Lou Ferrigno, actor, fitness trainer, fitness consultant and retired professional bodybuilder, has spent most of his life showing evil-doers why they wouldn’t like Dr. David Banner when he got angry. But today, he’s getting to rest on his laurels and celebrate a major milestone.
Happy Birthday, Lou Ferrigno!
And that’s because he was born on November 9, 1951, in Brooklyn, New York, which means that this much-beloved performer is turning 69 years old today! Bullied and ostracized due to a hearing disability, Ferrigno turned to bodybuilding.
Shortly after graduating from high school, Ferrigno won his first International Federation of BodyBuilding & Fitness (IFBB) title: Mr. America (1973). He also won the IFBB titles Mr. Universe (1973) Mr. International (1974), and Mr. Universe (1974). His attempt to obtain the title Mr. Olympia (1975), alongside fellow competitors like Arnold Schwarzenegger, was the subject of the 1977 documentary Pumping Iron.
In order to supplement his income, Ferrigno was forced to accept numerous other jobs including one as a $10-an-hour sheet metal worker, and as a defensive lineman for the Toronto Argonauts in the Canadian Football League.
In 1977, Ferrigno was hired to co-star in the CBS series The Incredible Hulk, an adaption of the same-titled comic book. While actor Bill Bixby would portray the mild-manner Dr. David Bruce Banner, Ferrigno would step in to play his green pigmented alter-ego who emerged in times of extreme anger or overwhelming stress.
The series proved to be a great success, and would ultimately run for five seasons and produce 80 episodes between March 1978 and May 12, 1982. Bixby and Ferrigno would ultimately reprise their respective roles for three reunion films (1988, 1989, and 1990).
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Meanwhile, Ferrigno has continued to portray the Hulk via voice acting, and he has also been invited to participate in a number of related live-action media including the 2003 Hulk film.
Ferrigno’s other acting endeavors include a starring role in the short-lived medical drama Trauma Center (1983), a recurring part on The King of Queens (in which he played a slightly fictitious version of himself; 2000-2007), My Wife and Kids (2004), Reno 911! (2004), and Chuck (2010). He has also served as a voice actor in animated fare such as Adventure Time and We Bare Bears.
Outside of his acting career, Ferrigno is also known for serving as a reserve officer in numerous law-enforcement divisions – including the Los Angeles County and San Luis Obispo sheriffs departments. He has his own line of fitness equipment – Ferrigno Fitness – and in 2018 he served as a member of President Donald Trump’s Council on Sports, Fitness & Nutrition.
Ferrigno has been married to Carla Green since May 3, 1980. Together the couple has welcomed three children: Shanna (born in 1981), Louis Jude Ferrigno Jr. (born on November 10, 1984), and Brent (born in 1990). Shanna is an actress best known for her recurring role as Nurse Janice on Days of our Lives; Ferrigno Jr., likewise, is an actor best known for his recurring roles on S.W.A.T. with Shemar Moore and Stargirl.
Entertainment Hub would like to wish Lou Ferrigno a very happy birthday and you can too by clicking on the Twitter link below.
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