Johnny Czeslaw was very approachable, and, bizarrely George Gillette, who I met very early on, and who turned out to have Northampton connections.......
When I was at school, back in the 70's, a lad I knew had waited outside the dressing rooms, along with others, to get autographs. Giant Haystacks came out, walking down the corridor, looking menacing, everyone moved aside, apart from the lad I knew, who stood in front of him with his autograph book and pen, held out in front of him. Haystacks put his hands under the lads armpits, picked him up like he weighed nothing, walked two or three paces, and plonked him back down, to one side, and carried on walking.
At first, the lad (Andrew) was upset that he didn't get the autograph, but almost immediately, the rest of the crowd came up to him and said "wow, that was incredible!" and he became a sort of hero for the others who regularly attended, and who would point him out to their friends, afterwards.
They were all nice. Giant Haystacks, Tony St Clair and Lee Bronson stood out as being the nicest. Pat Roach was happy enough to sign my autograph book although I don't remember him being chatty, but certainly not hostile in any way.
I remember Max Crabtree in Simon Garfields book said the Pat Roach refused to sign autographs. In the mid 90's though, he was happy to be seen in the bar during the interval so maybe his attitude changed.
Wrestlers had their thought out characters as blue eyes and heels. For a heel it wouldn't seem right to have them fraternising with fans and yet being villainous in the ring. Easier for the goodies, but even then I wouldn't have felt right if they became over familiar. To fans at the time wrestlers were lofty individuals and should remain so.
For collecting autographs most were approachable. That helped the goodies image. Most heels would autography unless they were performing a particularly bad tempered ring exit.
I’ve mentioned before having a very pleasant few minutes’ chat with Pat Roach in Glasgow Central Station many years ago. Adrian Street warming up outside Motherwell Town Hall in 1969 was very friendly and happy to chat with the public waiting to get in!
without wishing to cause a minor damp patch. i found steve logan very approachable and we had an interesting chat concerning judo and akido plus sense otani and sense abbe. opps! this was in coffee area at wembley town hall early 60s
I was just commenting elsewhere on how great it was at Madison Square Garden New York when Randy Savage came all the way up to the furthest tier of cheapest seats where I was to mingle with the crowd. I think the Bird Man was elsewhere in the audience, actually with his parrot.
Gets me to wondering why this never used to happen when I used to go to wrestling in the UK years ago.
Or am I odd for being so impressed by the Macho Man’s gesture?
In my day, the wrestlers went to enormous lengths to avoid being seen, and seemingly to avoid any contact with the public. A few were approachable, like Johnny Czeslaw, Les Kellett, Count Bartelli and Alan Garfield, Colin Joynson – maybe they didn’t like the smoke in the dressing rooms?
But none actually went into the midst of the fans.
What other experiences do fans have of wrestlers mingling at UK venues?
COBRA
Ive been to a couple of FWA events and half the talent mingled with the crowd had a good chat with 5star flash marck belton,as well as jack xavier, the zebra kidd and Alex shane, all of which were wicked blokes.
I mingle sumtimes in shows and chat 2 fans n stuff, i also like to watch the other matches on the card if ive already worked mine to give my feedback.
Hack
Yes Anglo it was a rarity for a wrestler to venture into the hall, and caused some interest when it did happen. Surely that was part of the magic. Wrestlers were not one of us mere mortals, they were stars of the day. You wouldn’t expect Roger Moore to come and sit next to you in the pictures. When I read about modern wrestlers mingling with the crowd I can only think that it is yet one more example of how it has all gone wrong.
David Franklin
Once again Hack has spotted a huge difference in old time Professional Wrestling and the wrestling presented today.
The ‘old-time’ wrestlers were seen as ‘sporting stars’ and would never be seen sat in the audience chatting with them whilst the show was on.
You might occasionally catch a glimpse of someone stood by the dressing room door watching matches (usually that triggered an approach by hopeful autograph hunters).
This distancing was obviously ‘management policy’ because I remember that at my local hall there was a large curtain near the dressing room and you could occasionally glimpse wrestlers peering through to try and observe proceedings. They were obviously instructed not to be seen by the audience.
It was important that the wrestlers we saw were not part of ‘us’. They were special and this separation helped to confirm this fact.
