Actors - Roddy Piper

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	Actors - Roddy Piper

Roderick George Toombs (born on April 17, 1954 in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan), best known by his ring name of "Rowdy" Roddy Piper, is a Canadian professional wrestler of Scottish descent. He was raised in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. His alter ego hails from Glasgow, Scotland, which included wearing a kilt and walking to the ring to bagpipe music. The Scottish surname Piper refers to one who plays the bagpipes. He earned the nickname "Rowdy" by displaying his trademark "Scottish" rage, spontaneity and quick wit, and is also called "Hot Rod".

Career

After being expelled from junior high and having a falling out with his father, Toombs hit the road and stayed in youth hostels in wherever he could find them. By the age of 15, he started to become a pro wrestler and had his first ever match, with Larry Hennig. He lost the match in ten seconds.

Piper entered the WWF in 1984 as a manager, but soon started wrestling full-time. Later that year, he was given his own interview segment called "Piper's Pit," in which he talked to other superstars, and which would frequently end in a fight between Piper and his guest.

The "Piper's Pit" segments were legendary and helped create the feuds Piper would have with other wrestlers. He even went as far as insulting superstars, such as, André the Giant, Mr. T, and preliminary wrestler Frank Williams.

In one Piper's Pit legendary interview with "Superfly" Jimmy Snuka, Piper started insulting Snuka's heritage by bringing out pineapples, bananas, and dropping coconuts onto the table. Snuka took offense to this, and Piper then attacked Snuka by hitting him over the head with a coconut, then shoved a banana in his face. He followed up by whipping Snuka with his belt. Piper then left before Snuka could fight back. This incident led to a long feud between the two.

Another feud, this time between Piper and Hulk Hogan erupted soon after, and became what was at the time the highest-profile feud in wrestling history, thanks to the involvement of pop singer Cyndi Lauper.

In 1985, MTV broadcast "The War To Settle The Score", featuring a main-event matchup between Piper and Hogan. This event set up the very first WrestleMania, which featured a match between Piper and Paul Orndorff versus Hogan and Mr. T. Piper would face Mr. T in a boxing match at WrestleMania 2 in 1986.

Following a leave of absence from the WWF, Piper returned to find his "Piper's Pit" segment replaced by "The Flower Shop", a segment hosted by effiminate wrestler Adrian Adonis. Piper (by now a face) stormed the set of Adonis' show, and destroyed it. This led to their Hair v Hair match at WrestleMania III, which was billed as Piper's retirement match. Piper won, with assistance from Brutus Beefcake.

Piper would return to the WWF with a live "Piper's Pit" at WrestleMania V. He also wrestled part-time, while serving as an on-air host and commentator.

At the 1992 Royal Rumble, Piper defeated the Mountie for the WWF Intercontinental Championship, but lost it soon after to Bret Hart at WrestleMania VIII.

In 1996, Piper was named as interim WWE President while Gorilla Monsoon was out injured. As president, Piper would compete at WrestleMania XII, defeating Goldust in a "Hollywood Backlot Brawl"

Later in 1996, Piper left the WWF for WCW. He appeared at "Halloween Havoc" to "break Hogan's monotony." In the fall of 2000, WCW terminated Piper's contract.

In November 2002, Piper's autobiography, In the Pit with Piper: Roddy Gets Rowdy, was released. At WrestleMania XIX in Seattle, WA, Piper ran in during the Hulk Hogan-Vince McMahon bloodbath, and turned heel again by attacking Hogan with a steel pipe. He brought back "Piper's Pit" on the April 10, 2003 edition of SmackDown!, and smashed a coconut over the head of Rikishi. Around the same time on RAW, Chris Jericho started "The Highlight Reel" a show similar to "Piper's Pit." In June 2003, WWE officially released Piper from his contract, after a controversial interview with HBO in which Piper discussed the darker side of the wrestling business.

In 2004 Piper appeared for the Total Nonstop Action Wrestling promotion, hosting several "In the Pit with Piper" interview segments. He also served as one of their NWA Championship Committee members, culminating in refereeing a match at their Final Resolution pay-per-view event.

On February 21, 2005, it was announced that Roddy Piper was to be inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame the night before WrestleMania 21, along with "Mr. Wonderful" Paul Orndorff, "Cowboy" Bob Orton, The Iron Sheik, Nikolai Volkoff, Jimmy Hart, and Hulk Hogan.

[ Visit the complete Wikipedia entry for Roddy Piper ]

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Actors - Roddy Piper

Career

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