Original Voice of Emperor Palpatine, Clive Revill, Passes Away at 94

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Born in New Zealand, Clive Revill, who later found fame as an actor thanks to being signed by Laurence Olivier, graced Broadway’s stages. He worked on two movies directed by Billy Wilder and lent his voice to the sinister Emperor Palpatine in The Empire Strikes Back. Sadly, Revill passed away at the age of 94.

On March 11, Revill passed away at a nursing home in Sherman Oaks following a long struggle with dementia, as reported by his daughter, Kate Revill, to The Hollywood Reporter.

In various roles, the versatile actor Revill portrayed characters in several films. He played a police officer in Otto Preminger’s movie “Bunny Lake Is Missing” (1965) alongside Olivier, and appeared in Jack Smight’s film “Kaleidoscope” (1966) featuring Warren Beatty. Remarkably, he played not just one character but two roles in Joseph Losey’s movie “Modesty Blaise” (1966), portraying both a Scotsman and an Arab. Lastly, in John Hough’s “The Legend of Hell House” (1973), he took on the role of a physicist investigating mysterious occurrences at a haunted mansion, alongside Roddy McDowall.

A seasoned performer with the Royal Shakespeare Company, Revill graced Broadway seven times, earning Tony nominations for his roles in two musicals. In 1961’s “Irma la Douce”, he played Bob-Le-Hotu, the owner of Bar-des-Inquiets, and was nominated for a Tony. Similarly, in 1963’s “Oliver!”, he portrayed Fagin, which also earned him a nomination for this prestigious award.

In “The Private Life of Sherlock Holmes” (1970) and “Avanti!” (1972), Wilder played two roles: first, he embodied a character who took on the role of a Russian ballerina in Holmes’ story, and second, he portrayed the embattled hotel manager Carlo. These performances led to speculation about Holmes and Dr. Watson’s sexual orientation, and earned him a nomination for a Golden Globe.

In 1980, for the movie “Star Wars: Episode V – The Empire Strikes Back”, director Irvin Kershner recruited Revill, whom he had previously worked with on the 1966 film “A Fine Madness”. He asked Revill to record a few intimidating lines at a studio located on Wilshire Boulevard in Los Angeles.

In a crucial moment, I’d manipulate the hologram that brings forth the Emperor, as heard by my own voice, mimicking the deep tones of James Earl Jones.

In the 2004 DVD version of the movie, Ian McDiarmid’s voice replaced that of Revill. Although he was well-known for playing the character in “Return of the Jedi” (1983) and the subsequent prequels, he still had a dedicated fan base.

He stated in an interview from 2015 that when people approach him, he instructs them to move closer and close their eyes. Then, using the eerie tone of an emperor, he declares, ‘There is a significant imbalance in the Force.’ This leaves many looking pale, and one individual almost lost consciousness.

Amongst the two offspring, Clive Selsby Revill made his appearance on April 18, 1930, in Wellington, New Zealand. His mother, Eleanor, worked as a homemaker and had an affinity for opera, while his father, Malet, was a skilled carpenter.

Enthusiastic about Shakespeare, Revill found himself employed as an actuary in a bank. One day, he crossed paths with Olivier, an actor, and his spouse, Vivien Leigh, who were visiting New Zealand for a tour. Olivier encouraged him to attend the Old Vic Theatre School in Bristol to study acting, and Revill managed to gather funds and traveled to England in 1950 to pursue his dreams.

He faced difficulties in leaving home. In a 2017 interview, he mentioned, “At one point I questioned myself, ‘Is this too much? Can I really do this? Can I find the strength?'” He then had an inspiring conversation with a school administrator who was responsible for student activities. She advised him to reconnect with his inner self, saying, “You must search for the truth deep within you, and once found, never let it go because it’s not just a symbol on your finger; it’s the fundamental thread that ties together every aspect of your life and spirit.

In 1952, Revill found his self-assurance again and took to the Broadway stage for the first time in the play “Mr. Pickwick“, an adaptation from Charles Dickens’ work “The Pickwick Papers“. Later, he became a member of the Royal Shakespeare Company (RSC) and, in 1964, appeared in a production of “Marat/Sade“, where he starred as Jean-Paul Marat, while Patrick Magee portrayed the Marquis de Sade, with the unique setting being a bathtub.

In 1967, Revill made his comeback on Broadway, taking the lead role as Sheridan Whiteside in the musical “Sherry!”. He then returned in 1971 to play Max Beerbohm in “The Incomparable Max”. In 1975, he was cast as Professor Moriarty in “Sherlock Holmes”, and finally, in 1981, he starred as Clare Quilty in Edward Albee’s adaptation of “Lolita”.

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Starting from 1967, Revill reappeared on Broadway, playing Sheridan Whiteside in the musical “Sherry!”, followed by Max Beerbohm in “The Incomparable Max” in 1971. Then came his role as Professor Moriarty in “Sherlock Holmes” in 1975, and lastly, he portrayed Clare Quilty in Edward Albee’s adaptation of “Lolita” in 1981.

He was versatile enough to portray various ethnicities, and his filmography on the silver screen encompassed a wide range of titles such as “The Double Man” (1967), “Fathom” (1967), “The Assassination Bureau” (1969), “A Severed Head” (1970), “The Black Windmill” (1974), “One of Our Dinosaurs Is Missing” (1975), “Zorro: The Gay Blade” (1981), “Robin Hood: Men in Tights” (1993), “Dracula: Dead and Loving It” (1995) and more recently, “The Queen of Spain” (2016).

In 1978, Revill played an Irish character in the final episode of the original Columbo series. He then appeared on various shows such as Maude, Hart to Hart, Dynasty, Remington Steele, Murder, She Wrote, Babylon 5, Magnum P.I., Newhart, MacGyver, Dear John, The Fall Guy, and Star Trek: The Next Generation.

In 1978, Revill acted as an Irish character in the final episode of the original Columbo series. He went on to be seen on shows like Maude, Hart to Hart, Dynasty, Remington Steele, Murder, She Wrote, Babylon 5, Magnum P.I., Newhart, MacGyver, Dear John, The Fall Guy, and Star Trek: The Next Generation.

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1978 saw Revill portray an Irish character in the final episode of Columbo’s original series. After that, he was featured on a variety of shows including Maude, Hart to Hart, Dynasty, Remington Steele, Murder, She Wrote, Babylon 5, Magnum P.I., Newhart, MacGyver, Dear John, The Fall Guy, and Star Trek: The Next Generation.

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Revill appeared as an Irish character in the final episode of Columbo’s original series back in 1978. Since then, he has been a frequent guest on shows like Maude, Hart to Hart, Dynasty, Remington Steele, Murder, She Wrote, Babylon 5, Magnum P.I., Newhart, MacGyver, Dear John, The Fall Guy, and Star Trek: The Next Generation.

Beyond his portrayal of Emperor Palpatine, he also lent his voice to various Star Wars characters in video games, and in 1992, he took on the role of Alfred the butler in Batman: The Animated Series.

Survivors also include his granddaughter, Kayla.

Alison Edmond contributed to this report.

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2025-03-27 01:25