Roderick George Toombs was born on the 17th April 1954, in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada and passed away on the 31st July 2015 in Hollywood, California, USA. Under the name Rowdy Roddy Piper he was widely known as a professional wrestler and actor.
Have you ever wondered how much wealth he accumulated in his life? How rich Rowdy Roddy Piper was? According to sources, Rowdy Roddy Piper’s net worth was estimated at $4 million. It was accumulated through his professional wrestling career which was active for almost 47 years, and through various Hollywood engagements.
Rowdy Roddy Piper Net Worth $4 Million
Rowdy Roddy Piper was raised in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada, where he attended Windsor Park Collegiate. For the possession of a switchblade, he was expelled from junior high school, and after a quarrel with his father, who was an officer, he left home and hit the road. He lived mostly in youth hostels and worked odd jobs at the local gyms.
Before beginning his professional career, Rowdy Roddy Piper was an amateur wrestler and a boxer who won Golden Gloves championship, the annual amateur boxing competition. Apart from this, he was also awarded a black belt in Judo. Roddy made his first steps towards wrestling under the patronage of Al Tomko and his first match included “midget wrestlers”. These engagements provided the basis of Rowdy Roddy Piper’s net worth.
Rowdy Roddy Piper’s professional career began in 1968 when he debuted against Larry Henning in the American Wrestling Association. During his entrance, one of his friends played bag-pipes while he was throwing dandelions to the audience so the announcer presented him as “Roddy, uh, the, uh, Piper”, unintentionally creating his later famous ring name – Roddy Piper. Between 1973 and 1975, Roddy served as a jobber in AWA, making a name for himself as a villain, constantly increasing his fame as well as his overall net worth.
In 1975, Roddy transferred to the National Wrestling Alliance where he remained ’til 1980. Prior to joining to the World Wrestling Entertainment in 1984, he was involved in the Georgia Championship Wrestling and Mid-Atlantic circuit. His fame was rising rapidly and soon he became a WWE mainstay and one of the most popular villains, infamous for his skills as much as his sharp tongue and controversial behavior. Interview segments that included Rowdy Roddy Piper are still ranked as the most entertaining interviews in the history of the WWE. All these involvements certainly impacted positively on Rowdy Roddy Piper’s popularity as well as his wealth.
Throughout the 1990s, besides wrestling actively, he also served as color commentator for WWE TV. In 1992, Rowdy Roddy Piper won the most significant title in his career – WWF Intercontinental Title, when he defeated Jacques Rougeau aka The Mountie. It is certain that these accomplishments helped him to add a sum to his net worth.
By 2015, when he tragically died of a hearth attack in his sleep, Rowdy Roddy Piper had wrestled in various promotions including AWA, NWA, WWF, World Championship Wrestling, Total Nonstop Action Wrestling, WrestleReunion as well as numerous WrestleManias. In 2005, Roddy Piper was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame. He stays famous in the world of professional wrestling for his trademark moves Eye Poke and Sleeper Hold as well as for his kilt costume. He was named by the WWE as the greatest villain in the history of the wrestling.
Apart from his ring career, Rowdy Roddy Piper also appeared in over 100 movies and TV series of which the most famous are “Hell Comes to Frogtown” (1988), “They Live” (1988), “Sci-fighters” (1996) and “Portal to Hell” (2015). Rowdy Roddy Piper is survived by his spouse Kitty Dittrich (m. 1982) and their four children.
WWE Hall of Fame (2005), Reel Member Inductee (2001), NWA Pacific Northwest Heavyweight Championship, Golden Gloves boxing championship, Black Belt in Judo
Movies
"They Live" (1988), "Hell Comes to Frogtown" (1988), "Immortal Combat" (1994), "Sci-fighters" (1996), "It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia", "Portal to Hell" (2015), "The Masked Saint" (2016)
TV Shows
AWA, NWA, WWF, All-American Wrestling "The Bottom Line", World Championship Wrestling, Total Nonstop Action Wrestling, WrestleReunion, WrestleManias, Starrcade
I never told the fans to say their prayers or take their vitamins. They cheered for me because they wanted to, not because they were programmed to.
2
[on being cast in They Live!] You know, when we did it, it was about Reaganomics, but it was also a political statement [about] where our society is headed. Right now, what they're trying to do in society is get rid of all cash money so you just have a chip and everything is on your chip. Well, that's full control. If you go on an airplane right now, they won't take cash anymore. They actually say, "We're a cashless airplane." Wait a second? You won't take cash? That's "OBEY. This is your God." I think this movie is a statement of "keep our freedom," and I believe everybody gets that from it no matter what generation.
