STAR Wars, Transformers, and Batman star Clive Revill has died aged 94 after a long battle with dementia.
The veteran performer passed away on March 11 at a care facility in the Los Angeles suburb of Sherman Oaks, just weeks before his 95th birthday.
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His daughter Kate confirmed the tragic death to The Hollywood Reporter.
Born on April 18, 1930, in Wellington, New Zealand, Revill became one of the country’s most iconic actors, known for his rich stage and screen career that spanned more than six decades.
He famously voiced the villainous Emperor Palpatine in the original 1980 Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back and starred in cult classics such as the 1986 Transformers movie, Batman: The Animated Series, and Star Trek: The Next Generation.
Revill began his working life as an accountant before he “abruptly” swapped financial spreadsheets for the stage.
His life changed forever in the 1950s when he crossed paths with acting legends Laurence Olivier and Vivien Leigh, who encouraged him to train at the Old Vic Theatre School in Bristol.
He soon carved out a name for himself as a versatile performer on both stage and screen.
Revill made his Broadway debut in Mr Pickwick and went on to earn two Tony Award nominations in the early 1960s — first for Irma La Douce and later for his standout performance as Fagin in Oliver!
He became a familiar face to audiences in the UK and US through TV appearances in Sunday-Night Theatre, The Adventures Of Robin Hood, and The Twilight Zone, before breaking into film with roles in Kaleidoscope and Fathom alongside Raquel Welch.
In 1972, he received a Golden Globe nomination for Best Supporting Actor for his role as Carlo Carlucci in Avanti! opposite Jack Lemmon and Juliet Mills.
But it was in 1980 that Revill cemented his place in cinema history by voicing Emperor Palpatine in The Empire Strikes Back.
Delivering the chilling line, “There is a great disturbance in the Force,” Revill laid the foundation for one of the most iconic villains in pop culture.
According to the Dallas Observer, he was given just three takes to nail the performance — his final take made it into the film.
Revill’s association with the Star Wars universe continued through voice work in popular video games, playing characters like Dodonna in Star Wars: X-Wing, an imperial officer in X-Wing vs. TIE Fighter, and multiple roles in Star Wars: The Old Republic.
His voice acting extended far beyond the galaxy far, far away.
He was the original voice of Alfred in the 1992 Batman: The Animated Series and also voiced characters in Snorks and video games like The Hobbit.
Revill’s final on-screen role came in the 2016 film The Queen of Spain opposite Penélope Cruz, after which he retired from acting.
Tributes have flooded social media following news of his death.
“RIP to wonderful character actor Clive Revill,” one fan posted.
“Originally recruited into British theatre when Sir Laurence Olivier spotted him working at a bank. He would move to Broadway.”
Another wrote: “Clive Revill has passed away at 94, the iconic voice we all know.”
The actor was married twice and welcomed daughter Kate during his second marriage to film producer Suzi Schor-Revill.
He is survived by Kate and his granddaughter Kayla.
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