Iconic Star Wars actor dead at 87 after Covid battle

Veteran actor Kenneth Colley has died after contracting Covid in hospital following a fall, his agent confirmed.

Star Wars actor Kenneth Colley has died at the age 87.

Colley, who played Admiral Piett in The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi, passed away peacefully on Monday at his home in Ashford, Kent, his agent Julian Owen confirmed to The Post.

“Ken Colley was one of our finest character actors with a career spanning 60 years,” Owen said in a statement to The Post.

Kenneth Colley in ‘The Empire Strikes Back’. Picture: IMDB

Owen confirmed that Colley was admitted to the hospital with an injured arm after a fall.

The British actor quickly contracted COVID which developed into pneumonia.

Colley had friends by his side when he died, Owen said.

“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’s statement continued.

“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.”

Ken Colley during "Star Wars" Celebration IV in Los Angeles. Picture: Getty

Colley was born on December 7, 1937 in Manchester, Lancashire.

Early in his career, he appeared in episodes of The Rivals of Sherlock Holmes, Special Branch, The Sweeney and Pennies from Heaven.

In 1980, Colley joined the Star Wars franchise with his portrayal as one of Darth Vader’s Imperial officers in The Empire Strikes Back.

He reprised the role in 1983’s Return of the Jedi.

Both films starred Hollywood legends Mark Hamill, Harrison Ford, Billy Dee Williams and the late Carrie Fisher.

Nearly 30 years later, Colley voiced Admiral Piett in the 2012 animated TV film Lego Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Out.

Actors Kenneth Colley (left) and Bob Hoskins in a pub scene from the television series 'Pennies from Heaven', November 23rd 1977. Picture: Getty

Colley was also widely known for his roles in multiple Ken Russell movies and for playing Jesus in 1979’s Monty Python’s Life of Brian.

Other movies Colley appeared in included Firefox, War and Remembrance, Measure for Measure, Return to Waterloo, The Whistle Blower, The Plot to Kill Hitler and The Rainbow.

He also directed the 2007 horror movie Greetings starring Kirsty Cox, Henry Dunn and Ben Shockley.

This story first appeared in the New York Post and was republished with permission.

Originally published as Iconic Star Wars actor dead at 87 after Covid battle