Lou Ferrigno
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Louis Jude Ferrigno Sr. (; born November 9, 1951) is an American actor and retired
professional A professional is a member of a profession or any person who work (human activity), works in a specified professional activity. The term also describes the standards of education and training that prepare members of the profession with the partic ...
bodybuilder. He won an IFBB Mr. America title and two consecutive IFBB Mr. Universe titles, and appeared in the documentary film '' Pumping Iron'' (1977). As an actor, he is best known for his title role in the CBS television series '' The Incredible Hulk'' (1977–1982) and vocally reprising the role in subsequent animated and computer-generated incarnations. He has also appeared in European-produced fantasy-adventures such as ''
Hercules Hercules (, ) is the Roman equivalent of the Greek divine hero Heracles, son of Jupiter and the mortal Alcmena. In classical mythology, Hercules is famous for his strength and for his numerous far-ranging adventures. The Romans adapted the Gr ...
'' (1983) and '' Sinbad of the Seven Seas'' (1989), and as himself in the
sitcom A sitcom (short for situation comedy or situational comedy) is a genre of comedy produced for radio and television, that centers on a recurring cast of character (arts), characters as they navigate humorous situations within a consistent settin ...
''
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'' and the 2009 comedy ''
I Love You, Man ''I Love You, Man'' is a 2009 American bromantic comedy film written and directed by John Hamburg, based on a script by Larry Levin. The film stars Paul Rudd as a friendless man looking for a best man for his upcoming wedding. However, his ...
''.


Early life

Ferrigno was born in
Brooklyn Brooklyn is a Boroughs of New York City, borough of New York City located at the westernmost end of Long Island in the New York (state), State of New York. Formerly an independent city, the borough is coextensive with Kings County, one of twelv ...
, New York, to Victoria and Matt Ferrigno, a police
lieutenant A lieutenant ( , ; abbreviated Lt., Lt, LT, Lieut and similar) is a Junior officer, junior commissioned officer rank in the armed forces of many nations, as well as fire services, emergency medical services, Security agency, security services ...
. He is of Italian descent. Soon after he was born, Ferrigno says he believes he had a series of ear infections and lost 75% to 80% of his hearing, though his condition was not diagnosed until he was three years old.Mabe, Catherin
"Lou Ferrigno: Living, Acting, and Bodybuilding with Hearing Loss"
. Disaboom. Retrieved February 8, 2012.
Hearing loss and his speech impediment caused Ferrigno to be bullied by peers during his childhood who called him "deaf" and " mute". He began reading comic books such as ''
Hulk The Hulk is a superhero appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by writer Stan Lee and artist Jack Kirby, the character first appeared in the debut issue of ''The Incredible Hulk (comic book), The Incredible Hulk ...
'' and ''
Spider-Man Spider-Man is a superhero in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by writer-editor Stan Lee and artist Steve Ditko, he first appearance, first appeared in the anthology comic book ''Amazing Fantasy'' #15 (August 1962) in ...
'' at this time, later saying "I was obsessed with power", and "I wanted to be strong enough so that I could be able to defend myself", which eventually made him take up bodybuilding: "My father rejected me because I was not the perfect son, so I fantasized about being like The Hulk and that’s what led to bodybuilding". Ferrigno started weight training at the age of 13, citing bodybuilder and ''
Hercules Hercules (, ) is the Roman equivalent of the Greek divine hero Heracles, son of Jupiter and the mortal Alcmena. In classical mythology, Hercules is famous for his strength and for his numerous far-ranging adventures. The Romans adapted the Gr ...
'' star Steve Reeves as one of his role models. Because he could not afford to buy weights, he made his own using a broomstick and pails which he partially filled with cement. Ferrigno attended St. Athanasius Grammar SchoolParker, Vernon
"On This Day in History: November 9That Incredible Hulk"
. ''
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''. November 9, 2011
and
Brooklyn Technical High School Brooklyn Technical High School, commonly called Brooklyn Tech and administratively designated High School 430, is a public specialized high school in New York City that specializes in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. It is on ...
, where he learned metal working.


