Born in the USA-Superstar Profiles#93

The US Express 

Real names: (BW) Barry Windham (MR) Lawrence Rotunda 

Hometowns: (BW) Sweetwater, TX (MR) St. Petersburg, FL 

Membership: Barry Windham, Mike Rotunda

A.K.A.: (BW) Blackjack Mulligan, Jr., Dirty Yellow Dog, the Widowmaker, the Lone Wolf, the Stalker, Blackjack Windham (MR) Captain Rotunda, Mr. Wallstreet, VK Wallstreet, Irwin R. Shyster

Finisher: (BW) Lariat (MR) Airplane Spin 

Background: Born in the wrong time. 

Barry Windham wasn't a bad guy, but he might have been happier if he had lived in the 1880s instead of the 1980s. He joined the family business of hero work, usually with a cowboy gimmick. 

Mike Rotunda was a dude, liked his boats and stuff. They met by chance in Florida and a partnership was born. They managed to attract some attention, especially from up North. McMahon sent none other than Captain Lou himself to recruit the boys and they signed up.

Quickly finding themselves shuffled off into the background, the US Express found themselves unable to compete against the super humans that were taking most of the attention. They left in 1985, although they did a few jobs in Japan the following year. 

Sheer Hart Attack-Superstars Profile#92

The Hart Foundation 

Real names: (BH) Bret Hart (JN) James Neidhart (JH) James Hart

Hometowns: (BH) Calgary, Alberta, Canada (JN) Reno, NV (JH) Memphis, TN

Membership: Bret Hart, Jim Neidhart, Jimmy Hart

A.K.A.: (BH) The Hitman (JN) The Anvil, Who (JH) Mouth of the South, Chicken of the South, Colonel

Finisher: Hart Attack

Background: What happens when the best collide?

Bret was a fighting prodigy. Raised under the tutelage of his father Stu Hart and a product of his infamous Dungeon, Hart could have been a god of fighting anywhere he went but he went to America. 

There he fell in with Titan. It was there he met Jim Neidhart, a traveling tough guy who's claim to fame was playing pro football for a bit and breaking a few anvils over his chest. They were partnered with Jimmy "Mouth of the South" Hart, who got them in good with Titan and McMahon especially. 

For most of the 80's they worked willingly with Hart but things slowly grew sour. They wanted out, but Jimmy refused. When he started managing Demolition, they could see the writing on the wall but they failed to see Jimmy's microphone as it blasted Bret upside his head. 

After that they formally quit and officially joined the Superstars. They stayed together for the rest of the 80's but in 1991 is when things changed wildly for both men but that is recounted elsewhere. 

THE Redneck-Superstars Profile#91

 "Dr. D" Dave Schultz 

Real name: David Schultz 

Hometown: Nashville, TN

Membership: None

A.K.A.: The Redneck, David Von Schultz 

Finisher: Piledriver 

Background: Just a mean guy. The Doctor of Death, as he was called but never to his face, broke bones from Canada to Texas. It was this toughness that made him stand out to Vince McMahon, Jr. He thought he could make Schultz a figure piece for his revamping of the Superstars. 

And things worked out great, at least until a smart-alecky reporter cornered the much larger Schultz and called him a phony. When the guy got out of traction, Schultz was fired from the Superstars and treated like a real criminal. 

Schultz took it in stride and became a bail bondsman. He's still a mean cuss though. 

Cha-Cha!-Superstars Profile#90

Salvatore Bellomo

Real name: Salvatore Bellomo

Hometown: Sicily, Italy 

Membership: Superstars, Full Blooded Italians

A.K.A.: Super Destroyer#3, Centurion Marsella   

Finisher: Pizza Splash 

Background: What could have been.

When Bruno Sammartino finally retired from the Superstars, a successor was needed. Bob Backlund was officially in charge, but Vince Jr. considered Sal. Why not? He was big, beefy and Italian. Same thing, right?

Not quite. Sal was a good guy but he wasn't leadership material. He was slowly shuffled down the Superstars roster until he was finally put on the JOB Squad until he left for Europe in 1987. 

