either Bigfoot (also brown fur) or the Abominable Snowman aka the Yeti (but brown fur instead of white fur; however a friendlier-version of them)?
I'll let you know when I come-up with a new signature, .
Technically, Chewbacca is based on Lucas' Alaskan Malamute (named Indiana, later the inspiration for the name of the character Indiana Jones. Got a lot of mileage out of that dog it seems), who he considered his co-pilot on their car trips together.
http://vignette3.wikia.nocookie.net/starwars/images/7/7a/Lucasindiana.JPG/revision/latest?cb=20080909213850
Brian from Family Guy.
shareBased on Lucas' dog, just anthropomorphized.
side note: when filming Jedi during the Forest Moon of Endor scenes, Peter Mayhew (Chewbacca) was accompanied by crewmen with orange vests so that people wouldn't think Mayhew walking around in costume was actually bigfoot and try to shoot him. At least that's what I've read, I wasn't there.