I am the official UK Scout (Representative) of the Belgian Star Wars fan club Teekay-421. Teekay-421 is a great club with a high quality fanzine 4 times a year. My membership has allowed me to be more involved in the Star Wars universe, than I otherwise would have been. 

Thanks to Mark Dermul, for introducing me to the club and his continued support in my participation, including the odd translation! 

Being involved with the club has allowed me to meet several of the Stars and help the club out with guest invites to shows, photographs with the magazine and so forth. I was lucky enough (and also very pleased) to be able to interview Mr Chris Parsons, an actor who portrayed several of our favourite droids in The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi.

I caught up with Chris at his first ever public appearance in Watford, England on Sunday 25th of June 2000. He was kind enough to spare me the time to take this interview. Please read on!

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Mr Parson’s, thanks very much for taking the time to talk to us about your life and Star Wars. It’s always great when a member of the Star Wars cast can spare the time to talk to the fans!

Q. You were involved in both The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi. Can you tell us how you came to be involved with Star Wars?

A. I was invited by my agent at that time, to attend an interview at Elstree Studio’s for an audition. I wasn’t told what the part or the film was called or about.

Q. From the characters you played, which was your favourite?

A. My favourite character was E-3PO. Because of the similarities in the costumes and movements of E-3PO to C-3PO.

Q. Do you have any Star Wars memorabilia or mementos, and if so what is your favourite item?

A. I do have some mementos, and my most favourite pieces are a pair of cloth badges, one for The Empire Strikes Back and one for Return of the Jedi. They are stitched onto a padded jacket that I wore on set for both films.

Q. 4-LOM has been involved in several comic’s and books since his debut with Darth Vader. What do you make of his success?

A. I thinks it’s very interesting how a small role bounty hunter has evolved into a much followed character.

Q. In Return of the Jedi you were understudy to C-3PO. Are there any scenes in the film where you are C-3PO and not Anthony Daniels?

A. There are 3 or 4 scenes where I am playing C-3PO. The most memorable was the scene on Endor where 3PO is being carried in a chair by the ewoks through the forest over some logs. Tony didn’t fancy doing the shot, so I did it.

Q. It has been a few years since Return of the Jedi. Would you mid telling us what you have been up to since then?

A. Basically I have been involved in private business, I haven’t done any acting since then.

Q. Will you be attending conventions and shows in the future, for other fans to meet you?

A. Yes I will be attending shows in the future, if I am invited, but I must point out that the shows will need to be reputable and well organized. This is so that fans will have a best possible environment for meeting me.

Q. Do you have any anecdotal stories from your time on set?

A. There we’re many great incidents on set, but in particular two times that I remember well. The first was a scene on Hoth, in Echo base, and I was playing a snow trooper. Darth Vader marches in to a room with snow troopers behind him. I remember we had to reshoot the scene five or six times as one of the other troopers kept treading on Vader’s cape and causing Dave Prowse to stumble! The other incident was again in Echo base, and the scene started with some explosions and lots of smoke, and as the smoke started to clear a snow trooper could be seen blindly groping his was way along a wall, as his mask had been knocked back to front, so that he couldn’t see! It was very funny.

Q. What did you make of the latest cinematic addition to the Star Wars series, The Phantom Menace?

A. Irrelevant of my involvement in The Empire Strikes Back or Return of the Jedi, I feel that the original trilogy were far superior to The Phantom Menace.

Q. If George Lucas asked you to be involved in another Star Wars film, what would you say?

A. If Mr Lucas invited me to be involved – it would be an honour to take up the challenge!

Thank you again for your time, and as they say May The Force Be With You!