Posted in: Movies, TV | Tagged: entertainment, Hulk Hogan, Roddy Piper, television, They Live, Wrestlemania
Rowdy Roddy Piper Passes Away At Age 61
Wrestling legend and actor "Rowdy" Roddy Piper died Thursday evening. He suffered cardiac arrest while sleeping and was discovered on Friday. Piper had been diagnosed with Hodgkin's Lymphoma in 2006, but was cancer free at the time of his death.
Piper was born Roderick George Toombs and was one of the biggest wrestling icons to come out of the 80's, having gone against Hulk Hogan and Mr. T during Wrestlemania I in 1985. Piper also did a lot of acting work, most notably the leading role in John Carpenter's They Live where he got to deliver the oft quoted line: "I've come here to chew bubble gum and kick ass… and I'm all out of bubble gum."
Piper had quite a few projects in production at the time of his passing including the film The Green Fairy with Richard Grieco and Linda Blair.
The Hall of Fame wrestler was a frequent guest at comic conventions around the country where he was very popular with fans and fellow guests. Piper is survived by his wife Kitty and four children. His son Colton is pursuing a career in wrestling.