Peter Mayhew (May 19, 1944 – April 30, 2019) was a British-American actor, best known for playing Chewbacca in the Star Wars films. Mayhew was born on 19 May 1944 in Barnes, Surrey, where he was also raised. His height was a product not of gigantism — "I don't have the big head" — but of an overactive pituitary gland secondary to a genetic disease called Marfan Syndrome. The overactive pituitary gland was treated successfully in his mid-teens. His peak height was 7 feet 3 inches (2.21 m)

Filmography

• 2015Star Wars: The Force Awakens — Chewbacca
• Glee — Chewbacca
• 2009Yesterday Was a Lie — Dead Man
• 2005Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith — Chewbacca
• 2004Comic Book: The Movie — Peter Mayhew
• 2004The Story of Star Wars — Chewbacca (archive footage)
• 2002Comic Book Villains — Peter Mayhew
• 1999The Very Best of the Muppet Show — Special Guest Star / Chewbacca
• 1994Return of the Ewok — Chewbacca
• 1983Return of the Jedi — Chewbacca
• The Kenny Everett Television Show — Various
• Dark Towers
• 1980The Empire Strikes Back — Chewbacca
• 1979Terror — The Mechanic
• 1978The Star Wars Holiday Special — Chewbacca
• 1977Sinbad and the Eye of the Tiger — Minoton
• 1977Star Wars — Chewbacca
• The Muppet Show — Chewbacca

Appearances as themselves (13)

• 2016Secrets of the Force Awakens: A Cinematic Journey — Self
• Comic Book Men — Self
• 2010Jedi Junkies — Self
• 2009Fanboys — Self (uncredited)
• 2005Collectormania 7 — Self
• 2004Empire of Dreams: The Story of the Star Wars Trilogy — Self
• 2004The Characters of Star Wars — Self
• 2004When Star Wars Ruled the World — Self
• 1999The Unauthorized Star Wars Story — Self
• 1983Classic Creatures: Return of the Jedi — Self
• 1980SP FX: The Empire Strikes Back — Self
• 1980The Making of The Empire Strikes Back — Self
• 1977The Making of Star Wars — Self (uncredited)