AN 'EMPIRE' AT 40: R2-D2 RETURNS!

Outside the Rebel base on Hoth, Artoo (brought to two-legged life by Kenny Baker) tries to pick up life signs for the missing Luke Skywalker.

Ever loyal to his human masters in the Rebellion, Artoo Detoo continues to be a vital comrade in the battle against the evil Empire, helping to establish the Rebel base on the ice planet of Hoth and soon travelling to the bog planet of Dagobah with Luke Skywalker, alongside him when he encounters the quirky Yoda, and watches as the veteran Jedi Master trains the young man in the ways of the Force. As the heroic human/droid pairing's journey continues fatefully to the Cloud City of Bespin, Artoo's communication and technical skills ultimately save the Millennium Falcon and her crew at a critical juncture from the clutches of the cruel Lord Darth Vader!

The Hoth Rebel base has fallen, and old friends must say goodbye in this great posed publicity image.

Suffering the grimy climes of Dagobah with Luke Skywalker.

And encounters the quirky Jedi Master Yoda.

Outside Yoda's home as the rain pours down yet again!

Always the helpful co-pilot!

Facing danger once more with Luke on Bespin.

Getting a short circuit from electronic tampering on Bespin.

Helping to buy escape time against the Stormtroopers on Bespin.

Coming to the aid of both his in-pieces Threepio and the problems-beset Millennium Falcon.

A entertainer born to Showbiz, and a much-liked presence on any film and TV set, Kenny Baker's potential worries about Star Wars being a success were soon allayed by the end of 1977, enjoying the worldwide publicity and subsequent work it brought in, happily signing on once again, wto inhabit the two-legged droid suit of Artoo Detoo for The Empire Strikes Back, once again inhabiting the character with the kind of charm and personality that won the hearts of children/audiences worldwide. Alongside Baker in equally happy tow would be his Mini-Tones friend and comedy partner Jack Purvis (as per the original Star Wars) playing a variety of background roles of an equally smaller size.

Kenny Baker wearing the original Ralph McQuarrie The Star Wars logo t-shirt, circa 1979.

For the more difficult scenes requiring sophisticated motion on the film, R2-D2's three-legged remote-controlled versions for practical filming were given a makeover by British Special Effects talent Brian Johnson and his team at Elstree Studios, though the various units continued to have wandering minds of their own!

R2's three-legged version roams the Rebel base in a deleted moment.