Yuri Borienko

SaxonWolf the Teaser.

I have some information (and more coming) from Yuri Borienko's family.

We were correct in confirming that he was actually Polish, by birth, and was Jan Kadlubowski.

We all know that wrestlers would occasionally pop up in bit parts in films or TV shows, but Yuri Borienko seems to have had a decent career, as something more than an "extra", without being the main star. He appears in most of the major ITC TV shows of the 60's and 70's (Department S, Jason King, The Persuaders, The Champions, The Protectors), and has steady work up until 1974, then seems to have a three year gap. Anyway, my point is that he seems to have been fairly successful in securing acting parts.

From February 1947, Stanislaus Borienko seemingly worked full time on, as it were, JP bills. He was billed as the Champion of Ukraine; and at other times from Russia. I see him in plenty of Manchester and Halifax bouts.

This could explain why, 13 years later, our Yuri Borienko was originally billed in the north as just Borienko. Plenty of fans would have remembered the original. And perhaps hoped to see Stanislaus.

Putting two and two together, it seems our Yuri didn't cut much ice by comparison with his earlier namesake and his northern appearances quickly dried up. Stanislaus had feuded with Jack Pye, Assirati and George Gregory. Such opponents were all a bit much for 28-year-uld Yuri to handle in top of the bill bouts.

Yes, Yuri was clearly Polish. Saxonwolf established that a couple of years ago. Looks like you couldn't have a Polish villain in the post-war years. In fact Czeslaw seems to have been the first Pole of note at all, really, and he started only in 1957. I wonder if he was instrumental in getting young "Yuri" in with JPs three years later?

It seems like Stanislaus and Red Staranoff were a cut above Yuri in terms of ringcraft; but Yuri probably had a more lucrative career with his film roles. I wonder if he ever appeared at those James Bond conventions?

POLISH BY BIRTH, DEFINITELY NOT RUSSIAN.

Just pondering this further, and seeing those early bills with "Borienko" billed against Jack Pye, Billy Joyce and the rest: it now dawns on me that the promoters merely added the Yuri in 1961 after Yuri Gagarin became famous. Hence our man didn't sign as Yuri.

Love this jigsawing of history!

He appears to sign himself John, which would fit in with Saxonwolf's original discovery that he was called Jan Kadlubowski. Maybe he didn't like the Yuri the promosters landed him with?

Just came across this one today:

Here's a Few YURI BORIENKO Appearances:- He Was it Seems a Good Pal of My

Friend TONY CASSIO!!

Below against BILLY JOYCE Who's On a Rare Foray SOUTH Down to SEYMOUR

HALL in LONDON!!

MAIN MASK

Some more bits of the jigsaw.

I've found a reference to Yuri Borienko having a wife named Jacqueline and sons John and Stephan. Okay, the reference is the Mick McManus Wrestling book by the mythical Charles Arnold. We are dismissive of such sources, but hold on. Remember the stopped clock that is right twice a day.

I've found a marriage record of Jan B Kadublowski marrying Jacqueline Q. Hickey in Paddington in 1960. I've also found birth records for Stephan and John Kadublowski (mother's maiden name Hickey). Just like Borienko.

Furthermore, in 1965 there are two newspaper reports of a wrestlers' club, The 47 Club, owned by Jan Kadublowski, who it was said had wrestled on television. He was said to be 32 years old.

I think we have enough evidence to conclude Yuri Borienko was Jan Kadlubowski, born 7th November, 1932, died 10th Feb 1999.

Further confirmation of Borienko's date of birth and death. Official death record in Vancouver, Canada. Born 7th November, 1932, died 10th Feb 1999.

I don't think that the Staranoff photo is a mistake. Oakeley was meticulous with his programmes and I'm sure that showing a photo of a man on the bill that night he would have it right.

Borienko may be Kadlubowski but I don't think he's Staranoff.

SaxonWolf is right there may have been an earlier Staranoff but with all the records we have it's very odd none of us have come across him in the 1930s or 1940s.

I don't believe we do need a photo. 18-year-old Borienko could not have commanded the ring presence of Red Staranoff in 1950. It just wasn't him.

18-year-olds get called Wonder Boy, Dynamite, Superstar ....etc. Not the strongest man in Russia. At 18?????

I am convinced that Kadlubowski is Borienko, if only by the fact that his daughter looks too much like him for it to be a coincidence. I also see no reason to dispute the fact that Kadlubowksi/Borienko could have used the name, Red Staranoff, in his early days. This is pro-wrestling, after all, people used and re-used names all the time.

Yes for the moment we are well and truly stuck on Red Staranoff and even have a second thread about him just to add to the mystery. I shall be keeping my eye out.

Thanks Main Mask for all your programme additions. All very interesting and enjoyable but Oakeley has given us nothing to help us on our way there.

Ron, I saw the link you have provided. But we have to wonder where they got their information. The web ain't called the web for no reason. Some months back I saw some guy called Hack touting Borienko as Staranoff and an Anglo Italian fella calling out for Zaranoff.

Shows what they knew!

But that's the magic of our forum. Nobody made it easy. We put the pieces together and occasionally create a picture.

As well as Wiki there is a second source linking Staranof to Borienko. But I am not pushin that this is right.

https://bandsaboutmovies.com/2020/04/06/on-her-majestys-secret-service-1969/

What a wonderful web this has become.

At the time of death Josef Zaranoff's date of birth was given as 5th March 1932. This corresponds to the date in the Who's Who of Wrestling.The Who's Who also names his wife as Victoria. Two more reasons for concluding Zaranoff was not Kadublowski. Rons travel comment still leaves Borienko in the frame, though that Staranoff photo remains an issue.

Two possible lines of enquiry.

Can The Ost shed any light on the origins of the Staranoff photo?

Second. The first two Staranoff matches were for Atholl Oakley. Main Mask has a huge collection of Oakekey material and might find some information on Staranoff from 1950 to 1954.

EDIT

Re the Staranoff photo from the Ost. It has previously been seen in a 1950 Oakley programme posted by Main Mask.

That man was not born in 1932.

Which Borienko photo is a mistake, Ron?

From the evidence we have there are three wrestlers:

Josef Zaranoff

Yuri Borienko

Red Staranoff, about whom we know nothing, apart from a striking photo and impressive bill-topping in the early fifties. When he looked in his thirties.

The strange thing is that a Jan Kadlubowski went to America in 1956 with a Polish Passport. The timing of this would coincide with the end of Red Staranoff. His occupation though was listed as a fitter. he was also born 1930.

Then in 1960 Jan B Kadlubowski married Jaqueline Hickey in Paddington and had children John in Kensington in 1961 and Stephen in 1963 in Ealing (home of the film studios). Being back in 1960 is just in time to be Borienko.

Makes me wonder if the Borienko Photo is a mistake.

Anglo Italian is right in Wiki leading us a merry dance.

I'm now of the opinion that there was a Red Staranoff who was neither Borienko or Zaranoff.

But I am interested in knowing if Powerlock's source had more substance than Wiki when he wrote

I came across this when looking Red Staranoff:

Jan Boleslaw (Yuri) "Red Staranoff" Borienko formerly Kadlubowski

Born 7 Nov 1932 in Miensk, Belarus, Soviet Union

If Kadublowski was not Borienko, who was he?

He certainly existed and we have more substantial evidence than Wiki.

As I mentioned earlier

The London Gazette 20 December 1966, page 13744 lists Jan Boleslaw Kadlubowski, of 14 Birch Grove, London, a professional wrestler, granted British naturalusation on 14th November 1966. He is listed as Polish.