He came back to the States in the 90's but those tales are recorded elsewhere. 

The Queen of Mean-Superstars#89

Sherri Martel

Real name: Sherry Schrull

Hometown: New Orleans, LA

Membership: Managed "Playboy" Buddy Rose, Macho King Randy Savage, Shawn Michaels, Marty Jannetty, Tatanka, Shane Douglas, Harlem Heat

A.K.A.: Sherri Martine, Peggy Sue, Queen Sherri, Scary Sherri, Sensuous Sherri, Sister Sherri,  

Finisher: Big Splash 

Background: Failing in one area can lead to success in another. 

Sherri wanted more out of life than being a truck stop waitress or makeup sales. She joined the Fabulous Moolah, who promptly kicked her out for partying too hard.

She kicked out the Midwest for a bit, but she found her fame not as an outright villain but rather a manager. She arranged the crime, helped with the legal details, and generally got her client the most bang for his buck.    

She served as a moll for the Honky Tonk Man, but she eyed Randy Savage as a bigger meal ticket. She was right, and helped turn him from a Macho Man into a Macho King. When he retired, she saw the Rockers break up and knew Shawn Michaels was going right to the top. 

When he smacked her with his mirror she swore revenge but that would be denied her. She eventually left for the south and that is told elsewhere. 

Where the East Meets the West-Superstars Profile#88

East-West Connection

Real names: (JV) James Janos (AA) Keith Franks 

Hometowns: (JV) San Diego, CA (AA) Buffalo, NY

Membership: Jesse Ventura, Adrian Adonis 

A.K.A.: N/A

Finisher: (JV) Body Breaker (AA) DDT

Background: Just two tough guys, not much else to be said. 

When Jesse Ventura met Adrian Adonis, he thought the idea of him being from the West Coast and Adrian being a Easter coaster being in the Minneapolis at the same time was funny. Plus they liked beating up people, so you know they had that. 

Honestly they did a bit but never enough. No plans to conquer the world, ransom bigwigs, etc. When Vince Jr. noticed them, he wanted Jesse, only taking Adrain to appease the more charismatic fellow.

In 1982 it was decided to break the team up as Vince began to solidify his control of Titan Inc. Jesse was sent over to the news desk while Adrian would be repackaged. 

The Other Chief-Superstars Profile#87

Jules Strongbow

Real name: Frank Huntington 

Hometown:  Omaha, NE 

Membership: Strongbow Brothers, Superstars

A.K.A.: Bruce Huntington, Chief Running Hill, Frank Hill, 

Finisher: Gory Special 

Background: Well, at least he wasn't a guy in red face. 

Yeah, Chief Jay Strongbow had come back to the Superstars. Yeah! He was a bit out of date, plus the whole pretending to be Native American, well...

Some of the public was already weary of the Superstars. One reporter could screw everything, so Jules was introduced as his younger brother but in truth Frank was Jay's handler. Let the old guy smack a few folks around, but Jules would handle the press and the occasional heavy lifting. 

He did a good job, but Jay was a bit too much baggage and Jules quietly left in the late 80's. 

The Chief-Superstars Profile#86

Chief Jay Strongbow

Real name: Luke Scarpa

Hometown:  Pawhuska, OK

Membership: Strongbow Brothers, Superstars, partners with Billy White Wolf, Peter Maivia, Don Curtis

A.K.A.: Joe Scarpa

Finisher: Tomahawk Chop

Background: Look, it was the 1970s. 

Yeah, Luke was wishing to get into the hero business so he figured a gimmick would be the best thing. He did some stuff under his own name, but that didn't get him the attention or the big bucks. So he decided to became a Native American. 

Yeah, 1970s man. He had a good run with the Superstars but a return in 1982 gave little rewards. Vince Jr. still brought him on, as Strongbow still had some fans, but his slower pace didn't exactly connect with the fans. 

He retired in 1986.

