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Max Edmund Palmer (November 27, 1927 – May 7, 1984) was an American actor and professional wrestler. Known for his great height and his ring name Paul Bunyan, in 2014 he was described as the second tallest professional wrestler in history.[2]
| Max Palmer | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Birth name | Max Edmund Palmer |
| Born | November 27, 1927 Pontotoc, Mississippi, U.S. |
| Died | May 17, 1984 (aged 56) St. Louis, Missouri, U.S. |
| Professional wrestling career | |
| Ring name(s) | Paul Bunyan |
| Billed height | 8 ft 2 in (249 cm)[1] |
| Billed weight | 499 lb (226 kg)[1] |
| Billed from | Arnold, Missouri |
| Debut | 1955 |
| Retired | 1960 |
Career
editAfter high school Palmer left Mississippi to play with the professional basketball team Rochester Royals. After basketball Palmer went back to Mississippi only to work odd jobs working his way to Hollywood to get into acting. Palmer was discovered by an ex-Chicago newspaper man named Fritz Blocki. Palmer's first appearance on film was on the Dean Martin/Jerry Lewis Comedy Hour. Palmer's acting career spanned from 1952 to 1954. He starred in such movies as Invaders from Mars and Killer Ape with Johnny Weissmuller. He also guested variety shows such as Dean Martin/Jerry Lewis Comedy Hour, The Spade Cooley Show, and The Jimmy Durante Show.
After he left acting, Palmer became a professional wrestler in Salt Lake City, Utah. He was billed as "Paul Bunyan". He became an evangelist in 1963. He preached all over the United States, calling himself "Goliath for Christ". He preached until his death in 1984 from heart disease.
Personal life
editPalmer was born in Pontotoc, Mississippi. In May 1975, Palmer married a woman, Betty, and they remained married until his death. When measured for his coffin, he measured 8 feet 2 inches (2.49 m) and needed a 9-foot (2.7 m) coffin. Palmer is buried in Randolph, Mississippi, near Pontotoc, Mississippi at Carey Springs Baptist Church.
Filmography
edit| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1952 | The Sniper | Chadwick | Uncredited |
| 1953 | Invaders from Mars | Mutant Carrying Dr. Blake to 'Intelligence' | Uncredited |
| 1953 | Killer Ape | Man Ape | |
| 1974 | Stone | (final film role) |
References
edit- ^ a b "Paul Bunyan - Cagematch Profile". CAGEMATCH. Retrieved January 5, 2019.
- ^ Binks, Elliot (May 2, 2014). "WWE: 10 Tallest Wrestlers Ever (And How Giant They Actually Were)". WhatCulture.com. Retrieved April 29, 2016.
1930 U.S. Federal Census, Beat 4, Quitman County, Mississippi 1940 U.S. Federal Census, Beat 4, Quitman County, Mississippi