Tony Dyson, Creator of Star Wars R2-D2, Dead at 68

Tony Dyson, a special effects supervisor and robotics expert who built the iconic R2-D2 droid for theStar Warsfranchise, was found dead on the Maltese island of Gozo where he lived. He was 68. An autopsy is being carried out to determine exact cause of death, but investigators said foul play isnt suspected and Dyson likely died of natural causes, the BBC reports.

At the time of Star Wars, Dyson was the owner of the White Horse Toy Company, which was commissioned to create the eight R2-D2 models, including four with remote control capabilities. The models were constructed with a seat inside for actor Kenny Baker, who played the droid in the film series. Dyson called working on the R2-D2 unit one of the most exciting periods of my life and routinely called R2-D2 his child in subsequent interviews.

In addition to R2-D2, Dyson also contributed special effects to films like Superman 2, the James Bond film Moonraker, Dragon Slayer and Altered States. Dyson also served as the special effects director on the 1980 sci-fi film Saturn 3 and created that films Hector the Robot.

In 1985, Dyson was nominated for an Emmy for a robot he created for a Sony commercial.