The Ravising One-Superstars Profile#85

Rick Rude

Real name: Richard Rood

Hometown:  Robbinsdale, MN

Membership: partners with Jesse Barr, Manny Fernandez, First Family, Paul Jones Army, Heenan Family, Dangerous Alliance, Triple Threat, New World Order, D-Generation X, nWo Hollywood, nWo Wolfpac

A.K.A.: Ricky Rood, the WCW Phantom 

Finisher: The Rude Awakening 

Background: Sometimes a jerk can be right, but he's still a jerk. 

Rood was just a middle-class kid from Minnesota, used to pal around with his buddy Curty Henning. Seeing the success Henning had, Rood figured why not? So he went from arm wrestler to professional bad guy Rick Rude. 

Had some success, even tangled with the Road Warriors for a bit. That got him on the radar of Bobby Heenan thus he was spirited away to the Northeast. Did alright there, as the crowd loved to hate him as much as they wanted to cheer whoever would knock him down. 

But McMahon couldn't give him quite the push he wanted, so when a up and coming dude named Paul E. Dangerously called him, well, Rude vanished and the Phantom stalked the south for a bit. 

Rude would later return to New York, but that is recounted elsewhere. 

The Dragon-Superstars Profile#84

Ricky Steamboat

Real name: Richard Blood

Hometown:  Honolulu, HI

Membership: Superstars, partners with Dustin Rhodes, Jay Youngblood, Paul Jones, Shane Douglas

A.K.A.: The Dragon

Finisher: Diving Crossbody 

Background: Another time, another place, this man could have led the Superstars to greatness. 

Steamboat had the misfortune of approaching Vince Jr. instead of his father. Vince didn't see the man's potential, dismissingly calling him the Dragon and intending to write him off as a lower tier member of the Superstars. 

Steamboat didn't stay at the bottom long though as his battle with Macho Man Randy Savage proved he could be a top tier guy no problem. Was he too honest? Did he jeopardize Hulk Hogan's position? The world may never know. What they do know is the Honky Tonk Man ambushed Steamboat one night and beat him senseless. 

This drove Steamboat to formerly leave and wonder the Earth for a bit. His battles quickly became legend and Vince did extend a hand back in 1991, but that's recorded elsewhere. 

 

Just a Working Man-Superstars Profile#83

 Dusty Rhodes 

Real name: Virgil Runnels Jr. 

Hometown:  Austin, TX

Membership: Texas Outlaws, America's Team, the Super Powers, partners with Dick Murdoch, Larry Henning, Dick Slater, Superstar Billy Graham, Manny Fernandez, NWO Hollywood, Superstars 

A.K.A.: The Midnight Rider, the Bounty Hunter, Mr. Ichiban, the American Dream

Finisher: Bionic elbow 

Background: Just a son of a plumber. 

Virgil Runnels grew in a middle class family but he had higher aspirations than getting a factory job or working a ranch. Hitchhiking up north, he fell in with a rough crowd. Betrayed during a job in Florida, Dusty decided to reinvent himself as the American Dream.

During the late 70's he briefly served as on the Superstars, leading an effort to arrest his former partner Superstar Billy Graham. When that proved unsuccessful, Dusty headed south and carved himself a place in history.

In 1989 he headed up North and rejoined the Superstars but this time things were different. Now clad in black and yellow costume and forced to use giant polka-dots as weapons, Dusty found himself losing against younger and hungrier villains, including a newly debuting Undertaker. 

Disgusted, Dusty headed back South and stayed there for the rest of his career. 

The Man's Man-Superstars Profile#82

Virgil 

Real name: Michael Jones

Hometown:  Pittsburgh, PA

Membership: Million Dollar Corporation, Superstars, New World Order, NWO B-Team, NWO Hollywood, West Texas Rednecks 

A.K.A.: Curly Bill, Shane, Soul Train Jones, nWo Vincent  

Finisher: Grapevine takedown

Background: What can one say about the man, the myth, the legend?

Ted DiBiase needed a valet. Some shmuck to shine his shoes and drive his limos. But he couldn't get just any dude off the street, no, he wanted the best. So he went through resumes.

