He had formed a successful comedy act called the Minitones with entertainer Jack Purvis when George Lucas hired him to be the man inside R2-D2 in Star Wars in 1977.

Jabba himself was an important card, as was the new version of R2-D2 ( Artoo ), but on the whole this set was seen as being fairly weak, especially from a tournament perspective, by players who complained that there were simply too many aliens that had little or no competitive use.

The term " droid ", coined by George Lucas for the original Star Wars film and now used widely within science fiction, originated as an abridgment of " android ", but has been used by Lucas and others to mean any robot, including distinctly non-human form machines like R2-D2.

The character appeared on television several weeks later, animated by Nelvana Studios for The Star Wars Holiday Special ( 1978 ) as a mysterious figure who betrays Luke Skywalker ( voiced by Mark Hamill ) after saving him, Chewbacca, C-3PO ( voiced by Anthony Daniels ), and R2-D2 from a giant monster, only to be revealed as a bounty hunter working for Darth Vader.

He takes his first steps toward his destiny when he finds two droids, C-3PO and R2-D2, the latter of whom is carrying a message for Obi-Wan Kenobi, known to Luke as the hermit old Ben Kenobi.

Suddenly, R2-D2 plays a message from Princess Leia Organa ( Carrie Fisher ) that pleads for Obi-Wan Kenobi to get the droid to her father on Alderaan.

In 1980, when Meco was there recording Christmas in the Stars: The Star Wars Christmas Album, Tony Bongiovi recommended him for the song " R2-D2 We Wish You A Merry Christmas.

Leia jams inside an opening in R2-D2 an information disc containing the plans for the Death Star battle station, along with encoding a distress message on the droid's holographic projector.

In Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace, set 32 years before A New Hope, R2-D2 is portrayed as belonging to the Naboo defense forces and is one of eight astromech droids deployed for repair duty on Queen Padmé Amidala's starship as it attempts to get past the Trade Federation blockade.

" He recalled how his then four-year-old daughter announced she was in love with R2-D2, and then confessed his own affections for the droid: "... there is something about him that makes you feel great affection for him.

A R2-D2 themed mailbox in Boston, Massachusetts as part of the celebration for Star Wars ' 30th anniversary

C-3PO was the property of the captain on the Tantive IV, but seems to follow R2-D2 in a relationship akin to those between human children ; C-3PO often following R2-D2 around, and R2-D2 needing C-3PO to translate for him.

C-3PO escapes with Han Solo, Chewbacca, and Princess Leia in the Millennium Falcon, while R2-D2 joins Luke in his search for Yoda.

In The Phantom Menace, C-3PO meets his future partner, R2-D2, Jedi Master Qui-Gon Jinn, Queen Padmé Amidala of Naboo, and Jar Jar Binks ; C-3PO and R2-D2 co-operate to perfect Anakin's podracer for the race " Boonta Eve Classic ".

On the Falcon, as C-3PO is caring for Han and Luke, R2-D2 intercepts the call between Vader and Fett, causing worry for C-3PO.

In series 2 and 3, he became an aspidistra atop an elegant plant stand ; he could move around the room and roared and shook when he was angry ( the Rangdo was controlled by Kenny Baker, who was also responsible for R2-D2 ).

Chasing Amy star Dwight Ewell was considered a possible choice for voice actor, giving L-Ron a ' gay R2-D2 ' persona.

McQuarrie designed many of the film's characters, including Darth Vader, Chewbacca, R2-D2 and C-3PO and drew many concepts for the film's sets.

The first task ( from the training missions ) is to search for an escape pod that landed on Tatooine, and then track the droids that were inside-which is a reference to the opening scenes of Star Wars Episode IV when C3PO and R2-D2 escape Imperial clutches via an escape pod which crashes on Tatooine.

Star Wars titles, indicated by ^ feature R2-D2 beeping in the soundtrack for the page-turn signal.

R2-D2: Beneath the Dome is a 2001 American mockumentary short, directed by Don Bies and Spencer Susser, starring Kenny Baker as R2-D2 in a fictionalized life story of the robot from the Star Wars film series.

2001 R2-D2: Beneath the Dome ( TV special short )

She is finally rescued by Luke Skywalker, Obi-Wan Kenobi, Han Solo, the Wookiee Chewbacca, and the two droids, R2-D2 and C-3PO.

Leia is sent to Alderaan with R2-D2 and C-3PO and her adoptive parents, Bail and Breha Organa, where the Jedi believe she will be safe from the newly-declared Galactic Empire.

In The Unseen Queen, R2-D2 suffers some severe malfunctions and shows Luke a holoclip of his father and a pregnant woman, whom Luke learns is his and Leia's real mother, Padmé Amidala.

Along with Anakin Skywalker ( Darth Vader ), R2-D2 and C-3PO, he is one of only four characters to appear in all six Star Wars films.

On the commentary soundtrack to the 2004 DVD release of Star Wars, writer and director George Lucas describes R2-D2 as " the main driving force of the movie ... what you say in the movie business is the MacGuffin ... the object of everybody's search ".

An astromech droid ( referred to in the novel as a ' theromcapsulary dehousing assisster '), R2-D2 is a major character in all six Star Wars films.

Soon, by way of fate, Luke is forced to leave Tatooine with Obi-Wan, Han Solo, and Chewbacca, and they attempt to deliver R2-D2 to the Rebel Alliance.

( As a result, R2-D2 is the only surviving character at the end of Return of the Jedi who knows the entire story of the Skywalker family ).

* In issue # 12 of Star Wars: Legacy, R2-D2 is revealed to have survived the resulting 88 years after his last appearance and has been upgraded to the latest technology.

In this discussion on the audio commentary, George Lucas also notes that it is intentional that R2-D2 saves the day at least once in every film.

Along with Anakin Skywalker ( Darth Vader ), Obi-Wan Kenobi and R2-D2, he is one of only four characters to appear in all six Star Wars films.

He is generally seen with his long-time counterpart, R2-D2.

In Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope C-3PO is introduced to the audience in the opening scenes of the film, wherein C-3PO and R2-D2 are aboard the consular ship Tantive IV when it is attacked by Darth Vader ’ s Star Destroyer Devastator.

After successfully escaping Vader's flagship Executor, C-3PO is fully repaired by R2-D2.

In Star Wars Episode VI: Return of the Jedi, Luke commands C-3PO and R2-D2 to deliver a message to Jabba the Hutt, whereby C-3PO is used as Jabba's translator while R2-D2 serves on his flying ' sail barge '.

In the midst of the battle, C-3PO is attacked by Salacious Crumb, who pulls out his right photoreceptor before being driven off by R2-D2.

When he, Han Solo, Luke Skywalker, Chewbacca, and R2-D2 are captured by the Ewoks, C-3PO is perceived to be a god by the latter.

When R2-D2 is needed in infiltration, C-3PO follows, evading enemy fire.

He also has a role as the character on Sesame Street episodes 1364 and 1396 ( along with R2-D2 ).

* R2-D2, a robotic Star Wars character

* R2-D2, a character from Star Wars films and books

As well, he also does sound effects and character voices like Count Dracula ( as a Spanish Radio DeeJay ), Droopy Dog, Chris Rock, Jimi Hendrix, Tony Montana, R2-D2, Kermit the Frog, Stone Cold Steve Austin, Ozzy Osbourne, Ricky Martin, Dennis Hopper, Aladdin, George Clooney, Dennis Haysbert, Anthony Sullivan, Christopher Walken, and Mr. Magoo.