Fans Pay Tribute To Peter Mayhew At Fan Expo Dallas

DALLAS (CBSDFW.COM) - Peter Mayhew, best known for playing Chewbacca in the Star Wars movies, is being remembered in a special way as fans at Fan Expo Dallas are able to let his family know how much he was loved in the community.

Mayhew was scheduled to appear at the annual convention dedicated to fandom before he passed away on Thursday at his home in North Texas at the age of 74.

Organizers of the convention decided to keep his signing booth open so that fans of the beloved actor could pay their respects and write notes of thanks and heartbreak in a memorial book.

It's a way for fans to give proper goodbyes to the late actor and to show the family that he was loved not only as the man behind Chewbacca, but as a person adored by all.

"Star Wars always sparked my imagination when I was younger, and the most interesting about Chewbacca was it taught you that even though you looked like a monster, you didn't have to act like one," Jose Arellano said. "He had the biggest heart in the Star Wars universe. It was awesome. That's why I wanted to pay my respects."

Mayhew's booth was set up with the memorial book, flowers, little Chewbacca figurines and a photo of the actor in his famous costume.

Fans have been signing the book since the convention opened Friday afternoon and are expected to continue through the final day on Sunday at the Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center.