R.I.P. Mark Dodson: ‘Gremlins’ And ‘Star Wars: Return Of The Jedi’ Actor Dead At 64 

By Radhamely De Leon
Published March 4, 2024, 10:32 a.m. ET

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Actor Mark Dodson, best known for voicing characters in Gremlins and Star Wars: Episode VI – Return of the Jedi, has passed away. He was 64.

His daughter Ciara confirmed to TMZ that the actor died of a “massive heart attack” while traveling in Indiana to attend the Evansville Horror Con.

In a statement to Entertainment Weekly, his agent wrote, “Mark truly loved his fans and enjoyed meeting them at conventions around the world.” The statement adds that Dodson was “honored to be inducted into dozens of the local chapters of the Star Wars 501st Legions over the past several decades. Mark leaves behind a wonderful family, close friends, and adoring fans around the world.”

Dodson landed his first feature role as an actor in Star Wars: Episode VI – Return of the Jedi, in which he voiced Jabba the Hut’s servant, Salacious Crumb. He later reprised the role in the 2022 video game Lego Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga, one of many video games he lent his voice to throughout his 40-year career in the industry.

Voicing Salacious Crumb helped Dodson land his next most notable feature, the 1984 horror classic Gremlins, in which he played the Mogwai, and Gremlins 2: The Bad Batch.

In a 2020 interview, Dodson revealed that he had initially auditioned for the role of Admiral Ackbar in Return of the Jedi, but the casting director heard him use a silly voice during his audition that piqued their interest.

“Let’s say I did get Ackbar — I never would’ve gotten the Gremlins,” he said at the time. “The Gremlins came because the Gremlins were made by the same guys who made Salacious. That’s why it came up, ‘They look a lot the same, wouldn’t it be great for the Gremlins to have that same voice! Who is that guy?’”

He added, “It ended up being the greatest mistake ever.”

Dodson also voiced zombies in Day of the Dead and voiced the role of a Niima Scavenger in Star Wars: Episode VII – The Force Awakens. He spent much of his late career voicing characters in video games, including Ghostrunner, Rebel Galaxy and Star Trek Online.

Dodson is survived by his daughter and his grandchildren.

Speaking to TMZ, Ciara said her father “never ceased making me proud.”