Roddy Piper

Roderick George Toombs (April 17, 1954 – July 31, 2015)^[1] better known by his ring name "Rowdy" Roddy Piper, was a Canadian professional wrestler and actor. During his career, Piper worked for the National Wrestling Alliance (NWA), World Wrestling Federation (WWF), World Championship Wrestling (WCW), and Total Nonstop Action Wrestling (TNA). He played the role of a Scottish wrestler, most of a time he was a heel.

Roddy Piper
Born	(1954-04-17)April 17, 1954[1] Saskatoon, Saskatchewan[1]
Died	July 31, 2015(2015-07-31) (aged 61) Hollywood, California, U.S.
Cause of death	Cardiopulmonary arrest caused by pulmonary embolism and hypertension
Professional wrestling career
Ring name(s)	Roddy Piper[2] The Masked Canadian[1] Piper Machine[1] Roddy the Piper Roderick Piper Piper
Billed from	Glasgow, Scotland[2]
Trained by	Tony Condello[1] Stu Hart Alfred Eloquin
Debut	1969
Retired	April 18, 2008

Early life

Piper was born in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan. He was raised in Winnipeg, Manitoba. He is of Scottish heritage.

Career

Piper hosted a popular interview segment in the WWF/E, called "Piper's Pit". The segment mainly aired during the late 1980s and early 1990s. It has been abandoned since Piper left the WWE, but was still done on special occasions when Piper made a special appearance. In 2005, Piper was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame by Ric Flair.

Piper also acted in many movies and television shows. One of his most well known roles was as a drifter in the 1988 movie They Live.

Death

Piper died of cardiopulmonary arrest caused by a pulmonary embolism and hypertension on July 31, 2015 in Hollywood, California.^[3] A ten-bell salute for Piper was held at the beginning of the August 3, 2015 episode of WWE Raw.^[4]

Acting

Movies

• That Obscure Object of Desire - Unknown (1977)
• The One and Only - Leatherneck Joe Grady (1978) (Uncredited)
• Body Slam - Quick Rick Roberts (1986)
• Hell Comes to Frogtown - Sam Hell (1988)
• They Live - John Nada (1988)
• Buy & Cell - Cowboy (1989)
• Tagteam - Rick McDonald (1991)
• Immortal Combat - John Keller (1992)
• Back In Action - Frank Rossi (1993)
• No Contest - Ice (1994)
• Tough & Deadly - Elmo Freech (1994)
• Jungleground - Lt. Jacob 'Jake' Cornell (1995)
• Terminal Rush - Bartel (1996)
• Marked Man - Frank Gibson (1996)
• Sci-Fighters - Det. Cameron Grayson (1996)
• First Encounter - Unknown (1997)
• Dead Tides - Mick Leddy (1997)
• The Bad Pack - Dash Simms (1998)
• Hard Time - Randy (1998)
• Last To Surrender - Nick Ford (1998)
• Legless Larry & the Lipstick Lady - Legless Larry (1999)
• Shepherd - Miles (1999)
• Jack of Hearts - Detective Deeks (2000)
• Three Wise Guys - Pastor Roberts (2005)
• Honor - LT Tyrell (2005)
• Domestic Import - Bronco Bill (2006)
• Costa Chica: Confession of an Exorcist - Lucas McMurter (2006)
• Shut Up and Shoot! - Yokum The Bartender (2006)
• Night Traveler - The Pyro Messiah (2006) (voice)
• Blind Eye - Fred Mears (2006)
• Urban Legends: The Ghosts of Goldfield - Jackson Smith (2007)
• Super Sweet 16: The Movie - Mitch (2007)
• Legion: The Final Exorcism - Unknown (2008)
• The Mystical Adventures of Billy Owens - William Thurgood (2009)
• A Gothic Tale - Narrator (2009)
• The Portal - Homeless George (2010)
• Lights Out - Detective Callahan (2010)
• Billy Owens and the Secret of the Runes - William Thurgood (2010)
• Alien Opponent - Father Melluzzo (2010)
• Clear Lake - Wayne (2011)
• Pizza Man - Roderick (2011)
• Fancypants - Smiley (2011)
• Black Dynamite Teaches a Hard Way! - Himself (2013)
• Pro Wrestlers vs Zombies - Himself (2013)
• Don't Look Back - Grandfather (2014)

