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The man who built legendary 'Star Wars' droid R2-D2 has died

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Tony Dyson

Tony Dyson, the original builder of "Star Wars" icon, R2-D2, has died at 68, according to BBC News.

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Dyson was found dead in his home in Gozo, Malta. It is believed he died of natural causes.

British born Dyson was commissioned to build the R2-D2 droid for the 1977 original, "Star Wars: A New Hope" and went on to build a total of eight R2-D2 droids over the course of the film series.

According to the BBC News report, Dyson said creating the droid was "one of the most exciting periods of my life."

He worked closely with famed conceptual designer, Ralph McQuarrie, to build the droid. Dyson built the original R2-D2 in his own UK studio, "The White Horse Toy Company."

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Tony Dyson

Following the original "Star Wars" trilogy, Dyson continued doing film effects. He worked on the 1979 Bond movie "Moonraker," and received an Emmy nomination in 1985  for the robot he constructed for a Sony commercial.

Dyson had moved to the Mediterranean island of Gozo, off the coast of Italy and was still active in the "Star Wars" fandom, appearing at conventions worldwide, including Dayton, the U.K. and Malta. 

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