Veteran actor Kenneth Colley dies at 87

Veteran actor Kenneth Colley, known for playing Admiral Piett in the Star Wars franchise, recently passed away at the age of 87 at his home in Ashford, Kent, on Monday, with family members and friends by his side. His agent, Julian Owen, had released a statement about his passing.

After a brief hospital stay due to an arm injury he got in a fall, Colley passed away. He contracted COVID-19 during his recuperation, which progressed to pneumonia, complications that finally led to his death.

His agent, Owens, said in a statement:

"Ken Colley was one of our finest character actors with a career spanning 60 years."

He continued:

"Ken continually worked on stage, film and television playing a vast array of characters, from Jesus in Monty Python's Life of Brian to evil and eccentric characters in Ken Russell films, and the Duke of Vienna in Shakespeare's Measure for Measure for the BBC. Ken also loved his garden, art collecting and had a passion for fast cars."

Early life, entry into acting, and career highlights of Veteran actor Kenneth Colley

Kenneth Colley was born on 7 December 1937 in Manchester, Lancashire. He began his acting career on British television in the late 1960s, securing early roles in well-known shows including The Sweeney and The Rivals of Sherlock Holmes. In 1979, he played the role of the Duke of Vienna in the BBC broadcast of Shakespeare's Measure for Measure.

He immediately established himself as a go-to character actor due to his exceptional ability to transition between serious and unusual parts.

He then went on to play the role of Admiral Piett, the role that made him a household name and loved by the whole franchise. He plays Admiral Piett, a commander working under Darth Vader in Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back (1980) and Return of the Jedi (1983).

According to the Daily Mail, Colley wasn't supposed to appear in Return of the Jedi (1983), as George Lucas had planned to leave him out. He was only kept on because Lucasfilm had received tons of fan mail complimenting his performance. Thus, he became the first Imperial officer to appear in more than one movie.

Kenneth Colley played the role of Colonel Kontarsky in Clint Eastwood’s Cold War thriller Firefox in 1982. He then went on to appear in the miniseries War and Remembrance (1988) and various BBC television dramas.

Star Wars isn't the only movie that made him a household name; he is also remembered for his role in Monty Python’s Life of Brian (1979), where he played the role of Jesus Christ. He was alongside John Cleese, Michael Palin, and Graham Chapman in the movie.

Ken Russell, a flamboyant and controversial filmmaker, had collaborated with Kenneth Colley twice. Once in Lisztomania (1975) and then later in The Rainbow (1989), where Colley displayed his versatility.

In the year 2007, Kenneth Colley gave directing a shot and directed the horror movie Greetings. In 2012, Colley returned to the role by voicing Piett in the animated comedy special Lego Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Out, introducing his character to a new generation of fans.

Colley's reputation among science fiction fans endured because of his contributions to Star Wars. He frequently appeared with other cast members at fan conventions and Star Wars commemoration events throughout the world.

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Tributes have poured in from everywhere for Kenneth Colley, from colleagues, admirers, and fans all around the world. Everyone will remember him for his versatility.

Stay tuned to Soap Central for more information.

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