André Roussimoff
Biography
André René Roussimoff, known worldwide as André the Giant, was a French professional wrestler and actor who gained international fame due to his extraordinary size, the result of a medical condition known as acromegaly (gigantism). Born on May 19, 1946, in Coulommiers, France, he was nicknamed “The Eighth Wonder of the World” and became one of the most iconic figures in professional wrestling during the 1970s and 1980s. Roussimoff began his wrestling career in 1966 in France under the name Jean Ferré, and his size quickly drew the attention of international promoters. In 1971, he moved to North America, where he was promoted by Vincent J. McMahon, founder of the World Wide Wrestling Federation (WWWF), as a global attraction. Renamed André the Giant, he remained one of the most popular wrestlers in the world for over a decade, known for his imposing presence and gentle demeanor. Throughout his career, André wrestled in various territories and promotions worldwide, including Japan, Canada, Europe, Australia, and the United States. He was a central figure in the wrestling boom of the 1980s, starring in one of the most iconic rivalries in sports entertainment history: his feud with Hulk Hogan, which culminated at the historic WrestleMania III (1987) before more than 93,000 fans. In that match, Hogan famously body-slammed André in what became known as the body slam heard around the world, a defining moment in WWF history. In 1988, André briefly won the WWF World Championship, only to immediately “sell” the title to Ted DiBiase in a storyline that led to the championship being declared vacant. In the following years, his health declined due to complications from acromegaly, though he remained active in the ring, particularly in Japan and Mexico with promotions such as All Japan Pro Wrestling and UWA. Parallel to wrestling, André pursued an acting career. His most beloved role was Fezzik in the film The Princess Bride (1987), a character he cherished and which cemented his status as a beloved figure outside the ring. He also appeared in other productions, such as Conan the Destroyer, The Six Million Dollar Man, and The Fall Guy, among others. In his personal life, André was known for his generosity, reserved personality, and legendary drinking feats—stories of which became part of wrestling folklore. He had a daughter, Robin Christensen, and spent his final years on a ranch in North Carolina. He passed away on January 28, 1993, in a Paris hotel due to heart failure, shortly after attending his father's funeral. His legacy endures as one of the most recognized and beloved figures in wrestling history. He was the first-ever inductee into the WWF Hall of Fame in 1993 and has been honored through documentaries, books, films, video games, and the creation of the André the Giant Memorial Battle Royal, an annual WWE event. He also inspired the visual artist Shepard Fairey, creator of the iconic “Obey” street art campaign. André the Giant was not just a wrestling legend but also a symbol of resilience, spectacle, and humanity in an industry defined by drama and exaggeration. His story is that of a man whose physical greatness was matched by a remarkable human spirit.
Known For(130 works)
The Six Million Dollar Man
1974The Six Million Dollar Man
1974
WWE Saturday Night's Main Event
1985WWE Saturday Night's Main Event
1985
WWE Saturday Night's Main Event
1985WWE Saturday Night's Main Event
1985
WWF Wrestling Challenge
1986WWF Wrestling Challenge
1986
WWF Wrestling Challenge
1986WWF Wrestling Challenge
1986
WWF Wrestling Challenge
1986WWF Wrestling Challenge
1986
WWF Superstars
1986WWF Superstars
1986
WWF Superstars
1986WWF Superstars
1986
World Class Championship Wrestling
1982World Class Championship Wrestling
1982
WWE Pay Per View
1985WWE Pay Per View
1985
The Princess Bride
1987The Princess Bride
1987
Mid-South Wrestling
1981Mid-South Wrestling
1981
Mid-South Wrestling
1981Mid-South Wrestling
1981
WWE Rivals
2022WWE Rivals
2022
Biography: WWE Legends
2021Biography: WWE Legends
2021
The Best of WWE
2020The Best of WWE
2020
WWE Old School
1973WWE Old School
1973
WWF All-Star Wrestling
1975WWF All-Star Wrestling
1975
Clash of the Champions
1988Clash of the Champions
1988
WWE's Most Wanted Treasures
2021WWE's Most Wanted Treasures
2021
Mr. McMahon
2024Mr. McMahon
2024
Mr. McMahon
2024Mr. McMahon
2024
WWF Prime Time Wrestling
1985WWF Prime Time Wrestling
1985
Tuesday Night Titans
1984Tuesday Night Titans
