British actor Kenneth Colley, celebrated for his role as Admiral Piett in the original “Star Wars” trilogy, passed away on June 30 at his home in Ashford, Kent, England. He was 87 years old.
Colley’s passing was confirmed by his agent, Julian Owen, who shared that the actor had recently been hospitalized following a fall that injured his arm. While under medical care, Colley contracted COVID-19, which progressed to pneumonia and ultimately caused his death.
Owen reported that Colley died peacefully with friends by his side at around 5:30 p.m. on Monday, June 30. He praised Colley as one of the finest character actors, noting a career that lasted more than 60 years.
Born in Manchester on December 7, 1937, Colley launched his acting career in 1961. He performed with acclaimed companies including London’s Old Vic, The Royal Court Theatre, and the Royal Shakespeare Company.
Colley made his first appearance as Admiral Piett in “The Empire Strikes Back” in 1980, portraying the commanding officer of Darth Vader’s flagship, the Star Dreadnought Executor. Piett initially served under Admiral Kendal Ozzel and took command after Ozzel was killed by Vader.
He reprised this role in 1983’s “Return of the Jedi,” though he was not originally slated to return for the sequel. According to The Hollywood Reporter, Colley once shared that his agent called to tell him George Lucas wanted to bring his character back after receiving a large amount of fan mail about Admiral Piett.
Decades later, Colley voiced Piett again in the 2012 animated film “Lego Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Out.” His part in the beloved franchise led to appearances at conventions and official fan gatherings around the world, making him one of the most cherished actors from the original trilogy.
Outside of “Star Wars,” Colley enjoyed a long and varied career on the stage and screen. He appeared in seven films directed by Ken Russell, such as “The Music Lovers” (1971), “The Devils” (1971), and “Lisztomania” (1975), playing composer Frédéric Chopin. Additional collaborations with Russell included “The Rainbow” (1989) and “Prisoner of Honor” (1991).
Colley also had a memorable connection with Monty Python and its members, including his portrayal of Jesus in “Monty Python’s Life of Brian” (1979). He acted in Terry Gilliam’s “Jabberwocky” (1977) and appeared alongside Michael Palin and Terry Jones in a 1977 episode of the BBC series “Ripping Yarns.”
His other prominent roles featured a Soviet colonel in Clint Eastwood’s “Firefox” (1982), Adolf Eichmann in the NBC telefilm “Wallenberg: A Hero’s Story” (1985), and a Nazi in the ABC miniseries “War and Remembrance” (1988–89). He also played the pirate Ben Gunn in the 1986 Disney Channel miniseries “Return to Treasure Island.”
On UK television, Colley guest-starred in episodes of longstanding dramas such as “Coronation Street,” “EastEnders,” “Misfits,” and “Peaky Blinders.” During the 1960s and 1970s, he was also seen in “The Avengers,” “Emergency-Ward 10,” and “The Sweeney.”
Owen revealed that Colley’s personal favorite role was Estragon in a 2014 London stage production of Samuel Beckett’s “Waiting for Godot” at the Cockpit Theatre. Outside of acting, Colley enjoyed gardening, collecting art, and had a love of fast cars.
Colley remained active until recently, finishing his final film role in the 2024 release “Dan Hawk Psychic Detective.” He also voiced a character in the 2023 short film “I Am Tree” and recorded narrations for Phenomenal Cat’s 2017 album “Pop Wasteland.”
The actor managed to overcome a stutter that vanished whenever he stepped onto the stage or stood before the camera. Over the course of his six-decade career, he took on a wide variety of roles, from Shakespeare’s “Duke of Vienna” in the BBC production of “Measure for Measure” to numerous quirky and villainous characters in Ken Russell’s films.