Name
André Roussimoff
Known For
Acting
Birthday
1946-05-19
Deathday
1993-01-27 (47 years old)
Place of Birth
Coulommiers, France
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
6.139
Conan is commissioned by the evil queen Taramis to safely escort a teen princess and her p...
7.3
An ambitious and wide-ranging documentary exploring Andre’s upbringing in France, his ce...
6.713
Following his infamous championship as part of a marketing stunt for the film Ready to Rum...
5.699
TV reporter Rob Salinger longs for a baby. But his career-minded wife, Micki, is too busy ...
5.858
The Martin kids learn of a magic spell that will take them to the 'mommy market' so they c...
6.152
Chuck Wepner is a liquor salesman from Bayonne, N.J., who drives a Cadillac with “Champ...
- 2014 WWE Tribute to the Troops 2014 as Andre (archive footage)
- 1987 The Princess Bride as Fezzik
- 1985 WrestleMania as André the Giant
- 1994 Trading Mom as Circus Giant
- 1986 WrestleMania II as André the Giant
- 1987 WWE WrestleMania III as André the Giant
- 1989 WWE WrestleMania V as André the Giant
- 2006 Born to Controversy: The Roddy Piper Story as Self
- 1987 WWF Hulkamania 2 as Giant Machine
- 1986 Villains of the Squared Circle as Andre the Giant
- 1991 WWE World Tour 1991 as André The Giant (Manager)
- 1992 WWE World Tour 1992 as Andre the Giant (Manager)
- 1985 I Like To Hurt People as Self - Andre the Giant
- 1990 WWE Royal Rumble 1990 as Andre the Giant
- 1989 WWE SummerSlam 1989 as Himself
- 2002 Hollywood Hulk Hogan: Hulk Still Rules as Himself
- 1992 WCW Clash of The Champions XX: 20th Anniversary as André the Giant (Appearance)
- 1990 WWE WrestleMania VI as André The Giant
- 1991 WWE SummerSlam 1991 as André The Giant (Ringside)
- 1988 WWE Survivor Series 1988 as André The Giant
- 2013 WWE: The Top 25 Rivalries in Wrestling History
- 1987 WWE Survivor Series 1987 as Andre The Giant
- 1991 WWE U.K. Rampage 1991 as André the Giant (Ringside)
- 1990 The Ultimate Warrior
- 1994 The History Of WrestleMania
- 2011 The Real Rocky as Self (archive footage)
- 1980 WWE Showdown at Shea '80 as André the Giant
- 1984 Micki & Maude as Self
- 1989 More Saturday Night's Main Event
- 1989 Fan Favorites as Andre The Giant
- 1999 Andre the Giant: Larger than Life as Himself
- 2013 WWE: Best of WWE at Madison Square Garden as Himself
- 2006 WWE: Hulk Hogan: The Ultimate Anthology as André the Giant
- 1985 Wrestling's Bloopers, Bleeps, & Bodyslams as Andre the Giant
- 2010 WWE: Top 50 Superstars of All Time as Andre the Giant
- 1988 Hulkamania 3 as André the Giant
- 2013 Legends of Mid-South Wrestling as Andre the Giant
- 1985 Best of the WWF Volume 3 as André the Giant
- 1989 Hulkamania 4 as André the Giant
- 1985 The Best of the WWF: volume 4 as André the Giant
- 1986 The Best of the WWF: volume 5 as André the Giant
- 2013 Bret Hart: The Dungeon Collection as Himself
- 1986 The Best of the WWF: volume 9 as André the Giant
- 1987 The Best of the WWF: volume 10 as Giant Machine
- 1987 The Best of the WWF: volume 12 as Giant Machine
- 1987 The Best of the WWF: volume 14 as André the Giant
- 1988 The Best of the WWF: volume 16 Around the World as André the Giant
- 1988 The Best of the WWF: volume 17 as André the Giant
- 1989 The Best of the WWF: volume 19 as André the Giant
- 1985 Most Unusual Matches as Andre the Giant
- 2007 Mid-South Wrestling Giants, Midgets, Heroes & Villains vol. 1 as André the Giant
- 2008 Giants, Midgets, Heroes and Villains II as André the Giant
- 1985 Best of the WWF Volume 1 as André the Giant
- 1985 Best of the WWF Volume 2 as André the Giant
- 1985 Wrestling's Biggest, Smallest, Strangest, Strongest! as Andre the Giant
- 1985 Rowdy Roddy Piper's Greatest Hits as Andre the Giant
- 1994 The Life And Times of Paul Boesch as Andre the Giant (archive footage)
- 1973 The Wrestling Queen as "The Giant" Jean Ferre
- 2009 Macho Madness - The Randy Savage Ultimate Collection
- 1991 WWE Superstars & Stripes Forever: The March to WrestleMania VII as André the Giant (Appearance)
- 1988 WWE U.K. Rampage 1988 as André the Giant
- 1988 WWE Los Angeles Wrestling: July '88 as André the Giant
- 1988 WWE Los Angeles Wrestling: August '88 as André the Giant
- 1989 WWE Los Angeles Wrestling: January '89 as André the Giant
- 1984 WWE Maple Leaf Wrestling: September '84 as André the Giant
- 1984 WWE Maple Leaf Wrestling: October '84 as André the Giant
- 1985 WWE Maple Leaf Wrestling: November '85 as André the Giant
- 1986 WWE Maple Leaf Wrestling: March '86 as André the Giant
- 1984 WWE Wrestling at The Meadowlands: July '84 as André the Giant
