JOHN WADE-MONSTER/IVAN KALMIKOFF?

Progress, of sorts.

Tony Scarlo and Sam Betts both knew Jim Green in the 1960s. They've looked at these photos and both say that Jim Green was not John Wade/Ivan/John Green.

Another theory shot down.

Here you are sir, courtesy of Ron's galleries

Or at least only twice MM, April 1962 by Ray Hunter.

So my understanding from what you say Paul is that it was commonly known Coverdale was the Ghoul but on this occasion at least he was billed as The Monster, still wearing the Ghoul mask. Thanks

It seems pretty clear that most masked wrestlers were played by more than one wrestler behind the mask . Bartelli being one of the exceptions. Monster , Ghoul , Dr Death , multiple imitators.

no Hack he was introduced as the monster and bills all over Blackpool showed top of the bill the monster many years before the talk of Salford was the Ghoul ,I'd heard bill was him so I was puzzled by this.Was the Monster more famous than the Ghoul in Scotland as it was Glasgow fair week ,by the way the bout itself was ponderous.

Was that not The Ghoul bkendo1? We have reports from quite a few wrestlers that Coverdale was The Ghoul, who wore an off white mask and was tag partner of The Monster at that time.

hmmmm not wishing to add to the confusion,but the Monster I shared a dressing room with Albert Rd Blackpool 1969 was neither wade or green.Even when under the bonnet the gait and feet gave it away,Bill Coverdale who I watched as a kid at the Vic in Salford the mask wasn't black it was off white

That looks like the Monster I remember. He was Jim Green. I didn't see The Monster on an early Brian Dixon show. But starting out promoting when he did, northern based, I would have thought that if Brian did use the Monster on his shows he would have used Jim Green. So Brian is one of the few people alive, Max Crabtree would be another, who could tell us if Jim Green and John Wade were one and the same.

Although masked i believe that from his stance, build, body hair etc that this is the same John Wade, Ivan The Monster in Ost's photo/picture featured in a 1968 edition of Ringsport:

Thanks Gernot. You've done well. Sadly the article does not seem to help with any clue as to the identity of John Green, I guess we can take the Superman from Sydney bit with a pinch of salt.

There is a window in the summer of 1962 that would allow a visit to Germany in the summer.

In 1967 there was an item in The Stage newspaper stating that Jim Green, who it said had travelled the world, was now working closer to home as the death of his wife the previous year meant he was bringing up his young daughter alone.

You're on good form today Gernot. There has never been a hint that Jim Green and John Wade were one and the same. Until now .....

As far as I understand is that Wade and Green are two different persons. But now we have a problem. From july 1st to july 12th Wade, and you can see clearly at the picture thats him, wrestled as John Green in vienna austria at the heumarkt. Maybe there was a different green in the uk but now thats a fact he also wrestled as "Green". At least abroad.

Thank you Ostie Boy.

But ....

Are my conclusions open to doubt?

And ...

We know John Wade was the Monster, Ivan Kalmikoff and Ivan the Monster. I think.

But do we know that he wore a mask as Ivan the Monster?

Come on boys.

Awesome work Hack to put all those matches together.

John Wade "borrowed" the name Ivan Kalmikoff from American wrestler Ed Bruce (real name Edward Bogucki).

Bruce wrestled as Ivan Kalmikoff from 1942 to 1979 throughout North America.

Initial thoughts after compiling this listing:

Crabtree brought in John Wade

John Wade was the original Monster, working for Crabtree and other independents

In 1962 Wade went to Joint and took his mask with him

Jim Green came in as a Monster on the independents after Wade had gone over t Joint.

Wade eventually returned to the independents, possibly working as The Monster at the same time as Green

With The Monster unmasked again on a Joint show John Wade now appears on the independents for the first time under that name. Wade disappears from Joint (except for an appearance in 1964) and The Monster continues on the independents.

