Ric Flair June Cleaver book

Ric Flair on DVD TV Wrestling on DVD Dick Van Dyke Show on  DVDs AWA TV Wrestling DVDs Mr Peabody on DVD TV Wrestling
TV Shows on DVD/ / / / / TV Blog/ / / / / Punk Book/ / / Holiday Specials on DVD / / / / / / Classic Commercials / / / TV Shows on DVD Reviews

TVparty is Classic TV on the internet!
Classic TV!

online pokies

Ripcord on DVDDobie Gillis on DVD

“The

 

 

Video on Demand Rent or Buy

Entertainment Collectables

 

 


1980's TV Wrestling Greats
1980s TV Wrestling :
Part One: Ric Flair

Part Two: Dusty Rhodes & Tully Blanchard
Part Three: Jim Cornette & Baby Doll
Part Fou: Ric Flair vs Dusty Rhodes
Part Five: Betrayal!

TV Wrestling DVDs

1980's TV Wrestling Greats
TV Wrestling DVDs

You need this:
Real Player
Links in this article are
to streaming video clips.


More about NWA Wrestling & Ric Flair!

The Four Horsemen & Ric Flair

More on Ric Flair here / Classic TV Wrestling

Ric Flair!
Jim Crockett's Worldwide Wrestling / 1985-1987
by Billy Ingram
with
John Hitchcock and Steve Byrd

 

NWA Wrestling In the mid-1940s, when television was brand-new technology, producers began exploring ways to attract an audience with exciting visual content.

Radio was still the dominant medium for home entertainment; television was just beginning to define its identity and needed to create programming that radio couldn't replicate.

Professional (read: theatrical) wrestling was the first sport to become popular on the tube because it was inexpensive to stage and relatively easy to shoot.

With those old heavy-duty TV cameras tied to inch-thick cables, broadcasters needed a tightly confined spectacle. Wrestling and boxing were naturals.

NWA TV Wrestling 1980sBy the '50s, local stations filled several hours each week with matches featuring famous old-school wrestlers like the Baron and Gorgeous George battling alongside popular local bruisers.

In the '80s wrestling went mainstream with national superstars like Hulk Hogan and Andre the Giant raking in millions from pay-per-view matches, books, movies, videos, and dolls.

1980s wrestlingPro-wrestling is more than just sport, it's blue collar ballet, a soap opera for guys. To set up a good match, you have to weave a compelling story with characters people care about.

No one did that better than the syndicated NWA Mid-Atlantic Championship Wrestling programs from the '70s and '80s, produced by Crockett Promotions out of Charlotte, North Carolina.

Ric FlairAs I write this, one of Crockett's biggest stars, "Nature Boy" Ric Flair, is at the top of his game, just as he was back in 1985 during NWA's golden age.

Flair trained in the AWA in Minneapolis, moving to Charlotte in 1974. He survived a horrendous plane crash on October 4, 1975, a tragedy that ended the career of the legendary Johnny Valentine.

Six months later, Ric Flair made his comeback and did it with a vengeance; he is considered to be the greatest wrestler of all time.

STORY CONTINUES AFTER THIS AD

 

Ric Flair  1980sRic Flair!
Flair was a ruthless competitor. One of the hottest teams in pro wrestling in 1986 was the "Rock and Roll Express" - teenybopper heartthrobs Ricky Morton and Robert Gibson.

A rivalry had been building between Ricky Morton and World Heavyweight Champion Flair for some time - ever since Morton crushed Flair's sunglasses on national television (in an apparent sign of disrespect), bitchslapped him, then kicked his ass in an impromptu match.

A short time later, in an elimination match, Morton easily pinned 'Nature Boy' within seconds, leaving a stunned Ric Flair looking confused and foolish in the ring.

Ric FlairLosing didn't sit well with Ric Flair that evening (it never did). He and the rest of the Four Horsemen 'Pearl Harbored' the rockers in the dressing rooms afterward. Ricky Morton's bloody face was smeared across the concrete floor by Flair in an attempt to erase his pretty-boy looks forever.

But an ill wind was blowing for Ric Flair - a hurricane of hatred they called Dusty!

ric flair and SteamboatRic Flair Matches 1980s
As with any career path, Ric Flair has made more than a few enemies and found himself at the center of some intense feuds and outrageous ambushes over the years.

Needless to say, he and his teammates "the Four Horsemen" (Ole and Arn Anderson and Tully Blanchard) were responsible for more than their share of dirty tricks against unsuspecting opponents as well.