Occasionally when one did have the opportunity to speak to a wrestler, usually after the show had finished, the honour granted seemed all that greater.
You would never see a boxer in the audience chatting before a match, if wrestling wanted to be seen as in any way ‘real’ then the same rule should apply.
It is equally destructive for any credibility to see a wrestler chatting cheerfully to the audience only 15 minutes after his match, when he was helped from the ring ‘injured and exhausted’ after a crippling ordeal.
I am not suggesting that the current crop of wrestlers should suddenly start being more distant and less friendly with the audience, the old days are gone and will never return.
However Hack is quite right to point out this difference as yet another change in the profession that highlights and thus lessens any credibility it has as a ‘competitive’ entertainment.
COBRA
When we do tho we always change into regular clothes and sink in with the crowd, we hardly get noticed that way.
PATTIJ
I would like to say that there are quiet a few of the visiting stars who are prepared to spend time to chat to the audience. Three of the most polite overseas stars I have ever met are Gangrel, Luna, Joe Legend. They were prepared to stop and chat to you as if they were old friends. As what happened at my local venue. and even when Luna appeared back at our local venue a month later she came up to me and through her arms around me like a long lost friends. Its just a shame there were not more wrestlers like these.
CruX
I worked the same show as Gangrel in Whitehaven and he was one of the nicest people to talk to. Extremely polite and funny. An insight into the wrestling business in america. Starting out from scratch and wrestling to feed yourself amongst other things. A book waiting to happen in my opinion, and a damn good one at that.
Dynamite Duane
If the young fans (children) see the villains speaking to us older mature fans there is a chance this may spoil the mystique of the bad guys for them?
Or even more so if they are friendly to the kids?
My son was terrified of Karl Kramer and he was not friendly afterwards not showing himself, you don’t expect him to. Perhaps in the bar when the kids are not there maybe then it is different.
Be interesting to hear what those think who work in the business?
CruX
I don’t think the wrestlers should mingle with the crowd during the show, or watch the show after their match. Like you say in the bar is another matter.
I have been known to disappear during the interval which I shouldn’t really if it involves walking through the crowd, but when you have kids to put to bed etc what can you do.
On another note, after a show where I played the villain the kids were still trying to get my autograph (God knows why because they couldn’t remember my name lol) I was in half a mind to stay in heel mode and tell them to hop it but I didn’t have it in me.
COBRA
As a worker myself i dont tend to mingle but i have snuck out during the interval whilst everyones too busy to notice. I never wear my costume tho i always change 1st.
lovellweb
Seems to me that wrestlers can’t win. I agree with the sentiments of everyone here. How about having a meeting point after the show where wrestlers that want to can meet the fans.
Titch
When I first came around the busines almost 25 years ago – wrestlers and fans did not mix. The lads came to a venue went to the dresing room and stayed there till after the show had started then some would come and peep at the show out of site of the punters.They did not come out to meet the punters, they ran the gauntlet as they came to and left a venue. Often the villans would leave before the show had ended for safety at some venues, at others there were pubs out of town where they could stop for a drink away from the crowds. This built up and maintained the mystic.Perhaps in the bar when the kids are not there maybe then it is different.
Perhaps not – over the years there have been times when lads having a quiet drink in the bar have been abused by angry punters who feel that the result was not what they would have like to see. In at least one case this lead to a fight between a wrestler and a punter. Where inocent people got hurt.
In a bar you have the added issue of drink which does affect peoples judgement.
Dynamite Duane
Yes very true regarding the booze.
My experiences when I was younger at the lcoal wrestling to me at the time in Guildford my dad pointing out a wrestler sitting at the balcony where he wasn’t obvious and in the bar when upstairs away from ringside. I think it was the Pakistani wrestler who kept slapping his thighs who was very hairy and muscular. Not sure who else we noticed in the bar when goin to the toilets. Other memories include seeing Big Daddy which to me was like seeing Santa in Debenhams! Also remember seeing people queuing up outside the stars exit near the car park of the Civic.
I collected quite a few autographs back then, I see now All Star sell a backstage pass / pack to collect autographs for the kids.
