Photo: https://www.flickr.com/photos/blakearledge/ / CC BY 2.0 (source: Wikimedia Commons)
Big Van Vader was a professional wrestler, television actor and film actor. Big Van Vader was born in Lynwood, California, United States on May 14, 1955. Death is recorded on June 18, 2018, at the age of 63. Schooling on record includes Bell High School and University of Colorado Boulder. Recorded honors include Wrestling Observer Newsletter Hall of Fame.
My Take
Vader is one of those wrestlers who genuinely makes you question the laws of physics — the man was 6'5" and built like a cement mixer, yet he'd launch himself off the top rope like it was nothing. Leon White came up through college football at Colorado before reinventing himself as one of the most feared big men in the history of professional wrestling, tearing through New Japan, WCW, and beyond with that helmet, the steam shooting out of his mask, and that terrifying combination of raw power and surprising agility. What always got me was how over he was in Japan — American wrestlers earning that level of respect from Japanese crowds is rare, and Vader earned every bit of it. His WWF run never quite did him justice, but his legacy in the Wrestling Observer Hall of Fame tells the real story. Gone in 2018, but that crushing body splash lives forever.
This take was written by generative AI, one per person, from publicly reported facts (editorial policy). It is a reading of the record, not reporting.
1. Profile
- Name (English)
- Big Van Vader
- Name (Japanese)
- ビッグバン・ベイダー
- Reading
- びっぐばん・べいだー
- Born
- May 14, 1955 – June 18, 2018
- Origin
- Lynwood, California, United States
- Height
- 196 cm
- Occupation
- actor / professional wrestler / television actor / film actor / American football player
- Zodiac / Chinese zodiac
- Taurus / Goat
2. Background
- High school
- Bell High School
- University
- University of Colorado Boulder
Awards & achievements
- Wrestling Observer Newsletter Hall of Fame
3. Links
4. About this entry
Tags
- Last updated
Only publicly available facts are listed; non-public or unconfirmed items are omitted. Base data was compiled from Wikidata from June 2026 onward; ages are recalculated daily and deaths are checked against Wikidata on an ongoing basis. English text is machine-assisted (facts translated by Sonnet, "My Take" written by Opus 4.8). The Japanese page is the source of record.
Frequently asked questions
When was Big Van Vader born?
Big Van Vader was born on May 14, 1955.
When did Big Van Vader die?
Big Van Vader died on June 18, 2018, aged 63.
Where was Big Van Vader from?
Big Van Vader was from Lynwood, California, United States.
What did Big Van Vader do?
Big Van Vader worked as actor, professional wrestler, television actor, film actor, American football player.
How tall was Big Van Vader?
Big Van Vader was 196 cm tall.
Where did Big Van Vader study?
Big Van Vader attended University of Colorado Boulder.
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