Ric Flair vs rhodesSome of Flair's toughest televised battles were against foes like Ivan and Nikita Koloff, Wahoo McDaniel, and Magnum TA. He and Dusty "The American Dream" Rhodes in particular were long-time rivals, carrying on one of the most famous feuds in Mid-Atlantic history.

These mice and rats and such small deer had been Nature Boy's food for ten long years. During one brutal, fenced-in match in 1985, the Russian Nikita Koloff had Flair on the ropes and badly injured when Dusty surprised everyone by bravely entering the ring to stop the slaughter.

He quickly vanquished the Russians, giving Ric Flair time to recuperate. In a shocking display of Reagan-era gratitude, Flair's teamates rushed the ring, blindsiding Dusty just as Nature Boy padlocked the cage door and gleefully joined in the ruthless beating.

Ingratitude, thou marble-hearted fiend!

Dusty RhodesFor the next few minutes, the Four Horsemen did as much damage as they could to the nearly unconscious Rhodes. Dusty's buddies looked on helplessly, unable to breech the cage as he was pummelled mercilessly by four opponents at once.

Dusty was carried out on a stretcher that night, the bones in his leg shattered.

 

Ric Flair  wrestlingNEXT: PART TWO of NWA Wrestling's Greatest Matches of the 1980s:
Baby Doll Makes the Scene!
Ric Flair vs Dusty Rhodes
...and Jim Cornette against the world!


1980's TV Wrestling Greats
1980s TV Wrestling :
Part One: Ric Flair

Part Two: Dusty Rhodes & Tully Blanchard
Part Three: Jim Cornette & Baby Doll
Part Fou: Ric Flair vs Dusty Rhodes
Part Five: Betrayal!

TV Wrestling DVDs

TV Wrestling DVDs


Lost Kid Shows / Movie Stars on TV / Saturday Morning Shows / Video Vault / Classic Christmas Specials / Fabulous Fifties / Unseen Scenes / Game Shows / Requested Forgotten TV Shows / The Super Sixties / More Modern TV Shows / The New * * Shows / 1980's Wrestling / TV Blog

TVparty! Classic TV
Classic TV on the Internet!

TV's Embarrassing Moments / Action Shows of the Sixties / TVparty Mysteries and Scandals / Variety Shows of the 1970s / The Eighties / The Laugh Track / 1970's Hit Shows / Response to TVparty / Search the Site / Add Your Comments

THE EIGHTIES: EARLY EIGHTIES NETWORK PROMOS / TV 1986 / WOODY HARRELSON AS WOODY ON CHEERS / FALCON'S GOLD: CABLE TV'S FIRST MOVIE / BILL & TED'S EXCELLENT ADVENTURES SITCOM / CREATORS & CAST OF IT'S A LIVING THAT HAVE PASSED AWAY / MOST UNEXPECTED MOMENT IN TV HISTORY / NORMAN LLOYD TRIBUTE / ORSON WELLES INTERVIEWS ANDY KAUFMAN / EARLY MTV STARS MISSING PERSONS / FALCON CREST / PEE-WEE HERMAN / MURDER SHE WROTE / 1981 CHARLES GRODIN INTERVIEW / THERE ARE FUNNY EPISODES OF MAMA'S FAMILY - HONEST! / HANGING WITH SEAN PENN 1986 / 1985 GEORGE CLOONEY INTERVIEW! / IT'S A LIVING / EDDIE MURPHY AS JAMES BOND? IT ALMOST HAPPENED! / AUNT BEE'S DYING WORDS TO ANDY GRIFFITH / THE GOLDEN PALACE / MARRIED WITH CHILDREN'S ED O'NEILL & AMANDA BEARSE'S LONGTIME FEUD / PAUL McCARTNEY vs MICHAEL JACKSON / HOW NBC GOT ITS GROOVE BACK / 1980's WCW WRESTLING / ALAN ALDA DISCUSSES THE M*A*S*H FINALE / I WAS ALMOST CUJO IN THE STEPHEN KING MOVIE / 1986-87 TV SEASON / 1988-89 TV SEASON / 1990-91 TV SEASON / 1991-92 TV SEASON / WHY SHELLEY LONG LEFT CHEERS? / JASON ALEXANDER BEFORE SEINFELD / PEOPLE vs JEAN HARRIS / TROUBLED 1980-81 TV SEASON / "KISS MY GRITS" FLO HAD HER OWN SHOW? / CULLY HOLLAND / ONE SEASON WONDERS... THAT GOT RENEWED! / DWIGHT SCHULTZ ON WORKING WITH GEORGE PEPPARD / DEMPSEY & MAKEPEACE / THE BAXTERS / G.L.O.W. / FRIDAYS / GREATEST AMERICAN HERO / Great 1983 Carson Tonight Show / EARLY '80s TV COMMERCIALS / LOST MOVIE POSTERS /RICH HALL /FILTHY RICH/1980's TV WRESTLING STARS / TV DADS / FOX'S JOAN RIVERS / CHEVY CHASE DEBACLES

