George “The Animal” Steele: The Wild Man Who Became a WWF Legend

There were a lot of wild characters in professional wrestling, but there was only one George “The Animal” Steele.

With his bald head, hairy body, wild eyes, green tongue and an apparent appetite for wrestling-ring turnbuckles, The Animal looked less like a professional wrestler and more like a creature that had somehow escaped from the woods and wandered into the WWF.

And millions of wrestling fans absolutely loved him.

But underneath the wild persona was a surprisingly accomplished man who had earned a master’s degree, worked as a teacher and coached high school football and wrestling. George Steele wasn't just an unforgettable wrestling character, he was one of the most unique performers of his generation. 

Before He Was “The Animal”

George Steele was born William James Myers in Detroit, Michigan, on April 16, 1937.

Long before he was biting turnbuckles on national television, Myers was an athlete and educator. He attended Michigan State University, earned his bachelor's degree and later received a master's degree from Central Michigan University.

He became a high school teacher and coach in the Detroit area, coaching football and wrestling while beginning his professional wrestling career on the side. That's one of the great George Steele stories: the man portraying one of wrestling's most unhinged characters was actually a highly educated teacher and coach.

Then he walked through the curtain, and all bets were off.

Enter George “The Animal” Steele

Steele made his first appearances with what would become the WWF in 1967, beginning a long-running rivalry with one of the biggest stars in wrestling history, Bruno Sammartino.

During his early years, Steele was primarily a villain. He was the kind of wrestler fans were supposed to hate, and he was very good at it.

He worked major programs against stars including Sammartino, Pedro Morales and Bob Backlund and became known as one of the most unpredictable heels in wrestling.

But it wasn't simply what Steele did in the ring that made him memorable.

It was the character.

The bald head.

The enormous hairy torso.

The wild facial expressions.

The grunts.

The green tongue.

And, of course, the turnbuckles.

“Mine!”

If you grew up watching WWF in the 1980s, you probably remember it. The Animal would wander over to the corner of the ring, rip into the turnbuckle pad and start chewing on it.

Then came that unforgettable one-word vocabulary:

“Mine!”

It was ridiculous. It was hilarious. And somehow, it worked perfectly.

The green tongue became another part of the legend. Steele reportedly achieved the effect by chewing green breath mints before matches. Soon, that green tongue became as recognizable as Hulk Hogan's mustache or Andre the Giant's enormous frame.

That's what made George Steele so special. You didn't need to hear his name to know who you were watching. You saw the green tongue and the hairy back and immediately knew: The Animal had arrived!

From Hated Villain to Fan Favorite

One of the most interesting parts of Steele's career was the transformation of his character.

For years, he had been a hated villain.

Then, in 1985, everything changed.

After being abandoned by The Iron Sheik and Nikolai Volkoff during a match, Steele's character began moving toward the good-guy side. The transformation was remarkable: one of WWF's most despised villains suddenly became one of its most lovable characters.

And then came Miss Elizabeth.

The Animal, Macho Man and Miss Elizabeth

Steele's obsession with Miss Elizabeth, the manager and wife of Randy “Macho Man” Savage, created one of the most memorable storylines of the 1980s. The Animal developed a crush on Elizabeth, much to the fury of Macho Man. What followed was classic old-school WWF storytelling. You had the beautiful and beloved Miss Elizabeth. The jealous and explosive Macho Man. And the bizarre, hairy Animal who seemed completely smitten with her.

The feud eventually led to WrestleMania II, and Steele's involvement with Savage continued into one of the most memorable WrestleMania moments of the era.

At WrestleMania III, Steele was in Ricky “The Dragon” Steamboat's corner when Steamboat challenged Savage for the Intercontinental Championship.

With the referee down, Savage attempted to use the ring bell against Steamboat. Steele intervened and shoved Savage from the top rope, helping prevent Savage from continuing the attack. Steamboat went on to win the championship.

For fans who were there, or watching at home, it was another unforgettable chapter in The Animal's story.

More Than Just a Wrestler

It's easy to remember George Steele as the guy who ate the turnbuckle. But that was only one part of his life. Outside the ring, Steele was a teacher and coach for decades. He coached football and established an amateur wrestling program at Madison High School in Michigan. His accomplishments eventually earned him a place in the Michigan High School Coaches Hall of Fame.

That contrast makes his career even more fascinating.

Inside the ring: The Animal.

Outside the ring: Jim Myers, teacher, coach and family man.

It was a character so convincing that fans sometimes forgot there was a real person underneath it.

George Steele Goes to Hollywood

The Animal even made his way from the wrestling ring to the big screen.

In 1994, Steele appeared in Tim Burton's Ed Wood, portraying legendary wrestler and actor Tor Johnson.

It was a fitting role.

Tor Johnson had been a real-life professional wrestler who became famous for his unusual appearance and appearances in B-movies. Casting George Steele to portray him was about as perfect as Hollywood casting gets.

The Animal had officially gone Hollywood.

A WWE Hall of Famer

In 1995, George “The Animal” Steele was inducted into the WWF Hall of Fame.

The induction recognized a career that had stretched across decades and generations of wrestling fans. And while Steele eventually retired from regular competition, The Animal never really disappeared. He made occasional appearances and even returned to WWE television years later as part of The Oddities.

By then, he didn't need to prove anything. George Steele had already become a wrestling legend.

The Animal Lives On

George “The Animal” Steele passed away on February 16, 2017, at the age of 79. WWE remembered him as one of the wildest and most unpredictable performers in its history.

But ask anyone who grew up watching WWF during the golden age of wrestling, and there's a good chance they'll remember something different.

They'll remember seeing that green tongue. The turnbuckles getting ripped apart. The hairy back. They'll remember “Mine!” They'll remember the strange romance between The Animal and Miss Elizabeth, and they'll remember a time when professional wrestling characters weren't just wrestlers, they were larger-than-life personalities who became part of your childhood.

George “The Animal” Steele was one of those characters.

There will never be another quite like him.

And that's exactly why The Animal remains a legend.