Well actually, as far as I can tell, it was a match originally made at New York's Manhattan Opera House in 1915 on the occasion of an international tournament that had been set to run for a couple of weeks. Many of the top American and European names were there including Alex Aberg, Ben Roller, Wladek Zbyszko (brother of the more famous Stanislaus), Strangler Lewis and a host of lesser grapplers. It should have been a sell out but for whatever reason the old luvvies just weren't getting the bums on seats and at one stage it looked like the wrestlers might be in danger of outnumbering the punters. Something would have to be done.
One evening, just as proceedings were about to get under way, a man stood up and announced that the gentleman sitting next to him, a gentleman who he had the privilege of managing and who was, at this moment in time wearing a black mask, this gentleman was in fact a wrestler of such outstanding quality that not one of the assembled athletes would be able to prevail against him if only the powers that be would give him a chance. It was an outrage that this great wrestler was being barred from the tournament just because of the need for him to remain anonymous.
Eventually the Masked Marvel (for it was he) and his manager were escorted from the building,only to repeat the performance the next night, and the next. When the promoters relented and allowed the mystery man to compete it was standing room only. Night after night he played to a packed house and never looked like being beaten. Toward the end of the run the Masked Marvel was finally defeated and forced to reveal his identity. The audience waited with baited breath. Did the mask hide hideous disfigurement? Was our hero an estranged member of the British Royal Family? He turned out to be one Mort Henderson a jobbing wrestler from the Midwest.
In the the wonderful smoke and mirrors world of professional wrestling, Mort Henderson deserves a nod of recognition as the founder of a tradition that has endured to this day. A tradition that has reached it's final, if not necessarily logical, conclusion in Mexico where all wrestlers wear masks. Mexico was also the home of the most famous of all masked grapplers. A man who during a fifty year career became a national hero, as well as the hero of thousands of matches not to mention countless B movies and comic books; El Santo.
The masked wrestler was always a favourite with British promoters. Apart from the obvious marketing appeal it also had the advantage of allowing a wrestler to work twice on the same bill: once as himself and later, after a quick cup of tea and a fag, as the Red Scorpion or whatever. There have been many notable British masked warriors. Count Bartelli stood the test of time. Kendo Nagasaki had a nice line in mysterious occult knowledge and random bits of martial arts equipment, but for me the one who stands head and shoulders above the rest was the one and only Doctor Death. There was a real air of menace about the Doctor. Mind you, coming from Hollywood as he did it was good of him to make the effort to get over here and work Walthamstow Town Hall as frequently as he did. Doctor Death's alter-ego was in fact well known wrestling promoter, owner of the famous Two i's Coffee Bar and Tommy Steel's first manager, Paul Lincoln. Smoke and mirrors, smoke and mirrors.
1 comment:
I googled Masked Marvel and did not look at all the references but the cusory exam did not show his name. Most of his career he wrestled as Big Ben Morgan, but there is a long list of aliases he wrestled under until the early 50's when re retired from the ring. He got bitten by the acting bug early on and his first role was in the 30's movie Nothing Sacred with Carole Lombard and Frederick March. This was several years before I was born. There was a short scene showing the stars at a wrestling match, and one of the wrestlers was my dad. He never had major roles thoughout his showbusiness life, but was always well liked by everyone he worked with. For me the most impoortant role was The Teahouse the August Moon. He was the the only wrestler around New York City when a choreographer was needed for a sumo wrestling scene and when he went to the theater, he was hired for the role as Hokaido. That play was on Broadway for 3-1/2 years, winning many important awards, including the Tony. When the run was over, much of the cast went on the road tours, and one summer my brother went with him on one of the tours. I was around 10 years old at this time but have vivid memories of going with my father to the theater and being there for many performances, at various locations in the theater, including the orchestra pit. In this role he was a supporting player. He was very visible in a number of movies and tv shows as Chuck Morgan. Again from TV the one most people our age recognize is Dark Shadows, a soap opera of sorts. He also appeared on Hallmark Hall of Fame and Ed Sullivan show. Johnny Carson had a quiz show Treasure Hunt before his late night show and both my mother and father appeared on that. He modeled off and on also. And we were always included as his kids whenever our school schedules would allow. He and we were asked if we were ever interested in wrestling or performing arts and my father took great pain to show us the unglamorous part of the business. My father did always encourage my writing and wanted to give a screen play I had written to Clive Barnes, NY Times theater critic It was not very good and so I declined. His very last acting job was in Godfather, Part II, really just an extra but that job lasted 6 weeks . Francis Ford Coppola wanted to give him a speaking part, but he declined. By this time I was on my second husband, my parents and we were living together in NJ. For a brief time my dad and my mother went to Naples, Florida where my mother realized her dream to open a restaurant. During that time he was offered roles that he could not take because of the commuting involved and he was also involved in the restaurant with my Mom.
Sorry to go on and on. I love chronicling our adventures.
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