André Roussimoff
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.
Filmography (140 Appearances)
Hulk Hogan: Real American
Mr. McMahon
WWE Rivals
The Claw
Biography: WWE Legends
WWE's Most Wanted Treasures
You Cannot Kill David Arquette
The Best of WWE
Randy Savage Unreleased: The Unseen Matches of The Macho Man
Andre the Giant
WWE Unreleased: 1986-1995
WWE Tribute to the Troops 2014
WWE: True Giants
Warrior's Greatest Matches
WWE: 150 Best Pay-Per-View Matches, Vol 1
The History of WWE: 50 Years of Sports Entertainment
Legends of Mid-South Wrestling
WWE: Best of WWE at Madison Square Garden
WWE: The Top 25 Rivalries in Wrestling History
Bret Hart: The Dungeon Collection
The Real Rocky
WWE: Top 50 Superstars of All Time
WWE: Legends of Wrestling - Andre the Giant and Iron Sheik
WWE: Hulk Hogan's Unreleased Collector's Series
Macho Madness - The Randy Savage Ultimate Collection
WWE: The Best of Saturday Night's Main Event
Giants, Midgets, Heroes and Villains II
Mid-South Wrestling Giants, Midgets, Heroes & Villains vol. 1
Born to Controversy: The Roddy Piper Story
WWE: Hulk Hogan: The Ultimate Anthology
WWE: The History Of The WWE Championship
The Greatest Wrestling Stars of the '80s
WWE: Wrestlemania Recall
WWE: Andre The Giant
Giants: Friends or Foe
Hollywood Hulk Hogan: Hulk Still Rules
Andre the Giant: Larger than Life
WWF: Best of Wrestlemania I-XIV
WWF Summer Flashback!
The Life And Times of Paul Boesch
Trading Mom
The History Of WrestleMania
Best of The British Bulldog
AJPW October Giant Series 1992 - Day 17
WCW Clash of The Champions XX: 20th Anniversary
WWE World Tour 1992
WWF: Best of Hulkamania
WWE March to WrestleMania VIII
WWE Battle Royal at the Albert Hall
WWE SummerSlam 1991
WWE World Tour 1991
Wrestling's Greatest Champions
WWE U.K. Rampage 1991
WWE WrestleMania VII
WWE Superstars & Stripes Forever: The March to WrestleMania VII
The Ultimate Warrior
WWF/AJPW/NJPW Wrestling Summit
WWE WrestleMania VI
WWE The Ultimate Challenge Special: The March to WrestleMania VI
WWE Royal Rumble 1990
WWE Survivor Series 1989
Hulkamania 4
WWE SummerSlam 1989
The Best of the WWF: volume 20
Fan Favorites
The Best of the WWF: volume 19
More Saturday Night's Main Event
WWE WrestleMania V
WWE Los Angeles Wrestling: January '89
WWE Royal Rumble 1989
Hulk Hogan: Real American
WWE Survivor Series 1988
The Best of the WWF: volume 17
Macho Madness
WWE U.K. Rampage 1988
WWE SummerSlam 1988
Hulkamania 3
WWE Los Angeles Wrestling: August '88
WWE WrestleFest
The Best of the WWF: volume 16 Around the World
WWE Los Angeles Wrestling: July '88
WWE Maple Leaf Wrestling: April '88
Clash of the Champions
WWE WrestleMania IV
WWE The Main Event
WWE The Main Event
WWE Royal Rumble 1988
Wrestling's Most Embarrassing Moments
The Best of the WWF: volume 14
WWE Survivor Series 1987
The Princess Bride
The Best of the WWF: volume 12
WWF Hulkamania 2
WWE WrestleMania III
The Best of the WWF: volume 10
Inside the Steel Cage
The Best of the WWF: volume 9
WWF Wrestling Challenge
WWE The Big Event
Villains of the Squared Circle
WrestleMania II
WWE Maple Leaf Wrestling: March '86
The Life and Times of Captain Lou Albano
The Best of the WWF: volume 5
The WWF's Amazing Managers
WWE Maple Leaf Wrestling: November '85
Rowdy Roddy Piper's Greatest Hits
The Best of the WWF: volume 4
Andre the Giant
I Like To Hurt People
Saturday Night's Main Event
WWE Pay Per View
WrestleMania
Best of the WWF Volume 3
WWF Prime Time Wrestling
Wrestling's Bloopers, Bleeps, & Bodyslams
Most Unusual Matches
The Hulkster Hulk Hogan
Best of the WWF Volume 1
Best of the WWF Volume 2
Wrestling's Biggest, Smallest, Strangest, Strongest!
Micki & Maude
WWE Maple Leaf Wrestling: October '84
WWE Wrestling at The Meadowlands: October '84
WWE Maple Leaf Wrestling: September '84
WWE Wrestling at The Meadowlands: July '84
Conan the Destroyer
Tuesday Night Titans
WWE at Madison Square Garden: October 17, 1983
WCCW Fritz Von Erich Retirement Show
World Class Championship Wrestling
Mid-South Wrestling
WWE Showdown at Shea '80
NWA The Last Tangle in Tampa
WWF Championship Wrestling
WWF All-Star Wrestling
The Six Million Dollar Man
The Wrestling Queen
WWE Old School
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