Kenneth Colley: Top 5 movies to watch as a tribute to the screen legend

Kenneth Colley, who played one of the prominent characters in Star Wars, passed away on June 30, 2025. Julian Owen, his agent for 10 years, confirmed this, according to The Independent. Owen said,

"He had been admitted after a fall with an injured arm, however he quickly contracted Covid which developed into pneumonia. He passed away peacefully with friends at his bedside."

Since 1964, he worked in films like Slade in Flame (1975), Return to Waterloo (1984), Brassed Off (1996), and more. He also appeared in TV series like Mussolini: The Untold Story (1985), Return to Treasure Island (1986), Peaky Blinders (2016), and more. Peaky Blinders was his last appearance, where he played the head of the Changretta crime family.

Although his role in Peaky Blinders was prominent too, we won't be including it as we are here to see some of his finest roles in films.

Kenneth Colley's finest roles

5. Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back (1980)

The Empire Strikes Back was released in 1980. (Image via Lucasfilm Ltd.)

Kenneth Colley's most iconic role to date remains Admiral Piett, one of the antagonists in the popular franchise. He first appears in The Empire Strikes Back, where he is the captain of Darth Vader's flagship, Executor. The character is part of the Battle of Hoth and then goes after the starship called the Millennium Falcon in an asteroid field. Interestingly, Piett is also the first on-screen character who saw Darth Vader without his mask.

4. Star Wars: Return of the Jedi (1983)

Of course, you wouldn't want to miss what follows The Empire Strikes Back. Kenneth Colley's character returns in the film as Admiral Piett. He is commanding the Imperial fleet. He is interrupted by Darth Vader during his first appearance in the film, following a breach that his master wants to deal with himself.

3. I Hired a Contract Killer (1990)

Kenneth Colley's character is a determined hitman in the film. (Image via Svenska Filminstitutet)

The actor played a dying hitman in this strange story about a man who cannot bring himself to commit suicide after being laid off by his company. So he hires contract killers to do it for him. However, things get interesting when this man meets a woman and decides he wants to live. Now, the problem is, Kenneth Colley's character wants to finish his contract before he dies.

2. The Whistle Blower (1987)

In The Whistle Blower, Colley was an investigative reporter who briefly appeared in the film. He worked alongside the legendary Michael Caine, who plays Frank in the film, which is currently sitting with a 90% critic approval rating as of this writing.

1. Monty Python's Life of Brian (1979)

The film is considered one of the best comedies ever made. (Image via Python (Monty) Pictures)

Finally, we arrive at the best role that the actor played in his career, which is the one and only Jesus. However, in this biblical black comedy film, it's Brian Cohen, played by Graham Chapman, who is mistakenly thought to be the Messiah because he is born on the same day and in the same place as Jesus. In a poll by Channel 4, the film was ranked first on its list of Greatest Comedy Films.