Bodybuilding career

After graduating from high school in 1969, Ferrigno won his first major title, IFBB Mr. America. Four years later, he won the title IFBB Mr. Universe. Early in his career he lived in
Columbus, Ohio Columbus (, ) is the List of capitals in the United States, capital and List of cities in Ohio, most populous city of the U.S. state of Ohio. With a 2020 United States census, 2020 census population of 905,748, it is the List of United States ...
, and trained with
Arnold Schwarzenegger Arnold Alois Schwarzenegger (born July30, 1947) is an Austrian and American actor, businessman, former politician, and former professional bodybuilder, known for his roles in high-profile action films. Governorship of Arnold Schwarzenegger, ...
. In 1974, he came in second on his first attempt at the
Mr. Olympia Mr. Olympia is the title awarded to the winner of the professional men's bodybuilding contest in the open division at Joe Weider's Olympia Fitness & Performance Weekend—an international bodybuilding competition that is held annually and is sanct ...
competition. He came in third the following year, and his attempt to beat Schwarzenegger was the subject of the 1977 documentary '' Pumping Iron''. The documentary made Ferrigno famous. These victories, however, did not provide enough income for him to earn a living. His first paying job was as a $10-an-hour sheet metal worker in a Brooklyn factory, where he worked for three years. He did not enjoy the dangerous work, and left after a friend and co-worker accidentally cut off his own hand."About"
at LouFerrigno.com (official site)
Following this, Ferrigno left the competition circuit for many years, a period that included a brief stint as a defensive lineman for the
Toronto Argonauts The Toronto Argonauts (officially the Toronto Argonaut Football Club and colloquially known as the Argos) are a professional Canadian football team based in Toronto, Ontario. The Argonauts compete in the East Division (CFL), East Division of t ...
in the
Canadian Football League The Canadian Football League (CFL; , LCF) is a Professional gridiron football, professional Canadian football league in Canada. It comprises nine teams divided into two divisions, with four teams in the East Division (CFL), East Division and f ...
. He had never played football, and was cut after two games. Ferrigno left the world of Canadian football after he broke the legs of a fellow player during a scrimmage. Ferrigno, who stands at almost , weighed in during competition at in 1975 and in 1992. Ferrigno competed in the first annual
World's Strongest Man The World's Strongest Man is an international strongman competition held every year. Organized by American event management company IMG, a subsidiary of Endeavor, it is broadcast in the US during summers and in the UK around the end of Decemb ...
competition in 1977, where he finished fourth in a field of eight competitors. In the early 1990s Ferrigno returned to bodybuilding, competing for the 1992 and 1993 Mr. Olympia titles. Finishing 12th and 10th, respectively, he then turned to the 1994 Masters Olympia, where his attempt to beat Robbie Robinson and Boyer Coe was the subject of the 1996
documentary A documentary film (often described simply as a documentary) is a nonfiction Film, motion picture intended to "document reality, primarily for instruction, education or maintaining a Recorded history, historical record". The American author and ...
'' Stand Tall''. After this, he retired from competition.


