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
Andre (archive footage)
WWE Tribute to the Troops 2014
Fezzik
The Princess Bride
André the Giant
WrestleMania
Circus Giant
Trading Mom
André the Giant
WrestleMania II
André the Giant
WWE WrestleMania III
André the Giant
WWE WrestleMania V
Self
Born to Controversy: The Roddy Piper Story
Giant Machine
WWF Hulkamania 2
André The Giant
WWE Villains of The Squared Circle
André The Giant (Manager)
WWE World Tour 1991
André The Giant (Manager)
WWE World Tour 1992
Self - Andre the Giant
I Like To Hurt People
Andre the Giant
WWE Royal Rumble 1990
Himself
WWE SummerSlam 1989
Himself
Hollywood Hulk Hogan: Hulk Still Rules
André the Giant (Appearance)
WCW Clash of The Champions XX: 20th Anniversary
André The Giant
WWE WrestleMania VI
André The Giant (Ringside)
WWE SummerSlam 1991
André The Giant
WWE Survivor Series 1988
WWE: The Top 25 Rivalries in Wrestling History
Andre The Giant
WWE Survivor Series 1987
André the Giant (Ringside)
WWE U.K. Rampage 1991
The Ultimate Warrior
The History Of WrestleMania
Self (archive footage)
The Real Rocky
André the Giant
WWE Showdown at Shea '80
Self
Micki & Maude
More Saturday Night's Main Event
Andre The Giant
Fan Favorites
Himself
Andre the Giant: Larger than Life
Himself
WWE: Best of WWE at Madison Square Garden
André the Giant
WWE: Hulk Hogan: The Ultimate Anthology
André The Giant
Wrestling's Bloopers, Bleeps and Bodyslams!
Andre the Giant
WWE: Top 50 Superstars of All Time
André the Giant
WWE's Inside the Steel Cage
André the Giant
Hulkamania 3
Andre the Giant
Legends of Mid-South Wrestling
André the Giant
Best of the WWF Volume 3
André the Giant
Hulkamania 4
André the Giant
The Best of the WWF: volume 4
André the Giant
The Best of the WWF: volume 5
Himself
Bret Hart: The Dungeon Collection
André the Giant
The Best of the WWF: volume 9
Giant Machine
The Best of the WWF: volume 10
Giant Machine
The Best of the WWF: volume 12
André the Giant
The Best of the WWF: volume 14
André the Giant
The Best of the WWF: volume 16 Around the World
André the Giant
The Best of the WWF: volume 17
André the Giant
The Best of the WWF: volume 19
André the Giant
The WWF's Most Unusual Matches
André the Giant
Mid-South Wrestling Giants, Midgets, Heroes & Villains vol. 1
André the Giant
Giants, Midgets, Heroes and Villains II
André the Giant
Best of the WWF Volume 1
André the Giant
Best of the WWF Volume 2
André the Giant
WWF's Biggest, Smallest, Strangest, Strongest
André the Giant
Rowdy Roddy Piper's Greatest Hits
Andre the Giant (archive footage)
The Life And Times of Paul Boesch
"The Giant" Jean Ferre
The Wrestling Queen
Macho Madness - The Randy Savage Ultimate Collection
André the Giant (Appearance)
WWE Superstars & Stripes Forever: The March to WrestleMania VII
André the Giant
WWE U.K. Rampage 1988
André the Giant
WWE Los Angeles Wrestling: July '88
André the Giant
WWE Los Angeles Wrestling: August '88
André the Giant
WWE Los Angeles Wrestling: January '89
André the Giant
WWE Maple Leaf Wrestling: September '84
André the Giant
WWE Maple Leaf Wrestling: October '84
André the Giant
WWE Maple Leaf Wrestling: November '85
André the Giant
WWE Maple Leaf Wrestling: March '86
André the Giant
WWE Wrestling at The Meadowlands: July '84
André the Giant
WWE Wrestling at The Meadowlands: October '84
André the Giant
WWE Maple Leaf Wrestling: April '88
André the Giant (Contract Signing)
WWE Royal Rumble 1988
Dagoth (uncredited)
Conan the Destroyer
Himself
The Claw
André the Giant
The Life and Times of Captain Lou Albano
Self (archive footage)
Andre the Giant
WWE: The History Of The WWE Championship
WWE: True Giants
Himself
WWE: Andre The Giant
André the Giant
WWE: Hulk Hogan's Unreleased Collector's Series
WWE Unreleased: 1986-1995
André the Giant (archive footage)
Andre the Giant
WWF/AJPW/NJPW Wrestling Summit
Randy Savage Unreleased: The Unseen Matches of The Macho Man
WWF: Best of Wrestlemania I-XIV
Fighter
Casse-tête chinois pour le judoka
WWE: Legends of Wrestling - Andre the Giant and Iron Sheik
WWF: Best of Hulkamania
Andre the Giant
WWE: Wrestlemania Recall
Andre the Giant
WWE: The Best of Saturday Night's Main Event
Himself
WWE: 150 Best Pay-Per-View Matches, Vol 1
Self
The History of WWE: 50 Years of Sports Entertainment
Self (archive footage)
You Cannot Kill David Arquette
André the Giant
WWE WrestleMania IV
André the Giant
WWE WrestleFest
André The Giant
WWE SummerSlam 1988
André the Giant
WWE Royal Rumble 1989
André the Giant
WWE Survivor Series 1989
André the Giant
WCCW Fritz Von Erich Retirement Show
André The Giant
WWE The Ultimate Challenge Special: The March to WrestleMania VI
André The Giant
NWA The Last Tangle in Tampa
Andre The Giant
AJPW October Giant Series 1992 - Day 17
Giant Machine
WWE The Big Event
André the Giant
WWE The Main Event
André the Giant (Ringside)
WWE WrestleMania VII
André The Giant
WWF Summer Flashback!
André the Giant
WWE at Madison Square Garden: October 17, 1983
Andre The Giant
WrestleMania
Andre the Giant
WrestleMania 2
André the Giant
WrestleMania III
Andre the Giant
WrestleMania IV
Andre the Giant
The WWF's Amazing Managers
Personal Info
Known For
Acting
Known Credits
113
Gender
Male
Birthday
1946-05-19
Place of Birth
Coulommiers, France
Also Known As
André the Giant