Nick Maley recalls, “ Dave was an 18 year old trainee when he joined Stu Freeborn's creature effects crew on The Empire Strikes Back in 1978. His parents were puppeteers and I remember Dave's enthusiasm and eagerness to get involved with EVERYTHING we were constructing.

Like all trainees he started out doing odd jobs and generally helping anywhere needed... working on various parts as they were produced and seaming the foam latex skins to get rid of molding lines. Within a few weeks we gave him a few test projects which included modeling the ill fated Nogard that crops up from time to time in my stories about that period.

Much of the time Stuart (Freeborn) was working in his room a few yards away. That gave Graham (Freeborn) and I free reign in the workshop much of the time. It was a zany period with lots of joking around intermingled with long hours and strict deadlines.  I remember Dave fondly as a genuinely good natured guy, even when he took the brunt of our jokes occasionally... like the time Bob Keen and I nailed him to the workshop floor.

Nogard had showed that Dave's modeling skills were good enough that when it was decided that Yoda's upper lip was too short, Stu gave Dave the job of modeling an extension which was added to the puppet.

When the first Yoda was complete, Wendy (Midner) left our crew and joined Frank on set. She was maintaining the puppet and doubled as the third puppeteer. Unfortunately she turned out to be allergic to something on set and since, as a child, Dave built and performed marionettes, glove and rod puppets with his parents and other puppet companies, he stepped in to replace her.

Screen Credits...

In those days it was normal for trainees to be left off the movie credits and it was extremely unfair that Dave didn't get a screen credit even though HE OPERATED YODA'S EYES. And when Frank (Oz) had to leave to shoot Sesame Street in the USA, It was Dave that he nominated as his understudy to complete shooting.  Read more about why the credits were so confusing.”

After Star Wars...

Dave quickly moved on to join Jim and Frank at the Henson Organization and as a result we never worked together again. His Movie credits include The Dark Crystal, Return of the Jedi (Jabba), Labyrinth, Little Shop of Horrors, Who Framed Roger Rabbit, The Adventures of Baron Munchausen, Lost in Space, The Flintstones in Viva Rock Vegas, Cats & Dogs, Snow Dogs, Stuart Little 2 and Scooby-Doo! The Mystery Begins (2009)

Check out his website  DaveBarclay.com