Kenny Baker
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2008-07-14T22:17:06Z
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{{dablink|This article is about the British actor. For other persons with this name, see [[Kenny Baker (disambiguation)]].}}
{{Infobox actor
| name = Kenny Baker
| image = Kenny Baker convention.jpg
| caption = Baker at a [[science fiction convention]]
| birthdate = [[August 24]], [[1934]] (age 73)
| birthplace = [[Birmingham, England]]
}}
'''Kenneth George "Kenny" Baker''' (born [[August 24]], [[1934]]) is a [[United Kingdom|British]] [[dwarfism|dwarf]] [[actor]] and occasional musician, known as the man inside [[R2-D2]] in the popular ''[[Star Wars]]'' film series.
Baker, who stands 3 feet, 8 inches (112 cm) tall, was a [[circus]] and [[cabaret]] performer with entertainer [[Jack Purvis (actor)|Jack Purvis]] when [[George Lucas]] hired him to be the man inside [[R2-D2]] in ''[[Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope|Star Wars]]'' in 1977.
Baker appears in five of seven threatrical ''Star Wars'' films; though credited on [[Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith|Episode III]], he never filmed any scenes. George Lucas decided to credit him in the film out of loyalty. He also never filmed any scenes of [[Star Wars: The Clone Wars (film)|Star Wars: The Clone Wars]], since it is made in CGI, not live-action. {{Fact|date=January 2008}} Baker played an additional role in 1983's ''[[Star Wars Episode VI: Return of the Jedi|Return of the Jedi]]'' as Paploo, the [[Ewok]] who steals an Imperial [[speeder bike]]. He was originally going to play [[Wicket W. Warrick]], but he fell ill, and that role was handed over to [[Warwick Davis]].
Baker's other films include ''[[The Elephant Man (film)|The Elephant Man]]'', ''[[Time Bandits]]'' (also with Purvis), ''[[Amadeus (film)|Amadeus]]'' and [[Jim Henson|Jim Henson's]] ''[[Labyrinth (film)|Labyrinth]]''. On television, he appeared in the British medical drama ''[[Casualty (TV series)|Casualty]]''.
In the late 1990s, Baker launched a brief [[stand up comedy]] career. Baker played [[harmonica]] with the James Coutts Scottish Dance Band at Hugh McCaig's Silverstone Party in July 1997. Baker currently resides in [[Preston]], England. While both he and his late wife have [[dwarfism]], their two sons do not.
Kenny is a regular at the Preston Guild Hall. He constantly goes to watch the shows.
==External links==
*[http://www.kennybaker.co.uk/ Kenny Baker's Web site]
*{{imdb name|id=0048652|name=Kenny Baker}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Baker, Kenny}}
[[Category:1934 births]]
[[Category:Actors with dwarfism]]
[[Category:English actors]]
[[Category:Hollywood Walk of Fame]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:People from Preston]]
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