Anthony Daniels
Encyclopedia
Anthony Daniels is an English
actor. He is best known for his role as the droid C-3PO
in the Star Wars
series of films made between 1977 and 2005.
, Wiltshire
, England
, the son of a plastics company executive. Never a science fiction
fan, Daniels has said that before his role in Star Wars, the only science fiction film he had ever gone to see in a theatre was 2001: A Space Odyssey
in 1968. He was so dissatisfied with the movie that he walked out after only ten minutes and demanded his money back.
in all six of the Star Wars feature films, as both the body and voice of the golden robot
. In Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace, he wore a blue Spandex
costume so that during editing of the movie his body was made to look like lots of different wires. Daniels has reprised the role for various promotional work such as hosting The Making of Star Wars, Star Wars Connections and The Science of Star Wars; for appearances on The Muppet Show
and Sesame Street
and an anti-smoking public service announcement
; for The Star Wars Holiday Special
; in advertising for Star Wars licensed products such as Kenner toys and even a breakfast cereal
based on the character.
Daniels voiced C-3PO
in the Star Wars
radio serial based on the original trilogy. He is the only cast member of the original Star Wars trilogy to voice his character in all three parts of National Public Radio's dramatizations of the trilogy. He voiced C-3PO for three animated series: Droids
, Star Wars: Clone Wars and Star Wars: The Clone Wars
. Other C-3PO voicework by Daniels includes: the Christmas-themed Christmas in the Stars
album; the multiple Walt Disney
theme park attractions, Star Tours
and Star Tours: The Adventures Continue
; the fan film/show Raiders of the Lost Jedi Temple of Doom: A Fan Film of Epic Proportions
and the Star Tours
shutdown ceremony as a part of the Disney's Hollywood Studios
' "Last Tour to Endor" event at Star Wars Celebration V in Orlando
, Florida
. He also provided the narration and all character voices for the audio books Dark Force Rising
and The Last Command.
He contributed the foreword to the collected scripts of the Return of the Jedi radio drama, as their author Brian Daley
died just as the episodes were being recorded. Daniels' other Star Wars-related writings include the Wonder Column for Star Wars Insider
magazine and a comic book adventure for C-3PO and R2-D2 entitled The Protocol Offensive, published by Dark Horse Comics
.
He controlled the puppet for 2002's Star Wars: Episode II: Attack of the Clones, but all these scenes were cut, with the droid's first appearance in the movie being Daniels in costume. In this film and 2005's Star Wars: Episode III: Revenge of the Sith, he also performed the vocal tracks for scenes that featured a computer-generated C-3PO. Daniels is the only actor to act in the original six films, the 2008 Clone Wars film
, and the related TV series
. He is set to appear as C-3PO as a recurring character in the new Star Wars live-action television series
set to debut in 2012 or 2013. Daniels will be voicing the droid A-4PO in the upcoming MMORPG
, Star Wars: The Old Republic
.
Daniels hosted the Star Wars: In Concert
North American tour.
Daniels also makes cameo appearances as a humanoid in two scenes of the feature films. His character, Lieutenant Dannl Faytonni, is named as a tribute to his own name, albeit in modified form. The character appears in the Outlander nightclub scene early in Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones
as a man in blue uniform who can be seen in a cutaway reaction shot after Obi-Wan
disarms the bounty hunter Zam Wesell. Faytonni can also be seen at the Galaxies Opera House in Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith
.
in Ralph Bakshi
's 1978 animated adaptation of The Lord of the Rings. He has appeared intermittently on British television in various dramas, notably in a recurring role in Prime Suspect starring Helen Mirren
. He also played the priest in the 1990 British spoof horror film I Bought a Vampire Motorcycle
.
He has also appeared at Disney's Hollywood Studios in Orlando Florida for The Star Wars Weekends as he gave his "inside the saga" story.
's Entertainment Technology Center
.
Daniels appeared at a Video Games Live
show in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
on February 12, 2010.
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
actor. He is best known for his role as the droid C-3PO
C-3PO
C-3PO is a robot character from the Star Wars universe who appears in both the original Star Wars films and the prequel trilogy. He is also a major character in the television show Droids, and appears frequently in the series' "Expanded Universe" of novels, comic books, and video games...
in the Star Wars
Star Wars
Star Wars is an American epic space opera film series created by George Lucas. The first film in the series was originally released on May 25, 1977, under the title Star Wars, by 20th Century Fox, and became a worldwide pop culture phenomenon, followed by two sequels, released at three-year...
series of films made between 1977 and 2005.
Early life
Daniels was born in SalisburySalisbury
Salisbury is a cathedral city in Wiltshire, England and the only city in the county. It is the second largest settlement in the county...
