Photo: IISG / CC BY-SA 2.0 (source: Wikimedia Commons)
Maurice Tillet was born on October 23, 1903 in Chelyabinsk Uyezd, Orenburg Governorate, Russian Empire. Public records list Maurice Tillet as a rugby union player and professional wrestler. Death is recorded on September 4, 1954, at the age of 50. The listed height was 170 cm.
My Take
Maurice Tillet, the French Angel, is one of the most haunting figures I have encountered in this archive. A rugby player whose body was reshaped by acromegaly, he transformed an affliction that would have hidden most men into a magnetic wrestling persona, twice claiming the World Heavyweight title in 1940s Boston. What moves me is the defiance of it; he refused to let fate diminish him and instead turned the crowd's gaze into power. Born in the Russian Empire, made famous in America, gone by 1954, he remains a symbol of dignity carved from hardship. I salute him.
1. Profile
- Name (English)
- Maurice Tillet
- Name (Japanese)
- フレンチ・エンジェル
- Reading
- ふれんち・えんじぇる
- Born
- October 23, 1903 – September 4, 1954
- Zodiac / Chinese zodiac
- Libra / Rabbit
- Origin
- Chelyabinsk Uyezd, Orenburg Governorate, Russian Empire
- Height
- 170 cm
- Occupation
- rugby union player / professional wrestler
2. Links
- Wikipedia (English)https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The%20French%20Angel
- Wikidatahttps://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1072699
3. About this entry
Tags
- Last updated
- 2026-06-19
Facts are limited to publicly available information up to 2024; non-public or unconfirmed items are omitted. 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 Maurice Tillet born?
Born October 23, 1903.
When did Maurice Tillet die?
Died September 4, 1954, aged 50.
Where was Maurice Tillet from?
Maurice Tillet was from Chelyabinsk Uyezd, Orenburg Governorate, Russian Empire.
What did Maurice Tillet do?
Maurice Tillet worked as rugby union player, professional wrestler.
How tall was Maurice Tillet?
Maurice Tillet was 170 cm.
Rugby union player — see all → · Professional wrestler — see all → · More people from the Russian Empire →