What, you think he would host an underground tournament or something? He only did that for his barber. 

So, with the newly dubbed Virgil at his beck and call, the Million Dollar Man used him as he could. Virgil, however, got very tired of reaping all the trouble his boss sowed and finally split, but not before taking his boss's million dollar belt with him, briefly. 

He would stay on the Superstars team as a lower tier member until 1993, but his tales after that are recorded elsewhere. 

Listen up you pencil neck geek!-Superstars Profile#81

"Classy" Freddie Blassie

Real name: Fredrick Blassie

Hometown:  St. Louis, MO

Membership: Partners with Buddy Austin, Mr. Moto. Managed Adrian Adonis, Big John Studd, Blackjack Mulligan, George Steele, Hercules, Hulk Hogan, Ivan Koloff, Jesse Ventura, Kamala, Killer Khan, Mr. Fuji, Nikolai Volkoff, and the Iron Sheik

A.K.A.: Fred McDaniel, the Vampire, the King of Men, the Ayatollah 

Finisher: Nerve pinch

Background: Old school and the only school that mattered. 

Fred served with distinction during World War II but when the battle was over, he was lost. He tried his hand at the hero game but had little luck. Crime, however, came very easy to him.

Soon Fred was running most of the West Coast. Dubbed the Vampire for the blood that flowed in his wake, Fred slowed down in the 70s, taking a more manager like role. 

By the 80's, Vince Jr. approached him with his idea about the Superstars and Freddie agreed. So, for a small piece of the action, Freddie guided things from behind the scenes and only occasionally in public. 

Eventually he stopped guiding and tried his hands at a few legit enterprises but by the 90s he had fully retired. 

  

One Mean Kiwi-Superstars Profile#80

Tony Garea

Real name: Anthony Gareljich

Hometown:  Auckland, New Zealand 

Membership: Superstars, partners with Haystacks Coulhoun, Dean Ho, Larry Zbyszko, Rick Martel

A.K.A.: Tony Garcia 

Finisher: Octopus Hold 

Background: At one point in time, Tony might have been great, even the leader of the Superstars. Top cop in Auckland, his name and exploits traveled to New York. Pedro Morales heard and brought him over to work with the Superstars and he did good. Not great, but he seemed to do best when partnered with someone. He was partnered with fellow super cop Dean Ho and did well enough, then he was with Superstar mascot Larry Zbyszko.

By 1980 he was finally partnered with Rick Martel. The team was good but sadly too bland for Vince Jr. He offered Garea an office job though and he took it. 

He's officially retired by now but for a while he walked among the best. 

Special Delivery!-Superstars Profile#79

S.D. Jones

Real name: Conrad Efraim 

Hometown:  Antigua, British West Indies 

Membership: Superstars 

A.K.A.: Roosevelt Jones

Finisher: Headbutt

Background: The king of all losers. 

Harsh, true. SD Jones used to be a lineman for the phone company, who occasionally boxed on the side. Getting into a scuffle netted him the reward money, as the fellow he knocked out was a wanted crook, and soon he got a spot on the Superstars team. For most of the 70's he didn't set the world on fire, but he worked mostly as tech support for the team.

Then the 80's came along. Vince Jr. saw him as the perfect template. He could almost tackle villains, ALMOST win, let the crowd know that so and so is dangerous, thus needing a main event level talent to take them down. It was then the JOB Squad formed, a special subsection of the Superstars. Jones was paid enough for his trouble and with his training a new group would be able to take a beating from heroes and villians alike. 

His biggest moment came when King Kong Bundy took him down in 5 seconds. He got paid though, but by 1994 he had enough and quit. Worked as a sportswriter for a bit before retiring back home. 

The Firebrand from the Bronx-Superstars Profile#78

Johnny Rodz

Real name: John Rodriguez 

Hometown:  The Bronx, NY

Membership: Superstars 

A.K.A.: Super Medico II, "Arabian Wildman" Java Ruuk 

Finisher: Bear hug

Background: For the most part, the name Johnny Rodz isn't going to make most people jump up and go "Oh, yeah, I remember that guy!". 

