animated Lego production, Lego Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Out.
He also had parts in international productions including Clint Eastwood's Firefox and the Second World War series War and Remembrance.
The statement added: "Ken's favourite part was playing Estragon in the stage production of Beckett's classic Waiting for Godot at the Cockpit Theatre in London in 2014.
"Ken's participation in Star Wars led him to being invited to conventions and official fan events all over the World where he remains one of the best loved actors from the original trilogy.
"Ken loved his garden, art collecting and had a passion for fast cars."
Colley is also known for playing Jesus in Monty Python's Life of Brian alongside English actors' John Cleese, Graham Chapman and Michael Palin.
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