Clive Revill, the original Emperor Palpatine in Star Wars, dies age 94

Star Wars legend Clive Revill has died at age 94 (Picture: Getty)

Clive Revill, the Star Wars icon who originally voiced Emporer Palpatine in The Empire Strikes Back, has died at age 94.

The stage and screen actor died on March 11 after a battle with dementia at a care facility in Sherman Oaks, Los Angeles.

His daughter, Kate Revill, confirmed the sad news to the Hollywood Reporter.

In 1980, Star Wars: Episode V director Irvin Kershner called Revill, who he worked with on A Fine Madness (1966), to record some menacing lines for his new film.

‘There is a great disturbance in the Force,’ says the evil hologram of Darth Sidious or Emperor Palpatine to Darth Vader in a pivotal scene.

This line was still much quoted to Revill, despite his voice being swapped out for Ian McDiarmid’s in 2004 as he played the character in Return of the Jedi.

He starred in films like The Double Man and Avanti! (Picture: WARNER BROS)

Speaking in an interview with The Spectrum in 2015, the esteemed actor shared: ‘They come up to me, and I tell them to get close and shut their eyes.

‘Then I say [in the emperor’s haunting voice], “There is a great disturbance in the Force.” People turn white, and one nearly fainted!’

Revill was spotted by Laurence Olivier and worked extensively for the Royal Shakespeare Company, appearing on Broadway seven times.

He was nominated for two Tony Awards; the Bar-des-Inquiets proprietor Bob-Le-Hotu in 1961’s Irma la Douce and as Fagin in 1963’s Oliver!.

Revill was best known as Darth Sidious or Emperor Palpatine (Picture: Albert L. Ortega/Getty Images)

In 1950, after a chance meeting with Olivier, Revill moved to London and starred in numerous Shakespearian productions.

Two years later, he made his Broadway debut, then began appearing in various British films as a comedic actor throughout the 60s.

He was nominated for a Golden Globe for his role as hotel manager Carlo Carlucci in Avanti! (1972).

Palpatine was not the only voice acting Revill is known for as he can also be heard in cartoons like Transformers and DuckTales or video games like Marvel: Ultimate Alliance.

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