André the Giant

He has since become an ironic icon, stemming in part from a series of ubiquitous André the Giant Has a Posse art (which can be found on street corners and building walls in much of North America). and the live theatre star is located on 7000 Hollywood Blvd. He was cremated and his ashes were spread over his ranch in North Carolina. He is also the only person to date to receive stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame for contributions in all five possible categories: the motion picture star is located on 6644 Hollywood Blvd., the radio star is located on 6520 Hollywood Blvd., the recording star is located on 6384 Hollywood Blvd., the TV star is located on 6667 Hollywood Blvd. His heart finally failed him in 1993, and André passed away peacefully in his sleep at a hotel in Paris while in town for his father's funeral. He was inducted into the Radio Hall of Fame in 2003. He stopped competing entirely in the very early 1990s due to the increasing pain his illness was causing him, retiring to his winery in France. Gene Autry died of lymphoma at age 91 at his home in Los Angeles, and is interred in the Forest Lawn, Hollywood Hills Cemetery in Los Angeles, California.

By the late 1980s André was in constant, near-crippling pain and his heart struggled to pump blood throughout his massive body. Included for many years on Forbes magazine's list of the 400 richest Americans, he slipped to their "near miss" category in 1995 with an estimated net worth of $320 million. The disease that granted him his immense size also began to take its toll on his body. In 1988 he opened the Gene Autry Western Heritage Museum (now called the Museum of the American West) in Griffith Park, Los Angeles, featuring much of his collection of Western art and memorabilia. He had a cameo appearance in 1984's Conan the Destroyer as Dagoth, the resurrected horned giant beast, which is killed by Conan, the character portrayed by Arnold Schwarzenegger, later Governor of California. His autobiography was published in 1976, co-written by Mickey Herskowitz; it was titled Back in the Saddle Again after his 1939 hit and signature tune. André starred in several movies towards the end of his career, most notably as Fezzik in The Princess Bride. He married Jacqueline Ellam in 1981.

André had a (real life?) falling out with Heenan and soon retired. 1980), who was the niece of Jimmy Long. André won the WWF tag team titles with his partner Haku but they lost their titles at Wrestlemania 6 to Demolition. In 1932 he married Ina May Spivey (d. Afterwards, André and Hogan's feud died down after a series of 'cage matches.'. In 1995 he sold a quarter share of the team to The Walt Disney Company, and a controlling interest the following year, with the remaining share to be transferred after his death. At Wrestlemania 4, André and Hulk Hogan went to a double DQ in a WWF title tournament match. The team, initially called the Los Angeles Angels upon its 1961 debut, moved to suburban Anaheim in 1966 and became known as the California Angels, then the Anaheim Angels from 1997.

André then "sold" the title to "The Million Dollar Man" Ted DiBiase and the title was vacated. In 1960, when Major League Baseball announced plans to add an expansion team in Los Angeles, Autry – who had once declined an opportunity to play in the minor leagues – expressed an interest in acquiring the radio broadcast rights to the team's games; baseball executives were so impressed by his approach that he was persuaded to become the owner of the franchise rather than simply its broadcast partner. The replacement was referee Earl Hebner, who replaced his twin brother Dave Hebner. Post-retirement he invested widely in real estate, radio and television; in 1982 he sold television station KTLA (Los Angeles) for $245 million. André won the WWF title from Hogan on February 5, 1988 in a match where the original referee was knocked out and a replacement made a three count on Hogan while his shoulders were off of the mat. He was elected to the Country Music Hall of Fame in 1969. Andre had to undergo back surgery in this time period. He retired from show business in 1964, having made almost a hundred films up to 1955 and over 600 records.

The feud between André and Hogan simmered, even as André's health declined. He also starred and produced his own television show on CBS from 1950. Hogan defeated Andre, in what many experts believe was a passing of the torch from André, wrestling's biggest star of the '70s, to Hogan, wrestling's biggest star of the '80s. He briefly returned to Republic after the war before moving to Columbia in 1947. The event, held at the Pontiac Silverdome, broke the indoor attendance record with over ninety thousand fans in attendance, with millions watching on Pay-Per-View. From 1940 to 1956, Autry also had a weekly radio show on CBS, Gene Autry's Melody Ranch. Another money-spinner was his Gene Autry Flying "A" Ranch Rodeo show which first aired in 1940. This was likely the most highly anticipated professional wrestling matchup in history – the apex of wrestling's most recent golden era. He was the first of the singing cowboys, succeeded as the top star by Roy Rogers when Autry served as a flier with the Air Transport command during World War II.

