WASHINGTON — He only had four lines but he created a character that lives on in a move franchise history, and in the hearts of a fandom.
Jason Wingreen, a longtime character actor who voiced the bounty hunter Boba Fett in The Empire Strikes Back, known now as Episode V in the sprawling Star Wars’ series, has died, according to The Hollywood Reporter. He was 95.
Wingreen had a decades-long career in television with nearly 200 credits on the bio-compendium website IMDb – including “The Twilight Zone,” “All in the Family,” “Fantasy Island,” Happy Days,” and “Charlie’s Angels.” One of his last appearances on TV was on “Seinfeld” in 1992.
A World War II veteran, he began his career on stage, eventually making it to Broadway, and then on to the silver screen in Hollywood. He starred in his first film, The Bravados, in 1958.
According to the website Re/Code, Wingreen had an interesting — yet very brief — exchange with Star Wars creator and director George Lucas during the filming, one that he recalled in an interview years later.
“Now, after saying goodbye, I’m leaving. Gary Kurtz was with me, walking me out. Well, sitting in the dark, in the back, in a room right near the exit, is George Lucas, whom I had not met when I came in. So Gary Kurtz introduces me to Mr. Lucas, and I said to him, “I don’t believe we’ve ever met.”
He didn’t get up; he remained seated. And he said to me the words that I still don’t know what he meant. He said, “No, but I know Boba Fett.” That was it. And then I left.
Now, I’m not imitating the sound of his voice, or even the delivery, because it wasn’t anything that I could pinpoint. It wasn’t like, “I know Boba Fett, and you’re not it.” Or, “I know Boba Fett, and you did a terrific job with it.” It wasn’t that at all. It was just, “No, but I know Boba Fett.” To this day, I don’t know what he meant.”
We may never know, but fans took to Twitter Sunday morning to celebrate the mostly silent Boba Fett, and the life Wingreen brought to him. He is survived by his son Ned Wingreen, two grandchildren, and his sister Harriet.
Jason Wingreen the voice of Boba Fett passed away today “He’s no good to me dead”may the force be with him #bobafett pic.twitter.com/KBuSnr2XMB
— Grant(Ben)Daccarett (@Grant_Daccarett) January 3, 2016
