BS: Wrestling in the 50/60/early 70ties

Subject: RE: BS: Wrestling in the 50/60/early 70ties
From: Little Hawk
Date: 02 Dec 07 - 11:35 PM

Here is the extraordinary story of George Wagner aka "Gorgeous George", the most successful wrestler of the 1950s at the art of self-promotion, and the man who singlehandedly put televised wrestling on the map and turned it into a national phenomenon. The bizarre theatrical nature of modern wrestling is largely due to the groundwork laid by Gorgeous George in the 50s:

Gorgeous George

Subject: RE: BS: Wrestling in the 50/60/early 70ties
From: Bob the Postman
Date: 03 Dec 07 - 08:36 AM

I read somewhere that Mohammed Ali claimed to have learned the art of self-promotion from Gorgeous George.

Subject: RE: BS: Wrestling in the 50/60/early 70ties
From: Beer
Date: 03 Dec 07 - 09:53 AM

Great story Bankley.

Subject: RE: BS: Wrestling in the 50/60/early 70ties
From: clueless don
Date: 03 Dec 07 - 10:08 AM

From the indicated era, I remember a wrestler who called himself "Nature Boy" Luke Graham, but whom the audience all called "Crazy Luke". Part of his shtick was becoming infuriated at the crowd for this. I believe he was the brother of "Doctor" Jerry Graham.

I'm quite surprised that no one has mentioned (unless I missed it) Bruno Samartino.

Don

Subject: RE: BS: Wrestling in the 50/60/early 70ties
From: Beer
Date: 03 Dec 07 - 10:13 AM

Remember both Don. And your right, who could we forget Bruno.

Subject: RE: BS: Wrestling in the 50/60/early 70ties
From: MARINER
Date: 03 Dec 07 - 12:20 PM

I worked on the Belfast / Heysham freey in the late 60s/early 70s and, like the Edinburgh situation mentioned above, the wrestlers who came in on the morning ferry (and shared cabins ) always managed to fight each other and get back in time for the night ferry !.

Subject: RE: BS: Wrestling in the 50/60/early 70ties
From: Rog Peek
Date: 03 Dec 07 - 12:39 PM

In the UK, the presenter was Kent Walton of Discs-a-Go-Go fame. Obit here: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2003/08/28/db2802.xml

Rog

Subject: RE: BS: Wrestling in the 50/60/early 70ties
From: Rabbi-Sol
Date: 03 Dec 07 - 12:42 PM

Dr. Jerry Graham's brother was Eddie Graham. They wrestled tag team as the Graham Brothers and made some news in Madison Square Garden in a match against Antonino Rocco and Miguel Perez. Somehow during the bout things turned a little too real and deviated from the script.
Rocco smashed Jerry Graham's head into the turnbuckle and gashed his forehead open. The resulting blood was not vegetable dye but real.
The cops were called in to restore order as many of the largely Puerto Rican crowd was ready to riot.
                                              SOL

Subject: RE: BS: Wrestling in the 50/60/early 70ties
From: GUEST,Sminky
Date: 03 Dec 07 - 01:04 PM

Billy Two Rivers.. the Mohawk, trained by Don Eagle's dad

I assume that's the same gentleman who wrestled in the UK for a while (I believe he was British heavyweight champion). Lived a couple of doors down from my Aunt and Uncle in Morecambe. Father of Wayne Hemingway, the designer. Ran off with Viv Nicholson, the 'spend, spend, spend' pools winner.

Subject: RE: BS: Wrestling in the 50/60/early 70ties
From: john f weldon
Date: 03 Dec 07 - 08:44 PM

Ricki Starr. The only one actually fun to watch.

Late at night at Ben's deli, the wrestlers would all wander in at 2 am for a post-battle snack. Guys who'd just been tossing each other around would sit at the same table and munch smoked meat and fries. Mad Dog, Killer Kowalski, etc.

They were bigger than the other late-night patrons, (mainly McGill students) but they ate the same stuff.

Subject: RE: BS: Wrestling in the 50/60/early 70ties
From: john f weldon
Date: 03 Dec 07 - 08:53 PM

Oh, another memory. Rassler Len "Kojak" Shelley lived near a friend, so I discovered that he had two active identities; as a "good guy", no mask, and "bad guy" with a mask. He really did pretend to be two different people, sometimes rassling twice in the same evening. Luckily he was never matched against himself.

Everyone wanted to be a bad guy; the villains were the real draw and got paid more!

