Which actor played Chewbacca in the original "Star Wars" trilogy?

I just know the costume designer was patting themselves on the back. During filming for "Return of the Jedi," the crew was nervous that the Chewbacca suit might be mistaken as Sasquatch by hunters. It also probably helped that Peter Mayhew was 7-foot-3 even before they covered him in yak hair. George Lucas spotted Mayhew getting up at Elstree Studios and immediately knew he'd found his Wookiee. Not only was he conspiracy bait for hunters, but his suit caught on fire during production. Mayhew kept his hospital orderly job through the trilogy, which wasn't a bad idea considering the dangers of his new side hustle.