, Wiltshire
Wiltshire
Wiltshire is a ceremonial county in South West England. It is landlocked and borders the counties of Dorset, Somerset, Hampshire, Gloucestershire, Oxfordshire and Berkshire. It contains the unitary authority of Swindon and covers...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, the son of a plastics company executive. Never a science fiction
Science fiction
Science fiction is a genre of fiction dealing with imaginary but more or less plausible content such as future settings, futuristic science and technology, space travel, aliens, and paranormal abilities...
fan, Daniels has said that before his role in Star Wars, the only science fiction film he had ever gone to see in a theatre was 2001: A Space Odyssey
2001: A Space Odyssey (film)
2001: A Space Odyssey is a 1968 epic science fiction film produced and directed by Stanley Kubrick, and co-written by Kubrick and Arthur C. Clarke, partially inspired by Clarke's short story The Sentinel...
in 1968. He was so dissatisfied with the movie that he walked out after only ten minutes and demanded his money back.
For the Star Wars franchise
Daniels has played C-3POC-3PO
C-3PO is a robot character from the Star Wars universe who appears in both the original Star Wars films and the prequel trilogy. He is also a major character in the television show Droids, and appears frequently in the series' "Expanded Universe" of novels, comic books, and video games...
in all six of the Star Wars feature films, as both the body and voice of the golden robot
Robot
A robot is a mechanical or virtual intelligent agent that can perform tasks automatically or with guidance, typically by remote control. In practice a robot is usually an electro-mechanical machine that is guided by computer and electronic programming. Robots can be autonomous, semi-autonomous or...
. In Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace, he wore a blue Spandex
Spandex
Spandex or elastane is a synthetic fibre known for its exceptional elasticity. It is strong, but less durable than natural Latex, its major non-synthetic competitor. It is a polyurethane-polyurea copolymer that was co-invented in 1959 by chemists C. L. Sandquist and Joseph Shivers at DuPont's...
costume so that during editing of the movie his body was made to look like lots of different wires. Daniels has reprised the role for various promotional work such as hosting The Making of Star Wars, Star Wars Connections and The Science of Star Wars; for appearances on The Muppet Show
The Muppet Show
The Muppet Show is a British television programme produced by American puppeteer Jim Henson and featuring Muppets. After two pilot episodes were produced in 1974 and 1975, the show premiered on 5 September 1976 and five series were produced until 15 March 1981, lasting 120 episodes...
and Sesame Street
Sesame Street
Sesame Street has undergone significant changes in its history. According to writer Michael Davis, by the mid-1970s the show had become "an American institution". The cast and crew expanded during this time, including the hiring of women in the crew and additional minorities in the cast. The...
and an anti-smoking public service announcement
Public service announcement
A public service announcement or public service ad is a type of advertisement featured on television, radio, print or other media...
; for The Star Wars Holiday Special
The Star Wars Holiday Special
The Star Wars Holiday Special is a 1978 American television special set in the Star Wars galaxy. It was one of the first official Star Wars spin-offs, and was directed by Steve Binder. The show was broadcast in its entirety only once, in the United States and Canada, November 17, 1978, on the U.S...
; in advertising for Star Wars licensed products such as Kenner toys and even a breakfast cereal
Breakfast cereal
A breakfast cereal is a food made from processed grains that is often, but not always, eaten with the first meal of the day. It is often eaten cold, usually mixed with milk , water, or yogurt, and sometimes fruit but sometimes eaten dry. Some cereals, such as oatmeal, may be served hot as porridge...
based on the character.
Daniels voiced C-3PO
C-3PO
C-3PO is a robot character from the Star Wars universe who appears in both the original Star Wars films and the prequel trilogy. He is also a major character in the television show Droids, and appears frequently in the series' "Expanded Universe" of novels, comic books, and video games...
in the Star Wars
Star Wars (radio)
An expanded radio dramatization of the original Star Wars trilogy was produced in 1981, 1983, and 1996. The first two radio series, based on A New Hope and The Empire Strikes Back, were produced and broadcast by National Public Radio as part of NPR Playhouse...
radio serial based on the original trilogy. He is the only cast member of the original Star Wars trilogy to voice his character in all three parts of National Public Radio's dramatizations of the trilogy. He voiced C-3PO for three animated series: Droids
Star Wars: Droids
Star Wars: Droids, also known as Droids: The Adventures of R2-D2 and C-3PO, was an animated television series that featured the exploits of R2-D2 and C-3PO, the droids who have appeared in all six Star Wars films...
, Star Wars: Clone Wars and Star Wars: The Clone Wars
Star Wars: The Clone Wars (2008 TV series)
-Production:At April 2005's Star Wars Celebration III, Lucas stated that "we are working on a 3-D continuation of the pilot series that was on the Cartoon Network; we probably won't start that project for another year." In July 2005, pre-production had begun on the series, according to Steve...
