132 - Dave Barclay - My Life With Animatronics. Movies, Puppets and Beyond

Episode 132 - Dave Barclay - My Life With Animatronics. Movies, Puppets and Beyond! At just 19 years old, Dave Barclay found himself stepping into the role of chief puppeteer for Yoda in The Empire Strikes Back. It was the start of an extraordinary career in animatronics and puppetry that would see him bringing to life some of cinema’s most beloved and memorable characters. In this episode, Dave takes us back to his creative beginnings, growing up in a family of puppeteers, and the serendipitous chain of events that led from working in Hamleys toy shop to meeting Mark Hamill — and ultimately joining Stuart Freeborn’s Yoda team. We cover: His early inspirations from Planet of the Apes to making masks at home. The technical and creative challenges of performing Yoda alongside Frank Oz. Becoming chief puppeteer for Jabba the Hutt in Return of the Jedi. Working on The Dark Crystal, Little Shop of Horrors and Who Framed Roger Rabbit. The importance of collaboration between puppeteers, animators, special effects teams and actors. The process of writing his new autobiography My Life with Animatronics, Movies, Puppets and Beyond, filled with stories and photos from across his career. Dave’s journey is a mix of artistry, technical problem-solving, and being in the right place at the right time — but also about saying “yes” when opportunity knocks. Listen now to hear stories from a man whose work has shaped how we see and believe in some of cinema’s most iconic creatures. Find Dave’s book: My Life with Animatronics, Movies, Puppets and Beyond – available now at Cool Waters Productions. All my links This podcast is completely independent and made possible by listener support. If you’d like to help me keep making these episodes, you can join my Patreon community here: Watch more on YouTube: Check out the Filmumentaries YouTube channel for behind-the-scenes clips and extra content: All my links

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132 - Dave Barclay - My Life With Animatronics. Movies, Puppets and Beyond is an episode from The Filmumentaries Podcast by Jamie Benning.

This episode is 78:26 long.

This episode was published on Aug 12, 2025.

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