By Ravi Iyer
George "The Animal" Steele is one of the most memorable characters in pro wrestling, and there's a lot you don't know about the WWE Hall of Famer.
George "The Animal" Steele was an influential character during the Golden Era of WWE, loved and hated in equal measures by fans, depending on the type of role he was playing. However, what is undeniable is the legacy he left behind upon his unfortunate passing in 2017. Real name William Myers, the wrestler was a massive part of the WWE bandwagon, having played a big role during the company's national expansion years.
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Undoubtedly, his biggest moment was the feud with "Macho Man" Randy Savage, which also involved the latter's valet, Miss Elizabeth, and led to a match between the two at WrestleMania 2. As we go past the fifth anniversary of his passing, here are a few lesser-known facts about the 1980s stalwart.
10 Nothing Like His Wrestling Persona
The real-life William Myers was a stark contrast to his in-ring character, George "The Animal" Steele. He was very well-spoken, and cutting an eloquent promo would not have been beyond him, but Vince McMahon wanted his 'animal' persona to be known to the world.
As a result, the performer started adding his signature 'duhhhhs' and 'uhhhhhss' whenever he spoke, just to annoy his boss. However, Vince being Vince loved this quirk, and this style of speaking became The Animal's calling card for the rest of his career.
9 Battled Myriad Health Conditions
George "The Animal" Steele constantly battled illness throughout his life. The fact that he never let this affect his in-ring work spoke volumes about the man behind the character, who always seemed to be having fun in the ring.
Apart from being dyslexic, Myers also suffered from Crohn's disease, an incurable bowel disease. In fact, the latter ailment was the reason for his retirement from wrestling in 1988.
8 Was A Teacher
Despite literally living his brutish character, one with a hairy body and mean streak, fans will be surprised to know that George "The Animal" Steele was a school teacher. As already mentioned, he was a sophisticated man, which shows in the fact that he used to handle the education of multiple children before getting into wrestling.
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In fact, Myers owned a Bachelor’s degree in Science from Michigan State University. He was also a football coach at Madison High School, Madison Heights, Michigan, where he was inducted into the Coaches Hall of Fame.
7 Never Won A WWE Title
George "The Animal" Steele may have been a top star during his near two-decade-long run with WWE, but he shockingly never won a title there. He did challenge for the WWE Championship and multiple other titles numerous times, but a win always evaded him.
Credit to the man playing the role that he managed to stay over for the majority of his run despite never holding a tangible reward for his performances. It can also be argued that a character like his didn't need titles to bring legitimacy or credibility, and his loyalty was rewarded by Vince McMahon as one of the first inductees into the WWE Hall of Fame in 1995.
6 Early Years Were Spent Wrestling As 'The Student'
Further to his previous profession as a school teacher, George "The Animal" Steele adopted the moniker of "The Student" when he first forayed into the wrestling biz. As a newcomer, he wrestled in Detroit, the same area where he lived and worked, so he had to protect his identity.
To do so, Myers decided to wear a mask when wrestling, and his name was an ode to his profession. He even wore a cap and gown during his entrance.
5 Origins Of His Famous In-Ring Name
Once The Student came to the attention of WWE's top star and its champion, Bruno Sammartino, he was given the choice to feud with the legendary wrestler. But Myers had to ditch his current gimmick and gear, and head to Pittsburgh. This is where someone told him to use the name "Jim Steele," since Pittsburgh is known as the Steel City. He liked the Steele part and amended it to George Steele.
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Another story is from Michigan High School Hall of Fame coach George Steele. He claimed that Myers and he were once opposing coaches during a varsity football game, and at the break, the former approached him, discussed his wrestling career, and asked to borrow Geroge's name as his new in-ring name, thus birthing George "The Animal" Steele.
4 Used Clorets Breath Mints To Turn His Tongue Green
Undoubtedly, George "The Animal" Steele had one of the most unique looks of a wrestler back in the day. He was unruly, hairy, and hulking with a slight hunch, helping give off those "animal vibes."
What really stood out, though, was his tongue, which was always green. Apparently, Myers used to get this color by chewing on some Clorets breath mints before matches or promos, which sounds pretty neat.
3 Had A Match On WCW Monday Nitro
Despite being recognized as a WWE guy, George "The Animal" Steele did have one appearance on their biggest rivals' show. In the January 10, 2000 episode of WCW Monday Nitro, he faced United States Champion Jeff Jarrett.
Most interestingly, he picked up the win thanks to outside interference. Hence, the WWE icon has an undefeated record in WCW - even if almost no one remembers that he was there in the company.
2 A Marriage To Remember
Despite working in an era where wrestlers had chaotic schedules and had to travel so much, George "The Animal" Steele managed to stay a fervent family man. He got married to his wife, Pat, right before entering Michigan State to start his undergraduate degree in 1956.
With two children already, it was the impending arrival of their third child that led Myers to realize he needed to get into wrestling and bring in some extra income. Being a devout Christian who attended the First Baptist Church in Merritt Island must also have played a big part in keeping the two together despite his demanding schedules. They were married for 61 years until his death.
1 Acting Career
In his debut movie, Tim Burton's Ed Wood, in 1994, George "The Animal" Steele appeared as Swedish wrestler-turned-actor Tor Johnson. Ironically, people often mistook him for Johnson during his younger days.
The movie failed to garner box-office success, though it did gain critical acclaim. More importantly, William was praised for his portrayal of Johnson despite having a small role.
