The Ringside Voice

 

 

Wrestler: Andre The Giant (1946-93)
Real Name: Andre Rene Rousimoff
Birthday: May 19, 1946
Hometown: Grenoble, France
Marital Status: None
Height & Weight: 7'4" - 380-540 lbs
Trained by: Frank Valois
Edward Carpantier
Debut: Late 1960s

 

Andre the Giant
May 19, 1946 - January 27, 1993

André the Giant was the stage name of André René Roussimoff, a French professional wrestler and actor. He was at least 2.09 metres (6 ft 10 in) tall and believed by many to have been over 2.13 metres (7 ft) at his tallest. His great size was a result of excessive growth hormone, a condition known as acromegaly, and led to him being dubbed "The Eighth Wonder of the World".

André starred in several movies towards the end of his career, most notably as Fezzik in 1987's The Princess Bride, which was André's favorite role.[6] He had an unaccredited appearance in 1984s Conan the Destroyer as Dagoth, the resurrected horned giant god, who is killed by Conan, the character portrayed by Arnold Schwarzenegger. In his final film, he appeared in something of a cameo role as a circus giant in the comedy Trading Mom, which was not released until the year after his death.

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. When he was not in front of a camera, he was usually in a wheelchair. Andre continued to compete in tag team matches, primarily in Japan and Mexico, until the end of 1992.

In The Beginning - Family

  • May 19, 1946: Andre Rene Rousimoff was born is Grenouble, France to two parents who were both over six feet tall..
  • Andre Rene Rousimoff suffered from acromegaly, or "giantism", a endocrynological disorder..
  • It causes the body to secrete excessive amounts of growth hormones and produces continual growth..
  •  It especially effects the head, hands, and feet..
  • Andre reportedly inherited the disease from his grandfather, a Bulgarian who stood 7'8"!
  • Andre Rousimoff left home at the tender age of 14, stood 6'3" and weighed over 200 pounds!
  • Andre Rousimoff worked at a furniture store in Paris, France until he was seventeen..

  • Getting Into The Wrestling Business

    1970: Andre Rousimoff won the IWA Tag Team titles with Michael Nador..

    1971: Andre Rousimoff wrestled in Montreal under the name "Jean Ferre" and in Japan as "Monster Roussimoff"..

    Andre Rousimoff won the Austral-Asian Tag Team Titles with Ron Miller in Australia..

    World Wide Wrestling Federation + Various Territories

     Frank Valois, acting as his manager, set up a meeting with World Wide Wrestling Federation promoter Vince McMahon, Sr..

  • 1973: Andre Rousimoff debuted in the famous venue Madison Square Garden as "Andre the Giant"..

  • Andre The Giant slowly made his way through virtually every regional promotion in the country..

  • Andre The Giant soon became the largest box-office attraction the sport has ever known..

  • March 22, 1974 - WWF TV in Los Angeles: Andre The Giant beat Great Goliath & Black Gordman in a handicap match..

  • 1976: Andre The Giant was perfectly cast as "Bigfoot" for two highly rated episodes of "The Six Million Dollar Man"..

  • June 25, 1976 - AWA Chicago Stadium: Andre the Giant defeated Chuck Wepner by CO in a "Boxer vs Wrestler" Match..

  • Andre The Giant teamed with Dusty Rhodes to win the NWA United States (Tri-State) Tag Team Titles..

  • The site of the very first Hulk Hogan vs Andre the Giant match was the old Houston Farm Center in Dothan, AL..

  • February 15, 1981: Andre The Giant & Dusty Rhodes also won the Florida Tag Team Titles..

  • 1981: Andre The Giant had his ankle broken by Killer Kahn (not legitimate) during a match..
  • The injury was an excuse for Andre to disappear and have needed surgury..

    World Wrestling Federation

  • Andre The Giant landed a starring role in the very successful film "The Princess Bride" as the gentle giant character Fezzik..

  • Andre The Giant was the first wrestler ever to be featured on the cover of Sports Illustrated magazine..

  • March 31, 1985--WrestleMania 1: Andre The Giant defeated Big John Stuff w/Bobby Heenan in a Body Slam Challenge..