Not to say he didn't have an impact. When it came to training, Rodz helped train some of the best, especially in the mass of insanity that was Philadelphia. When it came to New York, however, he was bottom tier at best. During the 70's, he had more luck out west in Hollywood. By the 80's, he couldn't quite hack it as an actual villain, but Vince Jr. saw talent, or more accurately talent enhancement. So, it came to be that Johnny Rodz got hired to be a starter villain. He would show up, maybe bust some windows, and a hero would show up to haul him off to jail, wash rinse repeat. 

He did have a stint as a masked EMT, but that is recorded elsewhere. 

His last fight in New York was in 1985, after which he left for greener pastures. 

All the Pretty Birds-Superstars Profile#77

Rockin' Robin

Real name: Robin Smith

Hometown:  Charlotte, NC

Membership: Superstars 

A.K.A.: N/A

Finisher: Bulldog

Background: When you can count Jake "the Snake" Roberts and Sam Houston as your brothers, one might think a person would try to be more outrageous to get more attention, but Robin didn't do that. She didn't hide her name, but she made no effort to promote it either.

She joined the Superstars, but this was at the point when it was decided that women weren't a draw, so she was more or less regulated to the background. She had some good fights, but it wasn't enough. When the entire women's division was shuttered in the 90's, Robin headed out to seek her fortunes elsewhere. 

Yee-Ha!-Superstars Profile#76

Sam Houston 

Real name: Michael Smith

Hometown: Waco, TX

Membership: Superstars 

A.K.A.: Midnight Rider

Finisher: Half-Boston Crab

Background: Sometimes you can't outrun your past. When your old man was a bastard and your older brother was Jake "the Snake" Roberts, well, the decks are kind of against you. Most reckon that was Michael Smith renamed himself after the greatest of all Texans and devoted his life to doing good. 

Didn't help much. His daddy had strength and his older brother had the gift of gab. Houston had heart but heart only carries you so far. He joined the Superstars but mostly served as a glorified training dummy. He retired in 1991 and that was all they wrote. 

Friday the 13th: Vengeance (2019)

 Friday the 13th: Vengeance (2019) dirs. Jeremy W. Brown, Dustin Montierth, Brownspace Films 

Friday the 13th again, and this may be the last roundup folks, unless the Never Hike folks get another one or we get a follow up to this. Yup, another fan film, but we'll have to take what we can get at this point. 

It's been some years since the last Jason (Jason Brooks) rampage. Things have been quiet since then, but Elias Voorhees (CJ Graham) comes back to down, and he's a bit upset over the town's treatment of his boy. Tommy Jarvis, meanwhile, has up and vanished. His daughter, Angelica (Kelly Tappan) goes looking for him. 

The two are going to clash. Who will be left standing?

Not terrible. More kills, which is nice, but overall a bit of let down when compared to the Never Hike series. Elias is largely wasted as a character and the retcon they have about him doesn't really expand the canon so much as run it off into a ditch, but when did that ever stop this series before?

Trust Me-Superstars Profile#75

Jake "the Snake" Roberts

Real name: Aurelain Smith, Jr. 

Hometown: Stone Mountain, GA

Membership: Superstars, Legion of Doom, Army of Darkness, partners with the Barbarian 

A.K.A.: Fred Platt, Jake Smith

Finisher: DDT

Background: Trust me. 

Have those words ever been good for anyone?

Jake Roberts appeared out of seemingly nowhere, although there were rumors someone matching his description tangled with the Von Erich boys out in Texas, and from there captured the people's hearts. When Roddy Piper left for Hollywood, Jake smooth talked his way into getting his own show and fans noticed that too. 

Jake could spin a yarn better than anyone. He could be your best friend, then break a table over your head. He could be stoic yet warm, sadistic yet kind. Whatever face he needed, he had. McMahon saw too much trouble in him too, as he managed to turn a crowd against Hulk Hogan, and that was unforgivable. 

