I suppose with Bob Kirkwood based in Portsmouth the costs would be a lot less than a fighter from the North of England but nevertheless it is a great indication of high regard to be repeatedly invited back
A few years back at the Kent Reunion I was talking to Bob Kirkwood. He was saying that most weekends in the 1960s he and Black Butcher Johnson were invited over to France. I can't remember how much he said they were paid but he did say that he couldn't understand the economics of it being worth it to the promoter to take them over.
Whilst on the question of pay, I suppose we should ask ourselves what other work they could get on the back of being "famous" wrestlers? Stuntwork, ads, modelling, film/tv ... in the sense that being a wrestler opened those doors.
It is an indication these wrestlers were held in very high regard for the promotor to pay the travel costs from the UK as well as the purse. Also it would be interesting to know how much the purse was for a TV appearance in France compared with a TV appearance in the UK in 1957
The only information I have about a purse is 500 francs for a main event and 100 francs for matches on the undercard. I believe that was during the hey day of catch but I haven't checked it thoroughly. It wasn't just British wrestlers though. They brought in a large number of Spanish. Italian, Polish, Hungarian, Belgian, German, South American and US workers too. To be honest, I don't think they came entirely for pay. Perhaps there was the allure of Paris.
Eric Taylor is described by the commentator as very popular. With just one TV channel in France in 1957 and these broadcasts going out in Prime Time viewing every Friday he was probably better known and more popular in France than the UK.
I cannot find any record of Taylor wrestling in France again let alone on television. He had only made his television debut in the UK the previous month.
Practically everyone is billed as a champion. Some of them are amateur titles. Some of them are plain fictitious. There should be some Tommy Mann coming soon.
I suppose with Bob Kirkwood based in Portsmouth the costs would be a lot less than a fighter from the North of England but nevertheless it is a great indication of high regard to be repeatedly invited back
A few years back at the Kent Reunion I was talking to Bob Kirkwood. He was saying that most weekends in the 1960s he and Black Butcher Johnson were invited over to France. I can't remember how much he said they were paid but he did say that he couldn't understand the economics of it being worth it to the promoter to take them over.
Whilst on the question of pay, I suppose we should ask ourselves what other work they could get on the back of being "famous" wrestlers? Stuntwork, ads, modelling, film/tv ... in the sense that being a wrestler opened those doors.
Great for the fans to have so many top class wrestlers
It is an indication these wrestlers were held in very high regard for the promotor to pay the travel costs from the UK as well as the purse. Also it would be interesting to know how much the purse was for a TV appearance in France compared with a TV appearance in the UK in 1957
There is now a Tommy Mann match on the same website
His UK TV appearances seem to have ended in 1965 giving him a short TV career
Eric Taylor is described by the commentator as very popular. With just one TV channel in France in 1957 and these broadcasts going out in Prime Time viewing every Friday he was probably better known and more popular in France than the UK.
He is introduced in the video as Champion of England whilst his opponent Guy Robin is introduced as champion of Europe
Eric Taylor was a brilliant wrestler and a worthy champion.