Appeared as a strongman in the famous "Wishing Well" sketch from the first season of "The Benny Hill Show" (1969), which was used by the show's American syndicator to pitch the program to U.S. television stations.
Attended Bristol Grammar School, Bristol, England. Actors Julian Glover and Timothy West were in the same year there.
Attended the I Central American Star Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope (1977) Convention at Guatemala City, Guatemala, on 27-28 July 2002, to talk about his character ("Darth Vader") on the first Star Wars trilogy, along with Jeremy Bulloch ("Boba Fett").
Because of his loftiness, George Lucas hired him to occupy the costume of Darth Vader in Star Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope (1977). But because of his British accent, Lucas chose James Earl Jones as the voice of Vader
Before he entered films, he was a hard working apprentice engineer at BOAC in Bristol.
Despite the fame of Darth Vader, Prowse says that the role he is most proud of is the Green Cross Code Man.
Diagnosed with prostate cancer in early 2009. Announced in February 2010 that he had made a full recovery following intensive radio therapy at a London hospital.
Has a passion for motorcycles and in his early career owned many.
He commented in an interview that he was unaware that his voice been dubbed with that of James Earl Jones' until he saw the movie Star Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope (1977) on opening night.
He stood over 6' 6". After surgeries and due to his age, he lost several inches.
He was awarded the M.B.E. (Member of the Order of the British Empire) in the 2000 Queen's Millennium Honours List for his services to charity and road safety.
He was barred from doing the lightsaber duels in Star Wars: Episode V - The Empire Strikes Back (1980) and Star Wars: Episode VI - Return of the Jedi (1983) because he kept breaking the poles that stood in for the laser blades during the first film. The lightsaber duels in the sequels were instead done by Bob Anderson, the swordmaster who handled the lightsaber choreography; in order to make up for the height difference, Bob Anderson wore platform shoes and was often filmed from low angles.
He was the special guest at the first Sci-Fi convention in the northwest (England) at Lancaster and Morecambe College on 3rd October 2004.
His performance as Darth Vader in the original Star Wars trilogy is ranked #84 on Premiere Magazine's 100 Greatest Movie Characters of All Time.
In Casino Royale (1967), he plays a character known only as "Sir". He looks like Frankenstein's Creature, but is never called or credited as such. "Sir" is only in the film a few seconds.
Is a former weightlifting champion.
Once complained in an interview that he felt he "wasn't getting any publicity" for his work as Darth Vader.
Owns a gym "The Dave Prowse Fitness Centre" in London, England. His brother Bob Prowse used to manage it for him before opening his own Health Club in Maidstone.
Played part of the aide to Patrick Magee's character in the movie A Clockwork Orange (1971). He was chosen due to the fact that he was able to lift and carry the wheelchair-bound Magee. He said that the director was not known as "one-take Kubrick" and he had to repeat the scene multiple times. At one point, the shooting was halted because the recording technician said that there was a strange noise in the last take. This was discovered to be due to a microphone that was on David and picking up his accelerated heartbeat and heavier breathing.
Prowse and James Earl Jones have never met in person.