If you have come across the animated character Shrek, then you probably have seen a little of what Maurice Tillet “The French Angel” looked like. He was a Russian-born French wrestler who suffered from acromegaly, which caused excess growth. He was also a leading box office man in the 1940s, a heavyweight champion, and a wrestling Hall of Famer.
Sometimes regarded as the “World’s Ugliest Man”, Tillet was equally a highly intelligent man who spoke 14 languages. Perhaps, both intelligence and looks may have contributed to the creation of the character Shrek. It is revealed that the creators of the animation saw Tillet’s death mask and created the famous 2001 character. However, there is no evidence that Maurice was the inspiration behind the ogre. Whatever the case, he is one man worth knowing and that is why we have brought you the most fascinating facts about him.
Facts About Maurice Tillet, the Alleged Real-Life Shrek
1. He was Born a Normal Child Before His Condition
Maurice Tillet was born on 23 October 1903 as a normal and only child. His exact place of birth is conflicting as some sources claim that he was born in the Ural Mountains while others claim that he was born in St. Petersburg. Whatever the case, he was born in Russia and led his earliest life in the largest country in the world.
More into his young life, Maurice was a rather normal, quiet, and shy kid. His innocent face led to his being called an “Angel” by his mother – a name that later became his ring name.
2. The French Angel Didn’t Dream of Becoming a Wrestler
Maurice was involved in athletics and played rugby. However, he thought of becoming a lawyer. This then led to his attending the University of Toulouse where he obtained a law degree.
However, his dream of becoming a lawyer was shattered due to the ailment that made him grow beyond normal.
In 1937, he met professional wrestler and promoter, Karl Pojello who persuaded him to venture into wrestling. This marked the beginning of his fame after he started in France – a country that he and his mother moved to in 1917.
3. He worked in the French Navy and Wanted to Serve in the US Army
Before fame, Tibett served in the French Navy where he was an engineer aboard many battleships. He also became a Chief Petty Officer and worked for 5 years before leaving.
Also, in 1942, he reported to the US Army to serve in a war but his request was declined. This was the reason his looks could cause curiosity and in turn, may cause distraction.
4. Maurice Tillet Held 3 Citizenships
Maurice was originally a Russian but during the Russian Revolution, he moved to France with his mother and later became a citizen of the country. Then, in 1947, he took his oath of citizenship to the United States.
5. The World’s Ugliest Man is Probably the Wrestler to Have Spoken the Most Languages in History
The man who inspired “Shrek” was also famous for his intelligence and ability to speak 14 languages, including Russian, French, German, and English. This is probably the most we know any wrestler has spoken.
As to how he could speak many languages, Maurice Tillet’s mother, Louise Tillet was a language teacher. She worked in the same school her son attended in Moscow – St. Philip Neri Catholic School. She also taught in a girls’ school after moving to France. With this, it is widely believed that she was multilingual and inspired Maurice’s enthusiasm for languages.
There are wrestlers who are multilingual. John Cena reportedly speaks 5 languages, including being fluent in Mandarin. Also, Claudio Castagnoli is said to be fluent in 6 languages.
6. He was a Devout Catholic who was Given an Audience with the Pope
Maurice Tillet was a devout Catholic and even attended schools that belonged to the church.
Long after he started his career, he was given an audience with the pope in 1947.
7. Harvard Scientists Became Very Interested in His Condition
Maurice Tillet lived with acromegaly which made him grow extensively in more than a usual manner. This would draw a lot of attention, including that of Harvard scientists.
At the time, anthropologists such as Carlton Stevens Coon, Hallam Leonard Movius Jr., Carl Coleman Seltzer, and William Herbert Sheldon Jr. were interested in measuring him in 1940.
The Content Time said anthropologists found the sella turcica, which houses the pituitary, considerably enlarged. This overdevelopment of his pituitary was a major cause for his becoming bigger than normal.
8. He was one of the People With the Largest Faces Ever
When his face was measured at Harvard, it was discovered that he was one of the few people to have the largest face. His face was described to be coffin-shaped and it was 7.16 inches wide. It was also 7.05 inches long from the nose ridge to the jaw point.
In the same manner, The French Angel had collar bones and rib cage which were so massive that the investigators said it was the most they ever saw.
Despite his obviously huge statue, he was however not the tallest man as he was only 5 feet 6 inches tall but weighed 276 lbs.
9. He was an Undefeated Wrestler for 19 Consecutive Months
Tillet started his wrestling career in France and England before he later moved to the United States and became a major influence in wrestling. He became an undefeated champion for 19 months consecutively.
He fought under the American Wrestling Association where he became a 2-time AWA World Heavyweight Champion from May 1940 to May 1942.
Moreso, he was inducted into the Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame in 2012.
