“Star Wars” actor Peter Mayhew, who played Chewbacca in the original trilogy, died on Tuesday, his family announced on his Twitter. He was 74.
The news was shared on his official Twitter account Opens a New Window. on Thursday, May 2. “The family of Peter Mayhew, with deep love and sadness, regrets to share the news that Peter has passed away,” the statement read. “He left us the evening of April 30, 2019 with his family by his side in his North Texas home."
There will be a memorial service for friends and family on June 29, with a memorial for fans in Los Angeles in early December at EmpireCon. He is survived by his wife, Angie, and three children.