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André René Roussimoff, known professionally as André the Giant, was a French professional wrestler and actor. Dubbed "the Eighth Wonder of the World", Roussimoff was known for his great size, which was a result of gigantism caused by excess human growth hormone.
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entertainment · French wrestler and actor (1946–1993) · professional wrestler · film actor · amateur wrestler · television actor · also André the Giant, Andre the Giant, André René Roussimoff, Andre René Roussimoff, André Roussimoff, Andre Roussimoff
Born 19 May 1946 · Died 28 January 1993 · Q44368
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s house at that time, and probably didn
77%CBS SportsSource
“Shakiel Mahjouri 4 min read Former WWE, UFC champion Brock Lesnar retires Shakiel Mahjouri 2 min read Ronda Rousey reveals WWE journey Brian Campbell 9 min read New champs at NXT TakeOver: New Orleans Brian Campbell 6 min read The Rock opens up about depression Pete Blackburn 2 min read Raw recap: Go-home”
“s house at that time, and probably didn”
“If this is the size that God wanted me to be, I”
“s close friend Jackie McAuley.”
“t remember because he passed out. He also said he quit drinking beer 14 months prior to this appearance on Letterman. On an episode of WWE”
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AOL.com: 39 Years Since Hogan's Iconic Body Slam of Andre the Giant at WrestleMania 3
Sacnilk: Chuck Zito Claims His Friend Nearly Stabbed Andre the Giant After WrestleMania 1
Ringside News: Andre the Giant Was Nearly Stabbed in the Eye During Heated Encounter
WWE: Andre the Giant Memorial Battle Royal returns
Entertainment.ie: Robin Wright admits that ran away from Andre The Giant when she first met him on The Princess Bride
Fightful: Mark Henry: I Think Oba Femi’s On The Trajectory Of Becoming A Great Like Brock Lesnar, Ric Flair Or Even An Andre The Giant
411MANIA: Mark Henry Says Oba Femi Is On Track To Become A Great Like Brock Lesnar, Ric Flair And Andre The Giant
Yahoo Sports: Oba Femi Can Reach Brock Lesnar, Ric Flair & Even André the Giant: WWE Hall of Famer
Christensen appeared alongside Nick Hogan at the WWE Hall of Fame, when their respective fathers WrestleMania III match was inducted as an Immortal Moment
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Snopes.com rated the claim “Wrestler Andre the Giant once said, “I hate Hulk Hogan very much. He is a big ugly goon and I want to squash his face.”” Research in Progress (retired).
Shown as reported and rated by a fact checker, not as an established fact.
Snopes rated the claim “A photograph authentically showed actor Arnold Schwarzenegger standing between Wilt Chamberlain and André the Giant.” True.
Shown as reported and rated by a fact checker, not as an established fact.
Snopes.com rated the claim “A photograph shows musician Kurt Cobain with wrestler Andre the Giant.” False.
Shown as reported and rated by a fact checker, not as an established fact.
Snopes rated the claim “A photograph shows wrestler André the Giant portraying Bigfoot on the show "Six Million Dollar Man" in 1976.” True.
Shown as reported and rated by a fact checker, not as an established fact.
Snopes.com rated the claim “Samuel Beckett used to drive a teenaged André the Giant to school when they lived in a small French village.” Mixture.
Shown as reported and rated by a fact checker, not as an established fact.
Yahoo: ‘André the Giant’ Trailer: The Gentle Giant ‘Knew He Wasn’t Gonna Live Long’ — Watch
Snopes.com rated the claim “A photograph shows André the Giant holding a 12-oz. can of beer.” True.
Shown as reported and rated by a fact checker, not as an established fact.
Showtime released Waiting for Andre, a semi-fictional movie about the friendship between playwright Samuel Beckett and Roussimoff during the time Beckett lived in Ussy-sur-Marne, outside of Paris
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In a 2016 interview Eadie revealed that Roussimoff was the godfather of his two daughters.
