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According to a statement by his family, Mayhew died Tuesday at his home in Texas for unknown reasons. Mayhew performed Chewbacca, his lovable and hairy companion Han Solo and co-pilot of the Millennium Falcon, in the original "Star Wars" trilogy.
He later appeared as the Wookiee in "The Revenge of the Sith" in 2005 and shared the role in "The Force Awakens" of 2015 with actor Joonas Suotamo, who then took over the role.
The statement of his family also stated: "He put his heart and soul into the role of Chewbacca and this was seen in every film role in a movie."
Mayhew has apparently developed long-standing friendships with other "Star Wars" actors and spent three decades traveling the world in search of his fans.
Actor Mark Hamill wrote: "He was the nicest giant of the giants – a tall man with an even bigger heart who never failed to make me smile and a faithful friend whom I loved very much. I am grateful for the memories we shared and I am a better man to have just known. "
His family also added that he was active with various non-profit groups. Born and raised in England, Mayhew had appeared in a single film and worked as a paramedic in London when George Lucas found him and threw him into the 1977 film "Star Wars".
He leaves to mourn his wife Angie and three children. A memorial service will be held on June 29th.
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