Roddy Piper
Canadian professional wrestler and actor (1954–2015)
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Key Takeaways
- Roderick George Toombs (April 17, 1954 – July 31, 2015), known by his ring name " Rowdy " Roddy Piper , was a Canadian professional wrestler and actor.
- Although he was Canadian, Piper was billed as coming from Glasgow, Scotland and was known for his signature kilt and bagpipe entrance music, in reference to his Scottish heritage.
- According to The Daily Telegraph , he is "considered by many to be the greatest 'heel' (or villain) wrestler ever".
- He accumulated 34 championships and hosted the popular WWF/WWE interview segment "Piper's Pit", which facilitated numerous kayfabe feuds.
- Outside of wrestling, Piper acted in dozens of films and TV shows.
Roderick George Toombs (April 17, 1954 – July 31, 2015), known by his ring name "Rowdy" Roddy Piper, was a Canadian professional wrestler 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, Piper was billed as coming from Glasgow, Scotland and was known for his signature kilt and bagpipe entrance music, in reference to his Scottish heritage. 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".
As one of wrestling's most recognizable stars, Piper headlined multiple pay-per-view events, including the WWF and WCW's respective premier annual events, WrestleMania and Starrcade. He accumulated 34 championships and hosted the popular WWF/WWE interview segment "Piper's Pit", which facilitated numerous kayfabe 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, he took the lead role of John Nada in the 1988 cult classic They Live, and a recurring role as deranged professional wrestler Da' Maniac on the FX comedy series It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia.
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