Classic TV Commercials / 1950's TV / 1960's TV / Punk Book / / 1970's TV / Groucho vs William F Buckley / / TV Games / Honey Boo Boo / Lucy Shows / 2012 Emmy Awards / Classic Cars / John Wayne / Gene Roddenberry / Rockford Files / Sea Hunt / 1970s Commercial Jingles / Superman on DVD / Toy Gun Ads / Flip Wilson Show / Big Blue Marble / Monty Hall / Carrascolendas / Mr. Dressup / Major Mudd / Chief Halftown / What's In Oprah's Purse? / Baby Daphne / Sheriff John / Winchell & Mahoney / Fireball X-L5 / Mr. Wizard / Captain Noah / Thanksgiving Day Specials / Disney's First Christmas Special / Saturday Morning Cartoons / The Magic Garden / Amahl & the Night Visitors / Holiday Toy Commercials / Lucy & Desi's Last Christmas Show / Joey Heatherton / Fat Albert / The Virginian / Bewitched / Death of John Wayne / 1974 Saturday Mornings / Chuck McCann / Rudolph Collectables / Shrimpenstein / Local Popeye Shows / New Treasure Hunt / 1966 ABC TV Shows / 1967 TV Shows / 1968 TV Shows / Ric Flair, Dusty Rhodes & Baby Doll / Fridays / TV Moms / Red Skelton / Star Wars / KISS / Lancelot Link / Saturday Morning Cartoons / The Magic Garden / Wonder Woman / Classic Comic Books / Andy Griffith / Cher / TV Shows on DVD / Outtakes & Bloopers / 1967 TV Shows / Romper Room / ABC Movie of the Week / The Goldbergs / Daws Butler Commercials / Saturday Morning Commercials / Captain Kangaroo / Chicago Local Kiddie Shows / Boston Local TV / Philly Local TV / NYC Local Kid Shows / Amos 'n' Andy / Electric Company / Bette Davis / Judy Garland / Christmas Specials / Redd Foxx / Good Times / Sitcom Houses / What's Happening! / Winky Dink & You / Sonny & Cher / Smothers Brothers / Commercial Icons of the 1960s / Soupy Sales / The Carpenters / Route 66 / Bozo / The Carpenters Christmas Specials / Local Kid Shows / Death of TV's Superman / Wonderama / Sesame Street / Bob Hope Specials / Little Rascals / 1980's Retro Gay T-Shirts / 1980's TV Wrestling / Fess Parker / Howdy Doody / TV Blog / Lost In Space / Pinky Lee / 1980's LA Punk Rock / Alex Toth Book / TV Terrorists / Irwin Allen / The Untouchables / Carol Burnett Show / Batman TV Show / Green Hornet / Today Show History / Our Gang / Doris Day Show / 1970's Commercials For Women / Bill Cosby in the 1970s / The Golddiggers / Lola Falana / 1970s TV Shows / David Bowie on TV / Hudson Brothers / Jackie Gleason / Hollywood Squares / Match Game / Bob Keeshan / Gumby / The Flip Wilson Show / Glen Campbell Goodtime Hour / The Bobby Darin Show / The Richard Pryor Show / George Burns / Lucy's Lost Christmas Special / Classic Christmas Toy Commercials / Cricket On The Hearth / 1950's Holiday Shows / Amahl and the Night Visitors / A Christmas Carol on TV / The Yule Log / Celebrity Commercials / Rudolph / Movie Posters & More! 

“The 1980's Wrestling on DVD Soupy Sales Show on DVD Mary Tyler Moore Show on DVD F-Troop DVD

Book About Greensboro

Tennessee Tuxedo on DVD
TV shows on DVD!
Looking for classic TV on DVD?/See below:
Back to the menu
Contact Us / Classic TV DVDs
Other Cool TV Sites

TVparty! Television Blog