An internationally famous and well respected bodybuilder / actor, Lou
Ferrigno first appeared on TV screens in 1977 as the musclebound title character of
The Incredible Hulk (1977),
the alter ego of meek scientist David Banner. Ferrigno was born in
Brooklyn, New York, in 1951 and as a child suffered from an ear
infection that resulted in permanent partial hearing loss. Undeterred
by what some may have perceived as a disadvantage, Lou threw himself
into athletics (predominantly weightlifting and body building) and at
the age of 21 won his first Mr. Universe title. For good measure, he
came back and won it again the following year!
He also played professional football in the Canadian Football League,
before coming to the attention of producer
Kenneth Johnson, who was seeking
just the right person to portray on screen the comic book superhero,
The Incredible Hulk. With his 6'5", 285 lbs. frame, Lou was the biggest
professional bodybuilder of the time, and had recently starred in the
documentary
Pumping Iron (1977),
about the 1975 Mr. Olympia contest in South Africa. He successfully
auditioned for the part of the green-skinned Goliath, and that is the
role with which he is most closely identified.
"The Hulk" was a huge ratings success and spawned several telemovies
after the initial TV series completed its run. Lou continued to remain
busy in films and TV with appearances often centered around his
remarkable physique. His films included
Hercules (1983),
Sinbad of the Seven Seas (1989)
and
Frogtown II (1992). Lou has
additionally guest-starred on several TV shows including
The Fall Guy (1981) and
The New Mike Hammer (1984) and had a
recurring role on
The King of Queens (1998).
In 1997 he was featured in the dynamic documentary about his
sensational return to professional bodybuilding at age 43,
Stand Tall (1997). The film detailed
how he returned to compete in the Masters category of the Mr. Olympia
contest against several familiar bodybuilding foes. In more recent
years, he has appeared in several films, including
The Misery Brothers (1995),
Ping! (2000),
From Heaven to Hell (2002)
and a cameo as a security guard in the big-budget remake of
Hulk (2003).
Big Lou is also a successful author with two books detailing his
bodybuilding knowledge, and his life behind the scenes playing the
Incredible Hulk on TV in the 1970s, plus he has a popular website
frequented by his many fans worldwide.
