John Morton

Complete bio coming soon

Film and Television Appearances to Date:

Coed Fever (1980) .... Chilton B. Anthony, Desiree's boyfriend and computer whiz

The Empire Strikes Back, (1980) .... Dak (Luke's Gunner)

Superman II (1980) .... Nate

Cuba (1979) .... Gary

Bridge Too Far, A (1977) .... US Padre

Gumball Rally, The (1976) .... Jaguar Team

HILLSMERE, Md. (AP) - John Morton summarizes his role in "The Empire Strikes Back" this way:

"I get stepped on."

Morton's character Dak exclaims "Right now I feel I could take on the whole Empire myself," as he and Luke Skywalker jump into their two-man attack craft inside the rebel hideout on the ice planet Hoth.

But before he can help Luke bring down one of the gigantic armored Imperial Walkers with a leg-ensnaring harpoon, he's killed. Luke survives but is shot down, and before he can pull Dak's body from the wreckage, another Imperial Walker crushes their smoking craft.

Seventeen years later, Morton's small part is back on the big screen, as part of the 20th anniversary revival of the "Star Wars" trilogy.

On Friday, Morton will speak before the opening of the movie at the Senator theater in Baltimore.  He's most excited for his daughters, Margaret, 8, and Emily, 6.  "This is probably the only time they'll ever see their daddy on the big screen," said Morton, 49, now a freelance writer.

In the 1970s, he was working as a film and stage actor in London when he got the bit part in George Lucas' second movie of the "Star Wars" trilogy, which was filmed in 1979 at Elstree Studios, north of London.

For Morton, two days of scheduled work turned into four weeks, as the technical crew wrestled with the complex job of filming the special effects for the battle sequence.  "Working on that film was an extraordinary experience and pleasure," Morton said. "There was an attitude of love," he said as everyone tried to bring Lucas' vision to film.

In addition to his brief appearance as Dak, Morton stood in for one scene for Jeremy Bullock, who played the faceless bounty hunter who captured Han Solo for Jabba the Hutt.

Morton acted in eight movies, including a substantial part in the movie "Cuba" that starred Sean Connery. But the one film people usually want to hear about is his part in the "Star Wars" story.

"Everybody wants to talk about `Star Wars,'" he said. "`Star Wars' is the magic."