I Was There Too
Bonus Episode: The Empire Strikes Back: Controversy Averted
Nov 10, 2023
Elaine Baker, actress who played the body of The Emperor in The Empire Strikes Back, resolves the controversy over her appearance in the movie. The host interviews Cio-Cio the chimp, who played the superimposed eyes of The Emperor. They reveal that Marjorie Eaton ultimately appeared onscreen as The Emperor's body.
08:30
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Quick takeaways
- Marjorie Eaton played the physical body of The Emperor in The Empire Strikes Back, contradicting Elaine Baker's credited involvement.
- Clive Revel provided the voice for The Emperor and a chimpanzee played the superimposed eyes in the hologram scene.
Deep dives
The Physical Body of the Emperor in Empire Strikes Back
After discussing the question of who physically played the body of the Emperor in Empire Strikes Back, it is concluded that the older character actress Marjorie Eaton was the one who did the job. Listener Brandon Bird's email and confirmation from Pablo Hidalgo from Lucasfilm provide evidence that contradicts Elaine Baker's credited involvement. The makeup was sculpted by Phil Tippett and applied by Rick Baker, further supporting the claim that Marjorie Eaton played the physical body of the Emperor.
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