 Made his last WWF appearance in 1991 at Summerslam (1991) (V), as a second to The Bushwhackers in their match against the 'Natural Disasters'. Andre was defeated by Jerry Lawler (aka "The King") in a match circa 1975. Lawler had caused Andre to be knocked from the ring, and Andre was unable to answer the ten-count, thus giving rise to the infamous story "The Night Andre the Giant lost to a midget!".
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Was considered for the role of Jaws in The Spy Who Loved Me (1977).
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Former WWF tag team champion w/ Haku.
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Appeared in WrestleMania VII (1991) (V) in the corner of The Big Bossman when he took on Curt Hennig (aka Mr. Perfect) for the Intercontinental championship.
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Notable title wins include: IWA Tag Titles with Michael Nader; Austral-Asian Tag Titles with Ron Miller; NWA U.S. (Tri-State) Tag Titles with Dusty Rhodes; Florida Tag Titles with Rhodes; WWF Heavyweight Title; WWF Tag Team Titles (with Tonga Fifita, aka Haku).
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Previous Managers: Bobby Heenan, Ted DiBiase, Frank Valois, Lou Albano, KY Wakamatsu, Tim White.
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Former World Tag Team champion.
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WrestleMania V (1989) (V): Lost by DQ to Jake Roberts (aka Jake "The Snake" Roberts).
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Contrary to popular belief, Killer Khan didn't break Andre's leg. Andre actually got out of bed one day, and his leg snapped due to his life-threatening illness. He was out for weeks, and the story was that Killer Khan did it, to hype up their feud.
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He weighed 530 pounds at the time of his death.
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He would not commonly address people by their names, instead, if he liked someone he would call them "Boss".
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WrestleMania VI (1990) (V): Lost tag team titles with Tonga Fifita (a.k.a. Haku) to Bill Eadie and Barry Darsow (a.k.a. Demolition).
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Was a close friend of Bobby Heenan (aka "The Brain").
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Ranked #3 in the "PWI 500" of the PWI Years (1979-1999) (Pro Wrestling Illustrated 20th Anniversary Special)
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Professional wrestler
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Andre's 1988 match vs. Hulk Hogan for the WWF World Championship, which he won in controversial fashion, was the 1988 Pro Wrestling Illustrated "Match of the Year." The match, which took place in Indianapolis, was part of the first professional wrestling program to air in prime-time since the mid-'50s.
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After pinning Hulk Hogan (even though "the Hulkster" clearly had his left shoulder raised) and being awarded the WWF World Championship belt, Andre "surrendered" it immediately to Ted DiBiase (who, in a storyline, was said to have paid Andre to give him the belt, should he win it); DiBiase previously had tried, without success, to either win or purchase Hogan's title.
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Actually signed all his personal checks, "Andre the Giant".
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Weighed about 520 lbs
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Awarded the 1993 PWI Editor's Award.
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First inductee into the WWF Hall of Fame (1993).
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Washington Redskins head coach George Allen once offered Andre a contract to play professional football.
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At time of death, was in Paris to attend his father's funeral.
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Appeared at the first 6 WrestleManias.
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Was an expert card player and collector of fine wines.
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Had a very close friendship with WWE referee Tim White.
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WrestleMania 2 (1986) (V): Won a WWF/NFL Battle Royal.
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One of Andre's most memorable feuds was in 1981 vs. Killer Khan. The feud exploded after a May 2 match, wherein Khan (who had cheated throughout the match) broke Andre's knee by leaping on it. Nearly four months later, Andre returned and demanded a rematch vs. Khan ... and got it. He beat Khan so badly the Mongolian superstar had to be carried from the ring on a stretcher. Andre also won a series of "stretcher" matches against Khan in the fall of 1981.
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A fan favorite for most of his career, Andre turned "heel" in 1987 in time for his WrestleMania III (1987) (V) match vs. Hulk Hogan. He turned good again after WrestleMania VI (1990) (V), after Bobby Heenan blamed the Giant for losing the WWF Tag Team belts he and Tonga Fifita (a.k.a. Haku) held to Bill Eadie and Barry Darsow (a.k.a. Demolition).
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Lost a few inches of height because of a back surgery in the mid-1980s, but still stood about 6' 10" even after his posture was effected.
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Billy Crystal was inspired to write the script to the movie "My Giant" from having worked with 'Andre The Giant' in the The Princess Bride (1987).
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Sole survivor of the 1987 WWF Survivor Series main event, which pitted himself, King Kong Bundy, "Ravishing" Rick Rude, George Gray (aka One Man Gang) and "The Natural" Butch Reed against the team of Hulk Hogan, Ken Patera, "Mr. Wonderful" Paul Orndorff, "The Rock" Don Muraco and 'Scott 'Bam Bam' Bigelow' in an elimination match. He pinned Bigelow to win the match.
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Inducted into the Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame in 2002 (charter class).
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WrestleMania III (1987) (V): Lost to Hulk Hogan (event set an indoor attendance record that still stands).
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It wasn't until he was an adult, on a wrestling tour of Japan, that he went to see doctors to determine the cause of his condition. The Japanese doctors diagnosed the cause as acromegaly, a rare condition in which victims are not expected to live beyond the age of 40. Andre lived to be 46.
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As a child, his next-door neighbor was Samuel Beckett.
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WrestleMania (1985) (V) Beat Big John Studd in a bodyslam match.
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One of the 100 Greatest Wrestlers of the 20th Century (Inside Wrestling Presents, Summer 2000).
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Because of his size, he had a custom built recliner in his home that he always sat in when he was not on the road.
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Conceptual artist Shepard Fairey uses Andre's image in a series of posters and stickers as part of his "Phenomenology" project.
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Andre continued to compete in tag team matches, primarily in Japan and Mexico, until the end of 1992.
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WrestleMania IV (1988) (V): Received bye in Round 1 of tournament, fought to a double DQ with Hulk Hogan in Round 2.
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André suffered from acromegaly, in which the body doesn't stop secreting growth hormone.
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Former NWA Tri-State Tag Team Champion.
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Andre's most bitter feud began in 1983, against Big John Studd (who claimed he, not Andre, was the true "giant" of wrestling). The feud included a series of bodyslam matches (including one at WrestleMania (1985) (V), where Studd had to pay $10,000 (later, $15,000) to anyone who could bodyslam him.
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Godfather of Bill Eadie's daughter.
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