Borth chimes in:

Today in the Danish newspaper "Berlingske Tidende" there was a big article from last weekend's sci-fi convention in Copenhagen, which was attended by Kenny Baker and Jerome Blake. And here's a translation of the article, which focused on the career of Kenny Baker:

"My Life As a Vacuum Cleaner"
by Jacob Stegelmann [which btw is a Danish sci-fi movie guru]

Kenny Baker regrets nothing, except when people keep asking him the same 2 questions: "Is it hot inside R2-D2?" and "How tall are you?". He's fed up with those kinda questions. But apart from that he's doing a great job on a podium in Nørrebrohallen in Copenhagen, where Star Wars fans are flocking to buy his autograph. Highest in demand is the picture from 1977, where the little vacuum cleaner robot has the lid open and Kenny's smiling face is revealed.

The 67 year old Kenny Baker was born a midget. But after a rough childhood he had his revenge by becoming an entertainer. And when George Lucas was starting his first Star Wars movie Kenny Baker was hired as the interior of one of the most important characters in the movie, the little, efficient droid R2-D2, who together with C-3PO, the golden rod, follows our heroes in their battle against the evil Empire. That was almost 25 years ago, but Kenny Baker is still living off the fame from back then - and he has stubbornly insisted on sticking to his character, even if modern computer technology could easily replace him.

The shooting of the movies wasn't problem free, though. On one hand Baker had to learn to operate a lot of levers and buttons in order to steer the robot around the set. On the other hand the noises R2-D2 made [must refer to the motor noise since the beeps were of course added in post production] were so loud he couldn't hear anything else - so the only way for him to know if the take was finished and good enough, was if someone banged hard on the lid of the vacuum cleaner robot.

"I still do (spoiler) all the scenes with R2-D2, also in the new Star Wars movie "The Clone Wars" [That's what it says! I'm so embarrassed!!!] Baker says after 3 hours have passed of the autograph session. "And nothing has changed in the technical aspect of things, everything is in the exact same place as when I started." But some sources claim that George Lucas has sometimes used a stand-in and that today there are computer controlled R2-D2s, which are used on set, when Kenny Baker isn't there. But Baker denies this. And he wouldn't give any clues whatsoever to the plot of the new Star Wars movie. "I signed a confidentiality agreement, so my lips are sealed" he says.

But if he is a big star, what is he doing in Nørrebrohallen a Saturday afternoon in August? [actually it was September 1] "I'm constantly on he convention circuit" he admits. "It's an important part of my livelihood, and here I can meet my fans and keep in touch. I also just got a personal website [www.kennybaker.co.uk], but it's still best to be here in person." But it is, however, the first time he is attending a convention in Denmark. "It looks like the rest of them" he says in a dry tone. "Both as far as the organizing of the booths and the crowd." With a crooked and kinda lenient smile he glances around the gymnasium, which this day is covered in booths selling videos, games, action figures, and other merchandise connected to Star Wars, Star Trek and other fantasy goddies. Denmark is little by little jumping on the band wagon, and when a man like Kenny Baker is in town it gives the event a touch of real class.

The people in the crowd are collectors looking for a rare videotape - maybe they dream of finding a perfect copy of one of the two obscure movies George Lucas made for television about the strange Ewok-teddy bears from the planet Endor [yes, it is a moon, some people take reasearch lightly]. But there are also fans, that are only here to meet up with other fans or admire eachother's collections of long out of production Star Wars toys from the late 70's. Perhaps it's a little sad, that a talented actor like Baker is primarily known for a role, where his face was constantly hidden. "I don't mind" he says bravely, but ads that even if everybody knows R2-D2, it isn't his favorite role. That is on the other hand Fidgit in "Time Bandits". Here he plays one of the most annoying in a group of swindler dwarves, who kidnaps a boy in Terry Gilliams classic of time travel and treasure maps. In this movie you both got to see Kenny Baker's face and hear his squeeking voice, which of course is a part of his physical handicap, but which he uses very wittingly and without prejudice to make his character even more annoying and pretty dumb. "It was a big experience to work with Terry Gilliam" he says and it is obvious, that this was a role, where Kenny Baker was 100 & commited.

Besides "Time Bandits" Kenny Baker understandably boasts enough of his small roles in classics like "Amadeus" and "The Elephant Man". But he has to live with the fact, that it is his life as a vacuum cleaner that has made him the center of attention in Nørreebrohallen, when the Star Wars fans meet. And since everybody pays to get his autograph it doesn't seem like he's unhappy with his destiny."

So is Kenny Baker right? Is he indeed (spoiler) in all the R2 scenes , which would make numerous spy reports dead wrong? Or is he spreading bogus info in order to hurt our tormented brains even more???

We might have a few opinions to the contrary about Kenny's statement but we'll give him the benefit of the doubt. ;) Big thanks to Borth for the article and translation!