Don’t know wether they do seperate nice quality pictures of the wrestlers like they used to. I have a Mitzi Mueller one, Daddy and Haystacks and a Clive Myers one.
Twosheds316
I personally think that the internet has caused a lot of the mystique to disappear. When you have wrestlers and promoters getting irate at the slightest piece of criticism from fans on internet forums, they sometimes come across as being unprofessional. OPWO and MEW on the UKFF are recent examples of this that immediately come to mind. I don’t know if they still do, but I know that the FWA had a strict policy banning their wrestlers from posting on the UKFF, so they wouldn’t get into slanging matches. Perhaps if other promotions did this, a little of the mystique would return.
Dynamite Duane
That is a good policy, the proprieter or chosen representive would be better to represent the promotion on the forums if they chose to do so.
CruX
What would stop them from posting using an alter ego? They could crack on they were a fan. The truth is the mystique just is not going to come back, the damage has been done. I a promoter told me not to post about his promotion while working for him, out of professionalism I would abide by it (at a price lol)
But if a promoter banned me from posting alltogether I just plain and simple would not get work. About 5 years ago a promotion I worked for encouraged the use of their forum for the wrestlers. But only in kayfabe, it seemed to work well until someone decided to break kayfabe and post a load of un called for rubbish. Like I say, I am happy to post as a fan not a wrestler, and I am happy to post or not post as requested information/comments about promotions I work for but I would not accept a ban from posting. Besides I make it a rule to never post bad things about other wrestlers and promotions as it is unprofessional. And if I do mention anything bad about them I try to keep it as vague as possible so it is not obvious who I am talking about. Everyone deserves a fair crack of the whip and even the promotions who have taken a slanging, justified or not justified, if they called me up and offered me work and I thought it would benifit me I would take it without a doubt.
Dean Ayass
I never go out into the main hall until the fans have dispersed (apart from those who hang about at the end for photos/autographs etc). However, if I ever get a kid come up to me for an autograph, I’ll always sign for them and be friendly towards them, even if I am a villain during the show, simply because I remember when I was their age and I remember how upset I’d be if someone refused to sign an autograph for me. Although you’re breaking your character to a degree (but I make sure that I talk to kids about the night’s events in a way so that I don’t reveal that there ain’t no Santa Claus if you catch my drift), if you’re good enough at what you do, you’ll have them wrapped up in the moment all over again at the next show. I remember meeting Mal Kirk outside the Dome in Brighton once as a kid and you couldn’t ask to meet a more polite and approachable gentleman. However, once he was in the ring, as King Kong Kirk, I was immediately back to booing him, because he played his part of the villain so well.
davidmantell
I have to say, Karl Kramer did the “backstage” meet and greet at last October’s Leamington Spa ASW show and he was a really great guy and took a real interest in my old cuttings collection. Keith Myatt was a nice bloke too, very pleased to meet me after we’d talked on here.
tony st clair
There are a couple of reasons why I,and most of the other good professionals kept out of sight during other peoples matches. The first was respect for the people in the ring at that time,the crowd were supposed to be watching them not us,and we could sign autographs in the intermission or at the end of the show. The second was if we were signing autographs we couldn't be watching or LEARNING from the boys in the ring at that time,
David Franklin
As one might have expected Tony St. Clair has summed up the ‘professional’ attitude pefectly.Wrestlers ‘mixing’ with the audience during a show, whilst other matches are taking place, is a selfish distraction and unprofessional. The time for fans to “meet” the wrestlers and gather autographs, etc. is after the show when the majority of the audience have scampered off to their homes. This is when only a few dedicated fans are left and when the wrestlers may be allowed to slip out of character somewhat and chat on a more friendly basis.
