André the Giant
Biography
André René Roussimoff was born in a small farming community in Grenoble, France to Boris and Marian Rouismoff. His parents and four siblings were all of normal size, but André suffered from acromegaly, a hormonal disorder that results when the pituitary gland produces excess growth hormone. As the Giant grew up (very quickly, as he reached the height of 6' 3" by the age of 12) he began to often disagree with his parents. He left home at 14 and obtained a job with a furniture-moving firm and began to play rugby. At 17 he was seen training at a gym by several professional wrestlers. Impressed by his size, they taught him some basic wrestling skills and built a friendship with him. Later, when one of the wrestlers was injured, André stepped in for him. He would wrestle for nearly thirty more years.
46years old at death
- Born Coulommiers
- Died 8th arrondissement of Paris
- Star sign: TaurusThe sign runs April 20 to May 20
- André René Roussimof (birth name)Also credited as Andre the Giant, André René Roussimoff, Andre René Roussimoff, André Roussimoff and Andre Roussimoff
Movie Career
- Films
- 5
- Career span
- 34 years1984 to 2018
Every film, newest first
- 2018Andre the GiantIMDb rating 7.8
- 2005The Bret Hart Story: The Best There Is, the Best There Was, the Best There Ever Will BeIMDb rating 8.4
- 1987The Princess BrideIMDb rating 8.0
- 1984Conan the DestroyerIMDb rating 5.9
- 1984Micki + MaudeIMDb rating 6.0
Genres
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A first
André the Giant was the first and only inductee of the WWF Hall of Fame's class of 1993, the year the promotion created the honor.
Early training
André the Giant learned professional wrestling in Paris from local promoter Robert Lageat, training at night while working days as a mover to cover his living expenses.
About the name
André the Giant wrestled under the ring name Géant Ferré, taken from the Picardian folk hero Grand Ferré, which was later shortened to Jean Ferre.
First role
André the Giant made his American acting debut playing a Sasquatch in a two-part 1976 episode of The Six Million Dollar Man.
Getting ready for a role
André the Giant's favorite role was Fezzik in The Princess Bride, and he made his wrestling friends watch an advance VHS copy repeatedly while asking if they liked his performance.
André the Giant movies on Netflix
Most often with
Five actors appear in two of them each. Pick a number on the chart or a name in the list to see the films they share.
Films together
Wallace Shawn's page
Cary Elwes's page
Arnold Schwarzenegger's page
Robin Wright's page
Billy Crystal's page
Awards
Two awards and honors.
| Year | Award | Film | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| Other honors | |||
| WWE Hall of Fame | Won | ||
| Wrestling Observer Newsletter Hall of Fame | Won | ||
Online
Official profiles and reference pages.