Wrestling Heritage

By Graeme Cameron

A British History of Australian Wrestling
By Graeme Cameron

Part 20:

1970-74: Does Anyone Want To Buy A Promotion?

As the new decade began, WCW appeared to be going from strength to strength. Following the death of Singapore promoter Emil “King Kong” Czaya in a car accident in 1970, Jim Barnett expanded the promotion into Singapore, Hong Kong and New Zealand, running cards in all four countries. In August 1971, the WCW title was abolished and in April 1972, the Austra-Asian title, representing the four countries, was born with Spiros Arion defeating Killer Karl Kox in Sydney to become the first champion. 

However, behind the scenes all was not well. In June 1970, Sydney Stadium was closed and demolished to make way for a new railway line. It had a capacity of 15,500 and no other indoor venue came close, making the promotion less profitable. Then in 1972, the new Labor Government made changes to tax and business law which made the promotion less profitable still. By the end of the year, promoter Jim Barnett had decided to sell the promotion. First came Tennessee promoters Nick Gulas and Herb Welch, who took a “try before you buy” approach and ran the promotion for a few months from late 1972, bringing in their own wrestlers. They pulled out in March 1973. The trial was a failure due to the promoters having failed to comprehend that Australia is not Tennessee. 

Barnett put the promotion on the market.  Peter Maivia, who was promoting in Hawaii, Florida promoter Eddie Graham and Aussie legend Al Costello, all made short tours appearing on WCW cards while they assessed the offer. They all turned it down. In the end, the promotion was bought by Hawaiian boxing promoter Tony Kolonie, who having no experience in wrestling, was aided by wrestlers Larry O’Dea and Ron Miller who had each acquired 5%of the promotion, necessary to comply with new tax regulations. Kolonie was out of his depth and lasted only one year (1974). He sold the promotion on to O’Dea and Miller, who ran it for the rest of its existence.

Wrestlers known to Heritage readers who toured during this period were Johnny Kostas, Eric Froelich, Curtis Iaukea (now simply known as King Curtis), Spiros Arion, Bob Roop, John DaSilva, Billy White Wolf and for the first time ever, Andre the Giant. 

Likewise, Australians were Wadi Ayoub, Roy Heffernan, Braka Cortez, Ron Fury and El Greco. Making their debuts in this period were Emil Wolf and Sharkey Ward. Future WWF world champion Ivan Koloff toured as did three-time NWA world junior heavyweight champion, Jerry Brisco, younger brother of Jack Brisco. For only the second time in history, the reigning NWA world heavyweight champion, this time Jack Brisco, toured and did so twice in 1973 with spectacular defences against Spiros Arion and Abdullah the Butcher. 

Meanwhile, trouble was brewing in 1970 when 12 wrestlers left Hal Morgan’s promotion and formed their own after Morgan refused to give them a pay rise.

There was a stronger British presence in this period with Bobby Burns, Spike Robson and Guy Mitchell (Brian Emery) all on the circuit, plus some strong new additions. We begin with the story of Rex Casey.  

REX CASEY (1970)

It’s uncertain as to where exactly in England Rex Casey hailed from. He was at first billed as being from Essex and later from Manchester but lived most of his adult life in the town of Paignton in Devon, working as a barman. What is known is that he had a criminal past with several convictions and had served time in prison. 

He seems to have arrived in Australia sometime in 1969 with his wife and daughter, settling in Sydney. A heavyweight, Casey worked for Hal Morgan’s Top Pro Wrestling during 1970. The only record for him is a verbal account by John Marshall of his match with Casey related to me personally. He never worked for WCW or anyone else as far as is known.

In keeping with his violent past, a rumour went around that Casey had been jailed for murder after beating someone to death on the Gold Coast. A newspaper report revealed the truth and is the only other record of him in Australia. In 1972, Casey was working as a barman in the remote Queensland mining town of Mount Isa. He and two other bar staff were charged with murder when an unruly customer died while resisting being removed from the bar by Casey and the other two staff members. The charge was later downgraded to manslaughter and ultimately dismissed.

At some point Casey returned to England and remarried in 1982. His daughter still lives in Australia.

Rex Casey died in his adopted hometown of Paignton in 2003, aged 67.

Opponents: John Marshall

JOHNNY GRAY (1969-89)

Johnny Gray was born in Essex. The Gray family emigrated to Australia while young John was still in primary school, settling in Melbourne. Gray became interested in pro wrestling after seeing a match as a teenager and was trained to be a wrestler by Melbourne professionals. Usually billed as being around 16 stone, he was quite fast and agile despite his chunky build, due to his background in gymnastics, often employing flying moves. He made his debut in 1969 on a WCW card at Melbourne Festival Hall, facing none other than Murphy the Surfie (Maurice LaRue).

