As a boy, while waiting for the football results, wrestling was a staple of Saturday afternoons on ITV. The campness. The feuds. The showmanship. The characters. The WWE has a lot to thank the British scene for. Big Daddy & Haystacks, Johnny Kwango, Les Kellet, Mick McManus, Cry Baby Jim Breaks, Gorgeous George, Rollerball Rocco etc... they could work a crowd. Kendo Nagasaki was the mystery masked wrestler and probably the most famous of them all. Anyway, the reason for this post. He's making a comeback at 83.

Easy! Easy! Easy!

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cr54l7l5nepo

Dickie Davies. Saturday afternoon. Dad wouldn’t take me to an away game. What better way to while away a Saturday

Shirley Crabtree. Legend

Oh my God, he's won the title back at 83! 

He's bent as a 9 bob note and owns a gay cruising hotel called Trades in Blackpool and used to own Kaos gay bar.

Bizarrely a hotel opposite Trades is owned by Shirley Crabtrees nephew.

 

2 minutes ago, gonzo said:

He's bent as a 9 bob note and owns a gay cruising hotel called Trades in Blackpool and used to own Kaos gay bar.

Bizarrely a hotel opposite Trades is owned by Shirley Crabtrees nephew.

 

He is. He came in my local in Aspull about 5 yrs ago. I had a photo with him just for the craic. Odd looking fella He looks better with the mask on

42 minutes ago, gonzo said:

He's bent as a 9 bob note and owns a gay cruising hotel called Trades in Blackpool and used to own Kaos gay bar.

Bizarrely a hotel opposite Trades is owned by Shirley Crabtrees nephew.

 

The egg chasing actor?

14 hours ago, Underpants said:

As a boy, while waiting for the football results, wrestling was a staple of Saturday afternoons on ITV. The campness. The feuds. The showmanship. The characters. The WWE has a lot to thank the British scene for. Big Daddy & Haystacks, Johnny Kwango, Les Kellet, Mick McManus, Cry Baby Jim Breaks, Gorgeous George, Rollerball Rocco etc... they could work a crowd. Kendo Nagasaki was the mystery masked wrestler and probably the most famous of them all. Anyway, the reason for this post. He's making a comeback at 83.

Easy! Easy! Easy!

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cr54l7l5nepo

God it's weird how many old names you remember from then. Adding to yours: Strong Man Alan Dennison, Iron-Fist Clive Myers (probably ended up in one of Gonzo's vids), Tally-Ho Kaye, Catweazle, The Royals, King Kendo (a knock-off Nagasaki), Johnny Czeslaw, Jackie Pallo, actor Brain Glover (as Leon Arras), Pat Bomber Roach, Ken Logan etc etc. "Semi-Jap stranglehold"? bet you couldn't say that now. Right, I'm off as Dr Who is on in a bit - have a good week til next week.

Read a book called wrestlecrap. 

The guy spoke to les kellett  who ran a pig farm, and was a bit humbled that people remembered him, wishing to be left alone, 

Put me in a mind of how Rioch is now. 

4 hours ago, SatanGreavsie said:

God it's weird how many old names you remember from then. Adding to yours: Strong Man Alan Dennison, Iron-Fist Clive Myers (probably ended up in one of Gonzo's vids), Tally-Ho Kaye, Catweazle, The Royals, King Kendo (a knock-off Nagasaki), Johnny Czeslaw, Jackie Pallo, actor Brain Glover (as Leon Arras), Pat Bomber Roach, Ken Logan etc etc. "Semi-Jap stranglehold"? bet you couldn't say that now. Right, I'm off as Dr Who is on in a bit - have a good week til next week.

Bolton’s finest - Bert Royal and Vic Faulkner - tremendous

Id forgotten that Brian Glover was one of them

British Bulldog did a visit to Pendlebury Children's Hospital when I was in there. I was in a side room and the nurse asked if I wanted him to pop in and say hi. I was out of it on morphine and said I didn't want the lycra clad puff anywhere near me. I regret it now as both my lads loved Wrestling growing up and I would have got a decent autograph to show them.