3
[on co-star Keith David] Keith David, it took us 20 years to see each other after we did They Live. When we were shooting that movie, Keith came over to me and he's a schooled, Julliard actor - a professional - and he would help me with my script, while everyone else was saying, "This is just some dumb jock coming to act now." But he stood up for me, and we had such a bond.
4
I don't need to know how tough I am to know how tough I am.
5
I'm so quick, I could spit in the wind, duck, and let it hit the old lady behind me.
6
Real men wear kilts.
7
Just when they think they know all the answers, I change the questions.
Considers Greg Valentine to be his toughest opponent, and Greg Valentine has implied that the feeling is mutual.
2
WWE Hall of Famer.
3
Returned to WWE on the Raw Brand, teaming with the tag team, The Highlanders, to beat the World Tag Team Champions, The Spirit Squad. [September 2006]
4
Being inducted into the 2005 WWE Hall of Fame and will be at Wrestlemania 21 hosting Piper's Pit. His guest will be 'Stone Cold Steve Austin'. [February 2005]
5
Currently undergoing treatment in his fight against cancer. [December 2006]
6
Currently resides in Los Angeles and he is a working actor. [November 2008]
7
Published author.
8
Was asked to induct his on-screen rival, "Superfly" Jimmy Snuka, into the WWE Hall of Fame in 1996. He was forced to decline, as he was just about to begin working for WCW. Snuka was instead inducted by Don Muraco.
9
Released a single in 1992 called "I'm your man".
10
Daughter is actress Ariel Teal Toombs and son is MMA Fighter Colt Toombs.
11
Has four children: daughters Anastacia, Ariel Tiel, Fallon Danica and son Colton.
12
Successfully beat Hodgkins Lymphoma.
13
From 1973-1975 Piper was a jobber in the AWA.
14
In 1981, Piper started with the Georgia territory as an antagonistic heel commentator.
15
By late 1975 and early 1976, Piper was a top heel for Mike & Gene LeBell's NWA Hollywood Wrestling.
16
In 1980, Piper and Rick Martel won the NWA Pacific Northwest tag team titles three times.
17
Former World Tag Team Champion.
18
Claims the only pin fall loss he ever had in the WWF was to Bret Hart at Wrestlemania 8, however on the Coliseum Video Release, Best of the WWF Vol. 3, Jimmy "Superfly" Snuka clearly pinned Piper in a strap match.
19
He was the special guest referee in the "I Quit" match between Bret "Hitman" Hart and Bob Backlund at WrestleMania XI.
20
He has never won a world championship and is likely the most famous professional wrestler never to do so.
21
Learned his patented eye poke and sleeper hold from watching wrestling gurus Mark and Harry McCaul (aka The McCaul Manglers) of Winchester, MA.
22
Previous Manager: "Cowboy" Bob Orton
23
In July 1999 was Storyline Vice President of WCW.
24
Was Named Interim WCW Commissioner in 1997.
25
Served as Interim President of The WWE In early 1996.
26
His very first pro wrestling match was against Larry "The Axe" Hennig. Piper lost to Hennig in ten seconds, and he earned 25 dollars (in Canadian funds) for the match.
27
Lives in Oregon, either Hillsboro (18 miles west of Portland), or Aloha.
28
Inducted into the World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) Hall of Fame in 2005.
29
Notable title wins include: NWA Americas champion (Los Angeles); NWA Americas Tag titles (Los Angeles); NWA US Champion (San Francisco); NWA Pacific Northwest tag champion (4); NWA Pacific Northwest champion (2); Canadian Tag (Vancouver) w/ Rick Martel; NWA Mid-Atlantic TV champion (2); NWA US champion (Mid-Atlantic) (2) NWA Mid-Atlantic champion; WWF Intercontinental champion; WCW United States Title.
30
At Wrestlemania V, Piper did a Piper's Pit segment interviewing Brother Love and the late Morton Downey Jr.. Downey repeatedly blew smoke in Piper's face, so Piper used a fire extinguisher on him.
31
At Starrcade 1983, Piper beat Greg Valentine in the legendary "dog collar" match. Roddy lost 75% of the hearing in his left ear, which remains today.
32
After a falling out with his father, he hit the road, and from age 12 to 15, he stayed in youth hostels wherever he could find them.
33
Returned to the WWE at Wrestlemania 19 in March 2003 to help Vince McMahon attempt to beat Hulk Hogan. This was surprising to most as Roddy and Vince are not each others biggest fans (both on-air and in real life). Piper began hosting his interview segment "Piper's Pit" again and worked for the WWE until July 2003, where after causing a stir on a program about wrestlers and drug use and admitting to a great dislike of his on-air character, the WWE ended their relationship with him again.
34
Aided by former henchman 'ACE' Cowboy Bob Orton, whipped Mr. T with a belt after a boxing match between T and Orton on WWF's Saturday Night Main Event in 1985.