- 1984 WWE Wrestling at The Meadowlands: October '84 as André the Giant
- 1988 WWE Maple Leaf Wrestling: April '88 as André the Giant
- 1988 WWE Royal Rumble 1988 as André the Giant
- 1984 Conan the Destroyer as Dagoth (uncredited)
- 2021 The Claw as Himself
- 1986 The Life and Times of Captain Lou Albano as Andre the Giant
- 2018 Andre the Giant as Self (archive footage)
- 2006 WWE: The History Of The WWE Championship
- 2014 WWE: True Giants
- 2005 WWE: Andre The Giant as Himself
- 2009 WWE: Hulk Hogan's Unreleased Collector's Series as André the Giant
- 2017 WWE Unreleased: 1986-1995
- 1985 Andre the Giant as André the Giant (archive footage)
- 1990 WWF/AJPW/NJPW Wrestling Summit
- 2018 Randy Savage Unreleased: The Unseen Matches of The Macho Man
- 1998 WWF: Best of Wrestlemania I-XIV
- 1967 Casse-tête chinois pour le judoka as Fighter
- 2010 WWE: Legends of Wrestling - Andre the Giant and Iron Sheik
- 1992 WWF: Best of Hulkamania
- 2005 WWE: Wrestlemania Recall as Andre the Giant
- 2009 WWE: The Best of Saturday Night's Main Event as Andre the Giant
- 2014 WWE: 150 Best Pay-Per-View Matches, Vol 1 as Himself
- 2013 The History of WWE: 50 Years of Sports Entertainment as Self
- 2020 You Cannot Kill David Arquette as Self (archive footage)
- 1988 WWE WrestleMania IV as André the Giant
- 1988 WWE WrestleFest as André the Giant
- 1988 WWE SummerSlam 1988 as André The Giant
- 1989 WWE Royal Rumble 1989 as André the Giant
- 1989 WWE Survivor Series 1989 as André the Giant
- 1982 WCCW Fritz Von Erich Retirement Show as André the Giant
- 1990 WWE The Ultimate Challenge Special: The March to WrestleMania VI as André The Giant
- 1980 NWA The Last Tangle in Tampa as André The Giant
- 1992 AJPW October Giant Series 1992 - Day 17 as Andre The Giant
- 1986 WWE The Big Event as Giant Machine
- 1988 WWF The Main Event as André the Giant
- 1991 WWE WrestleMania VII as André the Giant (Ringside)
- 1997 WWF Summer Flashback! as André The Giant
- 1983 WWE at Madison Square Garden: October 17, 1983 as André the Giant
- 1985 The WWF's Amazing Managers as Andre the Giant
- 1989 Hulk Hogan: Real American as Andre the Giant
- 1988 Macho Madness as Andre the Giant
- 1993 Best of The British Bulldog as Andre the Giant (Archive footage)
- 1986 Inside the Steel Cage as Andre the Giant
- 1991 Wrestling's Greatest Champions as Andre the Giant
- 1991 WWE Battle Royal at the Albert Hall as Andre the Giant (Archive footage)
- 1987 Wrestling's Most Embarrassing Moments as Andre the Giant
- 2014 Warrior's Greatest Matches as Andre The Giant (Archive Footage)
- 2005 The Greatest Wrestling Stars of the '80s as Andre the Giant (Archive Footage)
- 1985 The Hulkster Hulk Hogan as Andre the Giant
- 2003 Giants: Friends or Foe as Self- Archive Footage
- 1989 The Best of the WWF: volume 20 as André the Giant
- 1992 WWE March to WrestleMania VIII as André the Giant (archive footage)
- 1987 WWF 20-Man Battle Royal 1987
- 2001 As You Wish: The Story of 'The Princess Bride' as Self (archive)
- 1992 WrestleMania: The Greatest Hits as André the Giant
- 2021 WWE's Most Wanted Treasures ( 1 episode ) as André the Giant (archive footage)
- 2021 Biography: WWE Legends ( 1 episode ) as André the Giant (archive footage)
- 1974 The Six Million Dollar Man ( 2 episodes ) as Bigfoot
- 1986 WWF Wrestling Challenge ( 1 episode ) as Giant Machine
- 1986 WWF Wrestling Challenge ( 40 episodes ) as André the Giant
- 2020 The Best of WWE ( 1 episode ) as Andre the Giant
- 2024 Mr. McMahon ( 1 episode ) as Andre The Giant (Archive Footage)
- 1985 WWE Saturday Night's Main Event ( 8 episodes ) as Andre The Giant
- 1975 WWF All-Star Wrestling ( 20 episodes ) as Andre the Giant
- 1982 World Class Championship Wrestling ( 4 episodes ) as André the Giant
- 1973 WWE Old School ( 20 episodes ) as Andre the Giant
- 1981 Mid-South Wrestling ( 4 episodes ) as Andre the Giant
- 1981 Mid-South Wrestling ( 1 episode ) as Andre the Giant (Archive footage)
- 1985 WWE Saturday Night's Main Event ( 8 episodes ) as Andre the Giant
- 1984 Tuesday Night Titans ( 5 episodes ) as Andre the Giant
- 1980 WWF Championship Wrestling ( 2 episodes ) as Andre the Giant
- 1980 WWF Championship Wrestling ( 1 episode ) as Andre the Giant (Self)
- 1980 WWF Championship Wrestling ( 3 episodes ) as "The Eighth Wonder of the World" Andre the Giant
- 2022 WWE Rivals ( 1 episode ) as Andre the Giant
- 1988 Clash of the Champions ( 1 episode ) as Andre the Giant (Appearance)
- 1986 WWF Superstars ( 1 episode ) as Giant Machine
- 1986 WWF Superstars ( 51 episodes ) as André the Giant
- 2024 Mr. McMahon ( 6 episodes ) as Self (archive footage)