McMahon started sending heavy hitters after him, but Jake left them broken men. It took the full might of the Million Dollar Man to put Roberts down but even that failed to do anything. Jake fought DiBiase and ended the fight by tossing a great of his money into the streets. 

From there Jake had a brief feud with Rick Martel before leaving for parts unknown. He would come back in the 90's, but that recorded elsewhere. 

 

The FINK-Superstars Profile#74

Howard Finkel

Real name: Howard Finkel

Hometown: Newark, NJ

Membership: Superstars 

A.K.A.: The Fink

Finisher: One smooth voice 

Background: Everyone needs a voice. 

Howard Finkel was the voice of the Superstars. Not a slang term, no, he was working in radio when Vince McMahon heard him and hired him on the spot to be the voice of Titan's news arm. 

For the next few decades, that's what Howard was. He covered news in the field while Mean Gene stayed in the studio. He saw everyone, from hulks to undertakers. He finally retired though, but his voice won't be forgotten. 

Strike Force!-Superstars Profile#73

Strike Force

Real names: (RM) Richard Vigneault (TS) Merced Solis

Hometowns: (RM) Quebec City, Quebec, Canada (TS) Mission, TX

Membership: Rick Martel, Tito Santana 

A.K.A.: (RM) Gus Griffin, Pat Kelly, the Model (TS) El Matador, Richard Blood

Finisher: (RM) Boston Crab (TS) Figure-four leglock

Background: The Can-Am Connection was kaput. Zenk got himself dismissed from the Superstars, but Vince Jr. wanted to keep Martel on the payroll. Enter Tito Santana, who jumped in to help save Martel from the Islanders. They had good chemistry so why not make them a team?

They worked, a little too well. Martel was a hothead and started to seriously look into Vince's shadier deals. When he started to convince Tito? Well, that was a bridge too far. 

So, during an attack by Demolition, the fight ended with Martel being attack from behind. He blamed Tito and broke up the team

Jumping-Superstars Profile#72

Johnny DeFazio

Real name: John DeFazio

Hometown: Pittsburgh, PA

Membership: Superstars, partners with Geeto Mogol

A.K.A.:  "Jumping" Johnny DeFazio

Finisher: Bulldog

Background: Johnny was always a small-time guy, but he had a big heart. In the 70's he managed to impress Bruno Sammartino enough to get a spot on the Superstars. He did  a lot of good but by the 80's he had slowed a bit, mostly working for the JOB Squad. 

The One and Only-Superstars Profile#71

Jimmy Jack Funk

Real name: Ferrin Barr

Hometown: Portland, OR

Membership: The Funk Brothers, partners with Rick Rude

A.K.A.:  the Assassin, Jesse Barr

Finisher: Why bother?

Background: In any other circumstance, old Jimmy may have had a point. Vince had hired the Funk Brothers, Terry and Hoss. In the right hands, he could have had pure gold, but Vince turned them to straw. Rather than brainwashing, Vince figured having an inside man might be more efficient. 

Thus Jesse Barr, a former hood who used to run with a young Rick Rude, got the call. Given an outrageous accent and told to be as Texan as possible, Jimmy Jack didn't have the best luck when dealing with his so-called brothers. 

Not even Terry and Hoss could be fool with a mask. Jimmy Jack reported on them and tried to steer them to be more in line with Titan's bottom line, but it didn't take. Jimmy Jack was promptly branded and left hogtied in front of the Titan offices. 

The Toughest Bunch Around-Superstars Profile#70

The Funks

Real names: (TF) Terrence Funk, (HF) Dory Funk, Jr. (JJF) Ferrin Barr

Hometown: Amarillo, TX

Membership: Terry Funk, Hoss Funk, Jimmy Jack Funk

A.K.A.: (TF) Black Baron, Chainsaw Charlie, the Texan (HF) the Masked Outlaw, the Long Tall Texan (JJF) the Assassin, Jesse Barr

Finisher: Piledriver, Spinning Toe Hold, 

Background: Sometimes you go too far and sometimes not far enough. 

