Michael Pennington, the British actor who appeared in the original Star Wars trilogy and dedicated half a century of his career to the Royal Shakespeare Company (RSC), died May 10. He was 82.
Born June 7, 1943, in Cambridge, England, Pennington grew up to become one of the most respected classical actors of his generation—a performer whose command of Shakespearean verse was matched by few of his peers, according to the production company.
His journey with the RSC began at the very start, fresh out of Cambridge University. Pennington joined John Barton's 1964 to 65 Wars of the Roses cycle, where he shared the stage with the likes of Peggy Ashcroft, David Warner, and Janet Suzman. From that early footing—which included literally serving as the base of a twelve-foot mobile Ghost in a 1965 production of Hamlet—he steadily ascended through the ranks.
By the 1970s and '80s, Pennington had become a company stalwart, taking on major roles including Berowne in Love's Labour's Lost, Duke Vincentio in Measure for Measure, and Mercutio in Romeo and Juliet. His versatility and instinctive grasp of classical text quickly cemented his reputation as one of the era's finest actors.
The role that defined him most, however, was Hamlet. His 1980 portrayal—his third time engaging with the character for the company—became the performance for which he was perhaps best remembered.
His final bow with the company came in 2012. Pennington played John of Gaunt alongside David Tennant in Gregory Doran's critically celebrated staging of Richard II—a production the company called "a full circle moment and a fitting end to a truly historic career."
Away from the stage, Pennington reached a worldwide audience through film. He appeared in the 1983 film Star Wars: Episode VI – Return of the Jedi, where he portrayed Moff Jerjerrod. In 2011, he appeared in The Iron Lady.