Name: Lou Ferrigno
Date of Birth: 9 November 1951 Professional bodybuilder. Played professional football in Canada. Partially hearing-impaired 1974: Won the bodybuilding title, "Mr. Universe". 1973: Won the bodybuilding title, "Mr. America". 1973: Won the bodybuilding title, "Mr. Universe". 1970: Won the bodybuilding title, "Teenage Mr. America". Weighs 275 pounds - with 59" chest - 34" waist - 221/2" bicep - 29" thighs and 19" neck. Has three children with Carla Green: Shanna b. 1981, Lou b. 1984 and Brent b. 1990. ... The youngest bodybuilder ever to hold the "Mr. Universe" title (age 20). His parents, Matty Ferrigno and Victoria Ferrigno, appeared with him in the documentary Pumping Iron (1977). In the late '80s he decided to tone down his massive body so that people would be more likely to see him as a person and not just as his "monster" alter ego "The Hulk". Growing up, he was a fan of the '50s "Hercules" films that starred bodybuilder Steve Reeves and a fan of the Incredible Hulk comic books. He went on to play both the Incredible Hulk (both live action and providing the voice of the Hulk for an animated series) and Hercules. There was supposed to be another TV movie after The Death of the Incredible Hulk (1990) (TV) showing the Hulk's return, but the death of Lou's co-star Bill Bixby ended that possibility. Bench-pressed 560 lbs in his prime (age 25). Now, at the age of 50, he benches 400 lbs. Declares "The Incredible Hulk" (1978) episode "King of the Beach" (in which he played a bodybuilder, in addition to the Hulk) his favorite episode of the series. Like so many of the bodybuilders who starred in the "Hercules" films of the late '50s and early '60s, his voice was dubbed for his own "Hercules" films. Stated that his father was very critical of and negative towards him when he was growing up due to his hearing disability. Though Lou respected his father, he was very hurt when his father expressed his belief that Lou would never achieve success. Was originally cast as 'Tigris of Gaul' in Gladiator (2000), but was replaced during production by Sven-Ole Thorsen who had been trying hard for over a year to get the part. Beat out Arnold Schwarzenegger for the role of the Hulk on the TV series "The Incredible Hulk" (1978). Ferrigno won reportedly because Arnold, at 6' 1.5", was deemed not tall enough, while Lou was close to 6' 5". Has appeared in four different adaptations of "The Incredible Hulk". The first was the live-action television series of the late 1970s and early 1980s ("The Incredible Hulk" (1978)), in which he played the Hulk--and does not speak. In the 1990s he played the role again in an animated series for the UPN network, "The Incredible Hulk" (1996) -- this time providing the creature's voice. In Ang Lee's 2003 film Hulk (2003) the Hulk is computer-generated, so Lou plays a completely different part - that of a security guard (along with Stan Lee) at the lab where Bruce Banner works. In the 2008 film The Incredible Hulk (2008), he plays a security guard again, this time one who allows Bruce Banner to enter with a pizza -- and also, once again, voices the Hulk. With the death of Jack Colvin on December 1, 2005, he is the only surviving star of "The Incredible Hulk" (1978). Bill Bixby died on November 21, 1993. Attended Brooklyn Technical High School in Fort Greene, Brooklyn, NY--the same neighborhood where director Spike Lee now resides. 2/11/06: He was sworn in as a Los Angeles County Reserve Deputy Sheriff. He will serve for at least 20 hours each month. His duties will include helping recruit new deputies and working with the sheriff's Youth Activities League and the Special Victims Bureau. He stood almost 6' 5" and he was the tallest professional body builder of the 1970s. He is now about one inch shorter than his peak height. In his book "My Incredible Life As The Hulk", he stated that he has never been compensated for any merchandising related to "The Incredible Hulk" (1978) TV series. He said it was because no such deals existed for him during the show's prime-time run. In October 1981 he was in Egypt, scheduled to be one of Egyptian President Anwar Sadat's personal guests at a public event. However, at the last minute Sadat canceled his appearance. A few days later Muslim fundamentalists killed Sadat, along with 12 others, at an annual military parade. It was later discovered that Sadat's killers had originally planned to assassinate him at the event where Ferrigno would have been seated next to him. Ferrigno believes that he would have been killed along with Sadat if Sadat had not canceled his appearance. Best known by the public for his starring role as "The Incredible Hulk" (1978). Although Lou played the Hulk in the TV series, the growls and snarls heard in it aren't his. They were made by Ted Cassidy (Lurch in The Addams) until 1979 (first two seasons). Then after Cassidy's death in that year, the Hulk was voiced by actor Charles Napier for the remaining three seasons and the three movies made in later years. Read more Lou Ferrigno movies (actor)User Comments |
