Andre The Giant is one of the most well-known and beloved wrestlers in the history of professional wrestling. He was at the center of some of the most iconic moments the industry has ever seen. He was also beloved by almost everyone he crossed paths with.
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Andre The Giant is one of the most legendary WWE wrestlers. Plenty of wrestlers were loved by the legend, while he also hated a lot of his co-workers.
Without him, professional wrestling and WWE would not be what it is today. Even though he was plagued by health issues that greatly hindered his performances in the latter part of his career, that doesn't take away from his untouchable legacy. In the land of giants, he was The Giant, and is still the measuring stick for every big man who hopes to capture the attention of fans and casual viewers alike. Decades after his untimely passing, there's a lot that fans will want to know about him.
Andre The Giant Died In His Mid-40s
His Health Complications Were Likely Because Of Untreated Acromegaly
- Andre's gigantism caused health issues
- He died of congestive heart failure
Andre The Giant's massive frame was a direct result of his untreated acromegaly, better known as gigantism. Unfortunately, the very thing that made him so special came with its own set of problems.
He died of congestive heart failure as a result of a heart attack he suffered in his sleep. Andre died on January 28, 1993, at the age of 46.
He Was Billed "The Eighth Wonder Of The World"
Andre The Giant Was One Of The Biggest Men The World Had Ever Seen
- Andre was 7'4'' and weighed 520 pounds
- He was a special attraction in WWE
Seeing Andre The Giant live was a once-in-a-lifetime spectacle purely because of how large he was. The wrestler was a mammoth 7'4'' and weighed 520 pounds.
Most people had never seen such a larger-than-life figure, which allowed WWE to capitalize on his presence as a special attraction.
Andre Was Of French Descent
He Relocated In The Early 1970s
- He spent most of his youth in France
- Andre relocated to North America in 1971
Andre The Giant's real name was Andre Rene Roussimoff and he spent most of his youth in his home country of France. A few years after he became a professional wrestler, he made the decision to relocate to North America in 1971.
For roughly a decade after that, Andre wrestled with World Wide Wrestling Federation run by Vince McMahon Sr., in addition to touring Japan and working matches in NJPW. He was incredibly agile at this time, relatively speaking, and was a proficient mat worker and capable of hitting dropkicks.
Andre Began Wrestling Training As A Teenager
He Was Trained By A Local Promoter
- Andre began wrestling training at the age of 18
- He was trained by Robert Lageat and Michel Saulnier
Andre began his professional wrestling training in 1964 when he was just 18 years old. The wrestler, born on 19 May 1946, was initially trained by a local French promoter named Robert Lageat. Lageat clearly saw the massive potential Andre had, both as a special attraction and a performer.
It must be mentioned that there are records suggesting Andre was also trained by someone named Michel Saulnier. Andre would train at night while working as a mover in the daytime to pay the bills until his career took off.
His Drinking Prowess Was Legendary
No One Could Put As Much Beer Away As Andre
- Andre was well-known for his ability to put away massive amounts of alcohol
- He admitted to drinking 117 liters of beer in one night
There are multiple stories about the sheer amount of beer Andre The Giant could put away in one sitting. In a 1984 appearance on Late Night With David Letterman, he admitted to once drinking 117 liters of beer in one night.
Other wrestlers have also spoken about Andre's drinking in the past, and unfortunately, it likely contributed to the numerous health issues he would face later in life.
Andre Only Had One Child
He Bequeathed His Estate To Her After He Passed Away
- He never married, but had a daughter named Robin
- She was born in 1979
Andre The Giant never married, but there were a lot of rumors that he was quite the ladies' man back in the day. But he did have one daughter, Robin Christensen Roussimoff, who was born in 1979 when Andre was in his mid-30s.
His entire estate was given to her as mentioned earlier, and she maintains a professional relationship with WWE to collect royalties in exchange for the promotion using her father's likeness.
He Was The Inaugural Inductee Into The WWE Hall Of Fame
The First Class Was Inducted In 1993
- Andre was the sole inductee in the class of 1993
- He was the first-ever wrestler to be inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame
Every year, WWE inducts a handful of influential, important wrestlers and personalities into its Hall of Fame. It is pretty much a staple at this point.
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The first-ever class was inducted in 1993. But it wasn't actually a class. The only inductee that year was Andre The Giant, the Eighth Wonder of the World.
He Appeared In Multiple Movies And TV Shows
His Most Popular Role Was In The Princess Bride
- Andre had a decent filmography featuring movie and TV appearances
- His best role was in 'The Princess Bride,' in which he played Fezzik
Andre The Giant's appeal exceeded far beyond the squared circle, and the man leveraged it into an acting career. He appeared in a handful of movies and TV shows between 1967 and 1994. The 1994 film titled 'Trading Mom' featured Andre and was released posthumously.
His greatest role was undoubtedly playing Fezzik in the 1987 classic 'The Princess Bride.' His performance garnered great acclaim and is still fondly remembered by fans of the film and professional wrestling.
Andre Was In The 1974 Guinness Book Of World Records
He Was The Highest Paid Wrestler Ever At The Time
- Andre was immensely valuable to WWE
- He made $400,000 a year, which would be about $2.5 million today
In a word, Andre The Giant was money. People flocked from all around the world to get a look at him. Vince McMahon recognized how valuable the giant was to WWE and compensated him accordingly.
He earned $400,000 a year in the early 70s, which would roughly equate to about $2.5 million today.
He Had A Kayfabe Son
Only One Other Wrestler Came Close To Andre's Frame
- The Giant, better known as Big Show was introduced as Andre's son
- Big Show also suffered from acromegaly but got surgery in the 1990s
In addition to a real-life daughter, Andre The Giant had a kayfabe son. Wrestling fans today know him as Big Show. When he first debuted in WCW as The Giant, he was billed as Andre's son.
Big Show also suffered from acromegaly, but unlike Andre, he got surgery on his pituitary gland in the 1990s to stop his uncontrolled growth.
