Gorgeous George, born George Wagner, was a professional wrestler known for his flamboyant stage personality and elaborate costumes. He brought wrestling to mass appeal and inspired other celebrities. He died in 1963 due to alcoholism, but his fellow wrestlers ensured he received a lavish funeral.
If you’re a fan of Johnny Nitro or Rick Flair, you might be surprised to learn that many of today’s pro wrestlers attribute much of their success to Gorgeous George. Born George Wagner in 1915, Gorgeous George wowed fans with his stage antics in the ring from the late 1940s to early 1960s.
Gorgeous George is best known for his flamboyant stage personality. In the past, most of the villains in wrestling went out of their way to look ugly and dirty. However, Gorgeous George has decided to look as delicate as possible. He would curl his long platinum blonde hair and use gold bobby pins to hold it in place before a fight. He went to the ring dressed in ruched gowns made of satin and silk that had been trimmed with sequins, lace and fur. When he entered the ring for “Pomp and Circumstance” he put on an elaborate show by folding his robe and having the tuxedo-clad waiter spray the ring with his favorite perfume. Since most professional wrestling fans were still recovering from the end of World War II and held very traditional ideas about the definition of manhood, this behavior was immediately controversial.
Gorgeous George’s professional accomplishments included being named AWA World Heavyweight Champion, NWA Southern Heavyweight Champion, GCCW Heavyweight Champion and Northwest Middleweight Champion. He is also a two-time Pacific Coast Light Heavyweight Champion and a founding member of the Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame. Naturally, as a physically average wrestler, Gorgeous George earned most of the headlines of him by biting his ears, punching his kidneys, gouging out his eyes, kicking his crotch, and pulling his hair. His outrageous betrayal was just part of his villain persona.
The gorgeous George has secured his place in history by bringing professional wrestling to mass appeal. Because artist folks loved to hate, he got the public talking about the sport in a way no one else had been able to accomplish. It was such a feeling that it inspired many Americans who had never even owned televisions to buy their first sets just to see what he would do next. Celebrities such as Little Richard and Liberace are also thought to have drawn inspiration for their public figures from Gorgeous George.
The wonderful George died in 1963 after suffering a heart attack on Christmas Eve. Although he was one of the highest paid performers in professional wrestling, he died nearly penniless due to the alcoholism he struggled with throughout his career. However, his fellow wrestlers stepped in to make sure he got the lavish funeral he deserved.
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