Lou Ferrigno: biography, filmography, achievements and parameters

Bodybuilding star Lou Ferrigno does not have as many titles and awards compared to Arnold Schwarzenegger or Phil Heath, but this did not stop him from being popular. An athlete with a Herculean figure is recognized not only by his steely muscles, but by his famous movie roles. But before he became famous, he had to sweat a lot in the hall and pose under the spotlights. The biography of the athlete and actor is another proof of how a person with a strong character can change his destiny.

Louis Jude Ferrigno was born in November 1951 in New York into the family of a policeman. Hearing loss of 80% after suffering from otitis media at the age of 3 became the main reason for playing sports. To combat ridicule of his physical disability with his fists, he went to the gym. Looking at the lanky boy with a frail figure, the coach doubted that he would be able to achieve decent results and advised him not to argue with nature.

However, the purposeful teenager decided to prove to himself and others that genetics is not a death sentence and began to train hard in the basement of the house. He was his own trainer and nutritionist, and created nutrition and training programs on a whim. Although it was a journey of trial and error, Lu succeeded. The hour came when, in the reflection of the mirror, a 16-year-old teenager saw a guy weighing 90 kg with an athletic figure.

First successes

The young man signed up for the club and began training professionally. He was literally delirious about the awards and worked his ass off. After 2 years, the athlete confidently won the Mr. America competition, and after 4 he achieved more. For the first time, the 21-year-old became the youngest winner of the Mr. Universe title.

“If it weren’t for my hearing problems, I don’t know what would have happened to me,” he told reporters.

The assertive and hardworking "Gorgeous" Lou became one of Arnold Schwarzenegger's competitors. In 1974, the weightlifter showed good results in the fight for Mr. Olympia, but, despite all expectations, he failed to get ahead of the American bodybuilding star Arnie - he took second place . But this year he received the title of Mr. International and Mr. Universe. In 1975, he moved up to 3rd place in the tall category.

Personal life

The personal life of the actor and bodybuilder also turned out well, as did his career. True, not the first time. In 1978, Lou married a woman named Susan Groff. However, a year later the couple divorced.

Lou Ferrigno and his wife Carla Green

Ferrigno's second wife is psychotherapist Carla Green, who later became the actor's personal manager. This marriage produced three children: Shanna (1981), Louis Jr. (1984) and Brent (1990). The eldest daughter also became an actress, and little Lou connected his life with football.

Success in cinema

Although he was not able to build the same acting career as Schwarzenegger, his filmography includes dozens of roles. He starred in TV series with adventurous plots and detective stories, demonstrating the power of his biceps and the beauty of a perfect superhero body. He played Hercules, Sinbad, but most memorably Lou Ferrarrino in The Incredible Hulk.

Inspirations and ideals

According to the actor, he was always inspired by the hero Hulk from the comic book of the same name. Later, Lou would become famous for playing the role of this character, but then, as a child, the huge green hero occupied all the attention of the future actor, and he readily imitated the hero. Later, the bodybuilder’s range of preferences was also expanded to include comics about The Incredible Spider-Man and films about Hercules (late 50s), played by Steve Reeves.

This actor has inspired many bodybuilders. For example, Arnold Schwarzenegger, who would later become Louis Ferrigno's main competitor in the world of bodybuilding, also stated that the desire to lift iron came to him after the actor learned about Reeves. In 1969, Louis Ferigno graduated from a technical high school in Brooklyn, after which he pursued a career as a bodybuilder.

Return to professional bodybuilding

Although he immersed himself in creativity and did not appear at competitions, the athlete still followed the regime. In 1992, Lou decided to try his hand at Mr. Olympia again and began training hard. His tension was transmitted to everyone who was near him. As a result, after a 19-year break, he ended up in 12th place.

Anger at "Pumping Iron"

Lou Ferrigno is known to everyone who loves fantasy films. Everyone who loves bodybuilding knows about him. He is a symbol of American bodybuilding. He hasn't had much luck in the professional bodybuilding scene. He first appears on screen in the film Pumping Iron. He was presented to the audience as a pathetic, weak-willed loser, led by his father. Lou was furious after watching the movie. Despite this, the public fell in love with Lou. People came up to him and expressed their admiration.

Lou Ferrigno competed with such bodybuilding monsters as Arnold Schwarzenegger and Dorian Yates. Lou was always in great shape.

