Clive Revill, best known as the voice of the villainous Emperor Palpatine in “Star Wars: Episode V – The Empire Strikes Back,” died March 11 at the age of 94.
Revill’s daughter, Kate Revill, confirmed the star died at an assisted-living facility in California after suffering dementia, according to The Hollywood Reporter (THR). Revill starred in many films including “Bunny Lake Is Missing” (1965), “Kaleidoscope” (1966) with Warren Beatty, “Modesty Blaise” (1966), “The Legend of Hell House” (1973) and “Matilda” (1978). His career highlights included theater roles on Broadway and two Tony Award nominations for his characters in the musicals “Irma la Douce” and “Oliver!” Revill’s exact cause of death was not disclosed.
Clive Revill is asked by Jack Lemmon to help him cut through the Italian red tape in a scene from the film ‘Avanti!’, 1972. (Photo by United Artists/Getty Images)
Revill was an incredibly talented and versatile actor. He played both a Scotsman and an Arab in the 1966 film “Modesty Blaise,” showcasing the depths of his skills, according to THR.
A Royal Shakespeare Company veteran, he also performed on Broadway seven times. His role as the hotel manager Carlo in the 1972 film “Avanti!” earned him a Golden Globe nomination.
Revill had an epic scene in “Star Wars” as the voice of Emperor Palpatine speaking to Darth Vader — voiced by James Earl Jones — about Jedi Luke Skywalker. In the famous scene from 1980’s “The Empire Strikes Back,” Darth Vader told Palpatine they would to turn Skywalker to the “dark side” or he would die. In addition to Emperor Palpatine, Revill played other “Star Wars” characters in video games and starred as Alfred the butler on “Batman: The Animated Series” in 1992.
Executioner Albert Pierrepoint, played by Clive Revill (left) puts a bag over the head of Derek Bentley, played by Christopher Eccleston, before his execution, in a scene from ‘Let Him Have It’, directed by Peter Medak, 1991. The film is based on the real life case of Bentley, who was controversially hanged for murder in 1953. (Photo by Richard Blanshard/Getty Images)
The actor portrayed a wide range of characters, often adopting roles of different ethnicities throughout his career, THR noted.
Other film credits included “The Double Man,” “Fathom,” “The Assassination Bureau,” “A Severed Head,” “The Black Windmill,”‘ “One of Our Dinosaurs Is Missing,” “Zorro: The Gay Blade,” “Robin Hood: Men in Tights,” “Dracula: Dead and Loving It” and “The Queen of Spain.”
His television credits included “Columbo,” “Maude,” “Hart to Hart,” “Dynasty,” “Remington Steele,” “Murder, She Wrote,” “Babylon 5,” “Magnum, P.I.,” “Newhart,” “MacGyver,” “Dear John,” “The Fall Guy” and “Star Trek: Next Generation.” (RELATED: Legendary Gospel Singer Huey P. Williams Dead At 80)
Fans and loved ones have taken to social media to pay tribute to Revill and the legacy he left behind.
