Roddy Piper facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Roddy Piper |
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Piper in 2009
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| Birth name | Roderick George Toombs |
| Born | April 17, 1954 Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada |
| Died | July 31, 2015 (aged 61) Los Angeles, California, U.S. |
| Cause of death | Cardiac arrest caused by hypertension |
| Spouse(s) |
Kitty Jo Dittrich
(m. 1982) |
| Children | 4, including Teal Piper |
| Professional wrestling career | |
| Ring name(s) | The Masked Canadian Piper Machine ”Rowdy” Roddy Piper |
| Billed height | 6 ft 2 in (188 cm) |
| Billed weight | 230 lb (104 kg) |
| Billed from | Glasgow, Scotland |
| Trained by | Gene LeBell Leo Garibaldi Tony Condello Joe Fiorino Stu Hart |
| Debut | 1969 |
| Retired | 2011 |
Roderick George Toombs (born April 17, 1954 – died July 31, 2015), known to fans as "Rowdy" Roddy Piper, was a famous Canadian professional wrestler and actor.
Beyond the wrestling ring, Piper also starred in many movies and TV shows. He played the main character, John Nada, in the 1988 movie They Live. He also had a repeated role as a wrestler named Da' Maniac on the TV show It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia.
Contents
Early Life and Beginnings
Roderick George Toombs was born in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada, on April 17, 1954. He grew up in Winnipeg, Manitoba.
When he was young, he left home and found odd jobs, sometimes helping professional wrestlers. He also became very good at playing the bagpipes. His best friend since childhood was Cam Connor, a former NHL player.
Becoming a Wrestling Star
Piper became famous around the world for his time in the World Wrestling Federation (WWF, now WWE) and World Championship Wrestling (WCW). He wrestled for these companies between 1984 and 2000.
Even though he was Canadian, Piper was introduced as being from Glasgow, Scotland. He was known for wearing a kilt and having bagpipe music play when he entered the ring. This was because of his Scottish family background.
Piper earned the nicknames "Rowdy" and "Hot Rod". He got these names because of his quick wit and his "Scottish" short temper. Many people think he was one of the greatest "heel" (or villain) wrestlers ever.
Major Achievements in Wrestling
Roddy Piper was one of the most recognized wrestling stars. He was the main event in many big wrestling shows. These included WrestleMania for the WWF and Starrcade for WCW.
He won 34 championships during his career. He also hosted a popular interview show called "Piper's Pit". This show helped create many exciting rivalries between wrestlers.
In 2005, Piper was honored by being put into the WWE Hall of Fame. Fellow wrestling legend Ric Flair said that Piper was "the most gifted entertainer in the history of professional wrestling."
Acting and Other Media
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Roddy Piper had many roles in movies and TV shows during and after his wrestling career. He often starred in action movies.
Famous Acting Roles
Piper's most well-known acting role was in the 1988 science fiction movie They Live. In this film, he had a long fight scene over sunglasses with actor Keith David. This scene was so famous that it has been copied in shows like South Park and Adventure Time. His role in They Live made him a "cult icon."
He also appeared as a wrestler named "Da' Maniac" in the TV show It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia. Piper was a guest on Saturday Night Live in 1985. He also appeared on MADtv with fellow wrestler Bret Hart.
Music and Voice Acting
In the 1980s, Piper was in singer Cyndi Lauper's music video for the song "The Goonies 'R' Good Enough". He also sang a song called "For Everybody" on The Wrestling Album in 1985.
Later in his career, Piper also did voice acting. He voiced himself in an episode of Robot Chicken. He also lent his voice to characters in animated movies like Green Lantern: Emerald Knights and the TV show Adventure Time.
Video Games and Toys
Roddy Piper is a playable character in many wrestling video games. His first appearance was in WWF WrestleMania: Steel Cage Challenge. He has also been in recent games like WWE 2K24.
Outside of wrestling games, he voiced a version of himself in the 2013 video game Saints Row IV. In this game, he helps the player and even recreates his famous fight scene from They Live.
Piper was also made into an action figure for the G.I. Joe toy line in 2007.
Personal Life
Roddy Toombs was a Christian. His last movie released while he was alive, The Masked Saint, was a Christian film.
He was married to Kitty Jo Dittrich from 1982 until his death in 2015. They had four children together. His daughter, Teal Piper, also became a professional wrestler in 2019.
Toombs said in his autobiography that he was a cousin of fellow wrestling star Bret Hart. Bret Hart also shared that Piper was the only wrestler who visited him in the hospital after he had a stroke.
Passing and Legacy
Roddy Piper passed away in his sleep on July 31, 2015, at the age of 61. He died at his home in Los Angeles, California.
News of his death came as a shock to the wrestling world. Many tributes were held for him, including a ten-bell salute at a wrestling fan event and on the TV show Raw.
Piper was cremated, and his ashes were buried in Tigard, Oregon.
His Impact on Wrestling
Roddy Piper is remembered as one of the greatest talkers and "heels" (villains) in wrestling history. His "Piper's Pit" interview segments were very new and exciting for their time. Before him, only champions usually got to speak, and wrestlers were rarely the ones asking questions.
Many people, including wrestling legend Bobby Heenan, said Piper could create an amazing speech with very little effort. WWE has called him the greatest villain in wrestling history.
Piper was also one of the first wrestlers to have his entrance music played by a live band. This happened in 1985 before a big match.
Influence on Other Athletes
Mixed martial artist Ronda Rousey was given the nickname "Rowdy" by her friends. At first, she didn't want to use it professionally because she felt it might disrespect Piper. However, after meeting him, Piper gave her his blessing to use the nickname.
On the day Piper died, Ronda Rousey dedicated her next fight to him. When she joined WWE full-time in 2018, she wore a jacket that Piper had given to his son. She also used a wrestling move called Piper's Pit, named after his famous talk show.
In April 2019, WWE honored Piper with a bronze statue as part of WrestleMania Axxess in Brooklyn, New York. This recognized his important contributions to wrestling.
Championships and Awards
Roddy Piper won many championships and awards throughout his wrestling career:
- World Wrestling Federation/World Wrestling Entertainment/WWE
- WWF Intercontinental Heavyweight Championship (1 time)
- World Tag Team Championship (1 time) – with Ric Flair
- WWE Hall of Fame (Class of 2005)
- WWE Bronze Statue (2019)
- Mid-Atlantic Championship Wrestling/World Championship Wrestling
- NWA/WCW United States Heavyweight Championship (3 times)
- NWA Television Championship (2 times)
- NWA Hollywood Wrestling
- NWA Americas Heavyweight Championship (5 times)
- Pro Wrestling Illustrated
- Match of the Year (1985) – with Paul Orndorff vs. Hulk Hogan and Mr. T at WrestleMania I
- Most Hated Wrestler of the Year (1984, 1985)
- Most Popular Wrestler of the Year (1986)
- Stanley Weston Award (2015)
- Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame and Museum
- Class of 2007
- Wrestling Observer Newsletter
- Best Heel (1984, 1985)
- Best on Interviews (1981–1983)
- Wrestling Observer Newsletter Hall of Fame (Class of 1996)
Images for kids
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Mr T. hoists "Rowdy" Roddy Piper up onto his shoulders as Hulk Hogan cheers in the background during the main event of WrestleMania I in 1985
See also
In Spanish: Roddy Piper para niños