Lou Ferrigno's training rules

The athlete never adhered to rigid patterns in his work. Apparently, the consequences of independent training in the basement, when decisions were made intuitively, had an effect. He believed that the main thing:

• Give your muscles time to recover.
• Feel which groups are ready to work and which still need to rest.
• For “small muscles, use small weights, and pump large ones with large ones.”
• Do not overload the biceps with unliftable equipment, because “this is stupidity and ends in injury.”

Filmography and television

Louis Ferrigno is primarily known for his role as the Hulk in the 1979 TV series and film of the same name. In the world of bodybuilding, he is also remembered as an athlete who starred in a documentary film. The 1975 painting Pumping Iron captured Ferigno competing for the Mr. Olympia title.

The films of Louis Ferrigno are largely aimed at displaying his physical parameters, including his career as a bodybuilder. Both “Hercules” and “The Incredible Hulk”, even the role of Lorenzo in the sequels of the “Godfather” project, which did not reach the world level, demonstrated Louis in the role of strong, physically trained people. In addition, Louis Ferrigno played the role of Sinbad the Sailor in the 1989 film of the same name.

The actor has repeatedly noted that he always considered a career on television more promising than in the field of bodybuilding. Now Louis Ferrigno is announced as the voice of the Hulk in the film “Thor: Ragnarok”, the athlete continues his acting career, but does not give up sports.

In a rocking chair with a bodybuilder

Lou often acted outside the established rules. If bodybuilders pumped their arms on an incline bench, he was content with a straight bench. At the climax, when contracting the biceps, I strained them more, paused for 3 seconds, and only then lowered the bar. The secret to pumping up his huge biceps lies in isolation exercises with light weights.

• his triceps with the help of heavy equipment and a French press after a powerful warm-up, repeating the movements many times.
• my back following the example of Iron Arnie, who emphasized wide-grip pull-ups, close-grip rows, and shrugs.
• When training the chest, Lou Ferrigno monitored the progression of the load and sensations in the pectoral muscles.

The main rule for developing a wide, powerful back, according to a bodybuilder, is sequence. First, pull-downs are performed from above, then horizontal and bent over. The number of repetitions is no more than 12. Weights are selected so as to avoid cheating.

Childhood and youth

Louis Jude Ferrigno was born on November 9, 1951 in Brooklyn, New York. Parents: Victoria and Matt Ferrigno. The boy's father is from Italy and worked in the local police.

Lou Ferrigno as a child

Lou's childhood was marred by the consequences of an illness he suffered at the age of 2 or 3: due to an infectious disease, he lost about 80% of his hearing. As a result, the hearing-impaired boy became the subject of ridicule from the local children.

“They called me Deaf Louie and made fun of me in every possible way,” the bodybuilder recalls.

However, later, having already become famous, Lou will say that hearing loss helped him find his place in life and focus on his own capabilities. Being offended by his peers, the boy found solace in reading. He re-read all the comics about superheroes (he was especially impressed by Spider-Man and the Hulk), mentally imagining himself in their place.

Lou Ferrigno in his youth

Soon the desire to stand up for himself led him to the gym. And at the age of 13, the teenager began to lift, inspired by the example of the main character of the film “Hercules,” played by Steve Reeves, the main icon of bodybuilders of those times.

Ferrigno graduated from St. Athanasius Grammar School and Brooklyn Technical School, where he studied metalworking.

“I did it, but it was hard to leave.”

The last time he took part in competitive bodybuilding was in 1994, competing for the honorary title of Olympia Masters. And again he repeated the success of 1974. Lou ended up in 2nd place, losing the title to champion Robbie Robbinson.

Immediately after leaving, he found work in law enforcement. To do this, he studied at the academy for 6 months and became a deputy sheriff. To keep himself in shape and share his experience with others, Lou opened a gym near his home. Hollywood stars and future champions trained under his leadership. Now Lou Ferrigno is already 60+, but he is still full of life and does not let go of the iron.

Also read, anthropometric data and career of Phil Heath →

Movies

In 1976, Lou Ferrigno was invited to play the main role in the TV series “The Incredible Hulk” based on the Marvel comics. This happened at the suggestion of Arnold Schwarzenegger, who refused this role, since he had already starred in Conan the Barbarian, but suggested to the producers the candidacy of Lou, his rival in Mr. Olympia.

Lou Ferrigno in The Incredible Hulk

The series aired from 1978 to 1982 and brought incredible popularity to the newly minted actor. This work brought Lou together with Bill Bixby, who played Professor David Bruce Banner, whose alter ego becomes the green-skinned monster Hulk. Ferrigno called Bixby his teacher in the acting profession.

