Angus MacInnes was a Canadian actor best known for playing Jon “Dutch” Vander, the Y-wing pilot Gold Leader in the original “Star Wars” film, as well as for giving audiences laughs in the comedy “Strange Brew.”
- Died: December 23, 2024 (Who else died on December 23?)
- Details of death: Died at the age of 77.
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Angus MacInnes’s legacy
He didn’t have many lines, but MacInnes didn’t need many to be etched into the memories of “Star Wars” fans over generations. He played Jon “Dutch” Vander, aka Gold Leader, a Y-wing pilot who was the first to die in the 1977 blockbuster’s climactic trench run space battle. The scene is one of the most iconic in science fiction. In 2016, he reprised the role in “Star Wars: Rogue One” via unused footage from the original film.
MacInnes was known for more than his association with “Star Wars,” though. The Ontario-born actor played former hockey great Jean “Rosie” LaRose in the 1983 cult classic comedy, “Strange Brew,” alongside Dave Thomas and Rick Moranis. He also played Detective Bronson in the horror film “Hellbound: Hellraiser II.”
Other notable MacInnes roles include parts in “Superman II,” in which he played a prison warden; the 2004 version of “Hellboy,” and the acclaimed “Captain Phillips,” among dozens of other movies.
MacInnes embraced his small part in the “Star Wars” universe, for many years attending conventions, meeting fans, and taking part in Q&A panels.
Tributes to Angus MacInnes
Full obituary: BBC
