Film Identifier: F.2008-04-0111

Run Time
0h 26m 23s

Format
16mm

Color
B&W

Sound
Optical

Date Produced
circa 1958

Abstract
An episode of a syndicated wrestling show shot at Chicago’s International Amphitheatre. Shot live on film with three-camera coverage, it features a witty and entertaining narration from announcer Russ Davis. This was the first appearance of Yukon Eric at the International Amphitheatre. Eric, a lumberjack character who wrestled barefoot, defeats the hated Schmidt, supposedly a German wrestler from Munich who was actually a French-Canadian. One of the more brutal matches with the ropes being torn down and much audience yelling and throwing of objects into the ring.

Log
00:01 CU ring announcer, crowd boos when he introduces Schmidt, MS wrestlers and ref in center of ring before match, 00:44 Davis begins speaking, match begins at 02:05, S. tries holds on Y. but can’t budge Eric’s bulk, CU fullnelson on Y., MS Y. breaks hold to crowd’s cheers, Y. flips S. to the mat 04:58 S. hurts hand hitting Y., audiences jeers, CU Y. slamming S. into corner of ring, MS bodyscissors on S., reverse headlock on Y., CU S. chokehold on Y., MS Y. flings S. across ring, bodyscissor on S., CU S. punching Y to break hold 09:00 Y. crushing S. with his legs, men brutally punching each other, bear hug on S., S. passes out, Y wins first fall at 12:23, crowd goes wild 13:55-14:00 yellow leader, MS Schmidt recuperating between rounds, Davis hawks “Wrestling As You Like It”, 14:44 second round begins, S. avoiding Y. to crowd boos, CU headlock on Y. in corner, S. pulling on Y.’s bad ear, MS dropkick on Y. which fails to drop him, armlock on S., Y. hold on S. which is broken up on ropes, S. gets furious, kneedrop on Y., S. throws Y. into to corner and onto mat 18:55 S. punching Y. on the mat, repeatedly throwing Y. onto mat, CU S. flinging Y. into corner, MS S. beating Y. into corners, backbreaker on Y., S. wins second fall at 21:03, crowd boos 22:13-22:18 yellow leader, MS S. waiting before third round as Y. rests, 23:06 third round starts, Y. pounds S. into corner of ring and ropes break off, as wrestlers continue the match other men try and repair ropes, S. uses loose rope to choke Y., crowd starts yelling and throwing objects, Y. pounds S. into other corner and dislodges ropes from there, S. repeatedly flips Y. onto mat, cry from audience “what’s the matter with the referee what the hell are you doing up there!” 27:15 Davis announces that the bottom of the ring is broken, ref pulls S. off of Y., Y. pins S. and wins third fall at 27:47, crowd screams and goes wild, S. angrily attacks Y. and throws him out of ring right on Davis who shouts “look out!”, crowd is up and throwing things, camera man panning wildly around ring, see Davis announcing as Y. walks away from him surrounded by guards, out 29:38

Distributors

Main Credit

Actors, Performers and Participants