Peter Mayhew, the actor who played Chewbacca in the Star Wars films, died Tuesday, his family said. He was 74.

The cause of Mayhew's death was not immediately announced. The 7-foot-2-inch actor had mobility issues in recent years and in 2018 underwent spinal surgery.

Mayhew originated the role of Chewbacca, the Wookiee copilot of the Millennium Falcon, in the original Star Wars trilogy and returned for Episode III — Revenge of the Sith and The Force Awakens.

"He fought his way back from being wheelchair-bound to stand tall and portray Chewbacca once more in Star Wars: The Force Awakens," a family statement said. "He also consulted on The Last Jedi in an attempt to teach his successor."

For decades, Mayhew traveled to conventions and developed deep relationships with fans and other cast members, his family said.

"He put his heart and soul into the role of Chewbacca and it showed in every frame of the films from his knock kneed running, firing his bowcaster from the hip, his bright blue eyes, down to each subtle movement of his head and mouth," the family statement said. "But to him, the Star Wars family meant so much more to him than a role in a film."