3 hours ago, only1swanny said:

Read a book called wrestlecrap. 

The guy spoke to les kellett  who ran a pig farm, and was a bit humbled that people remembered him, wishing to be left alone, 

Put me in a mind of how Rioch is now. 

Weren't you a wrestler for a while? Or have I made that up? 

21 minutes ago, MancWanderer said:

Bolton’s finest - Bert Royal and Vic Faulkner - tremendous

Id forgotten that Brian Glover was one of them

Just remembered another - with the oddest u.s.p. of them all all. Alan Kilby. Was he a samurai (like Kendo)? A weirdo like Catweazle? A bastard like McManus? A giant like Haystacks or a martial artist like Judo Pete Roberts? Did he have a secret weapon like Jonny Kwango's head butt? No. his big selling point was....he was deaf.

1 hour ago, Sweep said:

Weren't you a wrestler for a while? Or have I made that up? 

i went training and did a few shows, nobody told me that dyspraxics don't make good wrestlers 😛 

 

2 hours ago, MancWanderer said:

Bolton’s finest - Bert Royal and Vic Faulkner - tremendous

Id forgotten that Brian Glover was one of them

Dad and Nan were huge fans of wrestling. The three of us went to the Civic Halls in Walkden to see the Royal’s. They were more famous for their tag team matches. They didn’t disappoint. I think Les Kellet was also on the bill. Great entertainment. 

44 minutes ago, only1swanny said:

i went training and did a few shows, nobody told me that dyspraxics don't make good wrestlers 😛 

 

Please tell is about these shows.

What was your name, signature move, etc.

I got Jackie Pallo's autograph, at the Wryton Stadium on Blackburn Road, after his headline bout with Mick McManus. Must have been mid 1960s.

Pallo was famous for his blonde ponytail and leopard skin trunks.

10 hours ago, Mannyroader said:

I got Jackie Pallo's autograph, at the Wryton Stadium on Blackburn Road, after his headline bout with Mick McManus. Must have been mid 1960s.

Pallo was famous for his blonde ponytail and leopard skin trunks.

Dad and Uncle Charlie used to sometimes take me along to the Wryton Stadium on Friday nights... i was about 10 years old... loved it

I've told this story before. My mum & dad owned a off license on TMR. One Saturday my dad asked me to come in to the front of the shop. He said there's someone here who wants to meet you. It was Bert Royal. I was starstruck 🥰

Good documentary apart from the appearance of the nonce. Rocco speaks well, but die of dementia 4 years ago.

 

Bolton Albert Halls 1976.

Have a good week.... til next week.

 

10 hours ago, Underpants said:

Bolton Albert Halls 1976.

Have a good week.... til next week.

 

Dynamite kid had a run in the wwe with the british bulldog 

they did bring back uk wrestling on itv a few years ago where the bulldogs son made appearances (was also in wwe)

 

Wasn't Dynamite Kid's signature move called a side surfboard?

If not , somebody's was, the shite you remember eh?

7 hours ago, L/H White said:

Dynamite kid had a run in the wwe with the british bulldog 

they did bring back uk wrestling on itv a few years ago where the bulldogs son made appearances (was also in wwe)

 

 

On 02/11/2024 at 20:00, BobyBrno said:

Dad and Nan were huge fans of wrestling. The three of us went to the Civic Halls in Walkden to see the Royal’s. They were more famous for their tag team matches. They didn’t disappoint. I think Les Kellet was also on the bill. Great entertainment. 

Loved those wrestling events at Pembroke halls, favourite wrestler was Crusher Mason. Proper good baddie. Happy days.

One of my favourite wrestlers William Regal was entering the business right at the end of the World Of Sport era. The section about that time in his autobiography is brilliant, reading about travelling the country in a car with Giant Haystacks who apparently hated the attention.