i love superstar....he was one of the first wrestling champions i remember....my earliest wrestling memory came when my house went crazy after he beat bruno for the belt....he would make us all lol and have us mesmerized at his promo's whenever wrestling came on saturday nights.....he's why i ALWAYS had a soft spot for the heels.
I just saw an article on this & Dr. Jerry Graham for years sent money back home to his mom. When she died he was broke but thought she'd have some left. Instead she donated it to her church. He really went over the edge after that.
Billy was my favorite wrestler as a kid in the early 80s. That was a great era for pro wrestling. I could watch NWA ,WWF and AWA on TV and I loved the characters on all of them . But Graham was the guy I wanted to be
this man, in my opinion, is why the business is where it is today, and that is a honest to goodness compliment even though i don't like modern wrestling much. the look, the attitude, the sound, the feel all stemmed from this man. EVERY wrestling today owes a great debt to the O.G. Superstar.
Dr Jerry Graham taking his deceased mother out of the hospital and putting her in the passenger car and driving away is like Norman Bates in Psycho comes to mind.
Billy Graham invented announcing verbally to brothers that he was about to tell them something. Before Superstar, brothers were certainly told things.... but they never had the appropriate heads up that they were about to be told something. Awareness among Daddys and Jacks similarly sky rocketed.
The difference with wrestling today is no one creates their gimmick and takes it to a territory. Back then it seems the Promoter would ask what's the gimmick and work with it. Now they start with the look and work backwards, it sucks.
Both Terry Funk and Dusty Rhodes tell the story of how they talked Dory Dunk Sr into bringing in Dr Jerry Graham into the Amarillo territory. Dory Funk Sr agreed but told Terry Funk and Dusty Rhodes that they would have to look after him. To cut a long story short Terry and Dusty couldn't handle Jerry Graham and just a week later Dory Funk Sr told Jerry Graham that he was putting him on a one way plane out of Amarillo. Next thing happens and Jerry Graham turns up in a cell at a Dallas police station which under the old NWA code made him the Von Erich's responsibility. Don't think Fritz Von Erich was to amused. with the Funks for a little while after that. If you ever read Dusty Rhodes or Terry Funk's book this story is well worth a read. Dr Jerry Graham sounds like one crazy character.
+MrMetalover666 I have read over 25 wrestling books and I think terry funk's book is one of the best. I remember the story that you mentioned. ric flair, superstar Billy graham, Fred blassie, and Chris Jericho are some of the best books.
+oldschoolfan420 I'll definitely look out for Fred Blassie's book. I bet he has an amazing story to tell. The guy who helped Terry Funk with his book was Scott E Williams who wrote a good book on the history of ECW which debunks some of WWE's revisionist history. He's also helping Jim Ross write his autobiography at the moment which could be a good read when it comes out.
Half of the fun of being with The Doc was when he got plastered. I drank in those bars with Jerry and consider them a shrine to the great Dr. Jerry Graham. Superstar fails to mention that Jerry was friends with Barry Goldwater and served with Slim Jim Gavin as a parachuter in the Airborne. The Doc's mother had given all of the money that Jerry had sent her to save for him, which was half of everything he made. She gave it to cousin Rev. Billy Graham and the rev refused to return it. That set Jerry off onto his hosptal escapade. For more stories about the great Dr Jerry Graham wath for my new book "The Mat, The Mob & The Music" being released, or perhaps escapes is a better choice of words, in May or June 2015, Don't miss it. It will be available from Crowbar Press and coincide with a live stage performance containing memories of The Doc, Jim Morrison, Frank Zappa. Bruiser Brody, Harley Race and more.
I have a book coming out soon titled "The Mat, The Mob & The Music" on Crowbar Press, which has dozens og Dr. Jerry Graham stories in it. In fact, most of the book is about The Doc and my wild times that I spent with him. Watch for it to be released in September or October.
and Dusty, and Flair, and Rude ... Superstar gave Flair his first bleach job. Dusty clear took a lot of sound from Superstar, Rude, Orndorff all took that way he'd goad the audience into a fervor by telling them how good they were and how he was going to show them what a real man was like. Can always remember Superstar next to Vince hollerin "look at my arms, look at my arms. You love it. You love the Superstar." he was freakin epic
Jerry Graham had a disease where he couldn't stop he needed A.A and to put into rehab if they had but back then they would put you in a straight jacket and let u go through hell if you made some had the higher power moment but they were hallucinating but if it help believe it but Jerry needed help not to be thrown out like garbage and people turning their backs on him like they don't know well superstar had his moment steroids good thing people stuck with him
Man, Superstar has such a vivid memory... the man is uncanny!
i love superstar....he was one of the first wrestling champions i remember....my earliest wrestling memory came when my house went crazy after he beat bruno for the belt....he would make us all lol and have us mesmerized at his promo's whenever wrestling came on saturday nights.....he's why i ALWAYS had a soft spot for the heels.
i agree
I just saw an article on this & Dr. Jerry Graham for years sent money back home to his mom. When she died he was broke but thought she'd have some left. Instead she donated it to her church. He really went over the edge after that.
