"That STAR WARS poster hanging on your bedroom wall"....
Bryce Eller is the man who donned the Darth Vader costume for countless live appearances in the 1970s & 80s. Without Bryce’s live portrayals of this iconic character the caché that Lord Vader may never have developed.
It was Bryce who appeared as the Sith Lord during the Mann's Chinese Theatre in Hollywood for their hand and foot print ceremony on August 3, 1977… and to this day it is Bryce’s foot prints (wearing Vader’s boots) and Bryce’s Darth Vader signature that millions of people see each year in from of the infamous theater in Los Angeles, CA. But his Vader appearances didn’t stop there! Virtually every charity event, mall appearance and even that parade in 1978 in San Anselmo, Northern California where the first appearance of Boba Fett was made featured Bryce as the towering villain.
His Vader TV appearances include “The Donny & Marie Show” and the stage that every actor covets to be on, that of the Academy Awards! That’s right, when Oscar Winner John Mollo(won in 1978 for Best Costume Design for Star Wars) appeared on stage to accept his statuette it was Bryce in the Darth Vader costume who appeared on stage with him seen by over 1-billion people worldwide!
But it’s not just the appearances that firm up his contribution to our favorite baddie. Everyone young Star Wars fan who had a Darth Vader poster hanging on their bedroom door when they were kids… it was Bryce’s Vader on that poster (from Factors Etc. Inc).
Bryce worked at Don Post Studios back in 1977 and was offered the job of playing Vader partly due to his height (he’s 6.5). Lucasfilm publicist Charley Lippincott and Producer Gary Kurtz came up with the idea of having appearances with Vader at various events and after trying it for the first time at the American Booksellers Association convention, it turned into a huge success with Bryce under the helmet.
Bryce left the live appearances behind, as well as a career in a band as a lead singer and bass played, to become an I.T. Architect/Engineer. A lifelong job he had until he retired in 2020. He never shared his experience with his co-workers about being Darth Vader, remaining very private, it was a fond memory to hold for himself.
Coolwaters Productions LLC is proud to be Bryce's official management company for appearances & autographs. His first official signing took place in Los Angeles CA on Tuesday January 13, 2026. A rare treat for any die-hard fan of the franchise.
For years parents brought their kids to various public appearances to meet Darth Vader in person and get an autograph…. And now it’s your chance to not only have Bryce sign “Darth Vader” but for the first official time ever he will sign his name as well, making any autograph collector’s dream collection complete!
