Sword Maestro Bob Anderson Dies at 89; Watch Some of His Most Celebrated Screen Battles

The best-known Hollywood swordsman this side of Warren Beatty passed away on New Year's Day: Bob Anderson, an Olympic fencer who once wounded Errol Flynn on set and whose subsequent swordfight choreography spanned 60 years and such franchises as Star Wars, The Lord of the Rings and the James Bond series, is dead at the age of 89. Wind up your day rewatching a few of his finest battles.

Anderson actually borrowed the Darth Vader get-up from actor David Prowse for the climactic fights at the ends of both Empire Strikes Back (below) and Return of the Jedi:

Elsewhere, one of Anderson's devotees helpfully spliced together a medley of Anderson more swashbuckly pieces of work, led by The Princess Bride's classic duel between Westley and Inigo Montoya:

And finally, here's Anderson explaining some of his technique and history, with back-up from Viggo Mortensen. R.I.P., good sir.

· Bob Anderson, Sword Master, Dies at 89 [NYT]