. Other C-3PO voicework by Daniels includes: the Christmas-themed Christmas in the Stars
Christmas in the Stars
Christmas in the Stars: Star Wars Christmas Album is a record album produced in 1980 by RSO Records. It features recordings of Star Wars-themed Christmas songs and stories about a droid factory where the robots make toys year-round for "S. Claus"....
album; the multiple Walt Disney
Walt Disney Parks and Resorts
Walt Disney Parks and Resorts is the segment of The Walt Disney Company that conceives, builds, and manages the company's theme parks and holiday resorts, as well as a variety of additional family-oriented leisure enterprises...
theme park attractions, Star Tours
Star Tours
Star Tours is a motion simulator attraction currently operating at Tokyo Disneyland and Disneyland Park at Disneyland Paris. The ride is based on the successful Star Wars film series created by George Lucas, making it the first Disney attraction based on a non-Disney produced film.The first...
and Star Tours: The Adventures Continue
Star Tours: The Adventures Continue
Star Tours: The Adventures Continue is an attraction located at Disneyland Park and at Disney's Hollywood Studios. It is also set to open at Tokyo Disneyland in Spring 2013. Set in the fictional Star Wars universe, The Adventures Continue updates the two parks' original Star Tours attractions...
; the fan film/show Raiders of the Lost Jedi Temple of Doom: A Fan Film of Epic Proportions
Indiana Jones Epic Stunt Spectacular!
Indiana Jones Epic Stunt Spectacular is a live amusement show at Disney's Hollywood Studios at the Walt Disney World Resort in Florida. Based on the popular and successful Indiana Jones film franchise, it includes various stunts and live reenacted scenes from Raiders of the Lost Ark...
and the Star Tours
Star Tours
Star Tours is a motion simulator attraction currently operating at Tokyo Disneyland and Disneyland Park at Disneyland Paris. The ride is based on the successful Star Wars film series created by George Lucas, making it the first Disney attraction based on a non-Disney produced film.The first...
shutdown ceremony as a part of the Disney's Hollywood Studios
Disney's Hollywood Studios
Disney's Hollywood Studios is a theme park at the Walt Disney World Resort. Spanning 135 acres in size, its theme is show business, drawing inspiration from the heyday of Hollywood in the 1930s and 1940s...
' "Last Tour to Endor" event at Star Wars Celebration V in Orlando
Orlando, Florida
Orlando is a city in the central region of the U.S. state of Florida. It is the county seat of Orange County, and the center of the Greater Orlando metropolitan area. According to the 2010 US Census, the city had a population of 238,300, making Orlando the 79th largest city in the United States...
, Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
. He also provided the narration and all character voices for the audio books Dark Force Rising
Dark Force Rising
Dark Force Rising is a 1992 novel, the second book in the Thrawn Trilogy by Timothy Zahn.-Plot:Prior to the Clone Wars, the Old Republic had constructed a fleet of 200 Dreadnaughts that were highly automated. This reduced their crew complement from 16,000 to 2,000 without diminishing their firepower...
and The Last Command.
He contributed the foreword to the collected scripts of the Return of the Jedi radio drama, as their author Brian Daley
Brian Daley
Brian Daley was an American science fiction novelist. He also adapted for radio the Star Wars radio dramas and wrote all of its episodes.-Biography:...
died just as the episodes were being recorded. Daniels' other Star Wars-related writings include the Wonder Column for Star Wars Insider
Star Wars Insider
Star Wars Insider is the official Star Wars magazine. Its contents include stories, articles relating to the Star Wars universe, letters, and the fan newsletter "Bantha Tracks". It began in 1987 as the official magazine of The Lucasfilm Fan Club...
magazine and a comic book adventure for C-3PO and R2-D2 entitled The Protocol Offensive, published by Dark Horse Comics
Dark Horse Comics
Dark Horse Comics is the largest independent American comic book and manga publisher.Dark Horse Comics was founded in 1986 by Mike Richardson in Milwaukie, Oregon, with the concept of establishing an ideal atmosphere for creative professionals. Richardson started out by opening his first comic book...
.
He controlled the puppet for 2002's Star Wars: Episode II: Attack of the Clones, but all these scenes were cut, with the droid's first appearance in the movie being Daniels in costume. In this film and 2005's Star Wars: Episode III: Revenge of the Sith, he also performed the vocal tracks for scenes that featured a computer-generated C-3PO. Daniels is the only actor to act in the original six films, the 2008 Clone Wars film
Star Wars: The Clone Wars (film)
Star Wars: The Clone Wars is a 2008 CGI animated science fiction/action film that takes place within the Star Wars saga, leading into the TV series of the same name. The film is set in the same time period as the 2003 Clone Wars television series...
, and the related TV series
Star Wars: The Clone Wars (2008 TV series)
-Production:At April 2005's Star Wars Celebration III, Lucas stated that "we are working on a 3-D continuation of the pilot series that was on the Cartoon Network; we probably won't start that project for another year." In July 2005, pre-production had begun on the series, according to Steve...
