Michael Culver, the actor known for playing Captain Needa, has passed away at age 85.
Culver’s agency, Alliance Agents, announced (via Deadline) that Culver passed away on February 27, 2024. “We are very sad to confirm the passing of our friend and client Michael Culver,” the agency said in a statement.
The agency noted that Culver’s career spanned “over 50 years with notable roles in Sherlock Holmes, A Passage to India, Secret Army and of course one of the most memorable death scenes in the Star Wars franchise.”
“It’s been an honor to have represented Michael for the last decade and to have taken him to some of the best Star Wars events in the UK and Europe,” Alliance Agents added. “A real highlight was taking Michael to Celebration in Chicago in 2019. He was lost for words when he saw his queue line with nearly 200 people waiting to see him. We worked with Michael just three weeks ago at his last home signing with our friends at Elite Signatures.”
Culver is best known for his small but memorable role in 1980’s Star Wars: Episode V — The Empire Strikes Back. In the movie, Culver’s Captain Needa is force-choked and killed by Darth Vader after failing to capture members of the Rebel Alliance.
In 1986, Culver appeared as Sir Reginald Musgrave in an episode of The Return of Sherlock Holmes. He starred in a number of other television shows, including Secret Army, The Adventures of Black Beauty, The House of Eliott, and more. He was in movies such as 1969’s The Body Stealers and 1984’s A Passage to India and also was part of numerous theatrical productions over the years.
His last feature film role was in 2016’s Servants’ Quarters, which was directed by Paul Raschid.
SuperHeroHype sends its condolences to the Culver family.