Is this Monster Wade or Green? Or both? Who is the Monster making a one off Joint appearance

1963, 25th May HACKNEY (IND)

John Wade v Bob Kirkwood

1963, 1st June EDGEWARE ROAD(IND)

John Wade v Flash Lee Edwards

1963, 14th June HADLEIGH (IND)

John Wade v Dave Larsen

1963, 15th June HACKNEY(IND)

John Wade v Mike Marino

1963, 16th June BIRMINGHAM (IND)

John Wade v Al Hayes

1963, 27th July LEICESTER(IND)

Monster v Digger Watson

1963, 10th August LEICESTER(IND)

Monster v Harry Bennett

1963, 5th September CROMER(IND)

Monster v Angus Campbell

1963, 24th September NEWARK (IND)

Monster v Pat Roach

1963, 28th September LEICESTER(IND)

Monster v Haystacks Bright

1963, 19th October LEICESTER(IND)

Monster v Jack Taylor/Laszlo Banjo

1963, 2nd November LEICESTER(IND)

Angus Campbell /Monster v Black Mask/Al Strickland

1963, 20th November HEDNESFORD (IND)

Monster v Al Strickland

1963, 5th December BARNSLEY (IND)

Monster v Angus Campbell

1964, 16th January BARNSLEY (IND)

Monster v Chief Thunderbird

1964, 27th January BLACKPOOL(JOINT)

John Wade v Ernie Riley

1964, 8th February LEICESTER(IND)

Monster v Dai Sullivan

1964, 11th February SMETHWICK (IND)

Monster v Jack/Ray Taylor

1964, 10th March SMETHWICK (IND)

Monster v Angus Campbell

1964, 13th March NORMANTON(IND)

Monster v Don Vines

1964, 14thMarch LEICESTER (IND)

Monster/Black Mask v Bobo Matu/Harry Bennett

1964, 24thMarch SMETHWICK (IND)

Monster/Black Mask v Lee Scott/Angus Campbell

1964, 28thMarch LEICESTER (IND)

Monster/Black Mask v Bobo Matu/Harry Bennett

1964, 3rd April AYR (JOINT)

Monster v Shirley Crabtree

1964, 10th April ABERYSTWYTH (IND)

Monster v Man Mountain Dean

1964, 14th April SMETHWICK (IND)

Monster v Pat Roach

1964, 17thApril OTLEY(IND)

Monster v Angus Campbell

1964, 18thApril LEICESTER(IND)

Monster v Angus Campbell

1964, 18thMay BIRMINGHAM(IND)

Monster v Piet Slabbert/Roy LarRue

1964, 23rd May LEICESTER(IND)

Monster v Bearcat McClancy

1964, 26thMay BIRMINGHAM(IND)

Monster v Flash Lee Edwards/Bearcat McClancy

1964, 29thMay HITCHIN (IND)

Monster v Kurt Von Sneider

1964, 2ndJune BIRMINGHAM(IND)

Monster v Dominic Pye

1964, 15thJune FLEETWOOD (IND)

Monster v Angus Campbell

1964, 19thJune CHURCHDOWN(IND)

Monster v Bearded Monarch

1964, 3rd July CHURCHDOWN (IND)

Monster vVince Lawson

1964, 18thJuly LEICESTER(IND)

Monster v Gyorgy Cselko/Imra Csak

1964, 4thAugust BIRMINGHAM (IND)

Monster v Red Scorpion/Executioner

1964, 21stAugust TYNEMOUTH(IND)

Monster v Billy Graham

Then we have John Wade JR on a Joint show.

1964, 25th August EDINBURGH(JOINT)

Roy St Clair/John Wade JR v Black Diamonds

1964, 31stAugust COLWYN BAY (IND)

Monster v Hans Kruger

There are many appearances of the Monster, all for the independents, the last one I have recorded in October 1974.

1963 and The Monster working for Jack Taylor in Leicester. More Monster appearances for the independents whilst a simultaneous Monster working for Joint. Looks like Wade working for Joint and Jim Green now The Monster for the independents.