Acting career


1977–2008

In 1977, Ferrigno was cast as the Hulk in '' The Incredible Hulk''. Though they were rarely on camera together, Ferrigno and who played the Hulk's "normal" alter became friends; Ferrigno has described Bixby as a "mentor" and "father figure" who took him under his wing. Ferrigno also singles out the instances in which Bixby directed Ferrigno in some episodes as particularly memorable. Ferrigno continued playing the Hulk role until 1981, although the last two episodes were not broadcast until May 1982. Later, he and Bixby co-starred in three ''The Incredible Hulk'' TV movies. In November 1978 and again in May 1979 Ferrigno appeared in '' Battle of the Network Stars''. He portrayed the titular character in the 1983 science fantasy adventure film ''
Hercules Hercules (, ) is the Roman equivalent of the Greek divine hero Heracles, son of Jupiter and the mortal Alcmena. In classical mythology, Hercules is famous for his strength and for his numerous far-ranging adventures. The Romans adapted the Gr ...
'', and received mixed-to-negative reviews for his performance. He was, however, praised by Marylynn Uricchio, a film critic for the ''
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette The ''Pittsburgh Post-Gazette'', also known simply as the PG, is the largest newspaper serving Greater Pittsburgh, metropolitan Pittsburgh in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. Descended from the ''Pittsburgh Gazette'', established in 1786 as the fi ...
'', and Andy Brack of ''Charleston City Paper''. Gary Allen Smith, author of the book ''Epic Films'', complimented Ferrigno's physical strength and aesthetics in the film: "At 6'5" and 262 pounds, he is a massive and thoroughly convincing Hercules". In 2014, '' Decider'' named Ferrigno the tenth "hottest onscreen Hercules ever". In 1983, Ferrigno appeared as John Six in the short-lived medical drama ''
Trauma Center A trauma center, or trauma centre, is a hospital equipped and staffed to provide care for patients suffering from major traumatic injuries such as falls, motor vehicle collisions, or gunshot wounds. The term "trauma center" may be used incorr ...
''. Ferrigno played himself during intermittent guest appearances on the CBS
sitcom A sitcom (short for situation comedy or situational comedy) is a genre of comedy produced for radio and television, that centers on a recurring cast of character (arts), characters as they navigate humorous situations within a consistent settin ...
''
The King of Queens ''The King of Queens'' is an American television sitcom that ran on CBS from September 21, 1998, to May 14, 2007, with a total of 207 half-hour episodes spanning nine seasons. The series was created by Michael J. Weithorn and David Litt, who al ...
'', beginning in 2000 and continuing until the program's conclusion in 2007. He and his wife Carla were depicted as the main characters' next-door neighbors, enduring their jokes about him being the Hulk. He made cameo appearances as a security guard in both the 2003 film ''
Hulk The Hulk is a superhero appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by writer Stan Lee and artist Jack Kirby, the character first appeared in the debut issue of ''The Incredible Hulk (comic book), The Incredible Hulk ...
'' and the 2008 film '' The Incredible Hulk'', in which he also voiced the Hulk.Jeff Otto (May 27, 2008)
Special Report: "Hulk" Edit Bay Visit
'' Dark Horizons''. Accessed May 27, 2008.
In the latter film, Bruce Banner ( Edward Norton) bribes him with a pizza to gain entry into a university building. He voiced the Hulk in other
Marvel Cinematic Universe The Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) is an American media franchise and shared universe centered on List of Marvel Cinematic Universe films, a series of superhero films produced by Marvel Studios. The films are based on characters that appe ...
films, uncredited. He voiced the Hulk until 2015's '' Avengers: Age of Ultron''. Mark Ruffalo has voiced Hulk in subsequent films.


2009–present

He trained
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intermittently beginning in the early 1990s, and in 2009, he helped Jackson get into shape for a planned series of
concerts A concert, often known informally as a gig or show, is a live performance of music in front of an audience. The performance may be carried by a single musician, in which case it is sometimes called a recital, or by a musical ensemble such as an ...
in London, which were ultimately cancelled due to Jackson's death. Ferrigno took part in a Smosh video, titled "I Love Lou Ferrigno", in which he is tracked down by one of Smosh's members, Anthony, in Hollywood. The skit ends with Ferrigno knocking Anthony unconscious, in response to Ian's claim that Anthony stole Ferrigno's Butterfinger. Ferrigno has his own line of fitness equipment called Ferrigno Fitness. In January 2009, he provided equipment to ''
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'' for use as a One Bid prize, and demonstrated the equipment himself. In 2016, Ferrigno appeared as a playable Lego version of himself in '' Lego Marvel's Avengers''.