Gray’s talent was obvious from the outset. His hand was usually raised against other undercard talent while doing his duty to the big names on TV and stadium cards in noble losses. His main success came in tag teams. In 1971, Gray formed a team with Kiwi Tony Garcia (later Tony Garea). Two outstanding performances against The Texas Outlaws (Dick Murdoch & Dusty Rhodes) and Killer Kowalski and Bulldog Brown made people sit up and take notice. In 1972, they took their team to Florida where they had a moderately successful run, largely working in mid-card matches against The Infernos (Curtis & Rocky Smith) and The Alaskans (Jay York & Frank Monte).

The period from 1972 to 1978 was the most successful period of Gray’s career. He toured Japan twice for All Japan Pro Wrestling, in 1973 and 1976. Always a blue-eye in Australia, on the 1973 tour he found himself cast as a villain in main event tag team matches, partnering legends such as Bruno Sammartino and Killer Kowalski. On the 1976 tour, he partnered another legendary villain, Abdullah the Butcher, headlining against Japanese great Giant Baba with various partners. 

He returned to Florida in 1973, mainly working as an undercard singles wrestler. In 1975, Gray worked in Tennessee for seven months, first appearing as a villain partnering Big Bad John. With John and Lorenzo Parente, Gray won his first title, the Tennessee version of the world six-man tag team title. He partnered Jimmy Golden as a blue-eye before turning on him to become a villain again, resulting in a main event rivalry. Gray then joined Billy Dundee and George Barnes to form a trio of Aussie villains who battled Buddy Fulller and his sons, Ron and Robert in six-man tag team matches which were also main events. On his return to Australia, Gray found things had changed. Under new promoters Larry O’Dea and Ron Miller, he was one of a group of Australian wrestlers treated as equal to big overseas names. He held the Austra-Asian tag team title three time between 1976 and 1978, with partners Ron Miller, Kevin Martin and Mario Milano respectively. 

Once WCW folded, Gray continued working for various independent promotions until his retirement in 1989. He owned and ran a fitness centre in Melbourne for many years before selling it. A devout Christian, Gray now spends his time working as a pastor.

Opponents: Murphy the Surfie, Alan Pinfold, Johnny Boyd, Ron Miller, Jan Jansen, John Tolios, Peter Spence, Mr. Fuji, Sonny Dalton, Steve Rickard, Ron Fury, Billy Dundee, Danny Little Bear, Ricki Wallace, Tony Garcia (Garea), Cyclone Negro, Gorgeous George Jr, Bobby Shane, Frank Carpenter, Mario Milano, Steve Rackman, Ed Wiskoski, Les Roberts, Kevin Martin, Red Wolf, Bobby Ragan, George Barnes, Moose Morowski, Ox Baker Chris Peters, Al Woods, Pancho Omega, Steve Ivor, The Gladiator, Kid Hardy,        Bulldog Bob Brown, Tiger Jeet Singh, Dino Lanza (Tony Marino), Waldo Von Erich, Bulldog Brower, Don Carson, Larry O’Dea, Les Thornton and Pat Barrett.

LORD LAYTON (1971-73)

Athol Layton was born in Surrey. The Layton family emigrated to Australia in 1933 when he was 13 years old, settling in rural New South Wales. Standing 6’5″ and weighing near 19 stone, he was a giant of a man for that time. Records claim that he was twice Australian heavyweight boxing champion while serving in the armed forces during World War II (most likely the armed forces title). He became interested in pro wrestling after seeing a bout while stationed in Singapore and trained in England after the war, then emigrating to Toronto in Canada where he made his debut against Ski Hi Lee. Like many wrestlers from England, he gained a peerage, becoming Lord Athol Layton.

Layton’s heyday was from 1950 to the mid-Sixties. He had most of his success in tag teams, forming a formidable team with James Blears. Together, the two “lords” won titles thirteen times in four different promotions. Nearly all of his singles success was in the Detroit and Toronto promotions, featuring in main events against such greats as “Whipper” Billy Watson, The Sheik and Dick the Bruiser. Moving into semi-retirement, Layton became a commentator who would get into verbal confrontations with villains over comments he had made about them. These confrontations then became physical, leading to matches with said villains.

