Bob Anderson (fencer)
The unseen duelist of cinema, he trained everyone from Errol Flynn to Luke Skywalker, choreographing the most famous sword fights in film history.
1922–2012 (age 90)·English actor and fencer·Birthday: September 15·The Greatest Generation
Biography
Bob Anderson's blade was the secret behind a century of screen swashbucklers. An Olympic fencer for Britain, he traded the piste for the soundstage, becoming the film industry's most trusted and inventive fight director. His genius lay in translating real fencing technique into cinematic spectacle—dangerous, dynamic, and dripping with character. He made actors into believable swordsmen, patiently coaching legends like Errol Flynn in the final flourish of his career, and later transforming actors like Sean Connery, Antonio Banderas, and Viggo Mortensen into convincing warriors. Anderson's fingerprints are on an astonishing roster of classics: he staged the lightning-fast duels in 'The Princess Bride,' the gritty realism of 'The Mask of Zorro,' and the epic clashes in 'The Lord of the Rings.' Perhaps most famously, he was the man in Darth Vader's suit, performing all the lightsaber duels in 'The Empire Strikes Back' and 'Return of the Jedi,' bringing a physical gravitas to cinema's greatest villain.
The Greatest Generation
1901–1927
Grew up during the Depression, fought World War II, and built the postwar economic boom. Defined by shared sacrifice, institutional trust, and a belief that hard work and loyalty would be rewarded.
Bob was born in 1922, placing them squarely in The Greatest Generation. The events that shaped this generation — world wars, depression, and rapid industrialization — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Bob Was Born
The biggest hits of 1922
#1 Movie
Robin Hood
Bob's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1922Born
King Tut's tomb discovered in Egypt
President: Warren G. Harding"April Showers" — Al Jolson
1927Started school
Lindbergh flies solo across the Atlantic; The Jazz Singer premieres
President: Calvin Coolidge"My Blue Heaven" — Gene Austin
1935Became a teenager
Social Security Act signed into law
Gas: $0.19/galHome: $3,450President: Franklin D. Roosevelt"Cheek to Cheek" — Fred AstaireBest Picture: Mutiny on the Bounty
1938Could drive
Kristallnacht and the escalation toward WWII
Gas: $0.20/galHome: $2,850Min wage: $0.25/hrPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"Begin the Beguine" — Artie ShawBest Picture: You Can't Take It with You
1940Could vote
The Blitz: Germany bombs London
Gas: $0.18/galHome: $2,938Min wage: $0.30/hrPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"I'll Never Smile Again" — Tommy DorseyBest Picture: Rebecca
1943Turned 21
Allies invade Sicily; Battle of Stalingrad ends
Gas: $0.21/galHome: $3,290Min wage: $0.30/hrPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"I've Heard That Song Before" — Harry JamesBest Picture: Casablanca
1952Turned 30
Queen Elizabeth II ascends the throne
Gas: $0.27/galHome: $8,350Min wage: $0.75/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Blue Tango" — Leroy AndersonBest Picture: The Greatest Show on Earth
1962Turned 40
Cuban Missile Crisis brings the world to the brink
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $12,800Min wage: $1.15/hrPresident: John F. Kennedy"Stranger on the Shore" — Acker BilkBest Picture: Lawrence of Arabia
1972Turned 50
Watergate break-in; last Apollo Moon mission
Gas: $0.36/galHome: $19,550Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face" — Roberta FlackBest Picture: The Godfather
1982Turned 60
Michael Jackson releases Thriller
Gas: $1.22/galHome: $55,200Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Physical" — Olivia Newton-JohnBest Picture: Gandhi
1992Turned 70
LA riots after Rodney King verdict
Gas: $1.13/galHome: $84,300Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"End of the Road" — Boyz II MenBest Picture: Unforgiven
2002Turned 80
Euro currency enters circulation
Gas: $1.36/galHome: $137,800Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"How You Remind Me" — NickelbackBest Picture: Chicago
2012Died at 90
Curiosity rover lands on Mars; Sandy Hook shooting
Gas: $3.64/galHome: $143,200Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Somebody That I Used to Know" — GotyeBest Picture: Argo
Key Achievements
- Served as the personal fencing coach and stunt double for Errol Flynn in 'The Master of Ballantrae' (1953).
- Performed as the stunt double for David Prowse, wielding the lightsaber as Darth Vader in 'The Empire Strikes Back' and 'Return of the Jedi.'
- Choreographed the sword fights for the 'The Lord of the Rings' film trilogy, training Viggo Mortensen (Aragorn) extensively.
- Designed the fight sequences for Best Picture Oscar winner 'Barry Lyndon' (1975) and beloved classic 'The Princess Bride' (1987).
- Represented Great Britain in fencing at the 1952 Summer Olympics in Helsinki.
Did You Know?
He was a Royal Marine during World War II before becoming a champion fencer.
He was awarded the Order of the British Empire (MBE) for his services to film and fencing.
In 'The Princess Bride,' he choreographed the iconic duel between Inigo Montoya and the Man in Black on the cliffs.
He founded the British Academy of Fencing and was a respected teacher of historical fencing techniques.
“You can't learn to fence from a book any more than you can learn to swim from a book.”