Terry was a legend by this point, his brother equally. Vince wanted him to feud with the Hulkster, but the catch was Terry wasn't interested in playing. No leaked interviews to the press, no casual dialogue; nope. Terry was wanting to beat the tar out of Hogan and he could very well have done it. 

Word came down from on high that Terry needed someone, hoping that would calm him down. Terry called down the Double Cross Ranch and got his older brother Dory. Who was even meaner and tougher. 

In a panic, Vince sent them Jimmy Jack Funk, their long lost cousin (Actually a Titan agent in his employee). Terry and Hoss, not being fools, knew Jimmy Jack wasn't a Funk and left him for the cops. 

The Man Who Made Milwaukee Famous-Superstars Profile#69

The Crusher

Real name: Reggie Lisowski

Hometown: Milwaukee, WI

Membership: Superstars, partners with Baron Von Raschke, Wahoo McDaniel, Stan Lisowski

A.K.A.: Crusher Lisowski

Finisher: Bolo Punch

Background: Old school for sure. Reggie was a guy who was just good at fighting, who just happened to pick on guys far worse then him. Starting in 1949, he quickly became a legend in the Midwest. Sometimes fighting with or against the biggest names in the area. 

By the 80's he thought to try out for the Superstars. Partnered with Hulk Hogan frequently, the Crusher never really took on with the fans, but he made a few good paydays before retiring. 

The Irish Lasskicker-Superstars Profile#68

Velvet McIntyre 

Real name: Velvet McIntyre 

Hometown: Dublin, Ireland 

Membership: Superstars, partners with Princess Victoria and Desiree Peterson 

A.K.A.: N/A

Finisher: Dropkick

Background: Ok, a fighting person from Ireland is a bit of a cliche, but its' the truth in this case. Moving to Canada, Velvet got noticed by some of the local Canadian hero teams and got signed. She did good, good enough to get an offer for the Superstars. 

Which is where the good part shriveled up. Velvet was more or less regulated to backup. When the women's division was shuttered in 1988, Velvet headed north and that was it. 

The Tenor-Superstars Profile#67

Tony Parisi

Real names: Antonio Pugliese

Hometown: Cosenza, Calabria, Italy 

Membership: Partners with Wahoo McDaniel, Dominic DeNucci, Dino Bravo, Johnny Valentine, Superstars 

A.K.A.: Tony Pug, "Tenor" Parisi

Finisher: Sleeperhold 

Background: A distant cousin of Bruno Sammartinio, Tony moved to the US and worked various jobs. He did a brief stint as a highwayman called the Tenor, known for his white tuxedos and operatic singing, but Bruno set him right. 

From the 60's he was a member of the Superstars and fought crime and injustice alongside Bruno Sammartino but he left the team in 1969. From there he became a sort of vagabond, wondering across the country and doing good deeds. 

He returned to New York in 1982 and rejoined the Superstars, but by now Vince Jr. was running things. Tony was deemed a relic and put on the JOB Squad (helping put over better known heroes or villains) with occasional duties as a trainer. 

Shave and Haircut-Superstars Profile#66

Brutus "the Barber" Beefcake

Real names: Ed Leslie 

Hometowns: San Fransico, CA 

Membership: Boulder Brothers, Dream Team, Superstars, Mega Maniacs, Three Faces of Fear, Dungeon of Doom, NWO, OWN, nWo: Hollywood 

A.K.A.: (BB) Brutus "the Barber" Beefcake, Brother Bruti, the Man with No Face, the Disciple, Dizzy Hogan, Dizzy Boulder, the Zodiac, the Booty Man, Brute Force, 

Finisher: Sleeperhold 

Background: Ed was always a hanger-on. He met a beach bum named Terry who had ideas about starting a band. They had some fun, but Terry went on to bigger and better things. He tried to make a go of it as a musician, but he was stuck as an opening act. 

Then he joined the Dream Team and got himself some powers. He even ran into Terry again and that got him thinking. He liked being cheered, plus Greg Valentine was kind a jerk. When Dino Bravo showed up, Brutus found himself kicked out of the group.

