Clifford Thompson

Clifford Marshall Thompson (October 18, 1904 – October 15, 1955) was one of the world's tallest men, and remains the tallest man to ever appear in a Hollywood film.[1]

For the Australian geomorphologist, see Clifford Harry Thompson. For the head of the Canadian Army medical service, see Clifford Shaw Thompson.

Born in Rugby, North Dakota, as a child Thompson moved with his parents to Scandinavia, Wisconsin. He claimed to be 8 feet 7 inches (2.62 m)[2] and weigh 460 pounds (210 kg). According to thetallestman.com, his actual height was about 7 feet 5 inches (2.26 m), but a researcher named Craig Albert more recently used photo-analysis to determine his size was somewhere between 8’3″ and 8’6″ tall.

He was known as "The Scandinavian Giant," "The Wisconsin Paul Bunyan," and "Count Olaf". Thompson appeared in many Hollywood films, including A Day in the Life of a Giant and Seal Skins.[1] Later he enrolled in Marquette University and earned a law degree.[2]

A biography of Robert Pershing Wadlow recites that Thompson made a challenge to Wadlow to come to his hometown to prove that Wadlow was just 'another faker'. When both men walked on stage, Wadlow held out his arm and Thompson was easily under it. To which Wadlow replied "When you grow up you will be an awfully big boy."[3]

References
  1. "Pride Points". Marquette University. August 2010. Retrieved February 15, 2012.
  2. Hylton, J. Gordon (January 22, 2010). "Giant of the Law Received His Legal Training at Marquette". Marquette University Law School. Retrieved February 15, 2012.
  3. Fadner, Frederic (1944). Gentleman Giant.


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