Marcus Powell is the name of the performer who portrayed Rycar Ryjerd within the cinematic production that is Star Wars: Episode IV A New Hope.
Initially, Powell's career began with performances in circuses and alongside dwarf troupes. Subsequently, he transitioned into the world of acting, securing roles in various films starting in the 1950s. His initial appearance on film was in Beau Brummell, starring Stewart Granger. Later in his career, he took on numerous parts, notably as an Oompa Loompa in Mel Stuart's Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory (1971). His role in Willy Wonka, much like the majority of his 1970s roles, including his appearance in Star Wars, went uncredited. During the cantina sequence filming for Episode IV, Powell encountered Gilda Cohen, another actress, with whom he later developed a romantic relationship.
Powell, widely considered an exceptional actor given his stature, enjoyed a prosperous career spanning both cinema and television. This included a 1979 appearance in Doctor Who and roles in films such as David Lynch's The Elephant Man (1980), Terry Gilliam's Time Bandits (1981), and Jim Abrahams, David Zucker, and Jerry Zucker's Top Secret! (1984; where he played the little German in "I know a little German; look, there he is!"). His final film credit was in the thriller Killed by Inches (1999), directed by Diane Doniol-Valcroze and Arthur Flam.
Marcus passed away in the southern region of London.