Andre the Giant (born Andre Rene Roussimoff) was a famous French wrestler who stood at least 7 feet tall and weighed 450 pounds. He suffered from a pituitary disease known as acromegaly, which caused accelerated growth and continued growth until he died. At the age of 12, he stood 6'3".
In 1972, Vince McMahon, of World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) fame, took the moderately successful Andre, remade him into Andre the Giant, revamped his wrestling style, and exaggerated his height in print to 7' 4". This new packaging and promotion launched Andre into stardom.
For many, his real fame came when he began doing commercials, television guest appearances, and the movie The Princes Bride in 1987. Some fondly remember his fight scene with Lee Majors in The Six Million Dollar Man, but the scene below, where Fezzik is rhyming, is my favorite.
Andre died in France in 1993, at age 46, after attending his father's funeral. Cause of death was a heart attack brought on by his gigantism. He would have been 68 today (born May 19, 1946).
Go see his Wiki Page. Books about him on Amazon.
Source Articles: IMDb Andre the Giant Biography; Brian's Belly: Andre the Giant; The Official Site of Andre the Giant.
I always loved Andre the Giant. It's a shame that he died so young.
ReplyDeleteI agree, Marjorie. I really liked him, and they say he was truly a "gentle giant."
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