Lou Ferrigno

<p>Louis Jude Ferrigno was born on November 9, 1951, in Brooklyn, New York. Shortly after birth, he suffered severe ear infections resulting in permanent 80% hearing loss. Overcoming severe childhood bullying and speech difficulties through comic book heroes like Superman and the Hulk, Ferrigno took up weight training at age thirteen in his basement.</p><p>His physical transformation was astonishing. Standing 6 feet 5 inches and weighing nearly 285 pounds in competition, Ferrigno captured the IFBB Mr. America title in 1973, followed immediately by back-to-back IFBB Mr. Universe titles in 1973 and 1974, becoming the youngest man ever to win Mr. Universe. In 1975, he finished second to Arnold Schwarzenegger at Mr. Olympia, a rivalry immortalized in the acclaimed 1977 documentary film <em>Pumping Iron</em>.</p><p>Later that year, Ferrigno was cast as the titular green superhero in the CBS television series <em>The Incredible Hulk</em> (1977–1982) alongside Bill Bixby as Dr. David Banner. His physical power and emotional expressiveness without spoken dialogue turned the character into a worldwide cultural phenomenon. Ferrigno has also starred in <em>Hercules</em> (1983) and made voice cameos in Marvel Cinematic Universe films. An outspoken advocate for the hearing-impaired, he continues to inspire millions with his message of overcoming physical adversity.</p>