Subject: RE: BS: Wrestling in the 50/60/early 70ties
From: Little Hawk
Date: 03 Dec 07 - 09:14 PM

It's sort of sad...think of the career Saddam Hussein could have had if he'd gone into wrestling! He would have been incredible. He'd have made a fortune as one of the most notorious bad guys of all time, and when he got old he could've retired and signed autographs at the local deli in Montreal.

What a tragic waste of potential.

Subject: RE: BS: Wrestling in the 50/60/early 70ties
From: GUEST, Sminky
Date: 04 Dec 07 - 05:48 AM

UK grappling fans will find this site a treat - "all the matches aired by ITV between its first airing in 1955, and 1988 when Greg Dyke cancelled British wrestling broadcasts."

Subject: RE: BS: Wrestling in the 50/60/early 70ties
From: bankley
Date: 04 Dec 07 - 06:56 AM

yeah, beer, apparently when Andre held a 'pint', the bottle couldn't be seen anymore.....his hands were that big.... he'd down it like a shooter.... 7'4", 500 lbs on 4 cases of 24.... I'm glad that I didn't have to put him to bed ! Apparently he was gentle natured and loved playing gags esp. on unsuspecting motel owners.

and yes Sminky, that's the same Mr. Two Rivers....wrestled in England for a few years... also had an acting part in the movie 'Black Robe', a period piece set in Huronia circa 1650 or so..   really fine visuals, somewhat brutal.... those were the days!!

Subject: RE: BS: Wrestling in the 50/60/early 70ties
From: GUEST, Sminky
Date: 04 Dec 07 - 07:38 AM

Thanks bankley (didn't think there could be two Two Rivers!). His son is even more famous (I remember him as a young kid).

Subject: RE: BS: Wrestling in the 50/60/early 70ties
From: clueless don
Date: 04 Dec 07 - 09:30 AM

I found the following link through google:

passing of "Crazy Luke"

Apparently, "Crazy Luke" passed away in 2006.

Rabbi-Sol, I may have indeed been mistaken about "Crazy Luke" being Doctor Jerry's brother. I may have gotten the notion from the fact that they wrestled together and had the same last name (last stage name, at any rate.)

Don

Subject: RE: BS: Wrestling in the 50/60/early 70ties
From: GUEST,Big Bad John
Date: 04 Dec 07 - 01:43 PM

The Fabulous Kangaroos (Roy Heffernan & ?)

? = Al Costello

I always knew folk music people were wrestling fans.

Subject: RE: BS: Wrestling in the 50/60/early 70ties
From: Metchosin
Date: 04 Dec 07 - 02:24 PM

Ah! memories from my childhood! Haven't seen Whipper Billy Watson mentioned yet or Kinji Shabuya sp?

I wrestled with the rabbit ears as a kid to watch this stuff. The rabbit ears worked better than our antenna did, after my father tried unsucessfully, to rid of the thing of a flock pigeons. They were twisting it out of shape, but didn't impair the reception. Unfortunately, he figured they would eventually break it and managed to blast all the lead in wires to smithereens with a shot gun.

Subject: RE: BS: Wrestling in the 50/60/early 70ties
From: Little Hawk
Date: 04 Dec 07 - 02:30 PM

LOL! The sledgehammer for the gnats solution, eh?

Subject: RE: BS: Wrestling in the 50/60/early 70ties
From: Metchosin
Date: 04 Dec 07 - 02:50 PM

It was a way of life for him Little Hawk, usually accompanied with the rider just for watching in awe, "See what you made me do!" LOL

Subject: RE: BS: Wrestling in the 50/60/early 70ties
From: John on the Sunset Coast
Date: 04 Dec 07 - 03:11 PM

Here are some I remember from the Sunset Coast:
Lou Thesz
Argentine Rocca
Gorgeous George
Baron Leone
Sandor Szabo
Jules Strongbow (not to be confused with one of that name much later)
Lord Blears
Dr. Lee Grable (he was a hypnotist)
Mr. Moto

From a slightly earlier era:
Mike Mazurki
Henry Kulki
Buddy Baer
All of whom became character actors.

Subject: RE: BS: Wrestling in the 50/60/early 70ties
From: Riginslinger
Date: 04 Dec 07 - 09:45 PM

I remember when it was "Wrestling from Hollywood," but the only player I can remember is The Great Baldini.

Subject: RE: BS: Wrestling in the 50/60/early 70ties
From: Peter Kasin
Date: 10 Dec 07 - 04:21 AM

John, was this Buddy Baer the same as Max Baer's boxing brother?

Beer, Pepper Gomez was known for his iron stomach muscles. You could punch him in the stomach as hard as possible, and it wouldn't faze him. Apparently that was for real.

Anyone remember the goose-stepping "German" tag team? In SF they were known as the Von Stroheim brothers. I believe they went by other names in other localities.

