Jeremy Bulloch

Jeremy Bulloch
Bulloch at the 2016 East Coast Comicon
Born	(1945-02-16) 16 February 1945 Market Harborough, Leicestershire, England, U.K.
Occupation	Actor
Years active	1961–present
Spouse(s)	Maureen Bulloch
Children	3

Jeremy Bulloch (born 16 February 1945) is an English actor best known for the role of the bounty hunter Boba Fett in the original Star Wars trilogy.^[1][2] He has appeared in numerous British television and film productions, including Doctor Who and Robin of Sherwood.

Early life

Bulloch was born in Market Harborough, Leicestershire, England, one of six children. From the age of five, he enjoyed acting and singing after a school show. He began acting at the age of ten and has "appeared in [several] Disney films, British sitcoms and plays."^[3] He trained at Corona Stage Academy.^[4][5]

Career

Beginnings

At the age of twelve, Bulloch's first professional appearance was in a breakfast cereal commercial. After several uncredited screen appearances, Bulloch's first regular role was in the 1960 TV series Counter-Attack! and (the same year) The Chequered Flag. He went on to have a recurring role in Billy Bunter of Greyfriars School (1961) and a regular role in The Newcomers (1965–67). At the age of seventeen, he portrayed Hamlet on stage. In 1962, he starred alongside Cliff Richard in the musical film Summer Holiday. He had a part in The Devil's Agent, which also starred Christopher Lee who later portrayed Count Dooku in the Prequel Trilogy. He also appeared in two Doctor Who stories, The Space Museum (1965) and The Time Warrior (1973).^[6] Coincidently, Bulloch, David Prowse and John Hollis, who would later appear in The Empire Strikes Back appeared in a Jon Pertwee Doctor Who serial.^[7][8] From 1979-81, he was a regular in the ITV sitcom Agony, in which he played Rob Illingworth, one half of a gay couple. He also has minor roles in three James Bond films, twice playing Smithers, an assistant to Q.^[9]

Star Wars

In a career spanning over half a century, he is most famous for his role in Boba Fett's costume in the Star Wars films The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi - despite the character's "minimal screen time."^[10] The voice was provided by Jason Wingreen originally and in the updated versions Temuera Morrison - to strengthen the connection with the Prequel Trilogy. His half brother Robert Watts, who was working as an associate producer for Empire was tasked with finding someone who "would fit in the costume of Boba Fett."^[11] So Watts called Bulloch (who at the time was working on Agony) and encouraged him^[12] to see Tiny Nicholls, the wardrobe supervisor and Bullock had a costume fitting as Boba Fett, which "took 20 minutes to put on."^[13] Additionally, he plays a minor role as an Imperial officer (later identified as Lieutenant Sheckil), who grabs Leia when she warns Luke Skywalker of Vader's trap in The Empire Strikes Back. Bulloch was initially to do the scene as Fett when he fires at Skywalker on Cloud City. But with no one available to play the part, Bulloch went to the wardrobe and got changed into the "Imperial Officer's outfit."^[14] This was his only non-masked appearance in the original Star Wars films. John Morton, who portrayed the rebel pilot Dak Ralter (during the Battle of Hoth), covered Bulloch as a body double for Fett when the character confronts Vader in the Bespin hallway during Han Solo's torture.^[15] Filming lasted three weeks.

Bulloch returned as Boba Fett for the fan film mocumentary: Return of the Ewok chasing Wicket on the Death Star. He filmed his scenes for Jedi for four weeks. Bulloch was unaware of Fett's demise prior to filming and was disappointed since he would have liked to do more with his character. Bulloch said that portraying Fett was the most uncomfortable role he played and that putting on the jetpack "was very heavy."^[16]

While portraying Fett, Bulloch drew some inspiration from Clint Eastwood's the Man with No Name.^[17] Both Fett and Eastwood's character in A Fistful of Dollars wear similar capes, cradle their gun, ready to shoot and move in slow motion. In an interview in 2014, Bulloch recalled when he said to an Imperial Officer (before Fett leaves Cloud City on Slave I with Solo frozen in carbonite), "Put Captain Solo in the cargo hold," when he actually said, "Put Captain Cargo in the Solo Hold."^[18]

In 2004, Bulloch published a limited edition memoir, Flying Solo, which is a humorous account of his personal and professional life, interspersed with tales from the convention circuit.^[19] In 2005, for the first time in 22 years, he once again made an appearance in a Star Wars film, Revenge of the Sith. This time he portrayed Captain Colton piloting Kenobi, Bail Organa and Yoda to Coruscant in an Alderaan Cruiser (later identified as the Sundered Heart and similar to the first vessel to appear in Star Wars).^[20] Afterwards, Bulloch played a small cameo role in Star Wars fan films Order of the Sith: Vengeance and its sequel Downfall - Order of the Sith - alongside David Prowse and Michael Sheard. These fan films were made in England in support of Save the Children.