His career became a major influence on many wrestlers. Some of them even adopted his moniker, Angel. Some wrestlers known to have adopted “Angel” include Tony Angelo (Russian Angel), Tor Johnson (Super Swedish Angel), Jack Rush (Canadian Angel), Wladislaw Tulin (Polish Angel), Stan Pinto (Czech Angel), Clive Welsh (Irish Angel), Jack Falk (Golden Angel), Gil Guerrero (Black Angel), and Jean Noble (Lady Angel).
Apart from wrestling, he was also a TV sensation. He featured in Henri Garat in Rive gauche (1931), Maria Chapdelaine (1934), Josephine Baker in Princesse Tam-Tam (1935), Carnival in Flanders (1935), and Les bateliers de la Volga (1936).
10. He is Often Compared to Actor Rondo Hatton
Maurice has often been compared to American horror actor, Rondo Hatton. Both men suffered from acromegaly and also had some resemblance. More to this, they were both the only children of their parents, were athletic at some point, and joined the military.
Again, both men died of a heart attack. While Maurice died at the age of 50 while Hatton died at 51.
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11. Was Maurice Tillet the inspiration for Shrek?
There is a popular opinion that Maurice actually influenced the creation of the character, Shrek. There are however sources that claim that this assertion is false.
According to those who believe that he is the real-life Shrek, the creator of Shrek saw a picture or the statue of Maurice and decided to create a character to look like. Those against the claim focus on the argument that Dreamworks has neither attested nor refuted the claim.
Also, they think it could only be a coincidence – but is it? Anyway, Shrek and Tillet seem to have a lot in common. They are both bigger than usual, have larger faces than ordinary, and could pass for intelligent “beings”.
For anyone who’s watched Shrek, you would testify that the ogre “Shrek” has a kind heart. For those who met Tillet and told us through several pages, he was actually a kind man and he wouldn’t pass for an ugly man at heart despite his being nicknamed The Ugliest Man on Earth.
Anyway, Tillet was never green as Shrek. So should we say Tillet never influenced the creation of the character Shrek? Maybe – or not!
12. Was Olga Truly Maurice Tillet’s Wife?
There are numerous sources that claim that Maurice was married to a woman called Olga. However, there are other sources that claim that the former wrestler was never married. Some say he was married at the age of 19 but the marriage crashed afterward.
Whatever the case, we may still wonder who is Olga, the woman often called his wife. From our deep research, we found out that Maurice’s closest friend, Karl Pojello was the person who was married to Olga Morasse. Maurice reportedly lived in the same house with Karl and Olga in Chicago.
13. Maurice’s Death Was Caused by the Heart Attack He Suffered Following the Death of His Close Friend
The French Angel died of a heart attack after he heard of the demise of his closest friend, Karl Pojello – the man who introduced him to wrestling. Tillet died on September 4, 1954, in Chicago, Illinois (at 50 years). This was also the same day that Pojello died of lung cancer at the age of 61.
The friends were buried together at the Lithuanian National Cemetry in Justice, Illinois, Cook County in the south of Chicago. Their gravestone reads: “Friends Whom Even Death Couldn’t Part”.
14. His Ghost Allegedly Played Chess
Tillet used to play chess with his friend, Patrick Leonard (also known as Patrick Kelly) before the former’s death. Then, 25 years later following Maurice’s death, Kelly claimed that the former wrestler used to play the game with him.
So the story goes, Kelly got a computerized chess set and would only play it on his library desk where a Tillet’s death mask was hanging. One day, the computer left its programmed plays to an 18th-century opening invented by a French master. It was a bit disturbing since that was the exact program that Tillet enjoyed.
Yet, Kelly did not think of anything unusual even after noticing that the computer was not plugged in. However, his attention was drawn again when the computer used the same 18th-century program and he equally noticed that the computer was not plugged in.
Kelly sought to find out what was going on and he called engineers who confirmed that the computer could not work without electricity. However, it could actually work without electricity with Tillet’s mask still there even though the mask was pure plastic.
Well, Kelly seemed to have enjoyed his buddy’s stopping by to play the game with him. So, he would wait on Tillet’s ghost which sometimes would not show up early. However, when he started alone, the computer would play above normal level and he would instantly know that his late friend was there and playing. Then, he would plug the computer out and in a surprising manner, the game would go on!
15. Series of Plaster Busts Were Made to Commemorate Him
Several plaster busts have been created in the name of Tillet to celebrate his life and uniqueness. The first was created was called Death Mask and it was made by his friend and wrestler Robert Manoogian Jr. It is said to be the most accurate since it was taken from a mold of Maurice’s head.
In any case, Tillet’s friend and sculptor, Louis Linck made a series of plaster busts commemorating the wrestler’s career.
One is displayed at Chicago’s International Museum of Surgical Science. Another is in the personal collection of Bruce Prichard.
