George Steele

George Steele, better known as George "The Animal" Steele, real name James Myers (b. April 16, 1937) is an American professional wrestler from Detroit, Michigan whose career lasted from the early 1960s until the 1989 when he was forced to retire due to Crohn's disease, though he would make occasional wrestling appearances into the 1990s and 2000s.

Steele's wrestling "gimmick" was to act like a wild man in the ring, tearing up the turnbuckle with his teeth and sticking out his green tongue (an effect accomplished by chewing green-colored chewing gum before each match). The Animal had a stooped posture and a hairless head, but a thick mat of fur on his back; wrestling broadcasters often speculated that The Animal was indeed the "missing link". At best The Animal could occasionally manage to utter a word or two during interviews.

Steele was almost always a crazy heel, but eventually he was one of the more beloved wrestlers of the early "Wrestlemania" era of the mid-1980s.

His most famous feud was in 1986 against Randy "Macho Man" Savage, after Steele developed a crush on Savage's valet, Miss Elizabeth. The feud was meant to last only a couple of months (and end with Steele being disappointed), but it proved so popular with fans that it continued well into 1987. In 1988, Steele began carrying a hand puppet named "Mine" to the ring.

In 1994, Steele made his professional acting debut as Swedish wrestler-turned-actor, Tor Johnson, in Tim Burton's Ed Wood.

Championships/Accomplishments

• 1-Time GWA Heavyweight Champion

• Pro Wrestling Illustrated (PWI) ranked him # 267 of the 500 best singles wrestlers during the "PWI Years" in 2003.

TRIVIA

the nick name of the animal was taken by dave bautista (a.k.a batista)

External links

• Website