Why LucasFilm shuns David Prowse..

[Bryancd]

Lest anyone was wondering why he is the pariah at LucasFilm and kept out of Celebration events!

http://starwarsblog.starwars.com/

[Geekyfanboy]

So glad that article wasn't highly publicized back then... what a spoiler.. why would he give away the big twist!!!

[Feathers]

Wow that's a story I've never heard. I always assumed it was just because his face wasn't shown.

I don't remember it at the time but then I was only 9 years old!

[billybob476]

I had heard stories that he was upset that his voice wasn't used in the first movie. No one told him he'd be overdubbed by James Earl Jones, maybe there was some resentment there.

[Feathers]

Doing Dave Prowse Dearth Vader impressions is a great pub sport here. I've no idea if anyone else does it or just my office colleagues but it has had us in fits of laughter on occasion.

Prowse has a very strong west country accent which would just have been so wrong for Vader. Funny, yes. Frightening? Not a chance. (To be fair I guess he may be able to do voices, I don't know.)

[billybob476]

I've seen some youtube videos or something with David Prowse doing the lines, it did indeed cause some fits of laughter.

Edit: Here's a bit

Darth Vaders Voice Before Voice Over

[Rico]

I've heard that story a few times before, but never was it so documented.  Keep in mind that in some ways spoilers were not the thing they are today as back then.  For one, not every little tidbit found could be sent instantly out via Twitter, blogs, etc.  No internet.  So very few people would ever hear this stuff.  Even stuff I heard at the early cons I would attend never would be heard again.  Ahh, those were good times.   

[Bryancd]

I had heard this story as well, Rico, but I didn't realize Prowse knew that much so early in production. I had always thought he somehow found out about being Luke's father after filming as he wasn't even given the line to read during filming and then spilled the beans before the films release in 1980. He's always said he had no idea about the twist until he saw the movie! Now this. There is a mention about Davids penchant for spilling the beans in the "Making of Empire" book where they tracked the number of leaks they could attribute to him! They started just giving him his dialogue only!

[billybob476]

I was also under the impression the only people who knew about the father line were Lucas, James Earl Jones and Mark Hamill.

[Bryancd]

I was also under the impression the only people who knew about the father line were Lucas, James Earl Jones and Mark Hamill.

I know, that's what makes this even more confusing! David was a huge media leak so they shut him out. How did he know about this in '78?! Lucas says he didn't even think of it till later in production. But I can see whuy David isn't invited to any LucasFilm parties!

[Rico]

Another possible scenario would be Prowse didn't know for sure and was just chatting about something he had heard was a possibility.  Lots of scripts and early movie productions toss out all kinds of ideas early on to see what works and what doesn't.

[X]

Another possibility is that his rambling gave Lucas the idea since he knew it long before Lucas was said to have put it down.

[KingIsaacLinksr]

I always figured he was still bitter about movie 3 and him not being in it.  He definitely has a lot of pride...

King

[Bryancd]

Another possibility is that his rambling gave Lucas the idea since he knew it long before Lucas was said to have put it down.

Were that true he would be singing it to the rooftops!!!

[jedijeff]

I wonder as well back then, if they had contracts which would have stipulated not to discuss elements of the movie, or if that is more of a current thing. I guess he is lucky they did not just go out and find another man his size to wear the suit.