Television

• The Highwayman - Preacher (1987)
• The Super Mario Bros. Super Show! - Himself (1989)
• The Love Boat: A Valentine Voyage - Maurice Steiger (1990)
• Zorro - Will Adams / Bishop (1990-1991)
• Silk Stalkings - Jimmy Snow (1992)
• Walker, Texas Ranger - Cody "The Crusader" Conway (1998)
• The Outer Limits - Marlon (1999)
• Louis Theroux's Weird Weekends - Himself (1999)
• Highlander - Immortal Anthony Gallen (1993)
• It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia - Da' Maniac (2009)
• Cold Case - "Sweet" Sil Tavern (2010)
• Breaking In - Mr. Weller (2012)
• Celebrity Wife Swap - Himself (2013)
• Storage Wars - Himself (2013)
• It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia - Da' Maniac (2013)
• Adventure Time - Don John (2014)

Video games

• Saints Row IV - Himself (2013)

Championships and accomplishments

• Big Time Wrestling (San Francisco)
  • NWA United States Heavyweight Championship (San Francisco version) (1 time)^[5]
  • NWA World Tag Team Championship (San Francisco version) (1 time) – with Ed Wiskoski^[6]
• Canadian Pro-Wrestling Hall of Fame
  • Class of 2022^[7]
• Cauliflower Alley Club
  • Reel Member Inductee (2001)^[8]
• George Tragos/Lou Thesz Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame
  • Class of 2008^[9]
• Mid-Atlantic Championship Wrestling/World Championship Wrestling
  • NWA Mid-Atlantic Heavyweight Championship (2 times)^[5]
  • NWA Television Championship (2 times)^[5]
  • NWA/WCW United States Heavyweight Championship (3 times)^[10]
• NWA All-Star Wrestling
  • NWA Canadian Tag Team Championship (Vancouver version) (1 time) – with Rick Martel^[5]
• NWA Hollywood Wrestling
  • NWA Americas Heavyweight Championship (5 times)^[5]
  • NWA Americas Tag Team Championship (5 times) – with Crusher Verdu (1), Keith Franks (1), Pak Choo (1), Ron Bass (1), and The Hangman (1)^[5]
  • NWA World Light Heavyweight Championship (1 time)^[a]
• Pacific Northwest Wrestling
  • NWA Pacific Northwest Heavyweight Championship (2 times)^[11]
  • NWA Pacific Northwest Tag Team Championship (5 times) – with Killer Tim Brooks (1), Rick Martel (3),^[12] and Mike Popovich (1)^[b]
• Pro Wrestling Guerrilla
  • Legends Battle Royal (2011)^[13]
• Pro Wrestling Illustrated
  • Inspirational Wrestler of the Year (1982)^[14]
  • Match of the Year (1985) with Paul Orndorff vs. Hulk Hogan and Mr. T at WrestleMania I^[14]
  • Most Hated Wrestler of the Year (1984, 1985)^[14]
  • Most Popular Wrestler of the Year (1986)^[14]
  • Stanley Weston Award (2015)^[14]
  • Ranked No. 45 of the top 500 singles wrestlers in the PWI 500 in 1992^[15]
  • Ranked No. 17 of the 500 singles wrestlers during the "PWI Years" in 2003^[16]
• Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame and Museum
  • Class of 2007^[17]
• World Class Championship Wrestling
  • NWA American Tag Team Championship (1 time) – with Bulldog Brower^[5][18][19]
• World Wrestling Federation/World Wrestling Entertainment/WWE
  • WWF Intercontinental Heavyweight Championship (1 time)^[20]
  • World Tag Team Championship (1 time) – with Ric Flair^[21]
  • WWE Hall of Fame (Class of 2005)^[2]
  • WWE Bronze Statue (2019)^[22]
  • Slammy Award (1 time)
    • Best Personality in "Land of a Thousand Dances" (1986)^[23]
• Wrestling Observer Newsletter
  • Best Heel (1984, 1985)^[24]
  • Best on Interviews (1981–1983)^[c][24]
  • Worst Worked Match of the Year (1986) vs. Mr. T in a boxing match at WrestleMania 2^[24]
  • Worst Worked Match of the Year (1997) vs. Hollywood Hogan at SuperBrawl VII^[24]
  • Wrestling Observer Newsletter Hall of Fame (Class of 1996)^[25]

Notes

1. The NWA World Light Heavyweight Championship is no longer recognized or sanctioned by the National Wrestling Alliance.^[11]
2. Martel vacated the title after losing a loser-leaves-town match, and Piper chose Popovich as a replacement partner.^[11][5]
3. 1981 award shared with Lou Albano.