Father Geek here with a sad bit of news, especially for hardcore STAR WARS fans, the understanding Aunt Beru has died... I was never lucky enough to meet Shelagh at one of her many public appearances, I DID get to meet Uncle Owen this summer at a show here in Austin, but her character Beru will live forever in my mind's eye and in the memories of her million's of fans scattered around the galaxy...

Now here's what Stephanie crawled out of the incinerator and sent Father Geek this morning...

Longtime British actress Shelagh Fraser, born November 25th 1922 in Purley, Surrey, England, UK; most familar to movie geeks and Star Wars fans for her small, but unforgetable role as Luke Skywalker's Aunt Beru in Star Wars: Episode 4, died recently after a long illness. In recent years Fraser also became known personally to many genre fans for her live appearances at comicbook and science fiction conventions around the world along with other actors from the Star Wars and Star Trek films.

--Stephanie

PS. Here's what The Internet Movie Data Base has on Shelagh......

She appeared on TV in"Midsomer Murders" (1997) playing "Jane Rochelle" in episode: "Judgement Day" (episode # 5.3)

Then in 1987 she was in the film Hope and Glory.... WVS Woman; and in the 1970's she did the following cinema work; Star Wars (1977) .... Beru Lars ... aka Star Wars: Episode IV: A New Hope (1980) (USA: new title); Unpleasantness at Bludleigh Court (1976) .... Lady Bassinger; Persecution (1974) .... Mrs. Banks ... aka Graveyard, The (1974) ... aka Sheba (1974) ... aka Terror of Sheba, The (1974); And No One Could Save Her (1973) (TV) .... Mrs. Benet; Doomwatch (1972) .... Mrs. Straker; Nothing But the Night (1972) .... Mrs. Alison ... aka Devil's Undead, The (1972) ... aka Resurrection Syndicate, The (1976) (USA: reissue title); and "Family at War" (1970) TV Series .... Jean Ashton.

In the 1960's she appeared in Thin Air (1969) .... Mrs. Thatcher ... aka Body Stealers, The (1969) ... aka Invasion of the Body Stealers (1969); Till Death Us Do Part (1969) ... aka Alf 'n' Family (1969); Touch of Love, A (1969) .... Miss Gurnsey ... aka Millstone, The (1969) ... aka Thank You All Very Much (1969) (USA); Two Gentlemen Sharing (1969) .... Helen; Staircase (1969) .... Cub Mistress; and then in Witches, The (1966) .... Mrs. Creek ... aka Devil's Own, The (1967) (USA).

The 1950's saw her have roles in Son of Robin Hood, The (1959) .... Constance; Last Man to Hang, The (1956) .... Bracket's Wife; Raising a Riot (1955) .... Mary Kent; Second Mrs. Tanqueray, The (1952); Your Witness (1950) .... Ellen Foster ... aka Eye Witness (1950) (USA); and in Trio (1950).

Finally in the 40's she was in History of Mr. Polly, The (1949) .... Minnie; Death in the Hand (1948) .... Penelope MacRae; Esther Waters (1948) .... Margaret ... aka Sin of Esther Waters (1948) (UK); Master of Bankdam (1947) .... Alice France; I Live in Grosvenor Square (1945) ... aka Yank in London, A (1945) (USA); and her first film role in Welcome, Mr. Washington (1944) .... Millie.

Rest in peace, Shelagh Fraser... May The Force Be With You...