André then challenged Hogan to a title match at Wrestlemania 3, ripping the t-shirt and crucifix off of Hogan. He became the top Western star at the box-office by 1937, reaching his national peak of popularity from 1940 to 1942. Heenan announced that his new protege was André. He went on to make a further 44 films up to 1940, all B westerns in which he played under his own name, rode his horse Champion and had many opportunities to sing. Then, on an edition of Piper's Pit, Hogan was confronted by Heenan. In 1934 he made his film debut for Republic Pictures in In Old Santa Fe; his first name role came in 1935 in the 13-part The Phantom Empire. Hogan came out to congratulate André, but André walked out in protest. His first hit was in 1932 with "That Silver-Haired Daddy of Mine", a duet with fellow railroad man Jimmy Long.

Shortly afterwards, André was presented a slightly smaller trophy for being undefeated for "15 years" (in the storyline). He signed a recording deal with Columbia Records in 1931, and worked at NBC's WLS National Barn Dance in Chicago for four years with his own show. André came out to congratulate him. After an encouraging chance encounter with Will Rogers, he began performing on local radio in 1928 as Oklahoma's Yodeling Cowboy. In early 1987, Hogan was presented a trophy for being the WWF champion for 3 years. An amateur talent with the guitar and voice led to his performing at local dances. André was turned heel in 1987 so that he could face Hulk Hogan for the WWF Championship in the main event of Wrestlemania III. Louis and San Francisco Railroad.

Soon afterwards, Giant Machine disappeared and André was reinstated, to the approval of Bobby "The Brain" Heenan. After leaving high school in 1925, Autry worked as a telegrapher for the St. Afterwards, André continued his feud with Studd and King Kong Bundy. Andre was suspended after a no-show; he returned under a mask as 'The Giant Machine' part of a team with 'Big Machine' (Robert "Blackjack" Windham) and 'Super Machine' (Bill Eadie). Born as Orvon Gene Autry in Tioga, Texas, his family moved to Ravia, Oklahoma in the 1920s. At Wrestlemania 2, André won a battle royal. Gene Autry (September 29, 1907 - October 2, 1998) was an American performer who gained fame as The Singing Cowboy on the radio, in movies and on television. After slamming Studd, he attempted to give the $15,000 prize to the fans, before having the bag stolen from him. "Frosty the Snow Man" (1950).

At Wrestlemania 1, André defeated Big John Studd in a bodyslam match. "Peter Cottontail" (1950). He was one of the WWF's most beloved "babyfaces" throughout the 1970s and early '80s, and was in fact undefeated for over ten years (before losing in 1987, his last defeat was sometime prior to 1977). "Rudolph, the Red-Nosed Reindeer" (1949). He was reputedly offered a professional American football contract with the Chicago Bears and seriously considered it before turning it down, reasoning that he could make far more money wrestling (which was probably true, especially at that time). "Here Comes Santa Claus" (1947). It is also said that André could drink an entire case of beer and not feel so much as a buzz. "Be Honest With Me".

Some of André's opponents were legitimately afraid to get in the ring with him for fear of getting accidentally crushed or pulverized, but those who got to know him soon learned that his personality was perhaps one of the gentlest in the world. "Back in the Saddle Again" (1939). André was a very imposing figure – it is said that he never tested the full extent of his true strength because he was afraid of the damage it might cause. "South of the Border (Down Mexico Way)". By the time WWF owner Vince McMahon began to expand his promotion to the national level in the early 1980s, André wrestled exclusively for the WWF. "Gold Mine in the Sky". After touring the world with different promotions for many years, he was signed by the World Wide Wrestling Federation (which would later change its name to the World Wrestling Federation) in the late 1970s and is now known as the WWE (World Wrestling Entertainment). "Take Me Back to My Boots and Saddle".

Being around 7 ft 4 in (2.24 m) and 520 pounds (236 kg) – his exact height is disputed by some – the sight of him alone was enough to draw huge crowds. "Mexicali Rose". Originally from a small farm near Grenoble, he left home in his adolescence to become a pro wrestler. "Tumbling Tumbleweeds". André was one of the most well-known and respected professional wrestlers in the world. "Cowboy’s Heaven". His great size was a result of acromegaly, or excessive growth hormone. "The Last Roundup".

André the Giant (May 19, 1946 – January 27, 1993) was a professional wrestler and actor, born André René Roussimoff in Grenoble, France. "That Silver-Haired Daddy of Mine". Conan the Destroyer - 1984. The Princess Bride - 1987.