Ernie Ladd

Born: 1938-11-28

Ernest Ladd, nicknamed "The Big Cat", was an American professional football player and professional wrestler. A standout athlete in high school, Ladd attended Grambling State University on a basketball scholarship before being drafted in 1961 by the San Diego Chargers of the American Football League (AFL). Ladd found success in the AFL as one of the largest players in professional football history at 6′9″ and 290 pounds. He helped the Chargers to four AFL championship games in five years, winning the championship with the team in 1963. He also had stints with the Kansas City Chiefs and Houston Oilers. Ladd took up professional wrestling during the AFL offseason, and after a knee injury ended his football career turned to it full-time in 1969. As a professional wrestler, Ladd became one of the top heels in the business. For the majority of his career, he played a villainous character who would arrogantly taunt both opponents and crowds. Ladd feuded with many popular wrestlers of the time, including Wahoo McDaniel, André the Giant, Bobo Brazil, Dusty Rhodes, and Mr. Wrestling, before retiring from the ring in 1986. Ladd was inducted into the San Diego Chargers Hall of Fame in 1981, the Grambling State University Hall of Fame in 1989, and the WWE Hall of Fame in 1995. Ladd was diagnosed with colon cancer in the winter of 2003–2004, and died from the disease on March 10, 2007 at the age of 68.


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Legends of Mid-South Wrestling

as Himself
Released: 2013-09-10

For the first time ever, WWE presents the Legends of Mid-South Wrestling. One of the 1980’s...

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WWF's Biggest, Smallest, Strangest, Strongest

as Ernie Ladd
Released: 1985-01-01

Some of the most astonishing stars the WWF has to offer.

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Giants, Midgets, Heroes and Villains II

as "The Big Cat" Ernie Ladd
Released: 2008-01-22

Once again fans can re-live the legendary glory age of wrestling and once and for all know that...

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WWE Villains of The Squared Circle

as "The Big Cat" Ernie Ladd
Released: 1986-06-06

The most memorable rule benders and rule breakers of the 1980s are all here, as Mean Gene...

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NWA Boogie Jam

as "The Big Cat" Ernie Ladd
Released: 1984-03-17

Paul Jones tries to escape the clutches of "The Boogie-Woogie Man" Jimmy Valiant in a vital Hair...

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WWE: Presents True Giants

as uncredited
Released: 2014-12-09

WWE presents True Giants, an in-depth look at sports entertainment's most successful gargantuan...

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Mid-South Wrestling Giants, Midgets, Heroes & Villains vol. 1

as "The Big Cat" Earnie Ladd
Released: 2007-07-31

Mid-South Wrestling is proud to present, it's 1st volume of a 4 DVD collection entitled "Giants...

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That '70s Show

as Manager
First aired: 1998-08-23

Crank up the 8-track and flash back to a time when platform shoes and puka shells were all the...

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WWE Raw

as Ernie Ladd
First aired: 1993-01-11

A regularly scheduled, live, year-round program featuring some of the biggest WWE Superstars.

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WWF Wrestling Challenge

as Ernie Ladd
First aired: 1986-09-07

WWF Wrestling Challenge was a professional wrestling television program produced by the World...

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