Lou’s next works were Italian projects: in the film “Hercules” about the adventures of a mythological hero, as well as the fantasy film “The Magnificent Seven Gladiators,” the ex-bodybuilder played the leading role.

Lou Ferrigno in the movie "Hercules"

The real triumph awaits Ferrigno in the late 80s. He plays Sinbad in the Italian-American adventure film Sinbad Beyond the Seven Seas, and also plays in the crime action film The Cell. The hero Lou in this film is a former officer who went through the Vietnam War and entered into a duel with the mafia in civilian life.

And finally, in 1988, a new series of Hulk films started on television: “Return of the Incredible Hulk” (1988), “The Trial of the Incredible Hulk” (1989) and “The Death of the Incredible Hulk” (1990). Lou Ferrigno took part in all three films and thereby finally established himself as the most charismatic performer of this role.

Lou Ferrigno in the film "Sinbad of the Seven Seas"

Since 2000, for 7 years, the actor has been playing himself in the sitcom “The King of Queens,” which tells the story of the life of a funny married couple, Doug and Kerry Heffernan. In 2003 and 2008, when Hollywood adaptations of the Hulk's adventures starring Eric Bana and Edward Norton were released on the big screen, Ferrigno was also invited to play a cameo role as a security guard and voice the Hulk himself. Despite the appearance of other performers of this role, Lou considers his Hulk the best.

“I was the first to put this superhero's muscles on the big screen and make him believable. I don’t think anyone else can play the Hulk the way I did,” he admitted in an interview.

The “signature” voice of the Hulk, performed by Ferrigno, can also be heard in such Marvel comic book adaptations as “The Avengers” (2012), “Avengers: Grimm” (2015), “Avengers: Age of Ultron” (2015), “Thor: Ragnarok” "(2017), "Avengers: Infinity War" (2018).

Lou Ferrigno in Star Trek Continues

Despite his advanced age, Ferrigno is still in great shape and acts a lot, although not as often as in his youth. In 2015, Lu’s filmography included the role of King Skizurr in the adventure film “The Scorpion King 4: The Lost Throne.” In 2017, fans of creativity enjoyed Lou's cameo in the web series "Conman", and in 2018 - in the action film "Enter the Fire".

Film career

He really liked the role of the Hulk, which he was once offered. He was very impressed with this character, believing that he came from another world.

A sort of green brute with a weight of 500 kg and a height of 2.5 meters. He imagined him as some kind of superman.

The actor experienced certain difficulties on the set. The reason for this was his insufficient hearing . Lou could not hear what his partners answered him in their remarks.

The director even had to hire a specialist who taught the actor to read words by lips. The problem resolved itself with the advent of hearing aids. There were no other difficulties on the set in this regard for the actor. Over the course of his cinematic career, Lou ended up with 20 films.

Personal trainer and fitness product line

In 2009, Louis Ferrigno, pictured above, was hired by Michael Jackson as a personal trainer. He still does not give up sports and promotes his own brand, which received the name of the athlete as its name. In 2012, he met Arnold Schwarzenegger as both men were invited to a bodybuilding competition as success stories and inspirations. The athletes shook hands and celebrated the days when they competed side by side. According to Ferrigno himself, many Hollywood stars still resort to his services. He conducts his own classes and promotes a healthy lifestyle among young people. It is known that his son, Louis Ferrigno Jr., plays American football and is very proud of his father’s career.

Selected moments from the biography

The future athlete was born in 1951 on November 9. His birthplace was Brooklyn. The boy was raised in an Italian-American family. From the very beginning of his life, fate prepared a real serious test for him. The child developed severe otitis media, as a result of which the boy partially lost his hearing. Poor hearing became the reason for constant bullying and ridicule of the boy from his classmates.

There came a time when the guy got pretty tired of it, and he started going to the gym regularly. You must at all costs gain the strength to stand up for yourself if necessary, and if necessary, give good blows to your offenders.

The boy was thin and was even rejected and not allowed into the gym, citing the fact that he had no athletic abilities. However, this did not stop the persistent young man and he began to study in secret from prying eyes. He chose the basement of his house as the place for his studies.

He received information about how to train and what diet to use from sources that accidentally came to his attention. With the help of hard work, Lou managed to overcome genetics. Now a handsome man with a body weight of 90 kg was looking at him from the mirror reflection. He could not only defend himself, but also stand up for those who were being offended.