Maurice Tillet was born in Russia to French parents. But in 1917 they moved to France due to the Russian Revolution. As a child, he was nicknamed “The Angel”.
Tillet served in the French Navy for five years. He also suffered from acromegaly, which is a condition caused by a benign tumor on the pituitary gland. At age 20, he noticed swelling in his extremities and his head which lead to the diagnosis.
Another professional wrestler convinced Tillet to wrestle, so he began training after moving to Paris. But two years later World War II broke out and he left for Boston. He became a big draw in the professional wrestling ring and was known as “The French Angel”.
Tillet died in 1954.
Although DreamWorks has never said Tillet was the inspiration for Shrek, the resemblance is there.
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