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!”
