André the Giant
A man of colossal stature who turned a medical condition into a global spectacle, becoming the most beloved giant in wrestling and film history.
1946–1993 (age 47)·French wrestler and actor·Birthday: May 19·Baby Boomers
Biography
André René Roussimoff was a French farm boy whose acromegaly, a condition causing uncontrolled growth, propelled him into an unlikely life of global fame. Discovered by a wrestling promoter in his teens, he was rebranded as André the Giant, a gentle soul forced to play a monster in the ring. His sheer scale made him a spectacle, and he became the central attraction for decades, his feuds with Hulk Hogan defining an era of sports entertainment. Beyond the squared circle, his warmth and vulnerability shone in his iconic role as Fezzik in *The Princess Bride*, endearing him to a wider audience. Living in a world built for smaller people, he embraced his uniqueness, leaving a legacy of awe and affection that far outlasted his physical pain.
Baby Boomers
1946–1964
The largest generation in history at the time. Shaped by postwar prosperity, the Vietnam War, the sexual revolution, and Watergate. They questioned every institution their parents built — then ran them.
André was born in 1946, placing them squarely in the Baby Boomers. The events that shaped this generation — postwar prosperity, civil rights, Vietnam, and the counterculture — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When André Was Born
The biggest hits of 1946
#1 Movie
The Best Years of Our Lives
Best Picture
The Best Years of Our Lives
André's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1946Born
United Nations holds its first General Assembly
Gas: $0.21/galHome: $5,150Min wage: $0.40/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Prisoner of Love" — Perry ComoBest Picture: The Best Years of Our Lives
1951Started school
First color TV broadcast in the US
Gas: $0.27/galHome: $7,925Min wage: $0.75/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Too Young" — Nat King ColeBest Picture: An American in Paris
1959Became a teenager
Fidel Castro takes power in Cuba
Gas: $0.30/galHome: $12,400Min wage: $1.00/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"The Battle of New Orleans" — Johnny HortonBest Picture: Ben-Hur
1962Could drive
Cuban Missile Crisis brings the world to the brink
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $12,800Min wage: $1.15/hrPresident: John F. Kennedy"Stranger on the Shore" — Acker BilkBest Picture: Lawrence of Arabia
1964Could vote
Civil Rights Act signed; Beatles arrive in America
Gas: $0.30/galHome: $13,450Min wage: $1.25/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"I Want to Hold Your Hand" — The BeatlesBest Picture: My Fair Lady
1967Turned 21
Summer of Love in San Francisco; first Super Bowl
Gas: $0.33/galHome: $14,250Min wage: $1.40/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"To Sir, with Love" — LuluBest Picture: In the Heat of the Night
1976Turned 30
Apple Computer founded; US bicentennial
Gas: $0.59/galHome: $29,300Min wage: $2.30/hrPresident: Gerald Ford"Silly Love Songs" — WingsBest Picture: Rocky
1986Turned 40
Challenger disaster; Chernobyl nuclear meltdown
Gas: $0.86/galHome: $66,600Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"That's What Friends Are For" — Dionne & FriendsBest Picture: Platoon
1993Died at 47
European Union officially established
Gas: $1.11/galHome: $86,600Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"I Will Always Love You" — Whitney HoustonBest Picture: Schindler's List
Key Achievements
- Was the first inductee into the WWE Hall of Fame in 1993, cementing his foundational status in professional wrestling.
- Headlined WrestleMania III in 1987 in a match against Hulk Hogan that set a then-world attendance record for a live indoor sporting event.
- Portrayed the beloved character Fezzik in the classic film *The Princess Bride*, achieving lasting cinematic fame.
- Held the WWF World Tag Team Championship with Haku in 1989.
Did You Know?
He was known to drink over 100 beers in a single sitting, a feat documented by fellow wrestlers.
His shoe size was 24 (US), and he had to have all his clothes, including suits, custom-made.
He once fell asleep in a hotel lobby because he was too large to be moved to his room.
He owned a ranch in North Carolina where he bred cattle, finding peace away from the ring.
“I am not a gentleman. I am a giant.”