Non-acting endeavors

In February 2006, Ferrigno was sworn in as a
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, reserve sheriff's deputy, Level II. In November 2010,
Maricopa County, Arizona Maricopa County () is a County (United States), county in the south-central part of the U.S. state of Arizona. As of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census the population was 4,420,568, or about 62% of the state's total, making it the List ...
sheriff
Joe Arpaio Joseph Michael Arpaio (; born June 14, 1932) is an American former law enforcement officer and politician. He was the Sheriffs in the United States, Sheriff of Maricopa County, Arizona, Maricopa County, Arizona for 24 years, from 1993 to 2017, ...
swore Ferrigno in as a member of a volunteer sheriff posse, which also included actors
Steven Seagal Steven Frederic Seagal ( ; born April 10, 1952) is an American actor, producer, screenwriter, martial artist, and musician. A 7th-Dan (rank), dan Black belt (martial arts), black belt in aikido, he began his adult life as a martial arts instru ...
and Peter Lupus, in order to help control
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in the
Phoenix Valley The Phoenix metropolitan area, also known as the Valley of the Sun, the Salt River Valley, metro Phoenix, or The Valley, is the largest metropolitan statistical area in the Southwestern United States, with its largest principal city being the ...
area. Ferrigno was a contestant on season five of the NBC reality television series '' The Celebrity Apprentice'', which premiered in February 2012. He appeared on the program in order to raise money for his charity, the Muscular Dystrophy Association. Ferrigno was Team Unanimous' project manager for the task depicted in the fifth episode, "I'm Going to Mop the Floor With You," which was to create a
viral video Viral videos are video, videos that become popular through viral phenomenon, a viral process of Internet sharing, primarily through video sharing websites such as YouTube as well as social media and email.Lu Jiang, Yajie Miao, Yi Yang, ZhenZhon ...
to promote O-Cedar's ProMist Spray Mop, placing him in competition with actress Tia Carrere, the project manager of the women's team, Forte. In addition to the usual $20,000 awarded to the charity of the project manager of the winning team, O-Cedar pledged an additional $30,000 for that task. Team Unanimous' video—in which Ferrigno appeared dancing while mopping—won the task, winning the $50,000 for Muscular Dystrophy Association. He was fired in episode nine, "Ad Hawk", which involved creating a 60-second commercial for Entertainment.com. In June 2012, Ferrigno was sworn in as a reserve deputy to the
San Luis Obispo County, California San Luis Obispo County (), officially the County of San Luis Obispo, is a County (United States), county on the Central Coast of California. As of the 2020 United States census, the population was 282,424. The county seat is San Luis Obispo ...
,
Sheriff A sheriff is a government official, with varying duties, existing in some countries with historical ties to England where the office originated. There is an analogous, although independently developed, office in Iceland, the , which is common ...
's Department. There he completed his level I law enforcement academy, bringing his training up to full peace officer status. In September 2013, Ferrigno was sworn in as a special deputy to the Delaware County, Ohio, Sheriff's Department. In 2017, Ferrigno was inducted into the
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. In May 2018, President
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appointed Ferrigno to be a member of his Council on Sports, Fitness & Nutrition.


