PICKING up the paper, Dave Prowse could hardly believe his eyes.
News of Christopher Reeve’s tragic riding accident and subsequent paralysis was splashed all over its pages.
Dave, who had brought Star Wars villain Darth Vader to the screen, sighed as he realised the man who’d immortalised Superman would never walk again.
While the story shocked fans around the globe, Dave, who formerly worked as a personal trainer, was touched even deeper by the tragedy.
He had turned Christopher from a gangly 6ft5in actor, to the muscle-bound superhero who would save the world.
Superhero ... Christopher Reeve in career-defining role
When Dave later heard the news of his friend’s death in 2004, he vowed to support the continued efforts to treat spinal cord injuries.
And now he’s patron of Walk Once More, an organisation dedicated to getting people like Christopher Reeve back on their feet again.
Dave, 72, from Croydon, South London, says: "Naturally it was a huge shock when I first heard about his accident.
“For someone who was so fit to suddenly break his neck and never walk again doesn’t bear thinking.
"It made him God's gift to the spinal injury cause.
“And I hope to keep that momentum going by supporting Walk Once More.”
Dave was in his mid-40s when the unknown 20-something actor Christopher Reeve arrived in London to film Superman.
Surprisingly, after playing the popular Green Cross Code Man on television, Dave had dreams of landing the lead role of Clark Kent himself.
But in the end he had to make do with being Christopher’s personal trainer.
Dave says: “Back in the late 70s, the producer Leslie Linder called me to say Superman was being filmed at Shepperton Studios in Middlesex.
“He reckoned I should try for the lead part.
Buff bod ... Dave in his prime
“I was working as a 6ft7in trainer, weighed 20st and was reasonably good-looking, so I decided to take the chance.
“Unfortunately they were adamant an American should play Superman because they feared otherwise it wouldn’t go down well with US audiences.“Despite that I made an appointment with the film’s director, Richard Donner, and took along shots from a one-off Maxx Factor ad in which I’d dressed up as Superman.
“He agreed I looked the part, but my nationality and thick West Country accent were too much of a problem.
“Richard called me a week later, and I immediately thought he was going to offer me the role.
“Instead he said they’d found a guy called Christopher Reeve for Superman, and asked me to take on the challenge of getting him into shape.”
Despite his disappointment, Dave jumped at the chance to work with an upcoming Hollywood actor.
At the time he ran the gym at the luxury Grosvenor House Hotel in Mayfair, and this was an exciting job he couldn’t refuse.
Dave says: “I can reveal the real secret behind Superman’s strength is steak.
‘ It’s ironic both Chris and I played massively popular characters which mean a lot to so many people. Actually the Star Wars director, George Lucas, had me in mind for Chewbacca and Darth Vader ’
“I made Christopher eat it for breakfast, lunch and dinner, and by the end of the six weeks, it showed.
"Admittedly when I first set eyes on Christopher I thought ‘Boy, I have my work cut out.’
“He was 6ft5in, but weighed just 12.5st – much to skinny for a superhero.
“With just six weeks before filming, I put him on a strict training regime, which included an intensive workout five times a week.
“That, together with all the steaks, gave him the rippling muscles to fill the Superman suit, and filming began as planned.”
Dave was delighted he’d transformed skinny Christopher into a muscle-bound superhero.
In the process, he also made a firm friend.
He adds: “Back then Chris was just a young guy and totally alone in London.
“We worked together five times a week, but we also met up during his time off.
“I have fond memories of taking him for his first ever afternoon tea in Harrod’s.
“Christopher was from New York and he’d never seen anything like it.
“He was such a pleasant lad, and a great person to be around.”
Although Dave missed out on playing Superman, he did bag the role of Darth Vader in Star Wars.
And he’s thrilled he had the opportunity to play one of the most popular baddies ever.
Dave says: “It’s ironic both Chris and I played massively popular characters which mean a lot to so many people.
“Actually the Star Wars director, George Lucas, had me in mind for Chewbacca and Darth Vader, but when he described Chewie as a gorilla I thought ‘No way’.
“Spending three months inside a sweltering costume wasn’t my idea of fun, so I chose the baddie.
“It was definitely a good decision, and 30 years later I still attend Star Wars conventions and receive loads of fan mail.”
Thanks to the attention Dave receives for playing Darth Vader, he’s in an ideal position to highlight the ongoing need for research into spinal cord injuries.
He says: “I suppose I’m carrying on Chris’s legacy.
“It’s a privilege to have known him and to now be involved with Walk Once More.
“My friend never did walk again, but someday we'll find a way to cure this terrible affliction.”
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