
Roddy Piper
Known for department: Acting
Birthday: 1954-04-17 – 2015-07-31
Place of birth: Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada
Biography
Roderick George Toombs (April 17, 1954 – July 31, 2015), better known as "Rowdy" Roddy Piper, was a Canadian professional wrestler, amateur wrestler, comedian and actor. In professional wrestling, Piper was best known to international audiences for his work with the World Wrestling Federation (WWF, now WWE) and World Championship Wrestling (WCW) between 1984 and 2000. Although he was Canadian, because of his Scottish heritage he was billed as coming from Glasgow and was known for his signature kilt and bagpipe entrance music. Piper earned the nicknames "Rowdy" and "Hot Rod" by displaying his trademark "Scottish" short temper, spontaneity, and quick wit. According to The Daily Telegraph, he is "considered by many to be the greatest 'heel' (or villain) wrestler ever". One of wrestling's most recognizable stars, Piper headlined multiple PPV events, including the WWF and WCW's respective premier annual events, WrestleMania and Starrcade. He accumulated 34 championships and hosted the popular WWF/E interview segment "Piper's Pit", which facilitated numerous feuds. In 2005, Piper was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame by Ric Flair, who dubbed him "the most gifted entertainer in the history of professional wrestling". Outside of wrestling, Piper acted in dozens of films and TV shows, most notably taking the lead role of John Nada in the 1988 cult classic They Live and a recurring role as a deranged professional wrestler called Da' Maniac on the FX comedy series It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia. He is also widely known for his role in Hell Comes to Frogtown as the character Sam Hell.
Known for
WWE Tribute to the Troops 2014
2014
Back in Action
1994Frank Rossi
Hell Comes to Frogtown
1988Sam Hell
They Live
1988John Nada
The Mystical Adventures of Billy Owens
2008William Thurgood
Ghosts of Goldfield
2007Jackson Smith
The Portal
2010Homeless George
Hitman Hart: Wrestling with Shadows
1998Rowdy Roddy Piper (archive footage)Fighting Fit with Rowdy Roddy Piper
1992Self
WrestleMania
1985"Rowdy" Roddy Piper
The Greatest Wrestling Stars of the '80s
2005SelfThe Making of 'They Live'
1988Self
Jungleground
1995Lt. Jacob 'Jake' Cornell
Three Wise Guys
2005Pastor Roberts
Green Lantern: Emerald Knights
2011Bolphunga (voice)
Ultimate Fights from the Movies
2002Nada (They Live) (archive footage)
WWE RAW 1000
2012
Tough and Deadly
1995Elmo Freech
Blind Eye
2007Fred Mears