Personal life

Due to
ear infections Otitis is a general term for inflammation in ear or ear infection, inner ear infection, middle ear infection of the ear, in both humans and other animals. When infection is present, it may be viral or bacterial. When inflammation is present due to ...
he had soon after birth, Ferrigno lost 75 to 80% of his hearing and has been using hearing aids since the age of five. Ferrigno says his
hearing loss Hearing loss is a partial or total inability to hear. Hearing loss may be present at birth or acquired at any time afterwards. Hearing loss may occur in one or both ears. In children, hearing problems can affect the ability to acquire spo ...
helped shape his sense of determination in his youth, saying, "I think that if I wasn't hard of hearing I wouldn't be where I am now. Early on, as a youngster it was difficult, but I'm not ashamed to talk about it because many people have misconceptions about hearing loss; like who has hearing loss and what it's like not to hear, so I do talk about it. I think my hearing loss helped create a determination within me to be all that I can be, and gave me a certain strength of character too. Anytime I do a movie or a TV show, I make them aware of my hearing loss at the beginning, and that makes it much easier for all of us to communicate and get the job done." Later in life, he received a
cochlear implant A cochlear implant (CI) is a surgically implanted Neuroprosthetics, neuroprosthesis that provides a person who has moderate-to-profound sensorineural hearing loss with sound perception. With the help of therapy, cochlear implants may allow for imp ...
which restored much of his hearing. Ferrigno married Susan Groff in 1978, divorcing a year later. On May 3, 1980, he married
psychotherapist Psychotherapy (also psychological therapy, talk therapy, or talking therapy) is the use of Psychology, psychological methods, particularly when based on regular Conversation, personal interaction, to help a person change behavior, increase hap ...
Carla Green, who then also began serving as his manager; she later became a personal trainer. They have three children: Shanna (born 1981), Louis Jr. (born 1984), and Brent (born 1990). Shanna has a recurring role as Nurse Janice in ''
Days of Our Lives ''Days of Our Lives'' (also stylized as ''Days of our Lives''; simply referred to as ''Days'' or ''DOOL'') is an American television soap opera that aired on the network NBC from November 8, 1965, to September 9, 2022; the soap has streamed n ...
'', and appeared in the NBC series '' Windfall'', as well as the television film ''Within'', and in 2005 she appeared in the E! reality television series '' Filthy Rich: Cattle Drive''. Louis Jr. was a
linebacker Linebacker (LB) is a playing position in gridiron football. Linebackers are members of the defensive team, and typically line up three to five yards behind the line of scrimmage and so back up the defensive linemen. They play closer to the line ...
for the University of Southern California Trojans football team. His son, Lou Ferrigno Jr is currently playing a recurring role in the TV series '' S.W.A.T.'', airing on CBS. Ferrigno has filed suit against his younger brother, Andrew, on two occasions over the use of the name Ferrigno in business ventures.


Competitions

*1971: Pro Mr. America – WBBG, Teen 1stHistory of Mr. Olympia: Lou Ferrigno
. ''Schwarzenegger.it'' Accessed January 1, 2007.
*1971: Teen Mr. America – AAU, 4th, Most Muscular 5th *1972: Pro Mr. America – WBBG, 2nd *1972: NABBA Mr. Universe, Tall 2nd *1973: IFBB Mr. America, Overall Winner *1973: IFBB Mr. Universe, Tall 1st, Overall Winner
". ''IFBB.com''. Accessed January 1, 2007.
*1974: IFBB Mr. International *1974: IFBB Mr. Universe, Tall 1st, Overall Winner * 1974 Mr. Olympia, Heavyweight 2nd * 1975 Mr. Olympia, Heavyweight 3rd place * 1992 Mr. Olympia, 12th * 1993 Mr. Olympia, 10th *1994: Olympia Masters, 2nd


Magazine covers

*'' Muscle & Fitness'' (March 1982, September 1982, March 1983, January 1986, June 1987, July 1988, April 1989, March 1993, March 1994, April 1996) *'' Flex'' (November 1983, August 1985, August 1989, August 1992, October 1992, June 1993, March 1994, November 1994, November 2017) *''Muscle Builder'' (May 1974, July 1974, April 1977, September 1977, July 1979, March 1980, May 1980) *''Iron Man'' (July 1973, August 1988, October 1992, November 1994, April 2009) *''Bodybuilding Lifestyle'' (December 1991, May 1992) *''Muscle Mag International'' (March 1979, December 1983, November 1994) *''Muscular Development'' (February 1981, October 1992, April 2009) *''Muscle Training Illustrated'' (May 1972) *''Natural Bodybuilding'' (February 1983) *''Strength & Health'' (November 1983)


Filmography


Film


Television


Video game


See also

* List of male professional bodybuilders


References


External links

* * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Ferrigno, Lou 1951 births American male bodybuilders American disabled sportspeople American male deaf actors American male film actors American male television actors American male voice actors American people of Italian descent American strength athletes Brooklyn Technical High School alumni California Republicans Deaf sportspeople Living people Male actors from Brooklyn New York (state) Republicans Participants in American reality television series American professional bodybuilders Sheet metal workers 20th-century American sportsmen