1963, 2nd February LEICESTER(IND)

Monster v Bill Coverdale

1963, 14th February DUNSTABLE (JOINT)

Monster v George Gordienko

1963, 15th February DUMFRIES (JOINT)

Monster v Jack Cassidy

1963, 1st March BERMONDSEY (JOINT)

Monster v Gwyn Davies

1963, 2nd March LEICESTER(IND)

Monster v Harry Bennett

1963, 2nd March COVENTRY (JOINT)

John Wade v Lucky Simunovitch

1963, 4th March BLACKPOOL (JOINT)

Monster v Gwyn Davies

1963, 8th March LIVERPOOL (JOINT)

Monster v John Da Silva

1963, 19thMarch EDINBURGH (JOINT)

Legionairre/ Monster bt Ian Campbell/Robert McDonald

1963, 22nd March CHESTER (JOINT)

Monster v Hasan Ali Bey

1963, 25th March BLACKPOOL (JOINT)

Monster v Jack Pye

1963, 26th March BLACKBURN (JOINT)

Monster v Jack Pye

1963, 29th March LIVERPOOL(JOINT)

Monster v Jack Pye

1963, 11th April LIVERPOOL(JOINT)

Monster v Josef Zaranoff

1963, 16th April HARROGATE (JOINT)

Monster v John Allan

1963, 3rd May CHORLEY (IND)

Monster/The Professor v Dominic/Casey Pye

1963, 14th May EDINBURGH(JOINT)

Monster v Shirley Crabtree

1963, 17thMay BATH(IND)

Harry Bennett/Shaun O’Shea v Great Bula/Monster

1963, 21st May EDINBURGH (JOINT)

Shirley Crabtree bt The Monster (umasked as John Wade)

John Wade now found working for Joint Promotions, as John Wade, simultaneously with The Monster working for Joint. Monster appears for Dale Martin only to be unmasked, but there are further appearances of The Monster for Dale Martin. We also have the unmasking in 1961 cited by Tom H on an independent show. So John Wade was unmasked as The Monster on both the independents and Joint Promotions.

1962, 16th April SHOREDITCH (JOINT)

John Wade v Jo Zaranoff

1962, 17thApril COLCHESTER (JOINT)

John Wade v John Allan

1962, 18th April GRIMSBY(JOINT)

Monster v Dave Armstrong

1962, 19th April PETERBOROUGH (JOINT)

Horst Hoffman bt The Monster (unmasked as John Wade)

1962, 20th April BRIGHTON (JOINT)

John Wade v Johnny Allan

1962, 21st April NORWICH (JOINT)

John Wade v Dave Armstrong

1962, 23rd April HAMILTON(JOINT)

Monster v Robert McDonald

1962, 24th April LEEDS(JOINT)

Monster v Jim Armstrong

1962, 28th April KIRBY IN ASHFIELD (JOINT) Monster v Black Mask

1962, 1st MAY PECKHAM (JOINT)

Monster v Joe Cornelius

1962, 2nd May CARDIFF (JOINT)

John Wade v Roy Bull Davis

1962, 3rd MAY WIMBLEDON(Now Devereux using JP wrestlers)

Monster v Pat Barratt

1962, 5th May COVENTRY (JOINT)

John Wade v Norman Walsh

1962, 7th May YORK (JOINT)

Monster v Dave Armstrong

1962, 9th May LINCOLN (JOINT)

Monster v Dave Armstrong

1962, 11th May LIVERPOOL(JOINT)

Monster v Robert McDonald

1962, 12th May MIDDLESBROUGH(JOINT)

Monster v Eric Leidermann

1962, 16th May LEICESTER(JOINT)

Monster v Alf Cadman

1962, 19th May PORTSMOUTH(JOINT)

Monster v Roy Bull Davis

1962, 25th MayGLASGOW(JOINT)

Monster v Bill Howes

1962, 28th May KILMARNOCK (JOINT)

Monster v John Lees

1962, 1st June LIVERPOOL(JOINT)

Monster v Francis St Clair Gregory

1962, 2nd June MIDDLESBROUGH (JOINT)

Monster v Dai Sullivan

1962, 5th June PURLEY(JOINT)

KO John Wade/Gerry DeJaegar/Bill Joyce/Francis Sullivan

1962, 8th June NORTHAMPTON (JOINT)

John Wade v Johnny Yearsley

1962, 9th June PORTSMOUTH (JOINT)

