Frank Andersson
Frank Andersson at the Swedish Sports Awards inside the Stockholm Globe Arena in Stockholm, Sweden in January 2014
Birth nameFrank Öivind Stefan Andersson
Born(1956-05-09)9 May 1956
Trollhättan, Sweden[1]
Died9 September 2018(2018-09-09) (aged 62)
Stockholm, Sweden
Professional wrestling career
Ring name(s)Frank Andersson
Billed height185 cm (6 ft 1 in)
Billed weight106 kg (234 lb; 16.7 st)
Trained byBrad Rheingans[1]
WCW Power Plant[1]
Debut3 May 1991[2]
Retired2014

Frank Öivind Stefan Andersson (9 May 1956 – 9 September 2018) was a Swedish amateur wrestler and entertainer. He started in amateur wrestling, winning several world championship gold medals as well as a bronze medal at the 1984 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles. He later became a professional wrestler with mixed success. He was also a television personality appearing on several Swedish reality and game shows.

Amateur wrestling career

Medal record
Men's Greco-Roman wrestling
Representing  Sweden
Olympic Games
Bronze medal – third place1984 Los AngelesLight heavyweight
World Championships
Gold medal – first place1977 Gothenburg90 kg
Gold medal – first place1979 San Diego90 kg
Gold medal – first place1982 Katowice90 kg

Frank Andersson's amateur wrestling career included gold medals at the 1973 and 1975 Junior World Championships and as he got older he wrestled at a number of Greco-Roman wrestling World Championships over the years.[3] In 1977, 1979 and 1982 he won the gold medal in the 90 kg (200 lb; 14 st) division.[3] He also took the silver medal in 1978 and 1981. The pinnacle of his amateur wrestling career came in 1984 at the 1984 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles where he won a bronze medal in the 90 kg weight division.[4] In addition to his in ring achievements, Andersson was awarded the Svenska Dagbladet Gold Medal in 1977.[5] He was inducted in the Amateur Wrestling Hall of Fame in 2006.[6]

Professional wrestling career

Andersson was trained for his professional career by Brad Rheingans, a former Olympian as well, and made his debut on 3 May 1991 for the American Wrestling Association, defeating Randy Thornton, who also debuted.[7] Within months, he went to Japan, wrestling for New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW) teaming with Rheingans.[8]

On April 8, 1993, he worked one night only for the WWE when he defeated Red Tyler in Paris, France at a European Tour show.

In 1994, he signed with World Championship Wrestling (WCW), based in Atlanta.[9] Andersson would win upset victories over Booker T., Stevie Ray and Alex Wright. He retired in 1995.[10]

Andersson made his comeback in 2014 for STHLM, a promotion based in Stockholm, Sweden. Teaming with Jim Duggan in a tag match. He won the STHLM title on 6 September when he defeated Ken Malmsteen in the main event.[11]

Media career

He was a participant on Let's Dance 2011, the Swedish version of Strictly Come Dancing / Dancing with the Stars, where he finished second.[12][13]

In his youth Andersson recorded the music single "Frank's Disco", the song contains music and Andersson being interviewed in the background.[14]

Andersson also appeared in the film Göta Kanal in 1981.[15] He participated as a celebrity contestant on Expedition Robinson V.I.P.[16] He also appeared on the seventh season of Mästarnas mästare; broadcast on SVT, he was the first to be eliminated.[17]

Personal life

Andersson was diagnosed with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder in 2010.[18]

Death

In late August 2018, Andersson was admitted to hospital with heart problems.[19] On 6 September, Andersson went through surgery. A few days later, he developed complications, and on 9 September 2018, he died at the age of 62.[19][20][21][22]

