Clifford Marshall Thompson (October 18, 1904 – October 15, 1955) was one of the world's tallest men, the world's tallest lawyer, and remains the tallest man to ever appear in a Hollywood film. Born in

Rugby, North Dakota Rugby is a city in and the county seat of Pierce County, North Dakota, Pierce County, North Dakota, United States. The population was 2,509 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, making it the List of cities in North Dakota, 19th largest ...

, as a child Thompson moved with his parents to

Scandinavia, Wisconsin Scandinavia is a village in the Town of Scandinavia in Waupaca County, Wisconsin, United States. The population was 371 at the 2020 census. Geography Scandinavia is located at (44.461513, -89.148659). According to the United States Census Bur ...

. He claimed to be and weigh . According to thetallestman.com, his actual height was about , but a researcher named Craig Albert more recently used photo-analysis to determine his size was somewhere between 8’3″ and 8’6″ tall. He was known as "The Scandinavian Giant," "The Wisconsin Paul Bunyan," and "Count Olaf" . Thompson appeared in many Hollywood films, including ''A Day in the Life of a Giant'' and ''Seal Skins''. Later he enrolled in

Marquette University Marquette University () is a Private university, private Jesuit research university in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, United States. It was established as Marquette College on August 28, 1881, by John Henni, the first Archbishop of the Roman Catholic Ar ...

and earned a law degree. Thompson practiced law in downtown

Iola, Wisconsin Iola is a village in Waupaca County, Wisconsin, United States. The population was 1,236 at the 2020 census. The village is bordered by the towns of Iola and Scandinavia. The community was named after a Potawatomi princess. Geography Iola is lo ...

. A biography of

Robert Pershing Wadlow Robert Pershing Wadlow (February 22, 1918 July 15, 1940), also known as the Alton Giant and the Giant of Illinois, was an American man. He is the tallest person in recorded history for whom there is irrefutable evidence. Wadlow was born and ra ...

recites that Thompson wanted to meet up with Wadlow in Decatur, Illinois. The local newspaper tried to arrange a meeting and offered to pay all expenses for Thompson's travels, but the deal fell through. Thompson never took up the $50 offer to prove that he was taller than Wadlow, taking up the title of world's tallest man after the latter's death. An often told story is that Thompson made a challenge to Wadlow to come to his hometown to prove that Wadlow was just 'another faker'. When both men walked on stage, Wadlow held out his arm and Thompson was easily under it. To which Wadlow replied "When you grow up you will be an awfully big boy." The challenger was actually Cliff Maynard of Arkansas.

References

1904 births 1955 deaths People with gigantism Marquette University alumni People from Rugby, North Dakota People from Scandinavia, Wisconsin {{US-entertainer-stub