‘Star Wars’ Actor Behind Iconic Villain Dead

Star Wars actor Kenneth Colley has passed away at age 87 in England.

Colley, renowned for playing Admiral Piett in The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi, was surrounded by loved ones at his home in Ashford, Kent, when he died on Monday, June 30.

He had reportedly been hospitalized after a fall injured his arm, and later contracted COVID, which developed into pneumonia, leading to his death.

“Ken Colley was one of our finest character actors with a career spanning 60 years,” his agent, Julian Owen, told the BBC.

Born December 7, 1937, in Manchester, Lancashire, the actor began his career on British television series like The Rivals of Sherlock Holmes, Special Branch, The Sweeney and Pennies from Heaven.

“Ken continually worked on stage, film and television playing a vast array of characters, from Jesus in Monty Python’s Life of Brian to evil and eccentric characters in Ken Russell films, and the Duke of Vienna in Shakespeare’s Measure for Measure for the BBC,” Owen said.

Joining the Star Wars universe in 1980, Colley portrayed Imperial officer Admiral Piett, reprising the role in two installments of the original trilogy. He later voiced Piett in 2012’s Lego Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Out, an animated television film.

“Ken’s participation in Star Wars led him to being invited to conventions and official fan events all over the World where he remains one of the best loved actors from the original trilogy,” Owen noted.

Beyond the screen, his agent added, “Ken also loved his garden, art collecting and had a passion for fast cars.”