In an interview in 2013, he expressed an interest in being involved in a future Star Wars film in some way saying, "The lovely thing is...if I'm wearing a helmet, no one knows how old I am." However ever since then, he has denied involvement in future projects.^[21] Although Boba Fett did not appear in Star Wars The Force Awakens, long before the film's release, Bulloch hinted that an anthology film, which will focus on the origins of Boba Fett will be made.^[22][23] This film as part of the anthology series (not related to the main saga) will be released in 2020.

He was featured in the 2015 documentary Elstree 1976; a behind-the-scenes film, which focuses on the lives of some actors and extras who appeared in the Star Wars original trilogy. The documentary had a premiere at the BFI London Film Festival^[24][25]

Other work

Bulloch has a part in a British TV advert for McCarthy and Stone retirement flats. In 2004, he had a cameo in Mark Hamill's Comic Book: The Movie which also featured some Star Wars alumni such as David Prowse and Peter Mayhew. In 2005, he played the role of "Chairman Skellon" in a stage production of The Trial of Davros.^[26] In 2006, Bulloch provided the voice of Sir Logan the Prowler in the Night Traveler multimedia adventure series produced by Lunar Moth Entertainment.^[27][28] In 2008, Richard LeParmentier, well known for his portrayal of Admiral Motti in Star Wars worked on Motti Now, a spoof of Apocalypse, featuring Bulloch and other Star Wars actors including Kenneth Colley, Garrick Hagon and Jerome Blake.^[29]

Personal life

Bulloch has three sons, ten grandchildren, and lives in London with his wife, Maureen. His half-brother is Robert Watts, who was a producer on The Empire Strikes Back, Return of the Jedi and the Indiana Jones films. Watts also had a cameo as Lieutenant Watts in Return of the Jedi.^[30] One of his sons, Robbie portrayed Matthew of Wickham in four episodes of Robin of Sherwood.^[31] Coincidently the character is the son of Edward of Wickham portrayed by Bulloch. His sister Sally Bulloch was a child actress prior to becoming an executive manager of the Athenaeum Hotel.^[32]

He once considered being a sportsman but ultimately chose to go into acting. Long before portraying Fett, Bulloch trained with David Prowse at his gym in South London. In his spare time, he enjoys playing cricket and travelling. Bulloch says that he has been a fan of Star Trek ever since the original series.^[33]

Ever since the release of the Star Wars Special Edition trilogy, prequel trilogy and new films (after Disney acquired the franchise), he is frequently invited to science fiction conventions throughout the world, and was inducted as an Honorary Member of the 501st Legion costuming organization in May 2002.^[34] Later, in November 2009, he actually joined the 501st as a costume-wearing member making appearances with the group as Boba Fett.^[35] Since 2000, he has been a frequent guest at the Star Wars Weekends, (held annually at Disney's Hollywood Studios).^[36][37][38]

Filmography

Film

Television

References

Bibliography

• McFarlane, Brian. (2005). The Encyclopaedia of British Film. Methuen. 2nd edition
• Rinser, J. W. (2010). The Making of Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back.
• Windham, Ryder and Wallace, Daniel. (2011). Star Wars Year by Year Chronicle. Darling Kindersley

Further reading

• Eberl, Jason T. and Deker, Kevin S. (2015). The Ultimate Star Wars and Philosophy: You Must Unlearn What You Have Learned. John Wiley & Sons

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Jeremy Bulloch.

• Official website
• Jeremy Bulloch at the Internet Movie Database
• Jeremy Bulloch at AllMovie
• Jeremy Bulloch BFI
• Jeremy Bulloch in the Night Traveler series
• Beyond Boba Fett: A Conversation with Jeremy Bulloch at Confessions of a Pop Culture Addict