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Things like wrestling on UK TV. The true theatre of the absurd...

One day it was there and then the next it was gone, and along with it wrestlers like Kendo Nagasaki, Big Daddy, Giant Haystacks, Mick McManus et al!

https://prowrestlingstories.com/pro-wre ... wrestlers/



Hilarious!

We had wrestling on TV in SA, but but was nowhere near as good as the British version.

I went with my father to see the wrestling in Bournemouth in the 60s when I was a young teenager and on one occasion we met Jackie Pallo and Mick McManus. You can see wrestling on UK TV - not sure which channel but I’ve seen it when I’ve been idly channel hopping. Nothing like as good as on Saturday afternoon TV all those years ago though!

Things like ..... comedy!

Q: How many lesbians does it take to change a lightbulb?

A: That's not funny!

Looking at the names checked above -they're probably all dead and nobody has taken their place.

The Ancient Mariner

All our great stars of wrestling are on You Tube. Les Kellet: magic.

Tomorrow's World. Especially interesting when presented by Raymond Baxter

Un-editted old programs. Watched The Dam Busters this week - there was a dog in it called "Trigger", even though it was a black and white original film. Editting was pretty seamless, I have to admit.

Mention above of the wrestler Mick McManus reminds me of the time I worked in a Great Yarmouth hotel bar ('resting' between jobs!) and Mr McManus came in with a group. He was doing PR work for a cable manufacturing company. What surprised me was the drink he ordered. Guesses anyone?

Snowball?
Something with an umbrella?

I know a lot of ladies used to watch the wrestling, my mother included. The funny thing was, she detested violence of any sort. It may have been the smooth voice of Kent Walton, the wrestling commentator which attracted the ladies as well. Interesting man:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kent_Walton

Fox3WheresMyBanana wrote: ↑

Sat Oct 14, 2023 10:55 am

Snowball?
Something with an umbrella?

You are very close F3, it was actually Campari & Soda.

Smeagol wrote: ↑

Sat Oct 14, 2023 1:53 pm

it was actually Campari & Soda.

Wasn't that the drink favoured by the Luton Airport actress?

Lorraine Chase?

Indeed, although you'd need quite a stiff breeze to waft Mick McManus anywhere.

CharlieOneSix wrote: ↑

Fri Oct 13, 2023 10:07 pm

I went with my father to see the wrestling in Bournemouth in the 60s when I was a young teenager and on one occasion we met Jackie Pallo and Mick McManus. You can see wrestling on UK TV - not sure which channel but I’ve seen it when I’ve been idly channel hopping. Nothing like as good as on Saturday afternoon TV all those years ago though!

Mid '60s:
Wrestling was on here on Saturday afternoon on local TV as an hour long promo for the Wednesday night main event in my hometown. I'm sure that the wrestlers were on a circuit with a different town every night of the week.
I begged and pleaded for my father to take me to the Wednesday local event. It was a big deal because Wednesday night was also a big church night.
My dad finally gave in and we went to the municipal auditorium which was the largest venue in town, probably 4-5,000 seats.
Watching was much different from TV as there was no commentary, just an announcement of time remaining in the round.
At the end of one match, where the "Good Guy" was badly beaten, seemingly to a pulp, a young girl went up to him to console him with something like "You'll get him next time Killer". He staggered to the locker room, which was in direct view from our seats, and upon entering he immediately straightened up, grinning and greeting his fellow wrestlers.
Needless to say my innocence about wrestling evaporated in that instant.
Never watched it again.

PP

Lived in Weymouth in the sixties; wrestling once a month at the Winter Gardens. ISTR Wednesdays... Also once a month just down the coast at Bridport; Thursdays.
It was said, and I believed this but was too lazy / tight to see for myself, that the two venues had exactly the same bill, but that most of the time the winner on Wednesdays would be the loser the Thursday.
What seemed to confirm it in my mind was that the wrestlers had to be members of Actors' Equity.

jimtherev wrote: ↑

Sat Oct 14, 2023 10:21 pm

Lived in Weymouth in the sixties; wrestling once a month at the Winter Gardens. ISTR Wednesdays... Also once a month just down the coast at Bridport; Thursdays.
It was said, and I believed this but was too lazy / tight to see for myself, that the two venues had exactly the same bill, but that most of the time the winner on Wednesdays would be the loser the Thursday.
What seemed to confirm it in my mind was that the wrestlers had to be members of Actors' Equity.

I believe the strip clubs in Kings Cross (Sydney) operated on a similar system in the 1960s...so I've been told.

How does a stripper win on Wednesdays and lose on Thursdays?
I have no experience of these things.

Fox3WheresMyBanana wrote: ↑

Sun Oct 15, 2023 12:15 am

How does a stripper win on Wednesdays and lose on Thursdays?
I have no experience of these things.

And what about the other five days?

PP

I was in the audience up at Stoke on Trent when the "bad guy" while on the ropes was assaulted by a Little Old Lady (as in "The Ladykillers") jumping up from her seat in the front row and rammming the spike of her umbrella up his fundament, through his shorts. We all winced to see this, but not half as much as the wrestler did....

Check out the audience