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Kenneth George "Kenny" Baker (born 24 August 1934) is a British actor and musician, best known as the man inside R2-D2 in the popular Star Wars film series. Baker, who stands 3 ft 8 in (112 cm) tall, was educated in Birmingham and boarding school in Kent. He is an only child, and wanted to follow in his father's footsteps and be an engraver but hadn't received sufficient education. He went to live with his stepmother in Hastings, and in 1951 was approached on the street by a lady who invited him to join a theatrical troupe of dwarves and midgets. This was his first taste of show... MORE

Kenneth George "Kenny" Baker (born 24 August 1934) is a British actor and musician, best known as the man inside R2-D2 in the popular Star Wars film series. Baker, who stands 3 ft 8 in (112 cm) tall, was educated in Birmingham and boarding school in Kent. He is an only child, and wanted to follow in his father's footsteps and be an engraver but hadn't received sufficient education. He went to live with his stepmother in Hastings, and in 1951 was approached on the street by a lady who invited him to join a theatrical troupe of dwarves and midgets. This was his first taste of show business. Later, he joined a circus for a brief time, learned to ice-skate and appeared in many ice shows. He had formed a successful comedy act called the Minitones with entertainer Jack Purvis when George Lucas hired him to be the man inside R2-D2 in Star Wars in 1977. Baker appears in all six of the episodic theatrical Star Wars films. Baker played an additional role in 1983's Return of the Jedi as Paploo, the Ewok who steals an Imperial speeder bike. He was originally going to play Wicket, but he fell ill and that role was handed over to Warwick Davis. Kenny is featured on Justin Lee Collins's "Bring LESS