He was born in Birmingham but Kenny Baker became famous across the galaxies.
The man who began his life working as a circus clown - he was 3ft 8in tall - became a household name in 1977 when he starred as R2-D2 in the first Star Wars film, a role he would reprise five more times. On Saturday, it was revealed that the 81-year-old had died after becoming ill with cancer.
His death was confirmed by his niece, Abigail Shield.
Over the course of several decades, Baker established himself as one half of cinema’s most unlikely, robotic double acts, playing alongside Anthony Daniels’ C-3PO. They bantered and bleeped in Empire Strikes Back, Return of the Jedi and a further three films that were set as prequels.
On Saturday, as tributes poured into the man who also starred in The Elephant Man, Time Bandits and Flash Gordon, he was remembered as a kind and funny man. Mark Hamill, who played Luke Skywalker, described him as a "lifelong loyal friend".
Baker, who would appear at Star Wars fan conventions across the world, once told the BBC that his favourite role was actually that of Fidgit in 1981’s Time Bandits.
“The director Terry Gilliam’s such a nutcase, he’s so enthusiastic, you can't help enjoy it. It was just a fun film to make,” he said.
And yet the father-of-two who lived in Preston and outlived his wife Eileen, will be best remembered for his Star Wars roles.
Despite his celebrity, he once revealed that the films were not easy going. Indeed, he said that his relationship with Daniels was often testy.
He once branded him “the rudest man I’ve ever met”.
Baker was was not involved in the latest movies in the Star War series and the role of R2-D2 will be played by British actor Jimmy Vee in the next film due for release in 2017. Yet he was invited to the premier of the 2015 production Star Wars: The Force Awakens.
