Jackie Pallo facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Jackie Pallo |
|
|---|---|
Pallo in 1965
|
|
| Birth name | Jack Ernest Gutteridge |
| Born | 12 January 1926 Islington, London, UK |
| Died | 11 February 2006 (aged 80) |
| Professional wrestling career | |
| Billed height | 5 ft 6 in (1.68 m) |
| Billed weight | 161 lb (73 kg; 11.5 st) |
| Billed from | Highbury, North London |
| Debut | 1951 |
| Retired | 1984 |
Jackie Pallo, whose real name was Jack Ernest Gutteridge, was a famous English professional wrestler. He was a big star on British television in the 1960s and 1970s. Back then, wrestling was a very popular show that people watched every Saturday afternoon on ITV before the football results. He was often called "Mr TV" because he appeared on television so much!
Contents
Wrestling Career
Jack Gutteridge was born in Islington, London. Before becoming a wrestler, he was a sports teacher. When he started wrestling, he was known as Jackie Pallo and was said to be from Highbury, North London. He quickly became one of the first big stars in British professional wrestling.
One of his most famous rivalries lasted for 11 years! He often battled against Mick McManus, who was known as a "villain" in British wrestling. In 1973, Jackie Pallo tried twice to win the European Middleweight Championship from McManus, but he wasn't successful.
Jackie Pallo was known for his exciting and sometimes over-the-top style. He took risks in the ring and was very confident. Fans loved his special moves like the "sit-on back breaker," the "arm lever," and the "aeroplane spin." In 1964, a wrestling show he was part of in Bishop's Stortford sold out in just three hours, showing how popular he was!
He won one major title in his career. In 1969, he became the British Heavy Middleweight Champion. He defeated Bert Royal on April 21 but lost the title back to Royal the next month. His famous rivalry with Mick McManus was even featured in a 2012 BBC documentary called When Wrestling Was Golden: Grapples, Grunts and Grannies. Because he was on TV so much, he earned the nickname "Mr TV." He was also known as "The man they love to hate" because of his clever tactics in the ring. He stopped wrestling in 1975.
His Autobiography
In 1985, Jackie Pallo wrote a book about his life called "You Grunt, I'll Groan". In this book, he shared some of the secrets of the wrestling entertainment business. He explained that wrestling matches were often staged, meaning they were planned out like a show. He wrote, "Of course it was, it was pure showbiz right from the start." This helped people understand that professional wrestling was more like a performance than a real fight.
Away from Wrestling
Besides wrestling, Jackie Pallo also had a career in show business. He appeared in pantomime shows with famous people like Lionel Blair and Dick Emery. He had a small role in the 1973 movie Not Now Darling.
He also appeared in some popular TV shows. He was in an episode of Are You Being Served?, where he wrestled John Inman's character. He also appeared in The Avengers. In The Avengers, he played a gravedigger. During a fight scene with Honor Blackman's character, Cathy Gale, he accidentally hit his head and was knocked out. He later said, "I want it to be made perfectly clear that this was an accident ... I have never been beaten by a woman and never intend to be." In the late 1950s, he also taught boxing at Arnold House School in North London.
Personal Life and Passing
Jackie Pallo lived with his family at Ozengell Farm in Ramsgate, Kent. He passed away from cancer in 2006 at the age of 80. He was survived by his wife, Georgina, who was known as "Trixie" (she passed away in 2013), and his son, Jackie Jr. (born 1954; passed away in 2018). Jackie Jr. was also a wrestler and often teamed up with his father under the name "Pallo and Son." Jackie Pallo was also a first cousin to the well-known TV sports commentator Reg Gutteridge.
Championships and Accomplishments
- Joint Promotions
- British Heavy Middleweight Championship (1 time)
