Chewbacca of Star Wars

Background:

“A lot of people grew up with the ‘Star Wars’ characters as part of their early childhood and saw them as role models.” Peter Mayhew

English actor Peter Mayhew is best known for portraying Chewbacca on the original “Star Wars” trilogy (1977's “Star Wars,” 1980's “The Empire Strikes Back” and 1983's “Return of the Jedi”) and “Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith” (2005). He has also acted in the films “Sinbad and the Eye of the Tiger” (1977) and “Yesterday Was a Lie” (2008) and will have a starring role in upcoming horror film “Killer Ink” (2011).

On October 17, 2005, Mayhew became a naturalized U.S. citizen with over 400 other people from nearly 80 countries. He currently resides in Granbury, Texas, where he operates a small business.

England

Childhood and Family:

Peter Mayhew was born on May 19, 1944, in Barnes, England. His father was a policeman. Prior to becoming an actor, he spent a short time in the field of engineering and worked as an orderly at King's College Hospital in London.

In 1999, Peter married a woman named Angie Luker.

Killer Ink

Career:

While working as a hospital orderly, Peter Mayhew was approached by film producers after they saw his image in a newspaper article about men with large feet. It was not long before Mayhew made his feature debut in the fantasy film “Sinbad and the Eye of the Tiger” (1977), where he played the Minotaur. The movie was directed by Sam Wanamaker and starred Patrick Wayne and Jane Seymour.

Mayhew's big breakthrough arrived when he won the iconic role of Chewbacca, Han Solo's Wookiee copilot, in the George Lucas blockbuster movie “Star Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope.” Released on May 25, 1977, the hit film grossed $460 million in the United States and $337 million overseas and became the highest grossing film at the time after surpassing the movie “Jaws.” The budget was $11 million. “Star Wars” received generally positive reviews from film critics and was nominated for eleven Academy Awards, including Best Picture and Best Director, and won awards for Best Art Direction-Set Decoration, Best Costume Design, Best Effects, Visual Effects, Best Film Editing, Best Music, Original Score, Best Sound and the Special Achievement Award. It also collected many Saturn Awards, a Golden Globe Award and two BAFTA Awards, among other honors.

In 1978, Mayhew played the role of The Mechanic in “Terror,” a British horror film directed by Norman J. Warren that starred John Nolan, Carolyn Courage and James Aubrey. It was released in the U.S. on October 26, 1979. In 1978, he also reprised his role of Chewbacca on “The Star Wars Holiday Special,” which first aired on CBS on November 17, 1978. In 1979, Mayhew appeared as a giant in an episode of the British TV series “Hazell” called “Hazell and the Big Sleep.” The next year, as Chewbacca, the actor made a guest appearance in the TV syndicated series “The Muppet Show.”

Mayhew was reunited with costars Mark Hamill, Harrison Ford and Carrie Fisher in “Star Wars: Episode V - The Empire Strikes Back” (1980), which was directed by Irvin Kershner and scripted by Leigh Brackett and Lawrence Kasdan. It initially earned a mixed reception upon its release but has since been considered by many fans and critics to be the best film in the franchise. The movie won an Oscar for Best Sound and the Special Achievement Award and was nominated for Best Art Direction-Set Decoration and Best Music, Original Score. Like its predecessor, “The Empire Strikes Back” was a massive success at the box office. With a budget of $18 million, it made over $290 million domestically and over $538 worldwide.

1981 saw Mayhew appear in the British TV series “Dark Towers” as The Tall Knight. He then played Chewbacca in a video short called “Return of the Ewok” (1982) before reprising the role in “Star Wars: Episode VI - Return of the Jedi” (1983), which was directed by Richard Marquand and written by George Lucas and Lawrence Kasdan. It enjoyed primarily positive reviews from critics and collected more than $475 million worldwide. “Return of the Jedi” became the last “Star Wars” film released theatrically until “Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace” began the prequel trilogy in 1999.

Mayhew sporadically returned to the business after “Return of the Jedi.” In 1985, he guest starred in “The Kenny Everett Television Show” and in 1987, appeared as Chewbacca in a short called “Star Tours.” Ten years later, in 1997, he provided the English version voice of Susha in the TV film “Dragon Ball GT: A Hero's Legacy.” He resurfaced again in 2004 when he appeared as himself in the direct to video comedy film “Comic Book: The Movie,” directed by and starring “Star Wars” costar Mark Hamill.

In 2005, Mayhew again portrayed Chewbacca on “Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith,” the sixth film released in the “Star Wars” saga and the third in the series' internal chronology. Directed and written by George Lucas and starring Ewan McGregor, Hayden Christensen, Natalie Portman, Ian McDiarmid, Frank Oz, Samuel L. Jackson and Christopher Lee, the film grossed over $848.5 million worldwide and became the highest grossing film of 2005 in the U.S. It was also the second highest grossing film of 2005 worldwide behind “Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire.” Critical reaction to “Revenge of the Sith” was primarily positive. The same year, he appeared in “Late Show with David Letterman.”

In 2008, Mayhew was cast as a dead man in “Yesterday Was a Lie,” an American dramatic film written and directed by James Kerwin that starred Kipleigh Brown, Chase Masterson and John Newton.

Recently, in 2011, Mayhew appeared as Chewbacca in the short “Star Tours: The Adventures Continue.” He is set to star as Uncle Clyde in the upcoming horror film “Killer Ink,” directed by Lewis Leslie.

Awards:
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