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)
Peter Mayhew has 27 screen credits in a career dating back to 1976. Their work spans 2 cinematic universes — most prominently Star Wars with 5 titles. Signature works include Star Wars, The Empire Strikes Back, Return of the Jedi. Explore the interactive character relationship maps on each title page to trace how their roles connect across franchises.
Universe traveler — spans 2 universes
Related entry on Wikidata (Q560552), public domain (CC0).
