Louis Cyr
Louis Cyr (French pronunciation: [lwi siʁ]; born Cyprien-Noé Cyr, 10 October 1863 – 10 November 1912) was a famous French Canadian strongman with a career spanning the late 19th and early 20th centuries. His recorded feats, including lifting 500 pounds (227 kg) with one finger and backlifting 4,337 pounds (1,967 kg), show Cyr to be, according to former International Federation of BodyBuilding & Fitness chairman Ben Weider, the strongest man ever to have lived.
Early years
Cyr was born in Saint-Cyprien-de-Napierville, Quebec, Canada. Coming from a robust French-Canadian family, developing extraordinary strength, when even at a early age. Whilst Louis' father was of average proportions, his mother was almost Amazonian, recorded as weighing 265 lb at 6' 1". She in turn had a father of 6' 4" and 260 lb. From the age of 12 Cyr worked in a lumber camp during the winters and on the family’s farm the rest of the year. Discovering his exceptional strength at a very young age, he impressed his fellow workers with his feats of strength. After learning of the tale, Cyr attempted to mimic the practice of legendary strongman Milo of Croton, who as a child carried a calf on his shoulders, continuing to carry it as it grew into a full-grown bull and he into a grown man. Cyr's calf, however, bolted one day, kicking him in his back, after which he instead began carrying a sack of grain 1⁄4 mile (0.40 km) every day, adding 2 pounds (0.91 kg) each day. According to one of his biographers, his mother decided “he should let his hair grow, like Samson in the Bible.” She curled it regularly.
Louis Cyr (film)
Louis Cyr (French: Louis Cyr, l'homme le plus fort du monde) is a 2013 Canadian drama film. A biopic directed by Daniel Roby, the film stars Antoine Bertrand as Canadian strongman Louis Cyr. The film is based on a novel by Paul Ohl.
Its cast also includes Gilbert Sicotte, Rose-Maïté Erkoreka, Guillaume Cyr, Gil Bellows, Eliane Gagnon, Normand Carrière, Amélie Grenier, Cliff Saunders and Marilyn Castonguay.
The film was the top-grossing film of the year in Quebec. It garnered several technical nominations at the 2nd Canadian Screen Awards, including nods for Best Art Direction or Production Design, Best Costume Design, Best Sound Editing and Best Visual Effects.
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