It was either my first or second ChicagoCon, and one of the nights culminated with me sitting at a table with Peter Mayhew, David Prowse, Jeremy Bullock, and a comic creator, I want to say it was maybe Aaron Lopresti. It was my benchmark story on how awesome it was to go to that convention where sipping a beer with your guitar in the lobby of the Hyatt outside the bar nets you a table full of geek celebrities.

This news sucks...

 

Ah man nooooooo NOT Mr. Peter Mayhew I'm gonna miss him. I'm so thankful that Saturday is May 4th so i get to see him again on screen. I guess he may be gone physical but mental and in my heart and on screen he will live on FOREVER to me. I love that wookie. I've never met any Star Wars actors or have any signatures from any of them.

 

So before the Last Jedi was released we lost Carrie Fisher/Princess Leia and now we've lost Peter Matthew/Chewbacca before the release of episode 9?

Although with Chewbacca you could put ANYONE in that costume and no one would know the difference. Still sucks though. I don't even know what he looks like as I've never seen him without the costume on... Or if I have I didn't realize it.

Also I think they've already finished filming on Episode 9 and are in Post Preduction now so we still have a least one more movie with him.

 

I just heard about it from the little woman when i woke up she came and told me. It's kind of shocking now to hear this. First it was Ms. Fisher now Mr. Mayhew please no more i can't take anymore.

 

I never met him personally but I've heard nothing but great and wonderful stories about him. He will be missed.

 

Peter Mayhew retired after The Force Awakens and officially passed the torch onto his stunt double from that movie: Joonas Suotamo. However, I obviously still hope to see an in memorial card at the end of Rise of Skywalker

 

That's an awesome story man, and I'm sure a now very cherished memory.

 

Ah see what I mean... I didn't even realize there was someone else in the costume already.

I think Carrie Fisher is a little bit worse because her face is the character from the movie... and even though we have the technology to put her face on another actress as was done with Rogue One while she was still alive, I find that really creepy and disrespectful to do after an actor has passed away... *cough*PETER*cough*CUSHING*cough* That creepy disrespectful factor just doesn't exist when the character is a costume that completely hides the face of the person under it.

Of course for them as people totally unrelated to their characters it's equally tragic either why. We as fans I don't think really feel the full weight of that when we only known these people through their work. Their family and friends, the people who actually knew them. For them the full weight of their deaths is felt exactly the same. I don't think anything we say here would really do the man justice as none of us really knew him.

 

Rest in Peace Mr Mayhew. He made Chewbacca, a creature of few words, a wonderful character who could show exasperation, grief, rage and humor.

 

Chris Reccardi, Leading Animation Industry Artist, Dies At 54

 

*Sad Wookie sounds*

RIP Mayhew you will be missed  

 

I disagree with the idea that it somehow does someone disrespect to keep using their appearance for a character they once portrayed after they've passed away.

 

As long as it's done with respect to the actor and the character, I'm ok with it. Now, if they're dancing around hawking Pepsi or something, then I don't like it.

 

I remember him on the show watching it as a kid.  

 

Netherworld Dancing Toys' Malcolm Black dies

UK comedian Freddie Starr found dead at home in Spain

 

Former Shortland Street star Pua Magasiva found dead in Wellington

May the Power protect him.  

(For those who don’t know he was Ninja Storm Red Ranger)

 

RIP