Video: Ricki Starr has died. Memories from Dory Funk Jr. & Bill Apter
Posted on 11/11/2014 1:58:35 PM PST by EveningStar
When Greg Oliver and I conceived of The Pro Wrestling Hall of Fame: Heroes & Icons in 2007, Ricki Starr was one of the guys we targeted from the beginning. At the time, Starr was more than 40 years removed from his heyday as a star in North American wrestling circles. But he had never told the story of how he used a pair of ballet slippers to ascend from lowly opening matches in Texas gyms to the top rank of pop culture superstardom...
With Starr's death after a brief illness Sept. 20 in London at 83, we'll never get his life history, but that's acceptable in a way. Our overriding goal in writing profiles for the Pro Wrestling Hall of Fame series has been to explain who these wrestlers were, not just what they did, and Starr's devout introspection was one of his identifying traits...
(Excerpt) Read more at slam.canoe.ca ...
ping
Hes Cute
He probably thought he was cute as well.
And his boyfriend, judging from the poses.
Rahm Emmanuel and Hairy Reid would have ringside seats.
If he could wrestle on Pointe, I am impressed.
Hilarious! Was that match directed by John Waters?
And not a single folding chair entered the ring!
I remember seeing him on KTLA (anyone remember Dick Lane?) I watched a lot of wrestling with my Dad during my early years. Gorgeous George, Wild Red Berry, Gino Garibaldi and, of course, Ricky Starr. There is a great article on him at the link.
RIP, Ricky.....you put on a great show!
Dick Lane..”Whoa Nellie!”..... Dirt track figure eight from Ascot...
Of course I remember - wrestling from the Olympic every Wednesday night. :)
Yeah....watched that too. That and demolition derby from back in the day when cars were iron sleds!!
Ricki was not only a major star in wrestling. He broke through into the mainstream a bit, doing several TV shows and writing for various magazines.
He was one of the first and still very few wrestlers, outside Mexico, to do the effeminate act and be a good guy.
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