John Aasen was a giant of a man, standing at an impressive 244 cm (8 ft) tall and weighing 251 kilos (553 lbs). He was born in Norway to Kristi Danielsen, who was 220 cm (7 ft 2½ in) tall, and possibly Nils Jansson Bokke, a Swedish man who was also quite tall.
Aasen's mother, Kristi Danielsen, emigrated to the United States from Norway in 1887, and later gave birth to John Aasen. It is not certain who his father was, but it is believed that Nils Jansson Bokke may have been the father.
John Aasen was discovered by producer Hal Roach, who was looking for a giant to play the role of "Colosso" in Harold Lloyd's film Why Worry? (1923). Aasen was working as a shoemaker at the time, but he was eventually cast in the film and became a great success.
In the film, Aasen played a giant who is suffering from a toothache and is stuck in jail with other prisoners of a revolution in Chile. Lloyd plays a rich hypochondriac who ends up in the same prison as Aasen and cures his toothache. Aasen's character, Colosso, is forever grateful and aids Lloyd's character in his adventures as escapees from the prison.
The film was a huge success, and Aasen became a popular attraction in the world of cinema. He went on to appear in several other films, but none were as successful as Why Worry?. Aasen also performed as a "Sideshow" attraction for many years, mastering Norwegian fluently and becoming a beloved figure in the entertainment world.
John Aasen died on August 1, 1938, in Mendocino, California, but his legacy lives on as one of the most famous giants in the history of cinema.