1984
Conan the Destroyer
1984Conan the Destroyer
1984
WWF Championship Wrestling
1980WWF Championship Wrestling
1980
WWF Championship Wrestling
1980WWF Championship Wrestling
1980
WWF Championship Wrestling
1980WWF Championship Wrestling
1980
WWE: Hulk Hogan: The Ultimate Anthology
2006WWE: Hulk Hogan: The Ultimate Anthology
2006
Micki & Maude
1984Micki & Maude
1984
WWE: Top 50 Superstars of All Time
2010WWE: Top 50 Superstars of All Time
2010
WrestleMania II
1986WrestleMania II
1986
You Cannot Kill David Arquette
2020You Cannot Kill David Arquette
2020
Andre the Giant
2018Andre the Giant
2018
WWE SummerSlam 1991
1991WWE SummerSlam 1991
1991
WWE: The Best of Saturday Night's Main Event
2009WWE: The Best of Saturday Night's Main Event
2009
Trading Mom
1994Trading Mom
1994
WWE WrestleMania III
1987WWE WrestleMania III
1987
WWE WrestleMania V
1989WWE WrestleMania V
1989
WWE The Main Event
1988WWE The Main Event
1988
The History of WWE: 50 Years of Sports Entertainment
2013The History of WWE: 50 Years of Sports Entertainment
2013
WWE: Best of WWE at Madison Square Garden
2013WWE: Best of WWE at Madison Square Garden
2013
The Greatest Wrestling Stars of the '80s
2005The Greatest Wrestling Stars of the '80s
2005
WrestleMania
1985WrestleMania
1985
WWE WrestleMania VII
1991WWE WrestleMania VII
1991
WWE WrestleMania VI
1990WWE WrestleMania VI
1990
The Real Rocky
2011The Real Rocky
2011
WWE Survivor Series 1989
1989WWE Survivor Series 1989
1989
WWE Survivor Series 1988
1988WWE Survivor Series 1988
1988
WWE: The History Of The WWE Championship
2006WWE: The History Of The WWE Championship
2006
WWE SummerSlam 1989
1989WWE SummerSlam 1989
1989
Macho Madness - The Randy Savage Ultimate Collection
2009Macho Madness - The Randy Savage Ultimate Collection
2009
Legends of Mid-South Wrestling
2013Legends of Mid-South Wrestling
2013
Randy Savage Unreleased: The Unseen Matches of The Macho Man
2018Randy Savage Unreleased: The Unseen Matches of The Macho Man
2018
WWE Royal Rumble 1990
1990WWE Royal Rumble 1990
1990
WWE Survivor Series 1987
1987WWE Survivor Series 1987
1987
The Life and Times of Captain Lou Albano
1986The Life and Times of Captain Lou Albano
1986
WWE Royal Rumble 1988
1988WWE Royal Rumble 1988
1988
WWE Royal Rumble 1989
1989WWE Royal Rumble 1989
1989
WWE WrestleMania IV
1988WWE WrestleMania IV
1988
The Best of the WWF: volume 5
1986The Best of the WWF: volume 5
1986
WWE: Hulk Hogan's Unreleased Collector's Series
2009WWE: Hulk Hogan's Unreleased Collector's Series
2009
Hollywood Hulk Hogan: Hulk Still Rules
2002Hollywood Hulk Hogan: Hulk Still Rules
2002
WWE Unreleased: 1986-1995
2017WWE Unreleased: 1986-1995
2017
The History Of WrestleMania
1994The History Of WrestleMania
1994
Warrior's Greatest Matches
2014Warrior's Greatest Matches
2014
WWE Battle Royal at the Albert Hall
1991WWE Battle Royal at the Albert Hall
1991
Rowdy Roddy Piper's Greatest Hits
1985Rowdy Roddy Piper's Greatest Hits
1985
WWE: Wrestlemania Recall
2005WWE: Wrestlemania Recall
2005
Villains of the Squared Circle
1986Villains of the Squared Circle
1986
Bret Hart: The Dungeon Collection
2013Bret Hart: The Dungeon Collection
2013
The Best of the WWF: volume 20
1989The Best of the WWF: volume 20
1989
Andre the Giant
1985Andre the Giant
1985
WWE SummerSlam 1988
1988WWE SummerSlam 1988
1988
WWF/AJPW/NJPW Wrestling Summit
1990WWF/AJPW/NJPW Wrestling Summit
1990
WWE World Tour 1991
1991WWE World Tour 1991
1991
The Best of the WWF: volume 4
1985The Best of the WWF: volume 4
1985
Born to Controversy: The Roddy Piper Story
2006Born to Controversy: The Roddy Piper Story
2006
Giants, Midgets, Heroes and Villains II
2008Giants, Midgets, Heroes and Villains II
2008
Wrestling's Most Embarrassing Moments
1987Wrestling's Most Embarrassing Moments
1987
Wrestling's Bloopers, Bleeps, & Bodyslams
1985Wrestling's Bloopers, Bleeps, & Bodyslams
1985
WCW Clash of The Champions XX: 20th Anniversary
1992WCW Clash of The Champions XX: 20th Anniversary
1992
Best of the WWF Volume 1
1985Best of the WWF Volume 1
1985
Wrestling's Greatest Champions
1991Wrestling's Greatest Champions
1991
Hulkamania 4
1989Hulkamania 4
1989
WWE WrestleFest
1988WWE WrestleFest
1988
WWE World Tour 1992
1992WWE World Tour 1992
1992
Casse-tête chinois pour le judoka
1967Casse-tête chinois pour le judoka
1967
Hulkamania 3
1988Hulkamania 3
1988
WWF Hulkamania 2
1987WWF Hulkamania 2
1987
Andre the Giant: Larger than Life
1999Andre the Giant: Larger than Life
1999
WWF Summer Flashback!