Bumming around, he saw Roddy Pipper fight Adrian Adonis. Overhearing that the loser of the fight would get their head shaved, Brutus took the initiative and found some scissors. The crowd loved him and soon "the Barber" was shooting up the charts, even joining the Superstars for a time. As the Barber, Brutus hit the streets, leaving his trademarked buzzcuts across the city. 

He looked to a major rising star, even taking down Mr. Perfect when a freak parasailing accident put him out of action, seemingly forever. Retiring from the Superstars, Brutus opened up a barber shop, but business was mediocre at best. The shop would later be wrecked during the Rockers breakdown. His time in the 90's in chronicled elsewhere. 

Living the Dream-Superstars Profile#65

The Dream Team 

Real names: (BB) Ed Leslie (GV) Jonathan Wisniski (JV) Tom Sullivan 

Hometowns: (BB) San Fransico, CA (GV) Seattle, WA (JV) New York City, NY

Membership: Brutus Beefcake, Greg "the Hammer" Valentine, Johnny Valiant 

A.K.A.: (BB) Brutus "the Barber" Beefcake, Brother Bruti, the Man with No Face, the Disciple, Dizzy Hogan, Dizzy Boulder, the Zodiac, the Booty Man (GV) Baby Face Nelson, the Blue Knight, Boxcar Willie (JV) "Luscious" Johnny Valiant, "Luscious" Johnny V

Finisher: (BB) Sleeperhold (GV) Figure four Leglock

Background: Greg Valentine was feuding with Tito Santana. When Captain Lou retired, Greg's contract got taken over by Jimmy "Mouth of the South" Hart and Hart put him to work. 

In walked Ed Leslie. He used to be in a band with none other than Hulk Hogan, but that was a while ago. He needed money, Hart needed a stooge. So, one scientific mishap later, Ed Leslie was reborn as Brutus Beefcake! The unstoppable man, provided his confidence is never shaken. 

Hart sold the contract to aging gangster Johnny Valient, who dubbed the group the Dream Team. The Team stayed together for a bit until 1987, when Dino Bravo arrived on the scene. He helped the team fight the Rougeaus Brothers and made it clear he was a better investment then Brutus, who was promptly kicked off the team. His tale is told elsewhere. 

The Dream Team would be reformed into the New Dream Team, but that too is told elsewhere.

BOBO-Superstars Profile#64

Bobo Brazil 

Real name: Houston Harris

Hometown: Benton Harbor, MI

Membership: Partners with Wilbur Snyder, Mark Lewin, Fred Curry, and Enrique Torres

A.K.A.: Boo-Boo Brazil, Leroy Lincolnlog

Finisher: Coco Butt

Background: Sometimes you get struck by lightning or find a mystic item. Other times you work overtime at the steel mill and fight for pocket change. 

Harris fought for money but that turned to pride when he was picked to go to Japan and fight professionally. His star was on the rise when none other than Bruno Sammartino noticed him and asked him to join the Superstars. He officially didn't due to attitude at the time, but he did manage to take down "Nature Boy" Buddy Rogers on his own. No mean feat that. 

He traveled the world after that but by the 80's he was working as a trainer for Titan Inc. His biggest student was "Soul Man" Rocky Johnson. He retired quietly in 1988 and opened a restaurant. 

The Hawaiian Princess-Superstars Profile#63

Leilani Kai

Real name: Patty Seymour 

Hometown: Hawaii (actually Tampa, FL)

Membership: Glamour Girls, Legendary 

A.K.A.: Patty Stone Grinder 

Finisher: Big Boot

Background: Sometimes a vacation can recharge your ideas. 

The Fabulous Moolah was living on the beach, thinking of a new gimmick. When she later caught Floridan Patty Seymour tearing up a bar, she figured, eh, why not?

So one makeover later Patty was now a Hawaiian princess named Lelani Kai. She later partnered with Judy Martin to form the Glamour Girls, but that team fizzled almost as fast as it was formed. Sometimes a stooge is just a stooge. 

She drifted after that but now acts as a sort of elder statesman for the younger crooks.