Written by Tadashi
Modified & Updated: 28 Apr 2024
Reviewed by Sherman Smith
Andre the Giant stood as a literal giant in the history of professional wrestling. That said, more existed about the man beyond his superstar status or his large and imposing appearance. Learn more with these 40 Andre the Giant facts.
- Andre gained his nickname from his height of 7 feet and 4 inches.
- He weighed an estimated 520 pounds.
- Doctors diagnosed him with gigantism immediately after his birth, thanks to his weight of 13 pounds.
- At the age of 12, Andre already stood 6 feet and 3 inches tall.
- Andre died from heart failure in 1993.
- Boris and Marian Roussimoff had Andre on May 19, 1946, at Coulommiers, Seine-et-Marne in France.
- He began his wrestling career in 1964, under Robert Lageat, in Paris.
- He made his film debut in 1967, as a minor character in the French-Italian-German film, Casse-tête chinois pour le judoka.
- Andre later debuted in the International Wrestling Enterprise in Japan in 1970.
- Andre had his only child, Robin Christensen, with Jean Christensen in 1972.
- Vincent McMahon Sr. first gave Andre his nickname, The Giant, in 1973.
- Andre the Giant made a world record in 1974, as the highest-paid wrestler at the time, making $400,000 in a year.
- He made his American acting debut in 1977, as the Sasquatch in the American TV series, The Six Million Dollar Man.
- Andre became a wrestling icon and regular during the 1970s and 1980s.
- He made a posthumous appearance in the 1994 film, Trading Mom.
- Andre did not drop out of school at age 14 as some critics claim, but because compulsory education at the time ended at that age.
- His other nicknames included Géant Ferré, Giant Machine, and Monster Roussimoff.
- Critics described him as an absentee father to his daughter Robin.
- Robin Christensen avoids discussing her relationship with her father.
- Andre left all his assets to Robin after his death.
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