The fans remember ....

Ricki Starr

On a recent visit my dad reminisced about Ricky Starr, a ballet dancing wrestler who, despite his fey persona, sent grown, gruff enemies into hysterics of fear with his deadly legs.

While Starr may not be touted as a gay icon (his own sexuality was probably straight) I think it's awesome that he was kicking ass and gained tons of fans while prancing around and acting in the exact way that (still) scares most wrestling fans to death.

Starr was a professional dancer before entering the wrestling game

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Ce 8ème volet de la rubrique "Ces étrangers luttant en France" est consacré au Catcheur américain Ricki Starr dont le style etait pour le moins suprenant et original. Portrait d'un catcheur peu commun.


De son vrai nom Bernard Hermann, Ricky Starr commença à pratiquer la danse puisqu'il suivit une formation de danseur ballet. Il fut même reconnu dans ce milieu ayant intégré la troupe du Ballet russe de Monte Carlo, participant à une tournée triomphale en Europe au début des années 1950. Pour autant, les sports de contact avaient également sa faveur et il pratiqua tout d'abord la Boxe, discipline dans laquelle il obtint de nombreux titres en amateurs.

Les titres, Ricki Starr les accumula également sur les rings, après être devenu lutteur professionnel en 1953. Après avoir connu le succès sur les planches de Broadway, ce fut dans l'antre du Madison Square Garden que Ricki Starr suscita l'admiration de la foule. Epris de ses vieux démons de danseur ballet, il se produisait sur le ring vêtu de pointes de danse et d'un long collant blanc. A cela s'ajoutait un style particulier. Starr virvoltait tel un danseur ballet, accumulant les pitreries à l'encontre de ses opposants, les tournants à la limite du ridicule .

Ricki Starr était un globe trotter et se rendit en Europe notamment en Angleterre au début des années 1960. En janvier 1964, il traversa la manche pour se rendre en France ou pour sa première apparition, Maurice Durand, le célèbre matchmaker le fit combattre à la salle Wagram en diffusion télévisée. Farfelu et provocateur, il était néanmoins un authentique catcheur. Et son style si particulier faisait sa réputation. D'ailleurs il était présenté sur les affiches comme le Catcheur - Danseur.
Le 3 mars 1964 à Beauvais il affrontait Robert Gastel:
"Ce soir là, Starr avait demandé un "méchant" plus lourd que lui... On l'opposa à Gastel! Le catcheur - danseur se présenta en chaussons et collants de danse, fit des "pointes" virevolta pour se mettre en jambes devant un Gastel abasourdi. Le public venu voir du catch, siffla et hua cet huluberlu. C'est alors que Starr commença ses priteries, esquivant comme un chat, appelant l'arbitre pour prendre appui sur lui et effectuer un saut arrière de dégagement etc... Alors le public se mit à rire. Gastel irrité d'être ridiculisé multiplia ses coups défendus. A ce moment, le danseur clown devint catcheur émerveillant les plus blasés par des prises et contres prises sensationnelles, sa victoire finale fut saluée par un tonerre d'applaudissements." (1)
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(1) Source: Programme d'un Gala de Catch a Beauvais (60) le 2 Mars 1965.


TRANSLATION

The 8th part of "Foreigners fighting in France" is dedicated to American professional wrestler Ricki Starr, whose style was both surprising and original.Here then is a portrait of a most uncommon wrestler.


Real name Bernard Hermann, Ricki Starr was initially trained as a classical ballet dancer and reputedly worked with the Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo, taking part in a triumphant tour of Europe in the early 1950s. However, he was also interested in contact sports and practiced boxing, a discipline in which he won numerous amateur titles.

Ricki Starr also accumulated numerous wrestling titles, after becoming a professional wrestler in 1953. Having enjoyed success on Broadway, it was at Madison Square Garden that Ricki Starr first really came to the attention of wrestling fans.

Recalling his early days as a ballet dancer, he took to the ring clad in ballet slippers and long white tights. There he pirouetted like a ballet dancer, practised his antics on his opponents, turning the match to the full extent of absurdity.

Ricki Starr was a globe trotter and travelled to Europe and England in the early 1960s. In January 1964, he crossed the Channel to visit France. For his first appearance, Maurice Durand, the famous matchmaker booked him to fight at the Salle Wagram on broadcast television.

Eccentric and provocative, Ricki Starr was nevertheless a real wrestler. His style was his reputation. He was featured on posters as the Wrestler/Dancer.The Program notes for Gala de Catch a Beauvais (60) le 2 Mars 1965 record - "That evening, Starr had requested a" heel " much bigger than himself ... His opponent was Robert Gastel! Ricki appeared in dance shoes and ballet tights, making ballet "points " before a stunned Gastel. The public who had come to see wrestling, whistled and hooted at this hulabulu. Then Starr began his pirouettes, dodging Gastel's lunges like a cat, urging the referee to do his job while taking a leap back, etc. ... The audience began to laugh. Gastel irritated at being ridiculed, increased his attack. Suddenly, the dancer/ clown became a marvellous wrestler, and his victory was greeted by a thunder of applause."

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voice over man
Mar 05, 2009
Re: Ricki Starr

In the States he fought heavyweights up to and over the 300lb mark. I've read quite a few well known workers of his time saying he was a real hard son of a B.... He headlined in many places in North America but found his niche in Europe and the U.K. in particular because he could and would wrestle, rather than just brawl as was expected from the Yanks. ....
I think when Starr first wrestled in the U.K. the average fan was probably ready to dislike him, after all he was a Yank, they were all rich big heads who claimed they had won the War and their wrestlers couldn't wrestle and yet claimed the World Championship(s) and usually 18 of the 20 contenders for those Titles. Starr was different, the guy wasn't huge but he could wrestle within the rules, he could give the dastardly Garfields, Yearsleys and Bull Davis's of this world a taste of their own medicine AND the guy was, for his time COLOURFUL.
As we all know the World has moved on and we can if we wish, watch Soap Opera wrestling and either fully embrace it for what it is, or we just tune in hoping that now and then we see some 'good old wrestling'.
All the above though doesn't answer the question 'RICK, WHERE THE BLOODY HELL ARE YOU'?
Cheers, John.