. He is set to appear as C-3PO as a recurring character in the new Star Wars live-action television series
Star Wars live-action TV series
The untitled Star Wars live-action TV series is a planned space opera television series, set between the events seen in Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith and Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope....
set to debut in 2012 or 2013. Daniels will be voicing the droid A-4PO in the upcoming MMORPG
MMORPG
Massively multiplayer online role-playing game is a genre of role-playing video games in which a very large number of players interact with one another within a virtual game world....
, Star Wars: The Old Republic
Star Wars: The Old Republic
Star Wars: The Old Republic, abbreviated as TOR or SWTOR, is an upcoming massively multiplayer online role-playing game based in the Star Wars universe. Currently in development by BioWare Austin and a supplemental team at BioWare Edmonton, the game was first announced on October 21, 2008, at an...
.
Daniels hosted the Star Wars: In Concert
Star Wars: In Concert
Star Wars: In Concert, previously called Star Wars: A Musical Journey, is a series of concerts featuring a symphony orchestra and choir, along with footage from the Star Wars saga films displayed on a large LED screen at three stories tall. The screen is set to live performances of the Star Wars...
North American tour.
Daniels also makes cameo appearances as a humanoid in two scenes of the feature films. His character, Lieutenant Dannl Faytonni, is named as a tribute to his own name, albeit in modified form. The character appears in the Outlander nightclub scene early in Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones
Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones
Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones is a 2002 American epic space opera film directed by George Lucas and written by Lucas and Jonathan Hales. It is the fifth film to be released in the Star Wars saga and the second in terms of the series' internal chronology...
as a man in blue uniform who can be seen in a cutaway reaction shot after Obi-Wan
Obi-Wan Kenobi
Obi-Wan Kenobi is a fictional character in the Star Wars universe. He is one of several primary characters in the Star Wars series. Along with Darth Vader, R2-D2, and C-3PO, he is one of the few major characters to appear in all six Star Wars films...
disarms the bounty hunter Zam Wesell. Faytonni can also be seen at the Galaxies Opera House in Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith
Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith
Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith is a 2005 American epic space opera film written and directed by George Lucas. It is the sixth and final film released in the Star Wars saga and the third in terms of the series' internal chronology....
.
Other acting roles
Daniels was the voice of LegolasLegolas
Legolas is a fictional character in J. R. R. Tolkien's legendarium, featured in The Lord of the Rings. He is an Elf of the Woodland Realm and one of nine members of the Fellowship of the Ring.- Literature :...
in Ralph Bakshi
Ralph Bakshi
Ralph Bakshi is an Israeli-American director of animated and live-action films. In the 1970s, he established an alternative to mainstream animation through independent and adult-oriented productions. Between 1972 and 1992, he directed nine theatrically released feature films, five of which he wrote...
's 1978 animated adaptation of The Lord of the Rings. He has appeared intermittently on British television in various dramas, notably in a recurring role in Prime Suspect starring Helen Mirren
Helen Mirren
Dame Helen Mirren, DBE is an English actor. She has won an Academy Award for Best Actress, four SAG Awards, four BAFTAs, three Golden Globes, four Emmy Awards, and two Cannes Film Festival Best Actress Awards.-Early life and family:...
. He also played the priest in the 1990 British spoof horror film I Bought a Vampire Motorcycle
I Bought a Vampire Motorcycle
I Bought a Vampire Motorcycle is a 1990 low-budget horror spoof about a motorcycle possessed by an evil spirit.Set in a Birmingham, England suburb, the film is about a man named Noddy and his girlfriend Kim who operate a motorcycle courier business. One day Noddy bought a classic motorbike, a 750cc...
.
He has also appeared at Disney's Hollywood Studios in Orlando Florida for The Star Wars Weekends as he gave his "inside the saga" story.
Other work
Daniels is an Adjunct Professor at Carnegie Mellon UniversityCarnegie Mellon University
Carnegie Mellon University is a private research university in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States....
's Entertainment Technology Center
Entertainment Technology Center
The Entertainment Technology Center is a department at Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States. It is located at the Pittsburgh Technology Center....
.
Daniels appeared at a Video Games Live
Video Games Live
Video Games Live is a concert series created and produced by industry veterans and video game composers Tommy Tallarico and Jack Wall. The concerts consist of segments of video game music performed by a live orchestra with video footage and synchronized lighting and effects, as well as several...
show in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
on February 12, 2010.
External links
- Multimedia Q&A with Daniels from the BBCBBCThe British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
website for the Ghosts of AlbionGhosts of AlbionGhosts of Albion started as a computer-animated web movie series on the BBC's website and has now spawned two book adaptations and two novels with a new role-playing game on the way.The works in order of release:...