The Voice Of Boba Fett Dies, Aged 95

As the world continues to celebrate the release of the seventh episode in the Star Wars franchise, The Force Awakens , there's some sobering news to report that longtime fans of George Lucas' space adventure series will be incredibly saddened to hear. The voice of Empire Strikes Back villain Boba Fett, Jason Wingreen, has passed away at the age of 95. Losing such a large presence in the franchise is heartbreaking, and Wingreen's contribution to the Star Wars universe won't soon be forgotten.

Wingreen's son Ned confirmed his father's Christmas Day passing to The Hollywood Reporter on Saturday, offering no further details other than that the actor had died at his Los Angeles home. Given that Wingreen was born in 1920 and lived almost a century, it could perhaps be the case that he had lived a full life and passed away due to old age. Whatever the case, he will be sorely missed by his fans around the world, and he won't soon be forgotten.

Of course, Wingreen's place in Hollywood wasn't limited to Star Wars. In fact, his IMDB page lists a whopping 188 credits in both television and film during his 40 year career, which is no small feat and incredibly impressive. He began acting in 1955, appearing on a show called Armstrong Circle Theater. From there on, he was a mainstay on screens big and small, appearing on such shows as All In The Family, Love, American Style, Bonanza, and Happy Days, just to name a few.

However, it's his role as Boba Fett that many will remember him for, and it's one that almost didn't come to be. Wingreen initially auditioned to voice Yoda — a part that eventually went to Frank Oz — before being given the part of bounty hunter Boba Fett, who captures Han Solo. The character had only four lines of dialogue, but he's become a massive part of the Star Wars universe despite how minor the actual role was. In fact, Wingreen himself revealed that "the actual work, aside from the hellos and goodbyes and all that, could have been no more than 10 minutes." His voice credit was not made public until 2000.

It seems clear that Wingreen lived a full and productive life, and while his loss is incredibly sad, he'll be celebrated for years to come for all he offered to the world of entertainment.