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Her mother Jean Christensen (who died in 2008) became acquainted with Roussimoff through the wrestling business around 1972 or 1973.
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Was the subject of an episode of A&E Biography, titled André the Giant: Larger Than Life
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Biography produced and aired a documentary called Andre The Giant: Larger Than Life
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Died 1993-01-28.
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Roussimoff became the inaugural inductee into the newly created WWF Hall of Fame
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When the then-World Wrestling Federation created the WWF Hall of Fame, André the Giant was the inaugural and sole inductee in the class of 1993
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In a selection of six-man tag matches alongside Bam Bam Bigelow and a variety of Lucha Libre stars facing among others Bad News Allen and future WWF Champion Yokozuna
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Feuding with Big John Studd, though he never had a match in the promotion
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At a house show in New Orleans, Louisiana
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Roussimoff wrestled primarily for All Japan Pro-Wrestling, usually alongside Giant Baba, until his sudden death
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Roussimoff was arrested and charged with assault after he attacked a KCRG-TV cameraman shooting his match with Ultimate Warrior at Cedar Rapids, Iowa's Five Seasons Center
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Roussimoff and the returning Big John Studd briefly reprised their feud, beginning at WrestleMania V, when Studd was the referee in the match with Roberts, this time with Studd as a face and Roussimoff as the heel
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Hogan was presented a trophy for being the WWF World Heavyweight Champion for three years; Roussimoff came out to congratulate him, shaking Hogan's hand with a strong grip, which surprised the Hulkster
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An urban legend exists surrounding Roussimoff's 1987 surgery in which his size made it impossible for the anesthesiologist to estimate a dosage via standard methods; consequently, his alcohol tolerance was used as a guideline instead.
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And in 1988, he defeated Hogan to win the WWF World Heavyweight Championship, his sole major world heavyweight championship, on the first episode of The Main Event
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With commentary by Michael Cole and Tazz replacing Gorilla Monsoon and Jesse Ventura's commentary on his WrestleMania match with Big John Studd
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Studd took the feud to a new level when he and partner Ken Patera knocked out Roussimoff during a televised tag-team match and proceeded to cut off his hair
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Although he still allowed him to work in Japan for New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW)
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And Canek in Mexico in 1984 and submission losses in Japan to Strong Kobayashi in 1972 and Antonio Inoki in 1986
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And 1983 with their roles reversed and with Antonio Inoki also involved
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Andre would also live at this ranch with both his close friend Frenchy Bernard and Bernard's then-wife Jackie
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Feuded with Hulk Hogan, when, unlike their more famous matches in the late 1980s, Hogan was the villain and Roussimoff was the hero, wrestling him at Shea Stadium's third Showdown at Shea event and in Pennsylvania, wh
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At the second Showdown at Shea, Roussimoff fought professional boxer Chuck Wepner in an unscripted boxer-versus-wrestler fight
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On the television series The Six Million Dollar Man
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And a count out to Lawler in Louisville in 1977, draw with Bobo Brazil at a battle royal in Detroit in 1976, Ronnie Garvin in Knoxville in 1978, Stan Hansen by disqualification in Japan in 1981, Kamala by countout in Tor
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And wrestled numerous times in 1971 for Verne Gagne's American Wrestling Association (AWA) as a special attraction
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Where he became an immediate success, regularly selling out the Montreal Forum
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Pinfall losses to Don Leo Jonathan in Montreal in 1972, Killer Kowalski in Quebec City in 1972 two draws and a countout loss to The Sheik in Toronto in 1974 after a fireball was thrown in Andre's face, knockout to Jerry
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Defeated Franz van Buyten for the FFCP World Heavyweight Championship In 1969 he appeared on the United Kingdom's World of Sport program's regular wrestling slot and defeated Jim Hussey, father of Mark Rocco
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Years later to become his business manager and adviser
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Roussimoff relocated to North America in 1971
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Born 1946-05-19.
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