Chanteyranger

Subject: RE: BS: Wrestling in the 50/60/early 70ties
From: Mr Happy
Date: 10 Dec 07 - 10:22 AM

Lots info on UK stars here:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Professional_wrestling_in_the_United_Kingdom

Subject: RE: BS: Wrestling in the 50/60/early 70ties
From: John on the Sunset Coast
Date: 10 Dec 07 - 10:50 AM

Yes, Chantyranger, he was Max Baer's brother.

Subject: RE: BS: Wrestling in the 50/60/early 70ties
From: gnu
Date: 10 Dec 07 - 07:39 PM

Metchosin... shotgun... seems logical to me. Cheaper than buying a ladder.

Subject: RE: BS: Wrestling in the 50/60/early 70ties
From: Herga Kitty
Date: 11 Dec 07 - 04:49 PM

LTS pretty well summed it up for the UK. Tag wrestling was fun, though. The lighter weights were pretty nippy and athletic. Watching them bouncing off the ropes and into the audience...

Kitty

Subject: RE: BS: Wrestling in the 50/60/early 70ties
From: Mark Ross
Date: 12 Dec 07 - 02:14 PM

Does anyone remember the Argentine Apollo? We used to watch with my grandparents, Grandma loved Gorgeous George.

Mark Ross

Subject: RE: BS: Wrestling in the 50/60/early 70ties
From: John on the Sunset Coast
Date: 12 Dec 07 - 03:16 PM

I remember Argentine Rocca (as noted above) but not Argentine Apollo. What area of the country did he rassle in?

Subject: RE: BS: Wrestling in the 50/60/early 70ties
From: Rabbi-Sol
Date: 12 Dec 07 - 06:12 PM

Some more from the Capitol Arena in Washington DC.

Karl Von Hess

Fritz Seigfried

Mr. America Gene Stanley

his brother Steve Stanley

The Mighty Managoff

Fritz Von Wallach

Jackie Nichols

Yukon Eric

Miguel Torres (The Mexican Bull)

Skull Murphy

Cowboy Rocky Lee

Chief Big Heart

Johnny Valentine

                                                          SOL

Subject: RE: BS: Wrestling in the 50/60/early 70ties
From: Mark Ross
Date: 13 Dec 07 - 10:25 AM

We used to see Argentine Apollo in NYC onSaturday night wrestling.
I believe there was also a wrestler named Antonio Rocca.


Mark Ross

Subject: RE: BS: Wrestling in the 50/60/early 70ties
From: GUEST
Date: 13 Dec 07 - 11:38 AM

Red Bastien
Gentleman Jim Hady
Stu Hart
Dave Ruhl

Subject: RE: BS: Wrestling in the 50/60/early 70ties
From: Rabbi-Sol
Date: 13 Dec 07 - 01:01 PM

Hungarian wrestle - Sandor Szabo

Japanese wrestler - Bolo Hakawa

                                                    SOL

Subject: RE: BS: Wrestling in the 50/60/early 70ties
From: Rabbi-Sol
Date: 13 Dec 07 - 06:15 PM

And of course there was always the famous manager, Bobby Davis who looked like Elvis Presley and managed the Graham Brothers. He would escort them into the ring wearing a business suit and during a tag team match he would hit one of the oponents with his cane while the referee was looking the other way.

                                                 SOL

Subject: RE: BS: Wrestling in the 50/60/early 70ties
From: Beer
Date: 13 Dec 07 - 10:50 PM

Now folks, I've been reading all these responses with great pleasure. I have to ask a question though. Are you still following the world of wrestling or was this a part of your life that you left behind as I did. I truly loved the matches of the 50,60 and 70ties but then dropped out.

Yet, as much as I'm disinterested in today's "SHOW", I can't help think that if I was 8-14yrs., again I would be right into what is happening.
beer (adrien)

Subject: RE: BS: Wrestling in the 50/60/early 70ties
From: Rabbi-Sol
Date: 13 Dec 07 - 11:19 PM

That is a part of my life that ended when I entered college at the age of 16. Up until that time I was a devoted wrestling fanatic. Once in college I no longer had the time to keep following it and have never gone back to it at all.

                                                 SOL

Subject: RE: BS: Wrestling in the 50/60/early 70ties
From: Riginslinger
Date: 14 Dec 07 - 09:38 PM

I'm not sure. It seems to me like the whole thing now is so incredibly phoney, and the steroid enhanced participants are so unbelievable, I can't see getting into it.
                  Of course, things look different when you're 14 years old.

