Online Encyclopedia
André the Giant
André the Giant (May 19, 1946 - January 27, 1993) was a professional wrestler and actor, born André René Roussimoff in Grenoble, France. His great size was a result of acromegaly, or excessive growth hormone.
André was one of the most well-known and respected professional wrestlers in the world. Originally from a small farm near Grenoble, he left home in his adolescence to become a pro wrestler. Being around 7 ft 4 in (2.24 m) and 520 pounds (236 kg)--his exact height is disputed by some--the sight of him alone was enough to draw huge crowds. After touring the world with different promotions for many years, he was signed by the World Wide Wrestling Federation (which would later change its name to the World Wrestling Federation) in the late 1970s. By the time WWF owner Vince McMahon began to expand his promotion to the national level in the early 1980s, André wrestled exclusively for the WWF.
André was a very imposing figure -- it is said that he never tested the full extent of his true strength because he was afraid of the damage it might cause. Some of André's opponents were legitimately afraid to get in the ring with him for fear of getting accidentally crushed or pulverized, but those who got to know him soon learned that his personality was perhaps one of the gentlest in the world. It is also said that André could drink an entire case of beer and not feel so much as a buzz. He was reputedly offered a professional American football contract with the Chicago Bears and seriously considered it before turning it down, reasoning that he could make far more money wrestling (which was probably true, especially at that time).
He was one of the WWF's most beloved "babyfaces" throughout the 1970s and early '80s, and was in fact undefeated for over ten years (before losing in 1987, his last defeat was sometime prior to 1977).
At Wrestlemania 1, André defeated Big John Studd in a bodyslam match. After slamming Studd, he attempted to give the $15,000 prize to the fans, before having the bag stolen from him.
At Wrestlemania 2, André won a battle royal.
Afterwards, André continued his feud with Studd and King Kong Bundy . Andre was suspended after a no-show; he returned under a mask as 'The Giant Machine' part of a team with 'Big Machine' (Robert "Blackjack" Windham) and 'Super Machine' (Bill Eadie). Soon afterwards, Giant Machine disappeared and André was reinstated, to the approval of Bobby Heenan .
André was turned heel in 1987 so that he could face Hulk Hogan for the WWF Championship in the main event of Wrestlemania III. In early 1987, Hogan was presented a trophy for being the WWF champion for 3 years. André came out to congratulate him. Shortly afterwards, André was presented a slightly smaller trophy for being undefeated for "15 years" (in the storyline). Hogan came out to congratulate André, but André walked out in protest. Then, on an edition of Piper's Pit, Hulk Hogan was confronted by Bobby Heenan. Heenan announced that his new protege was André. André then challenged Hogan to a title match at Wrestlemania 3, ripping the t-shirt and crucifix off of Hogan.
This was likely the most highly anticipated professional wrestling matchup in history -- the apex of wrestling's most recent golden era. The event, held at the Pontiac Silverdome, broke the indoor attendance record with over ninety thousand fans in attendance, with millions watching on Pay-Per-View. Hogan defeated Andre, in what many experts believe was a passing of the torch from André, wrestling's biggest star of the '70s, to Hogan, wrestling's biggest star of the '80s. The feud between André and Hogan simmered, even as André's health declined. Andre had to undergo back surgery in this time period.
André won the WWF title from Hogan on February 5, 1988 in a match where the original referee was knocked out and a replacement made a three count on Hogan while his shoulders were off of the mat. The replacement was referee Earl Hebner, who replaced his twin brother Dave Hebner. André then "sold" the title to "The Million Dollar Man" Ted DiBiase and the title was vacated.
At Wrestlemania 4, André and Hulk Hogan went to a double DQ in a WWF title tournament match. Afterwards, André and Hogan's feud died down after a series of 'cage matches.'
André won the WWF tag team titles with his partner Haku but they lost their titles at Wrestlemania 6 to Demolition. André had a (real life?) falling out with Heenan and soon retired. André starred in several movies towards the end of his career, most notably as Fezzik in The Princess Bride. He had a cameo appearance in 1984's Conan the Destroyer as Dagoth, the resurrected horned giant beast, which is killed by Conan, the character portrayed by future Governor of California Arnold Schwarzenegger.
The disease that granted him his immense size also began to take its toll on his body. By the late 1980s André was in constant, near-crippling pain and his heart struggled to pump blood throughout his massive body.
He stopped competing entirely in the very early 1990s due to the increasing pain his illness was causing him, retiring to his winery in France. His heart finally failed him in 1993, and André passed away peacefully in his sleep at a hotel in Paris while in town for his father's funeral. He was cremated and his ashes were spread over his ranch in North Carolina.
He has since become an ironic icon, stemming in part from a series of ubiquitous André the Giant Has a Posse art (which can be found on street corners and building walls in much of North America).
Film roles
External links
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Preceded by: Hulk Hogan |
WWE Champions | Succeeded by: vacant |