Commentary: Remembering & Honoring "Gorgeous" George Wagner
Given the chance, I would choose to meet a man who changed the very foundations of the world of entertainment, who helped lay out the foundations for whom would soon follow and rise the world to superstardom. The man I am referring to is Gorgeous George Wagner; the most influential and inspirational Professional Wrestler of all time.
Being a fan, follower and enthusiast of professional wrestling, to me there are many great people who have left their mark on the business who I would like to meet. From my icons, the likes of Abdullah The Butcher, Terry Funk, Ric Flair and countless others who are the very people who put wrestling on the map as we see it today, the very people who bleed passion for the sport they love day in and day out whenever they set foot into the ring.
Gorgeous George is a true icon in his own right, yet is one of the most under-rated and un-heard of names in today's modern era, as hardly anyone remembers him, yet he did more for the sport as a profession than anyone has done in a long time. He lived and died for the sport he loved the most, for the fans that hated his overly flamboyant and un-masculine character with a passion, yet secretly respected his every move.
He is a man who left his mark on the sport, as one of the original innovators of 'Gimmick' wrestling characters, the man who without a shadow of a doubt, changed the face of professional wrestling and set the ground work for what it has become today, influencing today's modern day favorites such as Ric Flair, Bobby Eaton, and more recently, The Maestro. An under rated figure in today's day and age, yet remembered only by those with a passion for the sport and a knowledge of the history involved.
The man was known as 'Gorgeous George.' The persona created from the mind of George Wagner. He emerged in the early 1940's, sporting long bleached blond hair, sparkly sequined robes, and referring to himself as 'The Human Orchid.' The personality was that of an overly flamboyant and effeminate male, back in the days where a personality such as this was frowned upon, and rare in the shine of daily life. This put George Wagner over with the crowd as one of the biggest heel of his era, surrounded by legitimate heat and boos from the audiences, and his famed in-ring abilities which always included a dirty cheating tactic and his classic line "Win if you can, lose if you must, but always cheat!" This often came to pass, as he was always accompanied to the ring by his valet, and real-life wife, Cherie Dupre, who would lend him a hand in distracting his opponents in order for him to pick up a cheating victory from time to time, much to the displeasure of the crowd in attendance.
Gorgeous George somehow managed to get the crowd working just by showing his face in the arena, and back in the days when Wrestling was just emerging on television, he was easily responsible for Gimmicks becoming popular in the years to come, and is definitely one of the reasons wrestling has spawned such great legends over the past thirty plus years, as many of today's current wrestlers, have notable similarities in either persona or technique to Gorgeous George Wagner. Life in the ring for George however, was not an easy thing to endure. He would often take blows from fans, get rubbish thrown at him, and be verbally abused for the character he portrayed. All of this made him a legendary heel, the best of his era, and one of the best of all time.
George, however, is yet to earn the recognition in modern day life that he solemnly deserves, and is not yet in the hall of fame. Hopefully over time, he will be acknowledged and given the credit he earned during his life, his career. Without him, wrestling would not be where it is today, and that is a fact known by every professional wrestler, every promoter that booked him, and every superstar that has been influenced by him, whether it is his outstanding and unique character and persona, or his in-ring cheat to win style.
Rest in peace,
'Gorgeous' George Wagner,
March 24, 1915 – December 26, 1963.
R.I.P
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Wayne W