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Michael Culver, the British actor best known for one of the memorable death scenes in the Star Wars franchise, died on February 27. He was 85 years old.
Mr. Culver’s death was confirmed by Alliance agents, who posted a statement on social media. on Tuesdayand his agent, Thomas Bowington. The agency did not provide a cause of death, although Bowington said Culver had had cancer for several years.
had a long acting career on screen and stage that spanned more than 50 years and included roles in “The Return of Sherlock Holmes” on television and the 1984 film “A Passage to India.”
But his most lasting impact on popular culture came in 1980, with his brief role as Captain Needa in the second “Star Wars” movie, “The Empire Strikes Back.” Needa, after losing track of Han Solo’s Millennium Falcon, apologizes to Darth Vader, who promptly telepathically strangles her.
“Apology accepted, Captain Needa.” Vader says, walking around the captain’s body and motioning for others to take him away.
Culver also appeared in two “James Bond” films with actor Sean Connery, “From Russia With Love” and “Thunderball.”
Michael John Edward Culver was born on June 16, 1938, in London, the son of Daphne Rye, a theater casting director, and Ronald Culver, an actor, according to Bowington.
Culver acted in several Shakespeare plays and worked regularly with the British director. Antonio Pagehis agent said.
Mr. Culver is survived by his second wife, Amanda Ward Culver, and their children, Roderic, Sue and Justin Culver.
His son, Roderic Culver, also became an actor, Bowington said.
Later in life, Culver gave up acting to focus on politics and likely would have pursued a political career if he had not been an actor, Bowington said.
He was still regularly visiting Star Wars fan events, particularly one in Chicago in 2019, when he “was left speechless” when he saw nearly 200 people waiting in line to see him, his agency said in its statement.
In a 2023 interview in the “Making Tracks” PodcastHe recalled that he “didn’t know anything about” the film before auditioning, and marveled that its extraordinary appeal meant he was still being asked about it well into his 80s.
“When I made ‘Star Wars,’ I thought, ‘Oh, they’re making a movie about spaceships.’ So I did it. I just thought, ‘Well, I hope it’s successful,’” she said, adding, “You don’t expect 40 years later to still be signing autographs.”