Monster v Francis Sullivan

1962, 15th June WELLING(JOINT)

John Wade v Joe Cornelius

1962, 18th June WALTHAMSTOW (JOINT)

John Wade/Doug Joyce/Johnny Peters/Kiwi Kingston/John Lees/Tug Holton/Tony Mancelli/Jack Beaumont

1962, 1st or 11th September EDINBURGH (JOINT)

Monster v Dave Armstrong

1962, 14th September DUMFRIES (JOINT)

Monster v Black Panther

1962, 5th October LIVERPOOL (JOINT)

Monster v Masambula

1962, 13th October NEWCASTLE (JOINT)

Monster v Albert Wall

1962, 19th October ROCHESTER (JOINT)

John Wade v Gwyn Davies

1962, 20th October BRIGHTON (JOINT)

Gwyn Davies bt John Wade

1962, 26th October LIVERPOOL (JOINT)

Monster v Roy Bull Davis

1962, 15th November BARNSLEY (JOINT)

Monster v Black Panther

1962, 22nd November BRIERLEY HILL(JOINT)

Monster v Seamus Donlevy

1962, 24th November NEWCASTLE(JOINT)

Monster v Albert Wall

1962, 29th November BARNSLEY (JOINT)

Monster v Harry Bennett

1962, 4th December WARRINGTON(JOINT)

Monster v Robert McDonald

1962, 28th December LIVERPOOL (JOINT)

Monster v Jack Pye

1962, 29th December SOUTHALL(JOINT)

Monster v Johnny Yearsley

1963, 7th January BLACKPOOL (JOINT)

Monster v Norman Walsh

1963, 11th January LIVERPOOL (JOINT)

Monster v Pietro Capello

1963, 24th January BRIERLEY HILL(JOINT)

Monster v Francis St Clair Gregory

1963, 28th January BLACKPOOL (JOINT)

Monster v Jim Hussey

At the beginning of 1962 Twentieth Century Promotions were absorbed into Joint Promotions. Not sure of the date but Max was working for the independents on 12.12.61 and for Joint on 22.12.61, Brian disappears in early 1962 until a Joint show on 22.6.62 and then very intermittently. Shirley is on Joint on 16.1.62 and occasionally after that.

On 12th January The Monster appears on Joint. Devereux also began using Joint Promotion wrestlers.

1962, 12th January CHESTERFIELD (JOINT)

Monster v Jose Arroyo

1962, 26th January AYR

Monster v Bill Coverdale

1962, 5th February CARLISLE(JOINT)

Monster v John Allan

1962, 6th February HULL (JOINT)

Monster v Terry Garvin

1962, 7thFebruary WIMBLEDON(JOINT – Devereux show, now using Joint wrestlers)

Ivan The Monster v Kiwi Kingston

1962, 14th February LINCOLN(JOINT)

Monster v Robert McDonald

1962, 16th February AYR (JOINT)

Monster v Shirley Crabtree

1962, 17th February MIDDLESBROUGH(JOINT)

Monster v Robert McDonald

1962, 19th February HALIFAX(JOINT)

Monster v Colin Williamson

1962, 22nd February COLNE(JOINT)

Monster v Nuttall

1962, 26th February DERBY(JOINT)

Monster v Bill Verna

1962, 27th February KIDDERMINSTER (JOINT)

Monster v Bill Verna

1962, 3rd March MANCHESTER(JOINT)

Monster v Leon Arras

1962, 6th March SCARBOROUGH(JOINT)

Monster v Dave Armstrong

1962, 7th March GRIMSBY(JOINT)

Monster v Dave Armstrong

1962, 8th March KIRKCALDY(JOINT)

Monster v Francis Sullivan

1962, 9th March GLASGOW(JOINT)

Monster v Bill Howes

1962, 10th March NEWCASTLE(JOINT)

Monster v Dino Bravo

1962, 12th March YORK(JOINT)

Monster v Jim Armstrong

1962, 13th March TROWELL(JOINT)

Monster v Bill Joyce

1962, 14thMarch LINCOLN (JOINT)

Monster v Jim Armstrong

1962, 15thMarch CRADLEY HEATH (JOINT)

