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Lou FerrinoAmerican bodybuilder
Country:
 USA |
Content:
- Biography of Lou Ferrigno
- Early Life and Career
- Acting Career
- Later Career and Personal Life
- Bodybuilding Career
Biography of Lou Ferrigno
Lou Ferrigno, born on November 9, 1951, in Brooklyn, New York, is an American bodybuilder and actor. He is considered one of the icons of the golden era of American bodybuilding.
Early Life and Career
Ferrigno was born into an Italian-American family, with his father being a police officer. At the age of three, he suffered from an infection that caused him to lose 80% of his hearing. Despite this setback, he developed a love for reading and later, bodybuilding. Ferrigno credits his hearing loss for pushing him to maximize his own potential.
Inspired by the comic book heroes Spider-Man and the Hulk, Ferrigno began weightlifting at the age of 13. He found inspiration in Steve Reeves, who played Hercules in the movies.
In 1969, Ferrigno graduated from a technical high school in Brooklyn. He started competing in national youth bodybuilding competitions in 1971 and quickly achieved success. In 1973 and 1974, he became the overall winner of Mr. Universe and Mr. America competitions. Ferrigno stood out during that time for his towering height of 1.96 meters and his massive physique, weighing 130 kilograms in 1975 and 143 kilograms in 1992.
Acting Career
During the 1980s and 1990s, Ferrigno became a regular participant in various American television shows. He played the lead role in the popular series "The Incredible Hulk" from 1978 to 1982. He also appeared in major roles in films such as "Pumping Iron," "Sinbad of the Seven Seas," and "Hercules" in 1983, among others.
Later Career and Personal Life
After achieving success in the mid-1970s, Ferrigno's bodybuilding career slowly declined. He also competed in the 1977 World's Strongest Man competition, where he placed fourth. In the early 1990s, he made an unsuccessful comeback in bodybuilding before retiring in 1994.
Ferrigno has been married twice. He married Susan Groff in 1978 and divorced her a year later. On May 3, 1980, he married psychotherapist Carla Green, who was his personal trainer at the time. They have three children together: Shanna, born in 1981, Louis Jr., born in 1984, and Brent, born in 1990. Shanna has appeared in episodic roles in TV series, while Louis Jr. is a player for a university American football team.
Ferrigno continues to train daily and sells his own line of fitness equipment through the company "Ferrigno Fitness." He currently resides in Arroyo Grande, California, USA.
Bodybuilding Career
Throughout his bodybuilding career, Ferrigno achieved numerous victories and placements in national and international competitions. Some of his notable achievements include:
- 1971 Pro Mr. America – WBBG, Teen 1st
- 1972 Pro Mr. America – WBBG, 2nd
- 1973 IFBB Mr. America, Overall Winner
- 1974 IFBB Mr. International
- 1974 Mr. Olympia, Heavyweight 2nd
- 1992 Mr. Olympia, 12th
- 1993 Mr. Olympia, 10th
- 1994 Olympia Masters, 2nd.
