Little Known Spaghetti Western actors ~ Peter Diamond

[These daily posts will cover little known actors or people that have appeared in more recent films and TV series. Various degrees of information that I was able to find will be given and anything that you can add would be appreciated.]

Peter Diamond was an English actor, stunt performer, fight arranger, second unit director, and occasional producer known for his extensive contributions to British and international film and television over nearly five decades. Trained initially as an actor at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (RADA) in the late 1940s, he transitioned into stunts and action coordination, performing in over 100 productions while emphasizing swordplay, fight choreography, and physical performance.

Born Peter Alexander Diamond in Durham, England on August 10, 1929, Diamond's most iconic roles include the Tusken Raider in “Star Wars: Episode IV – A New Hope” (1977), where he also doubled for actors in stormtrooper scenes across the original trilogy, and various villainous parts like Garouf Lafoe in “The Empire Strikes Back” (1980). In British television, he was a frequent collaborator on ‘Doctor Who’ during the 1960s, serving as fight arranger for serials such as ‘The Daleks’, "’The Web Planet’, and ‘The Highlanders’, while also acting as adversaries like the Greek soldier in ‘The Myth Makers’ (1965) and the guard in ‘The Enemy of the World’ (1968). His stunt work extended to James Bond films like “From Russia with Love” (1963), the “Carry On” comedy series, and “Raiders of the Lost Ark” (1981), where he trained Harrison Ford for a screen punch; he later portrayed the antagonist Fasil in “Highlander” (1986) and choreographed its sword fights

Beyond performing, Diamond directed episodes of the adventure series ‘Zorro’ (1990–1993), helmed nine installments, acted in three, and served as stunt coordinator and sword master, drawing on his expertise in historical combat. He also contributed to other classics like ‘The Avengers’, ‘The Saint’, ‘The Prisoner’, and ‘Sherlock Holmes’ adaptations, often blending his acting roots with innovative action sequences that influenced genre filmmaking. Diamond passed away on March 27, 2004, in Wakefield, Yorkshire, England at age 74, leaving a legacy as one of the UK's foremost action specialists

DIAMOND, Peter (Peter Alexander Diamond) [8/10/1929, Durham, England, U.K. – 3/27/2004, Wakefield, Yorkshire, England, U.K. (stroke)] – producer, director, assistant director, stunt coordinator, stuntman, film, TV actor, married to Olga H. Camilleri-Aguis (1954-2004) father of actor Warwick A. Diamond [1964-    ], cartoonist, Frazer Diamond [1968-    ], four other sons.

The Cabin in the Clearing (TV) – 1954, 1959 [stunt coordinator, stunts 1959]

Welcome to Blood City – 1977 [stunts]

Zorro the Legend Begins – 1989 (Sir Edmund Kendall)

The New Zorro (TV) – 1990-1993 [stunt coordinator, stunts]