  • October 5, 1985--SNME: King Kong Bundy & Big John Studd defeated Andre the Giant & Tony Atlas by DQ..

  • November 2, 1985--SNME: Hulk Hogan & Andre the Giant defeated King Kong Bundy & Big John Studd by DQ..

  • April 5, 1986 - WrestleMania 2: Andre The Giant won a 20-Man Invitational Battle Royal which included NFL players..

    World Wrestling Federation - The Machines
  • 1986: Andre was "suspended" by "President Jack Tunney" for no-showing matches against the Heenan Family (storyline)..

  • This was all just an excuse to take Andre off of Television to undergo surgury to repair his injured back..

  • Andre had surgery to releive pressure on his spine and was thereafter forced to wear a back brace when he wrestled.

  • 1986: Andre returned to the WWF, under a mask, with a paid of partners, in a team known as The Machines..

  • Giant, Big & Super Machine were billed from the Orient and came to the USA to become the #1 Tag Team in the World!

  • Bobby Heenan and his Heenan Family went on a mission to expose the "Giant Machine" as Andre The Giant..

  • August 28, 1986--The Big Event: Bundy & Studd & Heenan beat Lou Albano & The Machines w/Giant Machine by DQ..

  • The Machines were never exposed, and they turned into a comedy act, and eventually faded away from TV..

    World Wrestling Federation - Heel

  • 1987: Andre the Giant returned again to the WWF, and ended up joining Bobby Heenan, and challenged Hulk Hogan for WM3!

  • Wrestlemania III: Hulk Hogan defeated Andre The Giant in front of the largest card ever held in the United States..

  • Andre the Giant reportedly drank fourteen bottles of wine before his match with Hulk Hogan at Wrestlemania III..

  • Febuary 5, 1988--SNME: Andre defeated Hulk Hogan after one of two twin referees made an illegal count on the Hulk..

  • Andre The Giant then "sold" the WWF World championship belt to "The Million Dollar Man" Ted Dibiase..

    World Wrestling Federation - The Collosal Connection

  • 1989: Andre began teaming with Haku as the Collossal Connection managed by Bobby "The Brain" Heenan..

  • The Collosal Connection defeated Demolition to win the WWF Tag Team titles..

  • Wrestlemania VI: Demolition (Ax & Smash) defeated Andre The Giant & Haku to win back the WWF Tag Team titles..

  • After the match, Andre The Giant split from Haku & Bobby "The Brain" Heenan..

  • April 13, 1990 - WWF/AJPW Wrestling Summit: Giant Baba & Andre the Giant defeated Demolition (Ax & Smash)..

  • Various managers including Johnny V, Mr. Fuji, Bobby Heenan, and Jimmy Hart attemped to sign Andre to a contract..

  • Jimmy Hart came the closes but Andre publically refused to join his group and was then attacked by Earthquake!

    Andre The Legend

  • 1992: Andre The Giant had undergone extensive knee surgery and became increasingly overweight and immobile..

  • December 1992: Andre The Giant continued to wrestle, however, appearing for the last time on a card in Japan..

  • Andre's last public (wrestling show) appearance was at the celebration for 20 years of NWA/WCW wrestling on TBS..

    The Death of the Giant
  • January 27, 1993: Andre Rene Roussimoff (Andre The Giant) died of a heart attack in a hotel room in Paris..

  • Andre The Giant (age 46) was in town attending the funeral of his father just two weeks before his own death..

    Some Stuff You May Not Know

  • Washington Redskins head coach George Allen once offered Andre the Giant a contract to play professional football..

  • Andre The Giant was often considered the "Uncrowned World Champion" of professional wrestling..

  • Andre The Giant was known consuming 119 bottles of beer in one legendary sitting!

  • Andre The Giant was probably the most recognizable figure in wrestling history..

  • Andre The Giant was probably six feet eleven inches tall, though he was advertised as seven feet four inches..

  • Andre The Giant weighed close to five hundred pounds and was famous for his immense capacity for alcohol & food..

  • Andre The Giant was once estimated that he consumed 7,000 calories a day in alcohol alone..
  • Andre The Giant, who never married, lived most of the year on a 200-acre ranch in Ellerbe, North Carolina..

 

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