Roderick "Roddy" George Toombs (April 17, 1954 – July 30, 2015), better known by his ring name "Rowdy" Roddy Piper, was a Canadian professional wrestler, film actor and podcast host. In professional wrestling, he was best known for his work with the World Wrestling Federation (WWF, now WWE). Although he was Canadian, due to his Scottish heritage he was billed as coming from Glasgow in Scotland and was known for his signature kilt and bagpipe entrance music. He earned the nickname "Rowdy" by displaying his trademark "Scottish" rage, spontaneity and quick wit. Despite being a crowd favorite for his rock star-like persona, he often played a villain. Aside from his ring name, he was also known by the nickname "Hot Rod".
Piper headlined several major pay-per-view events; he participated in the main events of WrestleMania I and WrestleMania X – as a special guest referee in the latter. Never a world champion, he nevertheless accumulated 34 championships in various promotions during his career. Piper was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2005 and named No. 1 of the Top 50 villains in wrestling history by WWE. He had several acting roles, such as in the film They Live.
Toombs was born in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan on April 17, 1954 and was raised in Winnipeg, Manitoba. He was of majority Scottish descent, with some Irish on his mother's side. He attended Windsor Park Collegiate. His father was an officer with the Royal Canadian Mounted Police while they lived in The Pas, Manitoba. After being expelled from junior high and having a falling out with his father, Piper hit the road and stayed in youth hostels. He picked up odd jobs at local gyms running errands for several professional wrestlers. As a young man he became proficient in playing the bagpipes, though he repeatedly stated that he was unsure exactly where he picked them up. His childhood (and lifelong) best friend is ex-NHL player and Stanley Cup winner Cam Connor.
On July 30, 2015, Piper died of cardiac arrest in his sleep in his home in Hollywood, California. He was discovered dead in his home on July 31, 2015. McMahon stated "Roddy Piper was one of the most entertaining, controversial and bombastic performers ever in WWE, beloved by millions of fans around the world. I extend my deepest condolences to his family". Director John Carpenter also expressed his condolences, stating "Devastated to hear the news of my friend Roddy Piper’s passing today. He was a great wrestler, a masterful entertainer and a good friend."
