The Wookiees are Upset Today
May 3, 2019 4:47 AM Subscribe
Peter Mayhew, who played Chewbacca in Star Wars, has died at age 74.
[Chewbacca Roar]
Peter Mayhew as Chewbacca: a charming and good-natured movie pioneer [Grauniad]
Peter Mayhew, Chewbacca in 'Star Wars,' dies at 74 [CNN]
Peter Mayhew: Harrison Ford leads tributes to Star Wars' Chewbacca star [BBC]
Mark Hamill: "He was the gentlest of giants" [Twitter]
Peter Mayhew on IMDB
[Chewbacca Roar]
Peter Mayhew as Chewbacca: a charming and good-natured movie pioneer [Grauniad]
Peter Mayhew, Chewbacca in 'Star Wars,' dies at 74 [CNN]
Peter Mayhew: Harrison Ford leads tributes to Star Wars' Chewbacca star [BBC]
Mark Hamill: "He was the gentlest of giants" [Twitter]
Peter Mayhew on IMDB
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posted by my-username at 4:49 AM on May 3, 2019
posted by my-username at 4:49 AM on May 3, 2019
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posted by greermahoney at 4:51 AM on May 3, 2019
posted by greermahoney at 4:51 AM on May 3, 2019
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posted by miss-lapin at 4:58 AM on May 3, 2019
posted by miss-lapin at 4:58 AM on May 3, 2019
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posted by Faint of Butt at 5:01 AM on May 3, 2019
posted by Faint of Butt at 5:01 AM on May 3, 2019
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posted by AlonzoMosleyFBI at 5:02 AM on May 3, 2019
posted by AlonzoMosleyFBI at 5:02 AM on May 3, 2019
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posted by double bubble at 5:14 AM on May 3, 2019
posted by double bubble at 5:14 AM on May 3, 2019
Hwraank! (Wookie for .”)
posted by GenjiandProust at 5:16 AM on May 3, 2019 [10 favorites]
posted by GenjiandProust at 5:16 AM on May 3, 2019 [10 favorites]
May he eternally celebrate Life Day with Itchy, Lumpy and Malla.
posted by delfin at 5:25 AM on May 3, 2019 [12 favorites]
posted by delfin at 5:25 AM on May 3, 2019 [12 favorites]
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posted by lordrunningclam at 5:29 AM on May 3, 2019
posted by lordrunningclam at 5:29 AM on May 3, 2019
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posted by tobascodagama at 5:41 AM on May 3, 2019
posted by tobascodagama at 5:41 AM on May 3, 2019
His Reddit presence was extremely wholesome.
posted by tobascodagama at 5:44 AM on May 3, 2019 [4 favorites]
posted by tobascodagama at 5:44 AM on May 3, 2019 [4 favorites]
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posted by Faintdreams at 5:46 AM on May 3, 2019
posted by Faintdreams at 5:46 AM on May 3, 2019
I would be more upset but I expect Carrie and Kenny could use a hug.
posted by GCU Sweet and Full of Grace at 5:50 AM on May 3, 2019 [11 favorites]
posted by GCU Sweet and Full of Grace at 5:50 AM on May 3, 2019 [11 favorites]
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posted by The Nutmeg of Consolation at 5:51 AM on May 3, 2019
posted by The Nutmeg of Consolation at 5:51 AM on May 3, 2019
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posted by faceplantingcheetah at 5:53 AM on May 3, 2019
posted by faceplantingcheetah at 5:53 AM on May 3, 2019
What a great guy.
I had to break this to misterussell before he saw it splashed all over Twitter.
posted by kimberussell at 6:06 AM on May 3, 2019 [4 favorites]
I had to break this to misterussell before he saw it splashed all over Twitter.
posted by kimberussell at 6:06 AM on May 3, 2019 [4 favorites]
He was a lovely man. I've never heard anything but good about him.
posted by The Underpants Monster at 6:14 AM on May 3, 2019 [4 favorites]
posted by The Underpants Monster at 6:14 AM on May 3, 2019 [4 favorites]
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Every one of us deserves a friend as loyal as Chewbacca and as kind as Mr. Mayhew.
posted by anastasiav at 6:21 AM on May 3, 2019 [12 favorites]
Every one of us deserves a friend as loyal as Chewbacca and as kind as Mr. Mayhew.