Monster v Bill Joyce

1962, 17thMarch FALKIRK (JOINT)

Monster v Jim Armstrong

1962, 19thMarch BRADFORD (JOINT)

Monster v Bob Sweeney

1962, 21stMarch SCUNTHORPE (JOINT)

Monster v Bruno Elrington

1962, 22ndMarch WORKSOP (JOINT)

Monster v Dave Armstrong

1962, 23rdMarch ROTHERHAM (JOINT)

Monster v Bruno Elrington

1962, 26thMarch NELSON (JOINT)

Monster v Francis St Clair Gregory

1962, 27thMarch KIDDERMINSTER (JOINT)

Monster DKO The Mask

1962, 31stMarch MANCHESTER (JOINT)

Monster v Ian Campbell

1962, 2ndApril CARLISLE (JOINT)

Monster v Steve Veidor

1962, 5thApril GOOLE (JOINT)

Monster v Hermann Iffland

1962, 6thApril CHESTERFIELD (JOINT)

Monster v Nuttall

1962, 7thApril MORECAMBE(JOINT)

Monster v Jack Pye

1962, 13thApril DUMFRIES (JOINT)

Monster v Bill Rawlings

1962, 14thApril KIRBY IN ASHFIELD (JOINT)

Monster v Leon Arras

In January, 1960 we have the appearance of Ivan The Terrible at Poplar. Could he be the same as Ivan The Monster? Or a mistake in the listings. The frequency of Crabtree as an opponent suggests Ivan the Terrible was the same as Ivan The Monster, making a likely link with John Wade.

1960, 14th January POPLAR(IND)

Shirley Crabtree v Ivan the Terrible

Two weeks later Ivan The Terrible was at Wimbledon. This was to become home turf for Ivan The Monster, again suggesting Ivan The Terrible and Monster were one and the same.

1960, 21st January WIMBLEDON(IND)

Shirley Crabtree v Ivan the Terrible

1960, 25th January HARROGATE(IND)

Shirley Crabtree v Ivan the Terrible

1960, 4thFebruary POPLAR(IND)

Crabtree/Ivan the Terrible/Fields/Demetral/Matu/ Sterling/Boscik/ B.Crabtree

1960, 5th March LEICESTER(IND)

Monster v Herbert Craddock

1960, 17th March WIMBLEDON(IND)

Jim Armstrong v Ivan the Terrible

1960, 19th March LEICESTER (IND)

Monster v Shirley Crabtree

1960, 23rd March MEXBOROUGH(IND)

Monster v Harry Bennett

Both Ivan and The Monster advertised together on 24th March, but we don’t know if both appeared. As at least one was masked there’s no reason why not.

1960, 24th March RETFORD(IND)

Shirley Crabtree v Ivan the Terrible

1960, 24th March LIVERPOOL (IND)

Monster v Felix Miquet

1960, 28th April STAFFORD (IND)

Monster v George Bullock

1960, 16th June WIMBLEDON (IND)

The Monster v Prince Kumali

1961, 3rd January EDINBURGH (IND)

Monster/Great Bula v Bill Coverdale/Don Mendoza

1961, 5th January STAFFORD (IND)

Monster v Gene Janzen

1961, 10th January EDINBURGH (IND)

Monster v Bill Coverdale

1961, 13th January BRADFORD (IND)

Monster/Great Bula v Bill Coverdale/Don Mendoza

1961, 19th January WIMBLEDON (IND)

Shirley Crabtree KO’dIvan the Monster

1961, 26th January ILFORD (IND)

Monster v Don Mendoza

1961, 2nd February STAFFORD (IND)

Monster v Bill Coverdale

1961, 10th February LANCASTER (IND)

Monster v Leon Arras

1961, 14th February HARROGATE (IND)

The Monster bt Gunboat Smith

1961, 2nd March ILFORD (IND)

Monster v Shirley Crabtree

1961, 6th March BIRMINGHAM (IND)

Monster v Don Mendoza

1961, 10th March LANCASTER (IND)

The Monster v Ezzard Hart

1961, 17th March LANCASTER (IND)

