RIP Watch

[Black Orchid]

Laverne and Shirley was a spin off from Happy Days so if you never watched Happy Days you probably never watched Laverne and Shirley.

[Neferti]

June Whitfield, star of Absolutely Fabulous, dies aged 93

I remember her from Hancocks Half hour....she was in everything years ago..

well done June 93 pretty good innings..

Absolutely Fabulous is still showing as REPEATS on Foxtel ... as are a lot of those old TV programs. They have a special "greats" or something channel. I recorded some of the Yes, Minister and Yes, Prime Minister ones. They used to be hilarious.

Can't say that I watched much of AF ... can't stand whatshername (the faded blonde) JL.

[Neferti]

Laverne and Shirley was a spin off from Happy Days so if you never watched Happy Days you probably never watched Laverne and Shirley.

Was it? I do remember Happy Days and The Fonze.

[Black Orchid]

[Neferti]

LOL OK, OK ... perhaps my memory is starting to fade when it comes to "ancient" TV shows.

PS I didn't "like" the Fonze, not my sort of bloke.

[Black Orchid]

Peter Mayhew, the actor who played Chewbacca in the Star Wars films, has died aged 74, his family says.

He passed away at his home in Texas on 30 April with his family by his side, a statement said.

The British-American actor played giant Wookiee warrior Chewbacca in the original trilogy beginning in 1977 as well as later films until 2015.

"He put his heart and soul into the role of Chewbacca and it showed in every frame," his family said.

London-born Mayhew played Chewbacca in the original Star Wars trilogy, episode three of the prequels and the New Trilogy.

Star Wars creator George Lucas had wanted a tall actor to play Chewbacca - but initially considered 6ft 6in (1.98m) tall David Prowse for the role.

However Prowse instead wanted to play Darth Vader so Lucas then turned to Mayhew, who at 7ft 2in (2.18m) was chosen purely for his height. His face was never seen in the all the Star Wars films he played in.

"He fought his way back from being wheelchair-bound to stand tall and portray Chewbacca once more in Star Wars: The Force Awakens," his family said.

I never realised he was actually that tall. RIP Chewie.

[sprintcyclist]

LOL OK, OK ... perhaps my memory is starting to fade when it comes to "ancient" TV shows.

PS I didn't "like" the Fonze, not my sort of bloke.

Neferti - that is a dagger to my heart

The Fonz is seriously cool.
Even cooler in real life.

[Texan]

Peter Mayhew, the actor who played Chewbacca in the Star Wars films, has died aged 74, his family says.

He passed away at his home in Texas on 30 April with his family by his side, a statement said.

The British-American actor played giant Wookiee warrior Chewbacca in the original trilogy beginning in 1977 as well as later films until 2015.

"He put his heart and soul into the role of Chewbacca and it showed in every frame," his family said.

London-born Mayhew played Chewbacca in the original Star Wars trilogy, episode three of the prequels and the New Trilogy.

Star Wars creator George Lucas had wanted a tall actor to play Chewbacca - but initially considered 6ft 6in (1.98m) tall David Prowse for the role.

However Prowse instead wanted to play Darth Vader so Lucas then turned to Mayhew, who at 7ft 2in (2.18m) was chosen purely for his height. His face was never seen in the all the Star Wars films he played in.

"He fought his way back from being wheelchair-bound to stand tall and portray Chewbacca once more in Star Wars: The Force Awakens," his family said.

I never realised he was actually that tall. RIP Chewie.

He lived in Boyd TX. I have a friend who used to be a preacher there. I didn’t know he was that tall either. He was taller than Dirk Novitske.

[Black Orchid]

His Chewie character was one of my favourites. The things you just don't know! Amazing ...

Mayhew had been using a wheelchair for years due to his extreme size (7’4”) and weakness in his bones. Family spokesman Ryan Ziegler said when "The Force Awakens" was in pre-production, Lucasfilm representatives made a courtesy call to say they were going to hire a new actor to take on Chewbacca’s scenes.

At the time, Mayhew had just had double knee-replacement surgery but desperately wanted to again play the part he’d made famous. In order to get into shape, Ziegler said Mayhew underwent physical therapy and exercise training, three hours every day for four months. That regimen got him out of the wheelchair and walking again, and healthy enough to play the cockpit scenes in “The Force Awakens."

Harrison Ford is over 6 feet.

[Valkie]

LOL OK, OK ... perhaps my memory is starting to fade when it comes to "ancient" TV shows.

PS I didn't "like" the Fonze, not my sort of bloke.

Neferti - that is a dagger to my heart

The Fonz is seriously cool.
Even cooler in real life.

And a brilliant director.