The man inside Star Wars’ Wookiee suit may not have been instantly recognisable, but his skills helped lay the groundwork for current blockbuster movies

Like Anthony Daniels in the gold shell of C3PO, or Dave Prowse in the cloak and mask of Darth Vader, Peter Mayhew, who played the lovable but formidable Star Wars Wookiee Chewbacca, did not achieve the face recognition that actors usually yearn for, and an acting career was not in any case what Mayhew particularly wanted before George Lucas chose him for Star Wars. But it was Mayhew’s destiny to become known and adored by a passionate connoisseur fanbase, his charm and good nature made him loved by his colleagues and his actual presence did make itself felt in hundreds of fan conventions over the decades. These fan conventions themselves evolved as a new phenomenon, a kind of auxiliary theatrical platform for franchise movies alongside cinema, TV and the web.