Layton returned to Australia in 1971 as a replacement commentor for American Sam Menacher, who had returned to America after a seven-year stint. Layton remained in this role for three years, also acting as an authority figure who would issue fines and suspensions and reverse results. Once again, this led to confrontations with unhappy villains which would become physical and lead to matches with them. He was in the ring with the likes of manager/wrestler Gary Hart, Tarzan Tyler and Killer Karl Kox. At the end of 1973, he returned to Toronto, continuing as a commentator/wrestler. Layton wrestled his last match in 1976. 

Lord Athol Layton died 1984, age 64, from a heart attack in his adopted home of Toronto.

Opponents: Tarzan Tyler, “Killer” Buddy Austin, King Curtis Iaukea, Gary Hart, Bulldog Bob Brown, Tiger Jeet Singh, Killer Karl Kox, Big Bad John, Bulldog Brower

PAT BARRETT (1971-2,73, 74, 78)

Once again, I have covered Pat Barrett in some detail in my article “Pat Barrett in Australia” which can be found in the “People” section of this web site, but here is a summary.

Pat Barrett was a regular visitor to Australia during the Seventies. His first visit was from October 1971 to March 1972. He largely worked in mid-card singles matches against top villains but featured in main event tag team matches teaming with Mario Milano against Killer Karl Kox and Beautiful Brutus. Barrett and Milano were sometimes joined by the 6’10” Tex McKenzie in six-man tag team matches and he teamed a few times with the 43 stone Haystacks Calhoun. In 1972, he continued in the same vein, pairing with Native American Wahoo McDaniel against Kox and Tiger Jeet Singh. It was much the same for a brief one-month visit in March 1973 which saw Barrett reform his team with Milano, most notably beating The Masked Australian (Les Roberts) and Mark Anthony. He also had singles matches with Waldo Von Erich and Paul DeMarco.

1974 saw Barrett return under a mask as Mr. Wrestling and engaged in a feud with local villain George Barnes. He defeated Barnes in hair v mask match. The now bald Barnes returned the next day as the masked Original Mr. Wrestling and the feud continued, with Mr. Wrestling losing a “Loser Leaves Town” match, then Barrett reappearing the next day without the mask as himself. Barrett teamed with Greek immigrant Tony Kontellis to defeat the masked Barnes and American Bobby Shane in the final of a tournament for the vacant Austra-Asian tag team title which they lost to Barnes and Shane in a rematch a few weeks later. He also engaged in a series of matches essentially under Mountevans rules against Les Thornton, who was billed as the defending British Commonwealth heavyweight champion, but was unsuccessful in his challenge.

Pat Barrett’s fourth and final tour of Australia in 1978 was brief, and it could be said, uneventful, consisting only of the month of April. He was used exclusively in mid-card matches, losing to American Bobby Hart by disqualification and to Johnny Gray, but defeating local wrestler Kid Hardy. Having been opponents when they were both here in 1974, this time Barrett formed a team with Les Thornton. There are two records for this team, defeating local wrestlers Kid Hardy and Tony Agostino, and scoring a win over former Austra-Asian tag team champions Johnny Gray and Kevin Martin   

Opponents: Beautiful Brutus, Tony Garcia, Tiger Jeet Singh, Killer Karl Kox, The Stomper (Archie Gouldie), Paul DeMarco, Waldo Von Erich, Dick Dunn, Masked Medic 2 (Bob Griffin), Billy Dundee, George Barnes/ Original Mr. Wrestling, Ricki Wallace, Hans Schroeder, Brian Ashby, Samoan Teo, Sharkey Ward, Kid Hardy and Johnny Gray

ROBERT BRUCE (1972, 1973, 1974)

Once again, I have already covered Robert Bruce’s time in Australia in the “People” section but here is another summary. The man from Musselburgh made brief tours of Australia in 1972 and 1973, both times working for the WCW promotion. On his 1972 tour, he mainly appeared in a series of matches with Bob Roop which were either losses or draws. There’s also a record of a loss to Canadian powerhouse Bulldog Brower in a handicap match. His second tour in 1973 was during the “Tennessee Period”.  He was treated with more respect, drawing matches with John DaSilva and teaming with Roop to draw two matches against tag team champions Dick Carson and Dick Dunn. They also clashed with The Masked Medics (Dale Lewis and Bob Griffin). He also appeared on an independent card in 1974, though which of the listed wrestlers he opposed is unknown.

Robert Bruce is probably better known in Australia and New Zealand for his highly successful talent agency which handled the careers of many of the great names in New Zealand show business. 

Opponents: Bob Roop, Bulldog Brower, John DaSilva

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