Bob Anderson (1923-2012)
Sunday, April 14, 2013
Bob Anderson is probably someone you've never heard of - but you almost certainly are familiar with his work, if you've seen Star Wars Episodes V and VI, The Princess Bride, The Lord of the Rings trilogy, or any of a number of other movies with incredible sword-fighting. Bob Anderson was the choreagrapher and stunt double who made that happen.
photo courtesy the UK Guardian
Anderson started out as a competitive fencer in the 1940's and 1950's but broke into the movie business when he coached Erol Flynn for 1952's The Master of Ballantrae. From there he went on to work with a variety of actors and on a variety of movies, though his most well-known work is from the 1980's onward - the lightsaber duels in the Star Wars sequels, the many sword fights in The Lord of the Rings, and what is possibly the best cinematic fencng ever - the duel between Inigo and Wesley in The Princess Bride.
Anderson was scheduled to work on all three parts of The Hobbit when he passed away last year, on January 1, 2012 - but there is no question that his influence will be felt on the films, and he leaves behind a legacy of work that is unlikely to ever be matched.
JMH
