John Minton, better known as Big John Studd, was born on February 19th, 1948, in Butler, Pennsylvania. At the age of 18, he began training to become a professional wrestler under the guidance of Walter 'Killer' Kowalski. He initially worked for the World Wrestling Federation (WWF),then known as the World Wide Wrestling Federation (WWWF),under the ring name Chuck O'Connor.
Minton later adopted the persona of the Masked Executioner in 1976, alongside a partner, and went on to win the Tag Team Title. He then moved to Texas, where he became known as the masked Captain America, engaging in feuds with notable wrestlers such as Fritz Von Erich, Stan Hansen, and Andre the Giant. It was during this time that he acquired the moniker Big John Studd.
After his stint in Texas, Minton joined Jim Crockett's Mid-Atlantic territory, where he clashed with Greg Valentine and fellow giant Blackjack Mulligan (Bob Windham). He eventually retired from professional wrestling in the late 1970s, but was persuaded to return as the tag team partner of Ron Reis in The Giants.
Minton later joined the American Wrestling Association (AWA),but was generally unhappy with his experience there. In the mid-1980s, the WWF, led by Vince McMahon Jr., experienced a resurgence in popularity, and Studd was a key figure in the promotion, frequently competing against top talent such as Hulk Hogan and teaming with Ken Patera to take on Andre the Giant.
One of Studd's most notable matches took place at the inaugural WrestleMania in 1985, where he challenged Andre to a $15,000 bodyslam challenge. He retired from professional wrestling for a second time and pursued acting, appearing in films such as Harley Davidson and the Marlboro Man in 1991.
Tragically, Studd's life was cut short due to health complications. He was diagnosed with Hodgkin's disease in 1993, shortly after collapsing following his final match against the Honky Tonk Man (Wayne Farris). Studd spent 20 weeks in the hospital in 1994, during which time he admitted under oath to using steroids in the 1980s during the WWF's steroid trial. He eventually succumbed to liver cancer on March 20th, 1995, at the age of 47, leaving behind a wife and three children, John Jr., Janelle, and Sean.