Twosheds316
During my time with WAW, whenever they held shows at The Talk in Norwich, some of the wrestlers whould watch the matches from the entrance to the dressing rooms, which isn’t that far from the back row. I lost count of some of the times that those sitting in the back row would see the wrestlers standing there, and start talking about if they’d be a run-in during the match. WAW stopped this last year though. There was also the time at The Talk when I saw a certain high profile star having a chat with someone in the toilet before the show started. This really amused me because the company he normally worked for had a strict policy that the wrestlers musn’t mingle with the fans before or during the show, because it made the company look less professional. But while on the subject of minglers, what’s everyone’s take on wrestlers who aren’t on the show mingling with the crowd? I know of one instance in the past year when a wrestler I know went to a show he wasn’t booked on to, in his own words, “to be seen”. What’s your take on this?
garence
Many years ago I saw Dennis Mitchell at Lime Grove and Danny Lynch at Wimbledon Palais wandering around the auditorium in civvies before proceedings got under way. They each reminded me of Tate & Lyle’s Mr Cube and, believe you me, looked a damned sight more frightening in mufti, which highlighted their frames, than in their ring clobber
Got to reiterate Hack's comment about Ct Bartelli. It was admittedly easy for him to be generous with the fans because A) he clearly enjoyed the interaction and, perhaps, adulation and B) he was good enough with words to answer all those thorny questions in a way that respected the integrity of wrestling.
I'd add Mal Kirk, who I had a cherished chat with nearly fifty years ago: he wanted my feedback on his work!!!
Masambula drove me nuts 'cause he just wouldn't speak. All grunts and smiles and eye-rolling. But lovely in his own way.
The poor villains didn't know how to behave: couldn't really be all sweet and lovely, could they? They say Logan was great in private but he kept the surly pretence up 100% to the fans. To be respected, I suppose.
Les Kellett was brilliant. Colin Joynson, too.
We had a detailed thread on this topic ten or more years ago entitled MINGLERS. I wonder if it lives on in cyberspace somewhere?
Johnny Saint, Count Bartelli and Jim Breaks always spent a lot of time with me. One night, I was only 12 or 13, I talked to Jack Taylor. He started telling me about wrestlers of the past, Man Mountain Bill Benny and Bert Assirati. He could tell I was mad on wrestling and asked for my address. A few days later an envelope of wrestling materials turned up.
Johnny Czeslaw was very approachable, and, bizarrely George Gillette, who I met very early on, and who turned out to have Northampton connections.......
Haystacks tried that with me but I got in first and delivered a pile driver. He never messed with me again …
When I was at school, back in the 70's, a lad I knew had waited outside the dressing rooms, along with others, to get autographs. Giant Haystacks came out, walking down the corridor, looking menacing, everyone moved aside, apart from the lad I knew, who stood in front of him with his autograph book and pen, held out in front of him. Haystacks put his hands under the lads armpits, picked him up like he weighed nothing, walked two or three paces, and plonked him back down, to one side, and carried on walking.
At first, the lad (Andrew) was upset that he didn't get the autograph, but almost immediately, the rest of the crowd came up to him and said "wow, that was incredible!" and he became a sort of hero for the others who regularly attended, and who would point him out to their friends, afterwards.
They were all nice. Giant Haystacks, Tony St Clair and Lee Bronson stood out as being the nicest. Pat Roach was happy enough to sign my autograph book although I don't remember him being chatty, but certainly not hostile in any way.
Mitzi Meuller was polite and very ladylike when I spoke to her after the show was over.
These days many wrestlers charge for autographs
I remember Max Crabtree in Simon Garfields book said the Pat Roach refused to sign autographs. In the mid 90's though, he was happy to be seen in the bar during the interval so maybe his attitude changed.
Wrestlers had their thought out characters as blue eyes and heels. For a heel it wouldn't seem right to have them fraternising with fans and yet being villainous in the ring. Easier for the goodies, but even then I wouldn't have felt right if they became over familiar. To fans at the time wrestlers were lofty individuals and should remain so.
For collecting autographs most were approachable. That helped the goodies image. Most heels would autography unless they were performing a particularly bad tempered ring exit.
I’ve mentioned before having a very pleasant few minutes’ chat with Pat Roach in Glasgow Central Station many years ago. Adrian Street warming up outside Motherwell Town Hall in 1969 was very friendly and happy to chat with the public waiting to get in!
i did hear the polish eagle liked to stand at back in civvies watching matched and was very approachable
without wishing to cause a minor damp patch. i found steve logan very approachable and we had an interesting chat concerning judo and akido plus sense otani and sense abbe. opps! this was in coffee area at wembley town hall early 60s
Direct from cyberspace .....
