In memory of those we lost this year

Anthony John "Tony" Dyson
13 April 1947 - 4 March 2016, aged 68
Birthplace: Dewsbury, West Yorkshire, UK.

Tony Dyson started special effects studio The White Horse Toy Company. He was commissioned to fabricate the design of R2-D2 making eight units, six were operated remotely by radio control. Two were used by Kenny Baker, and two were stunt double models made for the scene where the droid was shot from the swamp onto the shore on Dagobah. Dyson also created robotics and props for Superman II, Moonraker, Dragonslayer and Saturn 3.

He designed and built robots for some of the largest electronic companies in the world including Sony, Philips, and Toshiba, as well as for TV commercials and amusement parks around the world.

In the 1990s, he moved to Malta and founded Turn Page Studios in St Paul's Bay. He died on the island of Gozo in March of 2016, aged 68.

Awards:
Dyson was knighted in the Byzantine Order of the Holy Sepulchre for promoting philanthropic, cultural and ecumenical activities.

In 1985, he was nominated for an Emmy Award for a Sony commercial featuring a John Cleese look-alike robot.

In 2013 he was honoured with the title of Honourary Professor MBA in multimedia for the Stichting Euregio University in the Netherlands.

--- Double Post Merged, Jan 1, 2017, Original Post Date: Jan 1, 2017 ---

Kenneth George "Kenny" Baker
24 August 1934 - 13 August 2016 (aged 81)
Birthplace: Birmingham, West Midlands, UK.

Baker was born and educated in Birmingham, West Midlands in the United Kingdom. He was the son of Ethel (1906–1990), a pianist and dress maker, and Harold Baker (1908–1985), an artist, musician, and draftsman. He went to live with his father, stepmother and half-sister in Hastings, East Sussex. Although his parents were of average height, Baker stood 3 ft 8 in (1.12 m) as an adult.

In 1951 Baker was approached on the street by a woman who invited him to join a theatrical troupe of dwarves. This was his first taste of show business. Later, he joined a circus for a brief time, learned to ice skate and appeared in many ice shows. He formed a successful comedy act called the Minitones with entertainer Jack Purvis and played in nightclubs.

Star Wars
While working with Purvis and the Minitones, Baker was selected by George Lucas to operate the astromech droid R2-D2 in Star Wars, released in 1977. Baker recalled that he initially turned down the role. Baker appears as R2-D2 in six of the episodic theatrical Star Wars films, and played an additional role in 1983's Return of the Jedi as Paploo, the Ewok who steals an Imperial speeder bike. He was originally going to play Wicket, but he fell ill and that role was handed over to Warwick Davis. Baker revealed a feud between himself and his co-star Anthony Daniels, claiming Daniels had been rude to him on numerous occasions, and stated that Daniels is rude to everyone, including fans,

Baker continued his association with the R2-D2 character in Star Wars: The Force Awakens, which was released on 18 December 2015 in North America. He was going to be a member of the cast, but he served as consultant for the character instead. In November 2015 it was confirmed that Jimmy Vee was cast as R2-D2 in Star Wars: Episode VIII, replacing Baker.

In November 2009, his biography, From Tiny Acorns: The Kenny Baker Story, was written with Ken Mills and published by Writestuff Autographs

Career
1960 Circus of Horrors Dwarf Uncredited
1962 Man of the World The Croat Episode: "Specialist for the Kill", credited as Ken Baker
1975 Dave Allen at Large Salesman Season 4, Episode 36
1977 Star Wars R2-D2
1977 Wombling Free Bungo
1978 Star Wars Holiday Special R2-D2 TV film, credited as R2-D2
1980 The Muppet Show R2-D2 Episode: "The Stars of Star Wars"
1980 The Empire Strikes Back R2-D2
1980 Flash Gordon Dwarf
1980 The Elephant Man Plumed Dwarf
1981 Time Bandits Fidgit
1981 The Goodies Dwarf Episode: "Snow White 2"
1982 The Hunchback of Notre Dame Pick Pocket TV film
1983 Return of the Jedi R2-D2, Paploo
1984 The Adventure Game HRH The Rangdo of Arg 2 episodes
1984 Amadeus Parody Commendatore
1985 Der Rosenkavalier Baron Och's Retinue TV film
1986 Mona Lisa Brighton Busker
1986 Labyrinth Goblin Corps
1987 Star Tours R2-D2 Short film, uncredited
1987 Sleeping Beauty Elf
1988 Willow Nelwyn Band Member Uncredited
1989 Prince Caspian and the Voyage of the Dawn Treader Dufflepud TV special
1990 Ben Elton: The Man from Auntie Invisible Demon Episode 5
1992 Casualty Archie Episode: "Act of Faith"
1993 U.F.O. Casanova
1999 The King and I Captain Orton Voice, credited as Ken Baker
1999 Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace R2-D2
1999 Boobs in the Wood Bruce the Convict Direct-to-video
2002 24 Hour Party People Zookeeper Uncredited
2002 Star Wars: Episode II – Attack of the Clones R2-D2
2002 The Cage Merlin Short film
2003 Swiss Toni Guyler Episode: "Cars Don't Make You Fat"
2005 Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith R2-D2
2007 Casualty Charles Isaac Episode: "The Miracle on Harry's Last Shift"
2013 One Night at the Aristo The Bartender Voice, short film
2015 Star Wars: The Force Awakens R2-D2 Consultant

Personal Life
Baker resided in Preston, Lancashire. He was married to actress Eileen Baker (who co-starred with him in the 1977 film Wombling Free) from 1970 until she died in 1993. Although Eileen also had dwarfism, this was not inherited by their two children.

Baker was invited to attend the premiere of Star Wars: The Force Awakens in Los Angeles in December 2015, but was too ill to travel to the US. He had been suffering from a lung condition for years. Instead, Baker attended the film's European premiere in London.

Death
Baker died on 13 August 2016, eleven days before his 82nd birthday, following a brief additional illness. Following the death of the actor it was revealed by The Sun that he had fathered a son who had been kept secret from his family and that they had contacted each other on a number of occasions.

 

Happy new year to you as well my friend. God bless you and your loved ones.

 

He was a big loss.

 

Erik Bauersfield, voice of Ackbar, RIP. Don Francks, original voice of Boba Fett, RIP.