05/06/2024
Maurice Tillet, the man who was the inspiration behind the popular animated character Shrek, was a Russian-born French professional wrestler. He was better known by his ring name, The French Angel, and was a leading box office draw in the early 1940s.
At the age of 17, Tillet noticed that his face and hands were growing out of proportion with the rest of his body. By the time he was 19, he had been diagnosed with Acromegaly.
Despite the physical difficulties he faced, Tillet continued to pursue his dreams as a lawyer and actor. It was said that he could speak 14 languages. In the 1940s, Tillet rose to fame after moving to America and taking an interest in professional wrestling, which eventually led to a successful acting career.
