Star Wars actor Kenneth Colley, who died in July 2025 at the age of 87 after contracting Covid and developing pneumonia, left behind a huge £720,000 estate which was divided between his sister, a close friend, a cat's home and various other charities. The actor was best known for playing Admiral Piett, an imperial officer in charge of the Executor a super-class Star Destroyer and the flagship of Darth Vader, in The Empire Strikes Back (1980) and  Return of the Jedi (1983). He reprised the role for the animated Lego adaptation, Lego Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Out where he lent his voice to the character. Among his many other roles, Kenneth was also known for playing Jesus in Monty Python’s Life of Brian alongside John Cleese, Graham Chapman and Michael Palin.

Now, just over six months after his death, official documents revealed he had £734,408 in his estate, which has been reduced to £726,040 net. According to his will, most of his fortune, including his property in Hythe, Kent, was bequeathed to his sister Michelle. However, he also looked after friends and charities.

He left £10,000 to Katherine Slater of London, Rhodes Minnis Cat Sanctuary of Hythe was given £2,000, and the Edith Cavell Fund for Nurses received £20,000.

He also left £5,000 to Demelza House Children’s Hospice in Sittingbourne. The remainder was left to friend and executor of the estate, Lynn Margaret Shaw, also of Hythe.

His agent of 10 years, Julian Owen, confirmed the English actor's death on Monday, June 30.

He said: "He had been admitted after a fall with an injured arm; however he quickly contracted COVID, which developed into pneumonia. He passed away peacefully with friends at his bedside.

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"Ken Colley was one of our finest character actors with a career spanning 60 years. Ken continually worked on stage, film and television playing a vast array of characters, from Jesus in Monty Python’s Life of Brian to evil and eccentric characters in Ken Russell films, and the Duke of Vienna in Shakespeare’s Measure for Measure for the BBC.

"Ken’s favourite part was playing Estragon in the stage production of Beckett’s classic Waiting for Godot at the Cockpit Theatre in London in 2014.

“Ken’s participation in Star Wars led him to being invited to conventions and official fan events all over the World where he remains one of the best loved actors from the original trilogy. Ken loved his garden, art collecting and had a passion for fast cars.”

Kenneth had been married to his wife Mary Dunne for 56 years but she pre-deceased him in 2018.