1997WWF Summer Flashback!
1997
The Wrestling Queen
1973The Wrestling Queen
1973
Mid-South Wrestling Giants, Midgets, Heroes & Villains vol. 1
2007Mid-South Wrestling Giants, Midgets, Heroes & Villains vol. 1
2007
Most Unusual Matches
1985Most Unusual Matches
1985
WWE The Main Event
1988WWE The Main Event
1988
WWE The Ultimate Challenge Special: The March to WrestleMania VI
1990WWE The Ultimate Challenge Special: The March to WrestleMania VI
1990
More Saturday Night's Main Event
1989More Saturday Night's Main Event
1989
The Best of the WWF: volume 12
1987The Best of the WWF: volume 12
1987
WWE: The Top 25 Rivalries in Wrestling History
2013WWE: The Top 25 Rivalries in Wrestling History
2013
The Best of the WWF: volume 16 Around the World
1988The Best of the WWF: volume 16 Around the World
1988
Wrestling's Biggest, Smallest, Strangest, Strongest!
1985Wrestling's Biggest, Smallest, Strangest, Strongest!
1985
I Like To Hurt People
1985I Like To Hurt People
1985
The Best of the WWF: volume 9
1986The Best of the WWF: volume 9
1986
WWE The Big Event
1986WWE The Big Event
1986
The Ultimate Warrior
1990The Ultimate Warrior
1990
The WWF's Amazing Managers
1985The WWF's Amazing Managers
1985
The Claw
2021The Claw
2021
Best of the WWF Volume 2
1985Best of the WWF Volume 2
1985
NWA The Last Tangle in Tampa
1980NWA The Last Tangle in Tampa
1980
The Best of the WWF: volume 19
1989The Best of the WWF: volume 19
1989
WWE Superstars & Stripes Forever: The March to WrestleMania VII
1991WWE Superstars & Stripes Forever: The March to WrestleMania VII
1991
WWE: Andre The Giant
2005WWE: Andre The Giant
2005
The Life And Times of Paul Boesch
1994The Life And Times of Paul Boesch
1994
Inside the Steel Cage
1986Inside the Steel Cage
1986
The Best of the WWF: volume 10
1987The Best of the WWF: volume 10
1987
WWE U.K. Rampage 1991
1991WWE U.K. Rampage 1991
1991
The Best of the WWF: volume 14
1987The Best of the WWF: volume 14
1987
The Hulkster Hulk Hogan
1985The Hulkster Hulk Hogan
1985
Hulk Hogan: Real American
1989Hulk Hogan: Real American
1989
Macho Madness
1988Macho Madness
1988
The Best of the WWF: volume 17
1988The Best of the WWF: volume 17
1988
Best of The British Bulldog
1993Best of The British Bulldog
1993
WWF: Best of Wrestlemania I-XIV
1998WWF: Best of Wrestlemania I-XIV
1998
WWE: True Giants
2014WWE: True Giants
2014
WWE: Legends of Wrestling - Andre the Giant and Iron Sheik
2010WWE: Legends of Wrestling - Andre the Giant and Iron Sheik
2010
Fan Favorites
1989Fan Favorites
1989
Best of the WWF Volume 3
1985Best of the WWF Volume 3
1985
Giants: Friends or Foe
2003Giants: Friends or Foe
2003
WWF: Best of Hulkamania
1992WWF: Best of Hulkamania
1992