Monster v Gerry Hoggarth

1961, 28th March EDINBURGH (IND)

Monster v Tony Zale

31stMarch, 1961 BRADFORD (IND)

Monster v Leon Arras

1961, 14th April BRADFORD (IND)

Monster v Leon Arras

1961, 26th April GLASGOW (IND)

Monster v Oscar Norden

1961, 2nd May EDINBURGH (IND)

Monster/Harry Bennet v Bill Coverdale/Gorgeous George

1961, 16th May EDINBURGH (IND)

Monster v Bill Coverdale

1961, 5th June BIRMINGHAM (IND)

Monster v Don Mendoza

1961, 12th June HARROGATE (IND)

Monster v Leon Arras

1961, 15th June WIMBLEDON (IND)

The Monster/Bill Tunney/El Medico/Eric Sands/Al Miquet/Bob Sherry/Peter Rann/Frankie Hughes

1961, 20th June EDINBURGH (IND)

Monster v Bill Coverdale

1961, 7th August BIRMINGHAM (IND)

Bruno Elrington /The Monster v Black Butcher Johnson/Don Mendoza

1961, 10th August WIMBLEDON(IND)

Ivan The Monster KO’d Johnny Peters

1961, 14th September WIMBLEDON (IND)

Monster v Ray Hunter

1961, 16th September SALISBURY (IND)

Monster v Johnny Peters

1961, 20th September EDINBURGH (IND)

Monster v Gunboat Smith

1961, 25th September NORTHAMPTON(IND)

Ivan The Monster v Don Mendoza

1961, 5th October STAFFORD (IND)

Monster v Shirley Crabtree

1961, 19th October WIMBLEDON (IND)

Monster v Johnny Peters

1961, 20th October REDRUTH (IND)

Monster v Johnny Peters

1961, 23rd October BIRMINGHAM (IND)

Monster v Bob Taylor

1961, 26th October LEYTON (IND)

Monster v Johnny Peters

1961, 2nd November STAFFORD (IND)

Monster v Shirley Crabtree

1961, 9th November WIMBLEDON (IND)

Monster v Bruno Elrington

1961, 14th November EDINBURGH (IND)

Monster v Shirley Crabtree-DISQ

1961, 23rd November ILFORD (IND)

Monster v Johnny Peters

1961, 14th December ILFORD (IND)

Monster v Shirley Crabtree

1961, 26th December EDINBURGH(IND)

Monster v Leon Arras

There is lots of anecdotal evidence of Jim Green as The Monster and Tom H saw The Monster unmasked as John Wade. Wrestlers I have heard talk of Jim Green as The Monster include Tony Francis, Rex Strong, Al Marshall, Sam Betts and Steve Fury.

Photographic evidence shows John Wade and Ivan Kalmikoff were the same person. The Ost has a photo with a handwritten label suggesting Wade is also Ivan The Monster.

Wade has was from Halifax, said to weigh 24 stones and began to appear around the time Max Crabtreestarted promoting.

There are no appearances of John Wade or Jim Green pre 1962. In fact I can’t find Jim Green at all, other than a poster from 16thAugust, 1970 where the name Jim Green is billed as The Monster with a photo of The Monster. Al Marshall, who was on the bill, says that this was because Jim was fed up of friends not believing he was The Monster and so asked promoter Cyril Knowles to use his name.

The Monster appears in 1959, shortly after Crabtree starts promoting. He appears for numerous independent promoters. As Wade was from Halifax, same town as Crabtree, my guess is that John Wade was the original Monster, brought in by Max Crabtree and working for the independents.

1959, 14th March ILKESTON (IND)

Monster v Jim Armstrong

1959, 3rd June BLACKPOOL(IND)

Monster v Terry Pawson

1960, 13th January STAFFORD(IND)

Monster v Leon Arras

Splendid work Main Mask, The Ost and Tom H

Now we have evidence that

John Wade wrestled as The Monster

John Wade was also Ivan Kalmikoff

Was Ivan The Monster definitely masked?

And here's another Wimbledon show with Ivan from 1962:

Good stuff MM, definitely looks like the same guy. I found the original photo before I stupidly cut the name off:

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