HBO subscribers who catch the Bill Simmons-produced “Andre the Giant” documentary tonight are in for a lot of tall tales (and hey, here are two bonus stories that didn’t make the final cut!).
With so many incredible anecdotes about the professional wrestling icon, it is hard to know which ones to believe and what to dismiss — even for doc director Jason Hehir.
For example, most people — Hehir included — will tell you that Andre probably wasn’t very close to his billed height and weight of 7’4” and 500 lbs.
But, “I do believe that he was far more powerful and far more intimidating and daunting than anybody else in wrestling in that time,” he added.
We agree. Hogan was so well-spoken and invested, Hehir nearly opened the whole film on Terry Bollea talking about the time he saw Andre the Giant wrestle live, which pushed the eventual “Rocky III” star into pro wrestling.
Though that original edit of “Andre” was scrapped, Hogan’s contribution to the film remained huge. Hehir actually got the Hulkamania hero to personally rewrite the pages he presented to WWF/WWE boss Vince McMahon ahead of the WrestleMania III main event, outlining how the biggest match in professional wrestling history should go.
It’s a really cool scene.
“André the Giant” premieres on HBO Tuesday, April, 10 at 10 p.m. ET/PT.