André the Giant
French wrestler and actor known for his immense size.
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André René Roussimoff (19 May 1946 – 28 January 1993), better known as André the Giant, was a French professional wrestler and actor. His immense size, which earned him the nickname "the Eighth Wonder of the World," came from gigantism brought on by an excess of human growth hormone. He became a globally recognized figure in both wrestling and popular culture.
Roussimoff was born in Coulommiers, France, to Bulgarian and Polish immigrant parents. He was the second of five children, raised Catholic, and went by the childhood nickname Dédé. He weighed 13 pounds at birth and showed signs of gigantism early on, standing a head taller than other children with unusually long hands. By age 12, he was 6 feet 3 inches tall.
His mother was 5'1", his father 6'3", and his paternal grandfather's height is not reliably documented. A decent student who excelled at math, Roussimoff left school at 14—the legal age in France—to work on his father's farm. He later did an apprenticeship in woodworking and worked in a factory building hay baler engines, but found none of it fulfilling.
Lore & Background
André René Roussimoff was born on 19 May 1946 in Coulommiers, Seine-et-Marne, to Bulgarian and Polish immigrants. At birth he weighed 13 lb (6 kg) and displayed symptoms of gigantism as a child. By age 12 he stood 191 cm (6 ft 3 in). He left school at 14, worked on his father's farm, and later trained in woodworking and factory work before moving to Paris at 18 to learn professional wrestling.
He began his career in 1964, wrestling in France, and made his TV debut in 1966. He first toured North America in 1971, with permanent relocation occurring around 1973. From 1973 to the mid-1980s he was booked by WWWF promoter Vincent J. McMahon as a roving special attraction, wrestling across the United States and in Japan. During the 1980s wrestling boom, he became a mainstay of the WWF, feuding with Hulk Hogan.
Reader's Guide
André the Giant's significance lies in his unprecedented size and global appeal, which made him a central figure in professional wrestling's expansion into mainstream pop culture. His undefeated streak in the WWF, though broken at WrestleMania III, was a key narrative device. His sole major world heavyweight championship win in 1988 marked a career highlight.
Outside wrestling, his role as Fezzik in The Princess Bride (1987) cemented his status as a pop culture icon. After his death, he became the inaugural inductee into the WWF Hall of Fame, and his WrestleMania III match was later inducted into the Immortal Moments category in 2026. He was also a charter member of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter Hall of Fame and the Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame, which described him as 'one of the most recognizable figures in the world both as a professional wrestler and as a pop culture icon.' His legacy endures as a symbol of wrestling's global reach and the enduring appeal of larger-than-life characters.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is André the Giant?
André René Roussimoff was a French professional wrestler and actor whose extraordinary physical stature made him a worldwide cultural icon. Born in 1946 in Coulommiers, France, he was widely called 'the Eighth Wonder of the World' and became a household name across both sports entertainment and film.
What caused André the Giant's gigantism?
His condition stemmed from an overproduction of human growth hormone, which drove his body to grow far beyond normal proportions. He weighed 13 pounds at birth and displayed early signs of the condition throughout childhood.
What were André the Giant's major wrestling accomplishments?
He captured the WWF World Heavyweight Championship, cementing his status as one of the most recognizable names in professional wrestling. His sheer size made him a natural main-event attraction and a global draw in the ring.
What was André the Giant's most famous acting role?
He portrayed Fezzik, the lovable giant swordsman, in the 1987 film The Princess Bride. That performance introduced him to a far broader audience and remains one of the most beloved roles in popular culture.
How did André the Giant's life end?
He died on 28 January 1993 at the age of 46. His passing left a lasting imprint on both the wrestling world and the film industry, where he is still remembered fondly by fans worldwide.
More in People with gigantism
Sources
Compiled from Wikipedia and the sources listed below. Text from Wikipedia is available under CC BY-SA 4.0; this entry is adapted from it.
- Wikipedia: André the Giant (CC BY-SA 4.0).
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