Subject: RE: BS: Wrestling in the 50/60/early 70ties
From: Beer
Date: 15 Dec 07 - 12:53 AM

How true Riginslinger.
I look at my nephews while they watch the WWF or whatever it is called and as much as i think of all the crap that they are projecting, I think that if I was 13-14 I would also get off on it.

Subject: RE: BS: Wrestling in the 50/60/early 70ties
From: Peter Kasin
Date: 15 Dec 07 - 03:04 AM

Same reaction here, Rigs. I dropped off from watching it in when around 14. In the 80's, I watched it a few times for comic relief (George "the animal" and all that) but found the modern stuff from the 90's boring. All steroidish looking, no clear-cut heroes/villains, and I had far outgrown really enjoying it anyway. Those were magical times for a kid, in the earlier eras.

BTW, on YouTube there's a clip of the first professional wrestling match ever fimed, around 1929, if I remember that right. it was strange, because it looked like they were actually WRESTLING :-).

Chanteyranger

Subject: RE: BS: Wrestling in the 50/60/early 70ties
From: bankley
Date: 15 Dec 07 - 12:14 PM

we were also young, agile and foolish enough to learn some of the holds and try them out on each other. Drop kicks were fun but not as much as when you didn't connect. I also enjoyed going to see smaller events and cheering for the bad guys. That almost got me into trouble with some die-hard little ol' lady fans, who could hurt you just about as much as the wrestlers themselves. When I got serious about music, my 'rasslin' days were numbered. Besides 'Wildwood Flower' didn't hurt as much as the 'pile driver'...

Subject: RE: BS: Wrestling in the 50/60/early 70ties
From: Beer
Date: 16 Dec 07 - 11:55 AM

I use to practice the sleeper and the judo chop on my younger brother Norman. Damn near killed him. Then I ordered one of those hypnosis disc and turned his eyes red but I never did get it to work.

Subject: RE: BS: Wrestling in the 50/60/early 70ties
From: Riginslinger
Date: 16 Dec 07 - 06:53 PM

How is Norman doing today? Did he recover?

Subject: RE: BS: Wrestling in the 50/60/early 70ties
From: bobad
Date: 16 Dec 07 - 07:01 PM

"How is Norman doing today? Did he recover?"

Not quite - he became a folksinger.

Subject: RE: BS: Wrestling in the 50/60/early 70ties
From: Beer
Date: 16 Dec 07 - 07:30 PM

LoL Bobad.
In fact he just started a coffee house with the help of a local church in or near Picton Ontario.
No drifting I promise.

Subject: RE: BS: Wrestling in the 50/60/early 70ties
From: Riginslinger
Date: 17 Dec 07 - 12:42 AM

Well, maybe wrestling is good for you!

Subject: RE: BS: Wrestling in the 50/60/early 70ties
From: bankley
Date: 17 Dec 07 - 01:31 PM

I'm trying to visualize a red-eyed, cape wearing, guy in tights, jumping into the ring over the top rope and smashing his opponent over the head with a cheap guitar, El Kabong style, while Beer is in the corner yelling, "Okay Stormy, now pin him"....

Subject: RE: BS: Wrestling in the 50/60/early 70ties
From: GUEST
Date: 17 Dec 07 - 02:58 PM

My aunt and uncle used to take me to watch wrestling at the Municipal Pool in Hamilton, Ontario in the late forties. A ring was erected right over the pool. My uncle knew Whipper Billy Watson and the Sharp Brothers personally so we always had to go when these local heros were on the card. We also saw Nanjo Singh, (Sky)Hy Lee, Lee Henning, Yukon Eric, Mike Mazurki (movie star), Lou Thesz, Lord Athol Layton and a whole array of midget and other novelty acts. It was always a highlight when someone got thrown out of the ring into the water. Once the entire structure collapsed into the pool.

Subject: RE: BS: Wrestling in the 50/60/early 70ties
From: Beer
Date: 17 Dec 07 - 03:29 PM

Ha! ha! ha!, thanks for the laugh Bankley.

I saw Whipper Billy Watson against his nemesis Gene Kiniski in Halifax N.S. later 50ies or early 60ties.

Subject: RE: BS: Wrestling in the 50/60/early 70ties
From: GUEST,meself
Date: 17 Dec 07 - 10:56 PM

Lord Layton used to host a wrestling TV show - "Big Time Wrestling" - out of Detroit - or possibly Windsor. He used to express considerable indignation at the antics of The Sheikh ... Big part of my childhood ...

Subject: RE: BS: Wrestling in the 50/60/early 70ties
From: Beer
Date: 17 Dec 07 - 11:05 PM

meself!!, how in the hell are you??
Missed you (Guy or Gal?).
The Sheikh, sure do remember this character.