Monday, January 2, 2012
RIP, Sword Master Bob Anderson
It's unfortunate when it takes an obituary to learn about the behind-the-scenes influence someone had on your life, but my hat is tipped to Bob Anderson, who died yesterday in a English hospital at the age of 89.
Anderson was a World War II veteran and an Olympic fencer, but also had a multi-decade career as Hollywood's go-to sword-fight director and choreographer since 1952, working on several James Bond films, The Princess Bride, the Lord of the Rings series and performing as Darth Vader in The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi.
Watching clips of Anderson's work on YouTube this morning, it seems like anyone who has seen a movie in the last half-century has seen a movie in which his skills were utilized and when my son is swinging his plastic lightsaber around our backyard tonight, he'll be emulating a legend without even knowing it.
Thanks for the entertainment, Bob Anderson.
Tags: bob anderson , star wars , fencing , darth vader , lord of the rings , princess bride , obituaries , Video
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