David Ankrum was cast by Fred Roos and George Lucas to do the voice of Wedge Antilles (Red 2)in Star Wars: A New Hope.
Ankrum dubbed the voice of Scottish Actor Denis Lawson who played the role in the film.
David
grew up in a family of actors. His mother, Joan Ankrum (stage name Joan Wheeler) was under contract to Warner Bros. in the
1930's where she did several films. She also performed on Broadway with Van Heflin. His Father, Morris Ankrum, was a character
actor who played many diverse roles in many films. He seemed to be in every Science Fiction Film with the word “Mars” in
the title. “Flight To Mars” "Invaders From Mars” where he played Colonel Fielding, “Red Planet Mars”... Not
to mention his favorite candy...The Mars Bar. He also protected the Earth from giant locusts in “Beginning Of The End”.
Got sapped by Martians in “Earth vs. The Flying Saucers”. David recalls that sometimes Morris would come home
from work wearing his wardrobe. He remembers when He was a little guy sitting in the den watching Wagon Train he saw his father
on the TV screen. He was playing one of the cowboy villains. David got very upset when he watched his father shot dead in
a gun battle. Then, a few moments later his father walked in the front door in a cowboy outfit asking his Mother what was
for dinner. David was overjoyed. Dad came back from the dead! Little did David know then that fifteen years later he would
become part of one of the biggest Sci Fi franchises ever made and his character, Red 2 (Wedge) would be a critical part in
one of the biggest shootouts in film history.
David will never forget
the day he walked into the post production facility in Hollywood where George Lucas was waiting for him to create the voice
of Wedge. It was a thrill for David to work with George Lucas and to dub the voice of the fine Scottish Actor, Denis Lawson.
David also grew up across the street from Dennis Muren. They made films in Dennis's
garage when they were childhood friends. Dennis went on to work on Star Wars where he brought his special effects genius to light.
Some of David's other acting highlights were Playing Adam Stephens opposite Lisa
Hartman in the series "Tabitha", starring with Melanie Griffith in a sold TV series that never aired, “Coast To Coast”
for NBC. Working with director Lasse Hallstrom as the lead in a TV Pilot “The Big Five” for NBC... Oh and not
to forget throwing John Boy off a bridge on John Boy's first day of college in “The Waltons”.
One
other acting highlight was when David had a chance to work with Jerry Lewis! Jerry directed David in a film called “Cracking
Up”. David played a Bellhop delivering a bucket of ice to Jerry's room. Jerry was trying to kill himself. He had rigged
a rifle pointing toward the back of a chair. He was sitting in the chair facing the TV set in his hotel room. A string was
tied to the trigger and attached to the doorknob. When David arrived with the ice, he was to open the door causing the rifle
to fire hitting Jerry in the head. Suicide complete. The problem was that the door was locked. Jerry got up and opened it
to let David in and the rifle fired, hitting the TV set. The two cowboys on the screen were shocked when the bullet struck
down their partner. One of the cowboys fired back from the TV set hitting David.
Like
his Father, David was shot down in cold blood. He thought of his father when he was laying on the hotel room floor with Jerry
Lewis saying “Cut, Print!”
Go to the website Wedgespeaks.com
to learn more about David Ankrum and his experience as part of the greatest sci-fi movie ever made.
