Lou Ferrigno is a fitness icon, motivational speaker and Co- Founder of Ferrigno FIT. As an infant, Lou suffered a series of ear infections and lost 80% of his hearing (though his condition was not diagnosed until he was three years old). This circumstance led to bullying both in school and at home. Lost and unhappy, Lou turned to larger-than-life figures like actor/bodybuilder Steve Reeves and Marvel's The Incredible Hulk for inspiration. Undeterred by what some may have perceived as a disadvantage, Lou threw himself into athletics at age 13 (predominantly weightlifting and bodybuilding). By age 21, Lou won his first major titles: Mr. America and Mr. Universe. At 22, he came in second at his first attempt at the Mr. Olympia title. His second attempt at the title was documented the following year in the film Pumping Iron. The release of this film helped gain the attention of television producer Kenneth Johnson (Six Million Dollar Man, The Bionic Woman), who was seeking the right person to portray the larger-than-life comic book superhero, The Incredible Hulk. With his 6 ft 5 in, 285 lb. frame, Lou was the biggest professional bodybuilder at the time and was cast. He would go on to be featured in CBS’ King of Queens, DreamWorks’ I Love You, Man and NBC’s Celebrity Apprentice.
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