Overview (2)

Mini Bio (1)

Peter Mayhew was born on May 19, 1944 in Barnes, London, England. Now residing in Texas, this former resident of Yorkshire, England, was working as a hospital attendant at the King's College Hospital in London when film producer Charles H. Schneer saw his photo, literally standing above the crowd around him. Charles H. Schneer cast him in Sinbad and the Eye of the Tiger (1977), Ray Harryhausen's newest special effects film. It was just over a year later that he was asked if he wanted to do another role. Mayhew was told it was for a big hairy beast. It was the role of Chewbacca, the faithful 200 year-old Wookiee in Star Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope (1977) and his life was changed forever. Following the original Star Wars trilogy, Mayhew has done several commercials in the Wookiee costume including one for Cingular and Orange associated with Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith (2005). In 1997, the twentieth anniversary celebrations of Star Wars were announced with the release of the "Special Edition" and all the conventions started. He is now active on the "Star Wars" convention circuit where he signs autographs. He has written two books, "Growing Up Giant" and "My Favorite Giant" and founded a non-profit 501(c)3 charity organization called "The Peter Mayhew Foundation" and is the purveyor of chewbacca.com.

- IMDb Mini Biography By: Peter Mayhew

Spouse (1)

Trade Mark (2)

Chewbacca from the Star Wars films



Towering height and slender frame



Trivia (15)

Prior to starring as Chewbacca in the original Star Wars trilogy, he was an orderly at London's King's College Hospital.



Chewbacca won a Lifetime Achievement award at the MTV Movie Awards.



Mayhew, like many actors connected with the Star Wars universe, makes frequent appearances at sci-fi conventions. Although famous guests at these events normally make a charge for autographs, some actors connected with famous movies from the past make their living touring different conventions.



After getting the role of Chewbacca, Mayhew went to the zoo and began studying the movements and mannerisms of various large animals to incorporate into the character Chewbacca.





Had the option of either playing Darth Vader or Chewbacca, as did David Prowse . Mayhew chose Chewbacca because he wanted to play a hero, whilst Prowse chose Darth Vader because he wanted to play a villain.

Became a naturalized United States citizen, along with 441 other people from 77 countries, in Arlington, Texas on October 17, 2005.



Currently resides in the town of Boyd, Texas and is a business owner. [April 2013]



(November 14-16, 2008) Attended the Big Apple Comic Con.



Attended OmegaCon in Birmingham, Alabama. [March 2008]



(May 7-8, 2005) Attended the Scandinavian Sci-Fi, Game and Film Convention in Malmõ, Sweden.



In 2013, he was forced to undergo double knee replacement surgery as a result of gigantism.



When Disney bought the rights to Star Wars From George Lucas, they decided to scrap the expanded universe, in which Chewbacca was killed in the first novel "Vector Prime" of the new Jedi order.



Has a cane that looks like a lightsaber.



Personal Quotes (3)

It's curious that when you look down at people you see their defects, their irregularities more clearly. I like my bird's-eye view. I think it's what gives Chewie his pride, his bigness. Bigness of heart.



When I go to restaurants I can never get my legs under a table. I bump my head in planes. People who sit behind me in the theater hate me. But I have given up apologizing to the world.



[on doing Star Wars] this has been the best thing that ever happened to me, in the past 25 years I've been able to travel all over the world and get paid for it I never had to pay for a thing I can go out in public without being recognized if I want to be recognized in public it will happen,Star Wars was great to me, I'm set for life.

