Filmumentaries is back, and in the 132nd episode Jamie Benning chats with Dave Barclay, who looks back across an incredible career in puppeteering that started with The Empire Strikes Back.
At just 19 years old, Dave Barclay found himself stepping into the role of chief puppeteer for Yoda in The Empire Strikes Back. It was the start of an extraordinary career in animatronics and puppetry that would see him bringing to life some of cinema’s most beloved and memorable characters. In this episode, Dave takes us back to his creative beginnings, growing up in a family of puppeteers, and the serendipitous chain of events that led from working in Hamleys toy shop to meeting Mark Hamill — and ultimately joining Stuart Freeborn’s Yoda team.
We cover:
• His early inspirations from Planet of the Apes to making masks at home.
• The technical and creative challenges of performing Yoda alongside Frank Oz.
• Becoming chief puppeteer for Jabba the Hutt in Return of the Jedi.
• Working on The Dark Crystal, Little Shop of Horrors and Who Framed Roger Rabbit.
• The importance of collaboration between puppeteers, animators, special effects teams and actors.
• The process of writing his new autobiography My Life with Animatronics, Movies, Puppets and Beyond, filled with stories and photos from across his career.Dave’s journey is a mix of artistry, technical problem-solving, and being in the right place at the right time — but also about saying “yes” when opportunity knocks.
