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)

KNOWN FOR

Glee
2011
Star Wars
1977
Star Wars: The Force Awakens
2015
The Muppet Show
1980
Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith
2005
The Empire Strikes Back
1980
Return of the Jedi
1983
Comic Book Men
2015
The Kenny Everett Television Show
1985
Fanboys
2009
Empire of Dreams: The Story of the Star Wars Trilogy
2004
Sinbad and the Eye of the Tiger
1977

FILMOGRAPHY

All
Movies
TV
Acting
31
2016
Secrets of the Force Awakens: A Cinematic Journey
as Self
2015
Star Wars: The Force Awakens
as Chewbacca
2015
Comic Book Men
as Self
2011
Glee
as Chewbacca
2010
Jedi Junkies
as Self
2009
Fanboys
as Self (uncredited)
2009
Yesterday Was a Lie
as Dead Man
2005
Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith
as Chewbacca
2005
Collectormania 7
as Self
2004
Comic Book: The Movie
as Peter Mayhew
2004
When Star Wars Ruled the World
as Self
2004
Empire of Dreams: The Story of the Star Wars Trilogy
as Self
2004
The Story of Star Wars
as Chewbacca (archive footage)
2004
The Characters of Star Wars
as Self
2002
Comic Book Villains
as Peter Mayhew
1999
The Very Best of the Muppet Show
as Special Guest Star / Chewbacca
1999
The Unauthorized Star Wars Story
as Self
1994
Return of the Ewok
as Chewbacca
1985
The Kenny Everett Television Show
as Various
1983
Return of the Jedi
as Chewbacca
1983
Classic Creatures: Return of the Jedi
as Self
1981
Dark Towers
1980
The Empire Strikes Back
as Chewbacca
1980
SP FX: The Empire Strikes Back
as Self
1980
The Making of The Empire Strikes Back
as Self
1980
The Muppet Show
as Chewbacca
1979
Terror
as The Mechanic
1978
The Star Wars Holiday Special
as Chewbacca
1977
Star Wars
as Chewbacca
1977
Sinbad and the Eye of the Tiger
as Minoton
1977
The Making of Star Wars
as Self (uncredited)