Gorgeous Ladies of Wrestling – Nostalgia Central

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1 9 8 6 – 1 9 9 0 (USA)
104 x 60 minute episodes

Created by David Mclane (who also hosted) and broadcast “direct from the Riviera Hotel and Casino in the entertainment capital of the world, Las Vegas, Nevada”, this syndicated weekly show was one of the most popular professional wrestling shows on television, and ran for four seasons of 26 episodes each.

The theatrics and comedic aspects of the show far surpassed the ladies’ actual wrestling skills (or lack thereof).

The ropes were fluorescent pink, and each character had their own gimmick and persona (which they revealed in rap style as the girls introduced themselves at the start of their bouts).

Colonel Ninotchka was a Russian KGB agent; Corporal Kelly was a Marine; the Heavy Metal Sisters Spike and Chainsaw brought working chainsaws and a blow torch to the ring; Palestina performed terrorist ceremonies and threw sand in her opponents eyes; the Princess of Darkness hypnotised her opponents with the dreaded “mojo bone”; the Housewives (Phyliss and Arlene) came to the ring with mop and bucket in tow and used various household items on their opponents; while Dementia entered the ring in a cage wearing a hockey mask and swinging an axe.

Jackie Stallone (yes, Sly’s actual mother) was the manager of the Good Girls (the “Stallone Sweethearts”), while the Bad Girls (“Kitty’s Killers”) were managed by the notorious Aunt Kitty (Kitty Burke).

The girls had to stay in character whenever they were out in public. Good girls and bad girls also couldn’t be seen associating with each other.

David McLane fell out with the network and left GLOW (taking most of the talent roster with him) to create his own series, POWW – Powerful Women of Wrestling – which focused more on actual wrestling skills than on theatrics.

Netflix produced a comedy-drama series titled GLOW in 2017, presenting a fictionalised version of the characters and gimmicks of the 1980s Gorgeous Ladies of Wrestling.

Hollywood
Jeanne Basone
Mt Fiji
Emily Dole
Colonel Ninotchka
Lori Palmer
Babe, the Farmer’s Daughter
Ursula Hayden
MTV (Melody Trouble Vixen)
Eileen O’Hara
Godiva
Dawn Rice
Americana
Cindy Maranne
Lightning
Cheryl Rusa
Big Bad Mama
Lynn Braxton
Tulsa
Jody Haselbarth
Little Egypt
Angelina Altishin
California Doll
Jane Hamlin
Matilda the Hun
Dee Booher
Corporal Kelly
Lillian Wise
Tina Ferrari
Lisa Moretti
Dementia
Michelle Damon (1)
Nancy Daly (2)
Royal Hawaiian
April Homm
Daisy
Helena LeCount
Sugar
Michelle Damon
Salt
Charli Haynes
Arlene (Housewives)
Donna Wilinsky
Phyllis (Housewives)
Sharon Wilinsky
Cheyenne Cher
Dee Chocktoot
Host
David McLane
Referee
Steve Blance
Jackie Stallone
Herself
Aunt Kitty
Kitty Burke
Announcer
Mike Morgan