‘Star Wars’ actor, known for TV roles, dead at 82

Michael Pennington, an actor in “Star Wars: Episode VI – Return of the Jedi,” died at the age of 82. The Telegraph reported the news. Pennington appeared as Moff Tiaan Jerjerrod, an Empire admiral responsible for overseeing the construction of the second Death Star, in “Return of the Jedi.” Per Variety, his TV credits include “Raised By Wolves,” “Footprints,” “Endeavour,” “Father Brown,” “The Escape Artist,” “Silent Witness” and “Into the Storm.” He also starred in the 1987 TV movie “The Return of Sherlock Holmes” as the titular detective, as well as 1989’s “The Wars of the Roses,” which was a televised series of Shakespeare’s history plays performed by the English Shakespeare Company. According to The Telegraph, in 1980, he turned down the starring role opposite Meryl Streep in Karel Reisz’s 1981 drama “The French Lieutenant’s Woman” so he could star as Hamlet for the Royal Shakespeare Company. Pennington reportedly said at the time, “I realised I couldn’t let Hamlet go. It is one of the prizes.” Jeremy Irons stepped into his part, and the film went on to be nominated for five Academy Awards.