As Dutch, MacInnes portrayed a former Imperial pilot who had defected from the dark side to the Luke Skywalker-led rebellion when ordered to bomb part of his home planet.

He is one of the first to die during the initial assault on the Darth Vader’s Death Star in the 1977 film, though he returned to the series in 2016 when archive footage was used in the franchise reboot.

His family said fans of the series had a “special place in his heart”.

They wrote: “He loved meeting you at conventions, hearing your stories, and sharing in your passion for the saga.

“He was continually humbled, delighted, and honoured by the admiration and passion of the fans and convention community.”