Alfie Curtis (28 July 1930 – 30 November 2017) was a British actor. He appeared in a number of television and film roles and is best known for playing Dr. Evazan in Star Wars (1977).
Alfie Curtis | |
|---|---|
 Alfie Curtis in Bowler (1973) | |
| Born | 28 July 1930 |
| Died | 30 November 2017 (aged 87) Billericay, Essex, United Kingdom |
| Nationality | British |
| Occupation | Actor |
| Years active | 1973–1986 |
| Notable work | Star Wars |
Life
editCurtis was born in Stepney, London on 28 July 1930.[1]
He was an enthusiastic follower of football and supported Arsenal F.C. For a time, Curtis played as a semi-professional footballer and once played in a match against Arsenal.[2]
Career
editCurtis was noted for his "rugged" features. He landed a number of acting parts that demanded a rough physical appearance through Ugly Models, a London modelling agency that specialises in artists and models who do not conform to typical standards of idealised beauty.[3]
Most of Curtis's appearances were in minor roles in British television series. He played the part of Matt Beckett in the TV police drama Cribb (1980–81) and Ted in the TV adaptation of J.B. Priestley's Lost Empires (1986). His cinema roles included an appearance in David Lynch's 1980 film The Elephant Man in which he played the part of a milkman.[4]
He was best known for a small part in the 1977 space opera film Star Wars, in which he played the role of insane Dr. Evazan, a criminal with a heavily scarred face who violently confronts Luke Skywalker in the Mos Eisley Cantina scene. Curtis' character states "I have the death sentence on twelve systems!" In the brief bar brawl, Evazan's partner, Ponda Baba, is injured by Obi-Wan Kenobi, the first use of a lightsaber in combat in the Star Wars franchise.[5][6]
Death
editCurtis died on 30 November 2017 at the age of 87 in Billericay, Essex.[1][4]
Filmography
edit| Film | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
| 1977 | Star Wars | Dr. Evazan | Uncredited |
| 1980 | The Wildcats of St. Trinian's | Taxi driver | |
| 1980 | The Elephant Man | Milkman | |
| 1981 | Take It or Leave It | Vicar | Documentary |
| Television | |||
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
| 1973 | Bowler | Rocky / Alfie | 2 episodes |
| 1975 | Larry Grayson | Man in Line-up / Cafe Customer / Sailor | 5 episodes |
| 1979 | The Jim Davidson Show | Himself | 1 episode |
| 1980 | Grange Hill | Gateman | 1 episode |
| 1980 | Fox | Conk | 1 episode |
| 1980-1981 | Cribb | Landlord / Matt Beckett | 2 episodes |
| 1981 | Lady Killers | Mr . Waters | 1 episode |
| 1982 | Legacy of Murder | Assistant thug | |
| 1982 | Q.E.D. | Referee | 1 episode |
| 1982 | The Gentle Touch | Gaffer | 1 episode |
| 1983 | Jemima Shore Investigates | Vic | 1 episode |
| 1984 | Tucker's Luck | Steve | 2 episodes |
| 1985 | The Bill | Bernie | 1 episode |
| 1986 | Lost Empires | Ted | 1 episode, (final appearance) |
Music Videos
- Curtis makes a brief appearance as a subway bystander in the English ska band Madness' 1979 Madness music video (cover of Prince Buster's song), at 00:26.
- Curtis also plays the role of one of the two villains who chase the hero (Morten Harket) in the Norwegian synth-pop band a-ha's 1985 Take On Me music video. Curtis, like other characters in the video, is rendered in pencil-sketch animation style.
References
edit- ^ a b Lentz III, Harris M. (2018). Obituaries in the Performing Arts, 2017. McFarland. pp. 87–88. ISBN 9781476670324. Retrieved 6 July 2018.
- ^ Hough, Kirsty (6 July 2018). "Granddaughter pays tribute to Star Wars actor who died aged 87". Essex Daily Gazette. Colchester. Archived from the original on 6 July 2018. Retrieved 6 July 2018.
- ^ "UGLY". Ebony. Johnson Publishing Company. May 1978. p. 54. Retrieved 6 July 2018.
- ^ a b "Alfie Curtis, Dr. Evazan in 'Star Wars: A New Hope,' Dies at 87 (Report)". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on 19 June 2018. Retrieved 30 November 2017.
- ^ "Doctor Cornelius Evazan". StarWars.com. Archived from the original on 19 June 2018. Retrieved 4 January 2017.
- ^ "Star Wars actor Alfie Curtis dies aged 87". BBC News. 27 December 2017.
External links
edit- Alfie Curtis at IMDb
- Alfie Curtis on Wookieepedia, a Star Wars wiki