André Roussimoff
Acting
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
A regularly scheduled, live, year-round program featuring some of the biggest WWE Superstars.
Raw
Follow the adventures of Steve Austin, cybernetically enhanced astronaut turned secret agent, employed by the OSI, under the command of Oscar Goldman and supervised by the scientist who created his cybernetics, Rudy Wells. Steve uses the superior strength and speed provided by his bionic arm and legs, and the enhanced vision provided by his artificial eye, to fight enemy agents, aliens, mad scientists, and a wide variety of other villains.
The Six Million Dollar Man
WWE's flagship show of the early-90s featuring great in-ring action, news from the world of sports-entertainment, and more.
WWF Superstars
The biggest WWE Superstars of the late 1980s and early '90s settle their differences in the ring on "Wrestling Challenge"; featuring exciting matches and memorable interviews, this weekly television series captures an important era of WWE history.
WWF Wrestling Challenge
A professional wrestling television program produced by the World Wrestling Federation banner on NBC airing in place of Saturday Night Live. The series was made up entirely of star vs. star bouts in a time when weekly programming consisted primarily of established stars dominating enhancement talent.
WWE Saturday Night's Main Event
From the Sportatorium comes the groundbreaking sports-entertainment brand World Class Championship Wrestling, featuring legendary competitors such as The Von Erichs, Bruiser Brody, The Fabulous Freebirds and more.
World Class Championship Wrestling
The American professional wrestling promotion WWE has been broadcasting PPV events since the 1980s, when its classic "Big Four" events (Royal Rumble, WrestleMania, SummerSlam, and Survivor Series) were first established with the company's very first PPV being WrestleMania in 1985. The company's PPV lineup expanded to a monthly basis in the mid-1990s following the introduction of the In Your House series of pay-per views before expanding even further in the mid-2000s during the first WWE brand extension. Following WWE's original brand extension in 2002, the company promoted two touring rosters, Raw and SmackDown, representing its television programs, Raw and SmackDown. The traditional "Big Four" continued to showcase the entire roster, while the remaining PPV events alternated between Raw and SmackDown cards. In March 2007, WWE announced that all subsequent PPV events would feature performers from all brands. In 2008, all WWE PPV events began broadcasting in high-definition.
WWE Pay Per View
In this enchantingly cracked fairy tale, the beautiful Princess Buttercup and the dashing Westley must overcome staggering odds to find happiness amid six-fingered swordsmen, murderous princes, Sicilians and rodents of unusual size. But even death can't stop these true lovebirds from triumphing.
The Princess Bride
Mid-South Wrestling was one of the most successful wrestling territories in the 1981s; featuring future WWE Hall of Famers.
Mid-South Wrestling
Relive some of the best moments in WWE history with our new docuseries 'The Best Of WWE' ! Then, now and forever. These are the greatest matches and moments that have made WWE what it is today. Featuring countless WWE Hall of Famers and Legends, as well as today's greatest Superstars, this anthology series digs deep into the WWE vault to present hundreds of hours of classic in-ring rivalries and memorable confrontations. Featured Superstars include Roman Reigns, Hulk Hogan, Undertaker, John Cena, Becky Lynch, The New Day, Alexa Bliss, Drew McIntyre, The Rock, "Macho Man" Randy Savage, Charlotte Flair and more.
The Best of WWE
Actor and former WWE writer Freddie Prinze Jr. leads a roundtable discussion of WWE luminaries to delve into the storylines and dynamic characters behind the epic battles that built WWE. Each one-hour episode features archival footage from WWE’s library as well as interviews with the Legends involved and the Superstars who watched these rivalries unfold.
WWE Rivals
The stories behind some of the most memorable WWE Superstars of all time.
Biography: WWE Legends
Discover rarely-seen matches from the 1970s, '80s, and '90s featuring countless WWE Hall of Famers such as Hulk Hogan and Ric Flair.
WWE Old School
At a time when matches between big-name Superstars are usually only seen on pay-per-view, WCW presents Clash of the Champions on free TV.
Clash of the Champions
The greatest WWE Superstars of the 1975s & 1982s, including Andre the Giant, Bob Backlund, and Bruno Sammartino compete in exciting matches.
WWF All-Star Wrestling
Stephanie McMahon and Triple H leads a team of collectors and WWE celebrities as they travel across the United States to find WWE collectibles.
WWE's Most Wanted Treasures
Conan is commissioned by the evil queen Taramis to safely escort a teen princess and her powerful bodyguard to a far away castle to retrieve the magic Horn of Dagoth. Unknown to Conan, the queen plans to sacrifice the princess when she returns and inherit her kingdom after the bodyguard kills Conan. The queen's plans fail to take into consideration Conan's strength and cunning and the abilities of his sidekicks: the eccentric wizard Akiro, the warrior woman Zula, and the inept Malak. Together the hero and his allies must defeat both mortal and supernatural foes in this voyage to sword-and-sorcery land.
Conan the Destroyer
WWE experienced record-breaking highs and crushing lows under Vince McMahon's leadership. This docuseries delves into the mogul's controversial reign.
Mr. McMahon
WWF Prime Time Wrestling was a professional wrestling television program produced by the World Wrestling Federation. It aired on the USA Network from 1985–1993. A precursor to Monday Night Raw, Prime Time Wrestling was a two-hour long, weekly program that featured stars of the World Wrestling Federation. The program featured wrestling matches, interviews, promos featuring WWF wrestlers, updates of current feuds and announcements of upcoming local and pay-per-view events. WWE Hall of Famers Gorilla Monsoon and Bobby "The Brain" Heenan highlight the best of early-1985s WWE in Prime Time Wrestling.
WWF Prime Time Wrestling
Hosts Vince McMahon and Lord Alfred Hayes welcome the popular WWE Superstars and feature entertaining segments in WWE's original talk show.