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Star Wars actor Angus MacInnes dies aged 77

BBC Angus MacInnes looking straight at the camera. He is wearing a brown cowboy hat and has a short, white beard. He is wearing a light brown suede jacket with frilled sides and is standing in front of a shop on the set of River City.BBC
Angus MacInnes, who played Sonny Munro in River City, has died aged 77

Star Wars and River City actor Angus MacInnes has died at the age of 77.

The Canadian was best known for playing Y-wing fighter gold leader Jon "Dutch" Vander in Episode IV: A New Hope, but also had roles in Rogue One and Hollywood blockbusters including Hellboy and Captain Phillips.

He later appeared as Sonny Munro in River City, and Tostig in the History Channel series Vikings, but relocated to Edinburgh in the mid-1980s, where he established a successful pizza restaurant.

In a post on his official Facebook page, his family confirmed that he died "surrounded by friends and family" on 23 December.

In a statement, they said he was a "beloved husband, father, grandfather, brother, uncle and friend."

Convention community

As Dutch, MacInnes portrayed a former Imperial pilot who had defected from the dark side to the Luke Skywalker-led rebellion when ordered to bomb part of his home planet.

He is one of the first to die during the initial assault on the Darth Vader's Death Star in the 1977 film, though he returned to the series in 2016 when archive footage was used in the franchise reboot.

His family said fans of the series had a "special place in his heart".

They wrote: "He loved meeting you at conventions, hearing your stories, and sharing in your passion for the saga.

"He was continually humbled, delighted, and honoured by the admiration and passion of the fans and convention community."

Getty Images Angus MacInnes looking straight at the camera. He is wearing a red polo neck jumper under a black leather jacket and has fair hair.Getty Images
MacInnes had more than 80 acting credits to his name, including as Vinnie in the 1980 film Atlantic City

He also starred alongside Tom Hanks as one of the captured crew aboard the Maersk Alabama when it was hijacked by pirates off the coast of Somalia in the 2013 film Captain Phillips.

He also played Council Judge Gerald Silver in the 1995 version of Judge Dredd, starring Sylvester Stallone, and Sgt Whiteman in the 2004 film Hellboy opposite Ron Perlman.

Away from the big screen, MacInnes opened Mamma's pizza in Edinburgh's Grassmarket during a hiatus from his acting career in 1985.

His family added: "Angus was more than an actor—he was a kind, thoughtful, and generous soul who brought warmth and humour into the lives of everyone who knew him.

"He will be deeply missed by his family, friends and fellow actors but also by his fans around the world - his family thank you all."