It was a British writer, Edgar Rice Burroughs, who introduced us to the sexy white savage known as Tarzan, and unleashed the noble brute into every young man’s imagination. Watching the old Tarzan movies during puberty, who didn’t think about tussling with that stoic hard-body in his loincloth?
Joe, who writes the Ringside at Skull Island blog, knows what I’m talking about. In his article about Tarzan, he describes the allure of “Tarzan’s noble savagery and virtuous struggle but also the darker aspects of the fantasy, its bestiality and Darwin-haunted jungle brutality.”
I too can recall watching the old black and white Tarzan movies on a Saturday morning and then needing some alone time to process all that testosterone and raw masculinity and savage violence I had witnessed. GRRR!
But I was always impatient with those old slow-paced movies. I wanted a lot more shirtless wrestling per hour! Sure, we’d get to see Tarzan roll around with an alligator for a minute, or quickly subdue some tribesman in a Full Nelson. But then he’d spend the next half hour helping Jane prepare dinner in their tree-house, or tip-toeing around the white man’s camp. Couldn’t they make a Tarzan movie where he just wrestles other muscle men the whole time?
Enter British pro wrestler Johnny Wilson, who adopted the “Tarzan” gimmick, put on some skimpy leopard-print trunks (reminiscent of a loincloth) and delivered the sustained and gratuitous wrestling action craved by the Tarzan fans in the audience.
Finally the Brits could get their fill of their beloved ape-man wrestling shirtless for more than a just few minutes of movie fanservice. Finally, they could see what Tarzan would do — how he would sound — if trapped in a Headscissor or Leglock. Fans could watch him use his incredible strength and virility to patiently dominate numerous other men.
Tarzan’s opponent for this classic Brit Pro match is a talented little grappler named Chic Cullen. He peels off his shiny blue jacket (every British Blue-Eye wore a satin ring jacket) to reveal a leotard covering much of his flesh. This costume, like a ladies one-piece swimsuit, has the effect of feminizing “Chic” in comparison to the boldly shirtless, hairy-chested Tarzan.
Fans of wrestling boots may find themselves distracted by the shiny silver and gold footwear worn by Mr. Cullen and Mr. Wilson.
The critical question posed by this match is: which is superior? Brute Force or Skilled Agility? If a powerful muscleman pits his strength against a tactician with a wealth of holds in his arsenal, who would win? Early in the match, Cullen uses his legs to trap, torture, and tame the unsophisticated savage.
The two wrestlers play their roles perfectly. Cullen is the civilized man, cleverly applying a series of complex holds, his body a well-oiled machine in that colorful red, white, and blue leotard.
Tarzan, on the other hand, portrays a brute, relying on his strength advantage, ripping open his opponent’s grasp, forcing the weaker male down to his knees. He doesn’t even wear kneepads like a civilized man. His animal trunks highlight his raw masculinity. Tarzan wins — which proves brawn can conquer brains.
If you want more of Tarzan in the ring, you can catch Part 1 and Part 2 of this classic match on YouTube.
Being a major fan of the British ring, owning a collection of both British magazines and videos, Mr. Tarzan was featured on many. Altho, as you depict him here as what I would describe the Daddie Heel, working over the cuttie Chick Cullen, what I tend to believe– Mr. Tarzans true personna was that of a Jobber. Very Goodlooking–Built–a Hairy chest to drool over and I believe, the want and mindset to Jobb against the many Heels the British ring offered. And why not? Hot, Goodlooking jobber getting punished and worked over by the likes of Johnny South ( WOOF ) Adrian Street( altho his gimick made me go Yuck, Man did he know how to sell Punishing a man ) In my Love of wrestling, the fantacy of a Goodlooking man such as Wilson getting worked over by a man not so goodlooking or built, DOES it every time for me. Doing my research on Mr. Wilson and his many times in the ring, it looks to me he, played the Daddie Heel to a few of the younger guys, but moreso was the jobber getting the beating in the ring. I’ll take that over a T-Bone steak meal, every day of the week.
I watch wrestling on the Sky 228 channel here in the UK. I love seeing the heroes of my youth and also realising with hindsight that they are part of who and what I am. They helped me to define myself and in part they helped shape my masculinity. I love my father and miss him but he never had the emotional intelligence or wherewithal to reach out to me. I thought for a long time that he did not like me but I realised that it was not that he did not like me – it was that he couldn’t give that which he had never received so I guess I misjudged him.
The guys in the ring still give me great pleasure and bring back many fond memories. They helped me to look after myself, keeping fit, watch what I eat and not drinking to excess. I stayed away from drugs especially after two friends of mine – brothers – died, their mother never got over it.
I came on looking for articles on ‘Chick Cullen’ and it is great to see he is alive and healthy and working away in Scotland. His article in the Sun is a poignant reminder of what can happen to people through abuse of the body.
Thanks for an excellent site with many of your thoughts and insights resonating with me – keep up the good, no excellent work.
Anton Pace – UK
PS What’s with the Blog name? Are you a GOONER supporter – we could do with a bit of sorting out. No silver wear but above Spurs is some consolation lol.
Regards,
A