posted by anastasiav at 6:21 AM on May 3, 2019 [12 favorites]
RRRRRRWWWWWWARRRRRER
posted by loquacious at 6:22 AM on May 3, 2019 [9 favorites]
posted by loquacious at 6:22 AM on May 3, 2019 [9 favorites]
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posted by Frayed Knot at 6:28 AM on May 3, 2019
posted by Frayed Knot at 6:28 AM on May 3, 2019
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posted by 80 Cats in a Dog Suit at 6:32 AM on May 3, 2019
posted by 80 Cats in a Dog Suit at 6:32 AM on May 3, 2019
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posted by crocomancer at 6:35 AM on May 3, 2019
posted by crocomancer at 6:35 AM on May 3, 2019
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posted by EmpressCallipygos at 6:37 AM on May 3, 2019
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 6:37 AM on May 3, 2019
My old Chewbacca toy resurfaced in the kids' bedroom on Monday. I was pleased to see him but he looked uncomfortable where he was so I sat him in the doll house where he seemed much happier.
I like to believe he came to say goodbye.
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posted by popcassady at 6:40 AM on May 3, 2019 [16 favorites]
I like to believe he came to say goodbye.
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posted by popcassady at 6:40 AM on May 3, 2019 [16 favorites]
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posted by The Bellman at 6:45 AM on May 3, 2019
posted by The Bellman at 6:45 AM on May 3, 2019
so I sat him in the doll house
What you're saying is, you bent your Wookiee?
posted by traveler_ at 6:54 AM on May 3, 2019 [5 favorites]
What you're saying is, you bent your Wookiee?
posted by traveler_ at 6:54 AM on May 3, 2019 [5 favorites]
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posted by zombieflanders at 6:55 AM on May 3, 2019
posted by zombieflanders at 6:55 AM on May 3, 2019
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posted by WhyamIhereagain at 7:01 AM on May 3, 2019
posted by WhyamIhereagain at 7:01 AM on May 3, 2019
never heard anything but good things about peter, and his portrayal of chewie is damned remarkable considering the acting constraints he was laboring under (literally). like most things in SW, he was at his best in ESB. these bits still make me feel like a kid every time i see them:
saying goodbye to luke on hoth: luke scratching chewie behind the ears (!) and chewie going "naw, you're getting a big ol' bear wookiee hug before you leave."
his flailing freakout when han tries to test out the repairs on hoth: "Okay, that's it. Try it... Off! Turn it off! Turn it off! Off!"
as they're trying to escape Bespin, everything after "They told me it was fixed!" from shoving Lando out of the way as he sprints to the engineering bay to his "GODDAMN FREAKING PIECE OF" banging on the hyperdrive with a spanner
thank you, peter, for everything.
posted by entropicamericana at 7:02 AM on May 3, 2019 [25 favorites]
thank you, peter, for everything.
posted by entropicamericana at 7:02 AM on May 3, 2019 [25 favorites]
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posted by cmfletcher at 7:02 AM on May 3, 2019
posted by cmfletcher at 7:02 AM on May 3, 2019
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posted by sleeping bear at 7:07 AM on May 3, 2019
posted by sleeping bear at 7:07 AM on May 3, 2019
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posted by Multicellular Exothermic at 7:13 AM on May 3, 2019
posted by Multicellular Exothermic at 7:13 AM on May 3, 2019
AROOOOOOO
posted by Sing Or Swim at 7:17 AM on May 3, 2019
posted by Sing Or Swim at 7:17 AM on May 3, 2019
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posted by praemunire at 8:08 AM on May 3, 2019
posted by praemunire at 8:08 AM on May 3, 2019
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posted by LobsterMitten at 8:21 AM on May 3, 2019
posted by LobsterMitten at 8:21 AM on May 3, 2019
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posted by Quasirandom at 8:25 AM on May 3, 2019
posted by Quasirandom at 8:25 AM on May 3, 2019
RIan Johnson, on Twitter: "RIP Peter Mayhew. To create a beloved character with warmth and humor is a testament to any actor's spirit. To do it under a half ton of yak hair takes a true legend."
posted by Pater Aletheias at 8:43 AM on May 3, 2019 [15 favorites]
posted by Pater Aletheias at 8:43 AM on May 3, 2019 [15 favorites]
Apparently one reason to pick him was that he was taller than Darth Vader. Who apparently was my height. I've never seen Star Wars movies but still that makes want quote Darth Vader in a muted voice to my colleagues.
posted by jouke at 8:58 AM on May 3, 2019
posted by jouke at 8:58 AM on May 3, 2019
I've never seen Star Wars movies but still that makes want quote Darth Vader in a muted voice to my colleagues.
