Meet Bob Anderson: the Royal Marine, international fencer, and Darth Vader stunt double who lived in Felpham

Bob Anderson never chose the sword, it chose him – at least that’s what he always said. It sounds like something out of Highlander, but, for someone who actually worked on the 1986 cult classic, it’s probably pretty appropriate.

An internationally acclaimed fencer with a black belt in the Japanese sword-fighting art of Kendo, he was a real-life weapons-master, and just as qualified to wax-lyrical about the life of the sword as Conor Macleod.

The sword-fighter, who famously doubled for Darth Vader in Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi, was recognised on Saturday with a commemorative blue plaque, which was unveiled outside his old home on Outram Road, Felpham.

His daughter, Simone Froud, said receiving the plate was a ‘fantastic’ experience and a fitting tribute to her father, who died in 2012.

"We got used to all these swords hanging around everywhere, but this sort of thing makes you realise people are quite interested in what dad did,” she explained. “To us, it was just normal, everyday life. But I think we became much prouder of the whole thing as the years went by.”

Bob most likely fenced at school, but started seriously competing during his wartime service, where his picked up several inter-service titles before he was poached to coach the national fencing team.

"It was just something he was very good at and it never left him,” Simone said. “Fencing is a very technical sport and my dad loved that, he was very hands-on, very practical and he had a real passion for tools – which is effectively what a sword is.

"He always likened it to ballet. You’ve got to be light on your feet and agile.”

That technical knowledge is part of what made Bob so popular in Hollywood. After representing Great Britain in the 1952 Olympuics, he accepted a call for stuntment in the Errol Flynn swashbuckler The Master of Ballantree. From there, he went on to choregraph hundreds of fight scenes across scores of films, including Die Another Day, the Lord of the Rings Trilogy and The Three Musketeers.

“He was an expert. That’s why people like Johnny Depp, Orlando Bloom, Richard Gere, and Antonio Banderas wanted him to teach them. All actors wanted to do their own sword work, so they would train with him for six months to get it right.”

But it wasn't all about snazzy footwork and textbook ripostes, Bob also had to plan the scripts for his fight scenes: telling stories and illuminating characters through the dramatic intensity of a duel.

“He had to write the script, he had to know all the moves off by heart. He came up with the idea of fencing backwards up a set of stairs. That was my dad’s signature. There are all these little touches across so many films that he added to give effect. Because sword-fighting is great, but when you’re watching a movie, you want it to be exciting. That’s what he brought to the table.”