Championships and accomplishments

References

  1. 1 2 3 "Frank Andersson". Cagematch.net. Archived from the original on 7 April 2016. Retrieved 7 July 2013.
  2. "Frank Andersson". WrestlingData.com. Archived from the original on 11 September 2018. Retrieved 10 September 2018.
  3. 1 2 ""K*ken måste ju ha sitt" – och andra Frank Andersson-klassiker". Expressen (in Swedish). 9 May 2016. Archived from the original on 9 September 2018. Retrieved 9 September 2018.
  4. "All-Olympic results since 1896". International Olympic Committee. 28 July 1984. Archived from the original on 3 March 2016. Retrieved 23 January 2010.
  5. "Bragdmedaljörer genom tiderna "Feat medals of all time"". Svenska Dagbladet (in Swedish). 6 December 2005. Archived from the original on 13 December 2009. Retrieved 21 January 2010.
  6. "Frank Andersson invald i Hall of Fame" (in Swedish). SVT. 27 September 2006. Archived from the original on 9 September 2018. Retrieved 9 September 2018.
  7. "Frank Andersson". WrestlingData.com. Archived from the original on 11 September 2018. Retrieved 10 September 2018.
  8. "Frank Andersson". Online World of Wrestling. Archived from the original on 9 September 2018. Retrieved 9 September 2018.
  9. "Frank Andersson's contract signing with Eric Bischoff". WCW (Swedish). Archived from the original on 21 December 2015. Retrieved 9 September 2018 via YouTube.
  10. "Hon blev blåst av OS-stjärnan - Kvällsposten". Expressen. 28 August 2010. Archived from the original on 10 September 2018. Retrieved 9 September 2018.
  11. Kreikenbohm, Philip. "STHLM Return Of The King « Events Database". Cagematch.net. Archived from the original on 25 April 2016. Retrieved 9 September 2018.
  12. "Frank Andersson: "Det känns som en seger" - Let's dance" (in Swedish). TV4. Archived from the original on 9 September 2018. Retrieved 9 September 2018.
  13. "Frank Andersson är död". Göteborgs-Posten. 9 September 2018. Archived from the original on 9 September 2018. Retrieved 9 September 2018.
  14. Frank Andersson Ett herrans med Fredrik och Filip, Kanal 5. 13 April 2006.
  15. "Göta Kanal eller Vem drog ur proppen? (1981)" (in Swedish). Svensk Filmdatabas. Archived from the original on 9 September 2018. Retrieved 9 September 2018.
  16. "De är med i nya "Robinson VIP"". Aftonbladet (in Swedish). 10 July 2004. Archived from the original on 9 September 2018. Retrieved 9 September 2018.
  17. "Frank fick lämna "Mästarnas mästare": Han var för sjuk". Aftonbladet (in Swedish). 3 May 2015. Archived from the original on 7 January 2016. Retrieved 9 September 2018.
  18. Prage, Ninna; Lundberg, Zandra (28 January 2011). "Frank har adhd". Aftonbladet (in Swedish). Archived from the original on 10 April 2019. Retrieved 10 April 2019.
  19. 1 2 "Frank Andersson är död - blev 62 år gammal". Aftonbladet (in Swedish). 9 September 2018. Archived from the original on 14 September 2018. Retrieved 9 September 2018.
  20. Dahl, Amanda; Fransson, Martin (9 September 2018). "Frank Andersson har avlidit". Dagens Nyheter (in Swedish). Archived from the original on 14 March 2023. Retrieved 9 September 2018.
  21. "Frank Andersson - Swedish professional wrestler, died on Sunday September 9th 2018 at age 62". Dead People. Archived from the original on 10 September 2018. Retrieved 9 September 2018.
  22. "Frank Andersson är död". Sveriges Radio (in Swedish). 9 September 2018. Archived from the original on 10 September 2018. Retrieved 9 September 2018.
  23. "Frank Andersson Ny Mästare i STHLM W!" (in Swedish). STHLM. Archived from the original on 9 September 2018. Retrieved 9 September 2018.
  24. "Legendaren Frank Andersson på sjukhus – nu tvingas han till akut operation" (in Swedish). Sportbibeln. 5 September 2018. Archived from the original on 9 September 2018. Retrieved 9 September 2018.
  25. Kreikenbohm, Philip. "Awards « Frank Andersson « Wrestlers Database". Cagematch.net. Archived from the original on 7 April 2016. Retrieved 9 September 2018.
  26. "Pro Wrestling Illustrated". pwi-online.com. Archived from the original on 10 September 2012. Retrieved 9 September 2018.
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