Just know that the man who played Darth Vader, David Prowse, has a very different voice than the dub that James Earl Jones did.
posted by nubs at 9:05 AM on May 3, 2019 [3 favorites]
Just know that the man who played Darth Vader, David Prowse, has a very different voice than the dub that James Earl Jones did.
posted by nubs at 9:05 AM on May 3, 2019 [3 favorites]
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posted by Homo neanderthalensis at 9:16 AM on May 3, 2019
posted by Homo neanderthalensis at 9:16 AM on May 3, 2019
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posted by JoeXIII007 at 9:41 AM on May 3, 2019
posted by JoeXIII007 at 9:41 AM on May 3, 2019
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posted by The Great Big Mulp at 9:56 AM on May 3, 2019
posted by The Great Big Mulp at 9:56 AM on May 3, 2019
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posted by sarcasticah at 11:16 AM on May 3, 2019
posted by sarcasticah at 11:16 AM on May 3, 2019
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posted by dripdripdrop at 11:16 AM on May 3, 2019
posted by dripdripdrop at 11:16 AM on May 3, 2019
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posted by spinifex23 at 11:21 AM on May 3, 2019
posted by spinifex23 at 11:21 AM on May 3, 2019
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posted by Big Al 8000 at 11:29 AM on May 3, 2019
posted by Big Al 8000 at 11:29 AM on May 3, 2019
The first time I heard the word 'chewbacca', it was in the deep South in regard to something called Beech-Nut. As a result, when I first saw Chewie on-screen, I thought he was some kind of dried tobacco-leaf monster -- such a wookie mistake.
/ --::-- \
((vvvv)) ---"graaa-a-a-a-a-a-a-hr!" aka .
\^^^^/
posted by zaixfeep at 11:49 AM on May 3, 2019 [6 favorites]
/ --::-- \
((vvvv)) ---"graaa-a-a-a-a-a-a-hr!" aka .
\^^^^/
posted by zaixfeep at 11:49 AM on May 3, 2019 [6 favorites]
At the 1997 MTV Movie Awards, Carrie Fisher belatedly bestowed on Chewbacca the medal originally denied to him for his heroism in Star Wars: A New Hope.
Reflecting on their history together, she quipped: “I only wish we had love scenes.”
posted by New Frontier at 12:32 PM on May 3, 2019 [9 favorites]
Reflecting on their history together, she quipped: “I only wish we had love scenes.”
posted by New Frontier at 12:32 PM on May 3, 2019 [9 favorites]
Coming home from work today, I saw an electronic billboard that was just a section of Chewie at about the waist - all fur and belt - that said simply “MAYHEW” and something else I didn’t catch, probably “RIP”. I don’t know if someone at the billboard company is a Star Wars fan, or if someone actually paid for that, but it was beautiful. Thanks for that moment on the 190 North, random billboard.
posted by okayokayigive at 4:17 PM on May 3, 2019 [1 favorite]
posted by okayokayigive at 4:17 PM on May 3, 2019 [1 favorite]
I AM CHEWBACCA!!! I AM A WOOKIE!!!
I FIGHT THE EMPIRE!!! I FIX THE ROBOTS!!!
DON'T FUCKING CROSS ME!!! I AM CHEWBACCA!!!
IN NEED OF NO ONE!!! IN WANT OF NOTHING!!!
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posted by RobotVoodooPower at 8:50 PM on May 3, 2019 [1 favorite]
I FIGHT THE EMPIRE!!! I FIX THE ROBOTS!!!
DON'T FUCKING CROSS ME!!! I AM CHEWBACCA!!!
IN NEED OF NO ONE!!! IN WANT OF NOTHING!!!
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posted by RobotVoodooPower at 8:50 PM on May 3, 2019 [1 favorite]
As we enter the "Star Wars Holiday", this year (and maybe from now on) we should call it "Mayhew The Fourth". (And Mayhew the Fourth be with you)
posted by oneswellfoop at 9:28 PM on May 3, 2019 [5 favorites]
posted by oneswellfoop at 9:28 PM on May 3, 2019 [5 favorites]
I would use one of my three genie wishes for a nice long hug with a certain Wookiee.
posted by double bubble at 1:24 AM on May 4, 2019 [1 favorite]
posted by double bubble at 1:24 AM on May 4, 2019 [1 favorite]
"You must protect the Princess now...."
RIP Peter Mayhew (sniff)
posted by Lynsey at 12:29 PM on May 4, 2019 [3 favorites]
RIP Peter Mayhew (sniff)
posted by Lynsey at 12:29 PM on May 4, 2019 [3 favorites]
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posted by little onion at 4:49 AM on May 3, 2019