Anglo Italian
I was just commenting elsewhere on how great it was at Madison Square Garden New York when Randy Savage came all the way up to the furthest tier of cheapest seats where I was to mingle with the crowd. I think the Bird Man was elsewhere in the audience, actually with his parrot.
Gets me to wondering why this never used to happen when I used to go to wrestling in the UK years ago.
Or am I odd for being so impressed by the Macho Man’s gesture?
In my day, the wrestlers went to enormous lengths to avoid being seen, and seemingly to avoid any contact with the public. A few were approachable, like Johnny Czeslaw, Les Kellett, Count Bartelli and Alan Garfield, Colin Joynson – maybe they didn’t like the smoke in the dressing rooms?
But none actually went into the midst of the fans.
What other experiences do fans have of wrestlers mingling at UK venues?
COBRA
Ive been to a couple of FWA events and half the talent mingled with the crowd had a good chat with 5star flash marck belton,as well as jack xavier, the zebra kidd and Alex shane, all of which were wicked blokes.
I mingle sumtimes in shows and chat 2 fans n stuff, i also like to watch the other matches on the card if ive already worked mine to give my feedback.
Hack
Yes Anglo it was a rarity for a wrestler to venture into the hall, and caused some interest when it did happen. Surely that was part of the magic. Wrestlers were not one of us mere mortals, they were stars of the day. You wouldn’t expect Roger Moore to come and sit next to you in the pictures. When I read about modern wrestlers mingling with the crowd I can only think that it is yet one more example of how it has all gone wrong.
David Franklin
Once again Hack has spotted a huge difference in old time Professional Wrestling and the wrestling presented today.
The ‘old-time’ wrestlers were seen as ‘sporting stars’ and would never be seen sat in the audience chatting with them whilst the show was on.
You might occasionally catch a glimpse of someone stood by the dressing room door watching matches (usually that triggered an approach by hopeful autograph hunters).
This distancing was obviously ‘management policy’ because I remember that at my local hall there was a large curtain near the dressing room and you could occasionally glimpse wrestlers peering through to try and observe proceedings. They were obviously instructed not to be seen by the audience.
It was important that the wrestlers we saw were not part of ‘us’. They were special and this separation helped to confirm this fact.
Occasionally when one did have the opportunity to speak to a wrestler, usually after the show had finished, the honour granted seemed all that greater.
You would never see a boxer in the audience chatting before a match, if wrestling wanted to be seen as in any way ‘real’ then the same rule should apply.
It is equally destructive for any credibility to see a wrestler chatting cheerfully to the audience only 15 minutes after his match, when he was helped from the ring ‘injured and exhausted’ after a crippling ordeal.
I am not suggesting that the current crop of wrestlers should suddenly start being more distant and less friendly with the audience, the old days are gone and will never return.
However Hack is quite right to point out this difference as yet another change in the profession that highlights and thus lessens any credibility it has as a ‘competitive’ entertainment.
COBRA
When we do tho we always change into regular clothes and sink in with the crowd, we hardly get noticed that way.
PATTIJ
I would like to say that there are quiet a few of the visiting stars who are prepared to spend time to chat to the audience. Three of the most polite overseas stars I have ever met are Gangrel, Luna, Joe Legend. They were prepared to stop and chat to you as if they were old friends. As what happened at my local venue. and even when Luna appeared back at our local venue a month later she came up to me and through her arms around me like a long lost friends. Its just a shame there were not more wrestlers like these.
CruX
I worked the same show as Gangrel in Whitehaven and he was one of the nicest people to talk to. Extremely polite and funny. An insight into the wrestling business in america. Starting out from scratch and wrestling to feed yourself amongst other things. A book waiting to happen in my opinion, and a damn good one at that.
Dynamite Duane
If the young fans (children) see the villains speaking to us older mature fans there is a chance this may spoil the mystique of the bad guys for them?
Or even more so if they are friendly to the kids?
My son was terrified of Karl Kramer and he was not friendly afterwards not showing himself, you don’t expect him to. Perhaps in the bar when the kids are not there maybe then it is different.
Be interesting to hear what those think who work in the business?
CruX
I don’t think the wrestlers should mingle with the crowd during the show, or watch the show after their match. Like you say in the bar is another matter.