I love the way the Superstar tells these old wrestling stories from the early '70's.
Billy was my favorite wrestler as a kid in the early 80s. That was a great era for pro wrestling. I could watch NWA ,WWF and AWA on TV and I loved the characters on all of them . But Graham was the guy I wanted to be
this man, in my opinion, is why the business is where it is today, and that is a honest to goodness compliment even though i don't like modern wrestling much. the look, the attitude, the sound, the feel all stemmed from this man. EVERY wrestling today owes a great debt to the O.G. Superstar.
Dr Jerry Graham teamed for awhile with Abdulla the Butcher in Vancouver in the 1960s.
He was exciting wrestler.
Billy Graham could do great promos
Helluva story and thanks for sharing.
Dr Jerry Graham taking his deceased mother out of the hospital and putting her in the passenger car and driving away is like Norman Bates in Psycho comes to mind.
Billy Graham invented announcing verbally to brothers that he was about to tell them something. Before Superstar, brothers were certainly told things.... but they never had the appropriate heads up that they were about to be told something. Awareness among Daddys and Jacks similarly sky rocketed.
AHahahahahaha
The difference with wrestling today is no one creates their gimmick and takes it to a territory. Back then it seems the Promoter would ask what's the gimmick and work with it. Now they start with the look and work backwards, it sucks.
I really like this guy.
RIP to the OG Superstar
Both Terry Funk and Dusty Rhodes tell the story of how they talked Dory Dunk Sr into bringing in Dr Jerry Graham into the Amarillo territory. Dory Funk Sr agreed but told Terry Funk and Dusty Rhodes that they would have to look after him. To cut a long story short Terry and Dusty couldn't handle Jerry Graham and just a week later Dory Funk Sr told Jerry Graham that he was putting him on a one way plane out of Amarillo. Next thing happens and Jerry Graham turns up in a cell at a Dallas police station which under the old NWA code made him the Von Erich's responsibility. Don't think Fritz Von Erich was to amused. with the Funks for a little while after that. If you ever read Dusty Rhodes or Terry Funk's book this story is well worth a read. Dr Jerry Graham sounds like one crazy character.
+MrMetalover666 I have read over 25 wrestling books and I think terry funk's book is one of the best. I remember the story that you mentioned. ric flair, superstar Billy graham, Fred blassie, and Chris Jericho are some of the best books.
+oldschoolfan420 I'll definitely look out for Fred Blassie's book. I bet he has an amazing story to tell. The guy who helped Terry Funk with his book was Scott E Williams who wrote a good book on the history of ECW which debunks some of WWE's revisionist history. He's also helping Jim Ross write his autobiography at the moment which could be a good read when it comes out.
I always wondered how the Super⭐ came up with his gimmick name. Awesome.
Half of the fun of being with The Doc was when he got plastered. I drank in those bars with Jerry and consider them a shrine to the great Dr. Jerry Graham. Superstar fails to mention that Jerry was friends with Barry Goldwater and served with Slim Jim Gavin as a parachuter in the Airborne. The Doc's mother had given all of the money that Jerry had sent her to save for him, which was half of everything he made. She gave it to cousin Rev. Billy Graham and the rev refused to return it. That set Jerry off onto his hosptal escapade. For more stories about the great Dr Jerry Graham wath for my new book "The Mat, The Mob & The Music" being released, or perhaps escapes is a better choice of words, in May or June 2015, Don't miss it. It will be available from Crowbar Press and coincide with a live stage performance containing memories of The Doc, Jim Morrison, Frank Zappa. Bruiser Brody, Harley Race and more.
I have a book coming out soon titled "The Mat, The Mob & The Music" on Crowbar Press, which has dozens og Dr. Jerry Graham stories in it. In fact, most of the book is about The Doc and my wild times that I spent with him. Watch for it to be released in September or October.
+fatjec You stupid little prickless punk.
Oh, did I upset your alleged mind?
Superstar Billy Graham is the inspiration for the people that became Jesse Ventura and Hulk Hogan.
and Dusty, and Flair, and Rude ... Superstar gave Flair his first bleach job. Dusty clear took a lot of sound from Superstar, Rude, Orndorff all took that way he'd goad the audience into a fervor by telling them how good they were and how he was going to show them what a real man was like. Can always remember Superstar next to Vince hollerin "look at my arms, look at my arms. You love it. You love the Superstar."
he was freakin epic
Way way ahead of his time...
"Well let me think about it" lol.
Yeah, very cool old time story. Amazing how many guys were destroyed by booze and later drugs and steroids.
I have no idea how dr Jerry Graham could drink so much.
That story with the mother is so fucked up.
I was a fan of his when I was a kid but he's also done and said some mean spirited things and downright evil things later in life
Does Billy Graham drink at all? I can't tell.
+Lfdjake91 No he never has.
Jerry Graham had a disease where he couldn't stop he needed A.A and to put into rehab if they had but back then they would put you in a straight jacket and let u go through hell if you made some had the higher power moment but they were hallucinating but if it help believe it but Jerry needed help not to be thrown out like garbage and people turning their backs on him like they don't know well superstar had his moment steroids good thing people stuck with him