Actor, baritone opera singer, Olympic wrestler and computer expert. He came to United States as a child and was raised in Ridgefield, Connecticut. He attended Massachusetts Institute of Technology from 1972 to 1977 where he studied computers, but also participated in wrestling and theater productions. In the summer of 1976, he wrestled on the United States wrestling team at the Olympic Games held in Montreal, Canada. At 78 inches tall and 400 pounds, his physical presence commanded immediate attention. In 1979, he was cast by Director Philip Kaufman to star in the film version of THE WANDERERS. As the Four Seasons sang "Walk Like A Man" during the film's opening credits, the audience is introduced to Terror, the hulking and dominant leather-clad leader of the Fordham Baldies gang. His next film role was in STIR CRAZY where he played a death-row mass murder who defies stereotype with a perfectly-sung acapella version of "Down In the Valley". His final film role was as the memorable Dynamo in the 1987 film RUNNING MAN. With only four film credits to his name in the fall of 1987, Erland died of heart failure. He was only 34 years old.
Actor, baritone opera singer, Olympic wrestler and computer expert. He came to United States as a child and was raised in Ridgefield, Connecticut. He attended Massachusetts Institute of Technology from 1972 to 1977 where he studied computers, but also participated in wrestling and theater productions. In the summer of 1976, he wrestled on the United States wrestling team at the Olympic Games held in Montreal, Canada. At 78 inches tall and 400 pounds, his physical presence commanded immediate attention. In 1979, he was cast by Director Philip Kaufman to star in the film version of THE WANDERERS. As the Four Seasons sang "Walk Like A Man" during the film's opening credits, the audience is introduced to Terror, the hulking and dominant leather-clad leader of the Fordham Baldies gang. His next film role was in STIR CRAZY where he played a death-row mass murder who defies stereotype with a perfectly-sung acapella version of "Down In the Valley". His final film role was as the memorable Dynamo in the 1987 film RUNNING MAN. With only four film credits to his name in the fall of 1987, Erland died of heart failure. He was only 34 years old.
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