Kenny Baker 144201 225687563 2008-07-14T22:17:06Z 75.179.19.7 {{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]] [[de:Kenny Baker (Schauspieler)]] [[es:Kenny Baker]] [[fr:Kenny Baker (acteur)]] [[ko:케니 베이커]] [[it:Kenny Baker]] [[ja:ケニー・ベイカー]] [[no:Kenny Baker]] [[pl:Kenny Baker]] [[fi:Kenny Baker]]