Admiral Ackbar voice actor Erik Bauersfeld dies aged 93

Bauersfeld and Admiral Ackbar, with original puppeteer Tim Rose, were handed a cameo in Episode VII: The Force Awakens

(Lucasfilm/Star Wars)

The actor who voiced the fan favourite Star Wars character Admiral Ackbar, Erik Bauersfeld, has died aged 93.

Bauersfeld spoke one of the most famous lines from the seven-film series so far, "It's a trap!", in the third instalment Return of the Jedi.

He died on Sunday at his home in Berkeley, California, after a respected career as a radio dramatist spanning more than 50 years.

Raised in New York, Bauersfeld was made director of drama and literature at Berkeley radio station KPFA in 1963, and oversaw dozens of acclaimed productions during 31 years in the role.

But it was his unexpected turn as a squid-headed alien that elevated the actor to international fame.

Bauersfeld said he was working on a radio project at Lucasfilm in 1983 when he was asked to read for the part of Admiral Ackbar.

He also voiced one of Jabba the Hutt's henchmen, Bib Fortuna, yet did not receive a closing credit for either role.

The line "It's a trap!" would go on to become a popular internet meme, and Bauersfeld and Admiral Ackbar, with original puppeteer Tim Rose, were handed a cameo in Episode VII: The Force Awakens.

Speaking to the San Francisco Chronicle in 2011, Bauersfeld revealed that the work which would end up bizarrely defining his career took just an hour, plus an extra 30 minutes voicing Fortuna.

"I went over, he showed me the picture of Admiral Ackbar, and I did it," Bauersfeld said. "I saw the face, and I knew what he must sound like."