I have been known to disappear during the interval which I shouldn’t really if it involves walking through the crowd, but when you have kids to put to bed etc what can you do.
On another note, after a show where I played the villain the kids were still trying to get my autograph (God knows why because they couldn’t remember my name lol) I was in half a mind to stay in heel mode and tell them to hop it but I didn’t have it in me.
COBRA
As a worker myself i dont tend to mingle but i have snuck out during the interval whilst everyones too busy to notice. I never wear my costume tho i always change 1st.
lovellweb
Seems to me that wrestlers can’t win. I agree with the sentiments of everyone here. How about having a meeting point after the show where wrestlers that want to can meet the fans.
Titch
When I first came around the busines almost 25 years ago – wrestlers and fans did not mix. The lads came to a venue went to the dresing room and stayed there till after the show had started then some would come and peep at the show out of site of the punters.They did not come out to meet the punters, they ran the gauntlet as they came to and left a venue. Often the villans would leave before the show had ended for safety at some venues, at others there were pubs out of town where they could stop for a drink away from the crowds. This built up and maintained the mystic.Perhaps in the bar when the kids are not there maybe then it is different.
Perhaps not – over the years there have been times when lads having a quiet drink in the bar have been abused by angry punters who feel that the result was not what they would have like to see. In at least one case this lead to a fight between a wrestler and a punter. Where inocent people got hurt.
In a bar you have the added issue of drink which does affect peoples judgement.
Dynamite Duane
Yes very true regarding the booze.
My experiences when I was younger at the lcoal wrestling to me at the time in Guildford my dad pointing out a wrestler sitting at the balcony where he wasn’t obvious and in the bar when upstairs away from ringside. I think it was the Pakistani wrestler who kept slapping his thighs who was very hairy and muscular. Not sure who else we noticed in the bar when goin to the toilets. Other memories include seeing Big Daddy which to me was like seeing Santa in Debenhams! Also remember seeing people queuing up outside the stars exit near the car park of the Civic.
I collected quite a few autographs back then, I see now All Star sell a backstage pass / pack to collect autographs for the kids.
Don’t know wether they do seperate nice quality pictures of the wrestlers like they used to. I have a Mitzi Mueller one, Daddy and Haystacks and a Clive Myers one.
Twosheds316
I personally think that the internet has caused a lot of the mystique to disappear. When you have wrestlers and promoters getting irate at the slightest piece of criticism from fans on internet forums, they sometimes come across as being unprofessional. OPWO and MEW on the UKFF are recent examples of this that immediately come to mind. I don’t know if they still do, but I know that the FWA had a strict policy banning their wrestlers from posting on the UKFF, so they wouldn’t get into slanging matches. Perhaps if other promotions did this, a little of the mystique would return.
Dynamite Duane
That is a good policy, the proprieter or chosen representive would be better to represent the promotion on the forums if they chose to do so.
CruX
What would stop them from posting using an alter ego? They could crack on they were a fan. The truth is the mystique just is not going to come back, the damage has been done. I a promoter told me not to post about his promotion while working for him, out of professionalism I would abide by it (at a price lol)
But if a promoter banned me from posting alltogether I just plain and simple would not get work. About 5 years ago a promotion I worked for encouraged the use of their forum for the wrestlers. But only in kayfabe, it seemed to work well until someone decided to break kayfabe and post a load of un called for rubbish. Like I say, I am happy to post as a fan not a wrestler, and I am happy to post or not post as requested information/comments about promotions I work for but I would not accept a ban from posting. Besides I make it a rule to never post bad things about other wrestlers and promotions as it is unprofessional. And if I do mention anything bad about them I try to keep it as vague as possible so it is not obvious who I am talking about. Everyone deserves a fair crack of the whip and even the promotions who have taken a slanging, justified or not justified, if they called me up and offered me work and I thought it would benifit me I would take it without a doubt.
Dean Ayass
I never go out into the main hall until the fans have dispersed (apart from those who hang about at the end for photos/autographs etc). However, if I ever get a kid come up to me for an autograph, I’ll always sign for them and be friendly towards them, even if I am a villain during the show, simply because I remember when I was their age and I remember how upset I’d be if someone refused to sign an autograph for me. Although you’re breaking your character to a degree (but I make sure that I talk to kids about the night’s events in a way so that I don’t reveal that there ain’t no Santa Claus if you catch my drift), if you’re good enough at what you do, you’ll have them wrapped up in the moment all over again at the next show. I remember meeting Mal Kirk outside the Dome in Brighton once as a kid and you couldn’t ask to meet a more polite and approachable gentleman. However, once he was in the ring, as King Kong Kirk, I was immediately back to booing him, because he played his part of the villain so well.
davidmantell
I have to say, Karl Kramer did the “backstage” meet and greet at last October’s Leamington Spa ASW show and he was a really great guy and took a real interest in my old cuttings collection. Keith Myatt was a nice bloke too, very pleased to meet me after we’d talked on here.
tony st clair
There are a couple of reasons why I,and most of the other good professionals kept out of sight during other peoples matches. The first was respect for the people in the ring at that time,the crowd were supposed to be watching them not us,and we could sign autographs in the intermission or at the end of the show. The second was if we were signing autographs we couldn't be watching or LEARNING from the boys in the ring at that time,
David Franklin
As one might have expected Tony St. Clair has summed up the ‘professional’ attitude pefectly.Wrestlers ‘mixing’ with the audience during a show, whilst other matches are taking place, is a selfish distraction and unprofessional. The time for fans to “meet” the wrestlers and gather autographs, etc. is after the show when the majority of the audience have scampered off to their homes. This is when only a few dedicated fans are left and when the wrestlers may be allowed to slip out of character somewhat and chat on a more friendly basis.
Twosheds316
During my time with WAW, whenever they held shows at The Talk in Norwich, some of the wrestlers whould watch the matches from the entrance to the dressing rooms, which isn’t that far from the back row. I lost count of some of the times that those sitting in the back row would see the wrestlers standing there, and start talking about if they’d be a run-in during the match. WAW stopped this last year though. There was also the time at The Talk when I saw a certain high profile star having a chat with someone in the toilet before the show started. This really amused me because the company he normally worked for had a strict policy that the wrestlers musn’t mingle with the fans before or during the show, because it made the company look less professional. But while on the subject of minglers, what’s everyone’s take on wrestlers who aren’t on the show mingling with the crowd? I know of one instance in the past year when a wrestler I know went to a show he wasn’t booked on to, in his own words, “to be seen”. What’s your take on this?
garence
Many years ago I saw Dennis Mitchell at Lime Grove and Danny Lynch at Wimbledon Palais wandering around the auditorium in civvies before proceedings got under way. They each reminded me of Tate & Lyle’s Mr Cube and, believe you me, looked a damned sight more frightening in mufti, which highlighted their frames, than in their ring clobber
Got to reiterate Hack's comment about Ct Bartelli. It was admittedly easy for him to be generous with the fans because A) he clearly enjoyed the interaction and, perhaps, adulation and B) he was good enough with words to answer all those thorny questions in a way that respected the integrity of wrestling.
I'd add Mal Kirk, who I had a cherished chat with nearly fifty years ago: he wanted my feedback on his work!!!
Masambula drove me nuts 'cause he just wouldn't speak. All grunts and smiles and eye-rolling. But lovely in his own way.
The poor villains didn't know how to behave: couldn't really be all sweet and lovely, could they? They say Logan was great in private but he kept the surly pretence up 100% to the fans. To be respected, I suppose.
Les Kellett was brilliant. Colin Joynson, too.
We had a detailed thread on this topic ten or more years ago entitled MINGLERS. I wonder if it lives on in cyberspace somewhere?
Some wrestlers were and are very rude but Mike Bennett and Dave Finlay were always very friendly despite their ring personnas
Most wrestlers were approachable. I never did see Fit Finlay so do not know what he was like
Johnny Saint, Count Bartelli and Jim Breaks always spent a lot of time with me. One night, I was only 12 or 13, I talked to Jack Taylor. He started telling me about wrestlers of the past, Man Mountain Bill Benny and Bert Assirati. He could tell I was mad on wrestling and asked for my address. A few days later an envelope of wrestling materials turned up.