I have been influenced by many different people and things in my time. Early on in life I firmly believed that I was going to be a GREAT DISNEY ANIMATOR! I poured over animation books and just about anything that I could get my hands on that explained movement and attitude. Now, in the 80s, it was much harder to find this type of material. It wasn't like today when you can press a button on a keyboard and order a "how to" or Flash program and learn at home, if you wanted to do this you had to search out the info; I sat at the library a lot! So between books on pantomime to puppetry I kind of figured out how to create "life," but that all changed when I got the bible of animation, "The illusion of life: Disney Animation by Frank Thomas and Ollie Johnston." This book became my life. Ever day no matter if I was sitting in a Jr. High classroom or packing for the last day of HS school, that book never left my book bag!
I would sit, copying all of the classic drawings. I got real good too. This is one reason I pretty much failed every course I was required to take in order to graduate. I was going to be an animator and that was that!
In the book I took in all of Frank and Ollie's techniques of emotion and exaggeration and noticed how close to real life it was. My drawings were looking "real," and my simple animations were "flipping" the right way.
If you have been reading this, you all know I went away from animation all together, but everything I read in that book is still the foundation I preach today to the young talent I work with. I guess you can say I'm in a different kind of "cartoon business."
While with Disney I was privileged to have met many Disney Legends including Ollie on several occasions. The first time I met him (with Frank) was at Disneyland during a merchandise event held at the Disney Gallery in New Orleans Sq. I waited in a very long line to met the guys and when it was my turn I had nothing for them to sign, no camera to pose for a photo and I just stood there looking at them looking at me. Finally Ollie said:
" Hi, what is your favorite character?"
And I believe my answer was: "Jiminy Cricket."
Frank's reply was: "Oh...he's a Ward (Kimball) fan."
That was it, I did not thank them, nothing, just "Jiminy Crickett," and for some reason I'm sure that's what they were really thinking..."Jiminy Crickett, this kid's a nut!"
Anyhow, I am glad to have had the self taught education that I have had and a great educator like Frank (who has also passed) and Ollie. His words I take and use most everyday when producing or directing. Not to mention that I still enjoy watching his work to this day! I just may have to pop in "The Jungle Book."
Howard Brody had acted as "editor" and informs me that I misspelled Dennis' last name. The correct spelling is Coralluzzo. Here's a bit about Dennis. I liked my short time with him :)
On my myspace page I have a picture of me laying in a hospital bed and I seem to be asked the same question, "what happened?" I guess enough time has passed and I guess its time to talk about that "hot summer day."
On two consecutive mornings I woke up with a "spasm" in my leg and foot. After taking a shower on the second day and starting my day I was sitting at my home computer working on emails and in a flash my head crashed against the keyboard and about 2 seconds later I was back up like nothing had happened. Following those events my foot started to "spasm" again and then I new that something was wrong! So like the fool that I am I stumbled to the car and drove myself to the Burbank Urgent Care. There I sat for close to 2 hours "spasming" all the while. Once the doctor decided to see me he had no clue to what was happening. He suggested that I go to the emergency, so again I drove myself to St. Joseph's in Burbank where they were waiting for me. Now, all this time I did not take the situation too serious because hell if there was a real problem the urgent care people would have arranged a ride; right?
So the emergency people rushed me to a bed, I signed all kinds of papers and was rushed into a big white room where a group of Umpaloompa looking folk prepped me for a cat scan. That was quick and harmless and I was sent back to the room and I waited for 3 or 4 hours to see a doctor. Finally he comes in and tells me that he doesn't see anything. Mind you he has not seen my foot get all crazy! He was trying to tell me that I was suffering from some kind of headaches. Well as he was ready to send me home my foot started acting up and I pulled my sock off and asked if this looks like a headache to him? He said no and sent for a neurologist.
In comes Dr. Melvin Balafski, this man looked like he was ready to go home or he came in just to see me. It took him like 2 hours to come in and I was sound a sleep when he got there!
He started asking questions and said something like "I can't believe I'm here to see a guy with a migraine." Right! So we talked a little more, the wrestling topic came up and I learned he was from Chicago and when he was younger he was a fan (were'nt we all?) Anyhow, while we were talking my foot went at it again, but it was under a blanket and he did not see it and he asked me to "do it again." WHAT? He sat in a corner chair as my foot sat naked, I wanted it to do it so bad, I wanted to go home. OK, it finally happens for about 3 seconds and he asked if I made it move, when I said no, he asked if this is how its been the whole time, and I said yes.
Involuntary Movement:
Still laying on the slab, he started poking at my foot, leg and calf. He used sticks and a spur! I really couldn't feel anything and that is what puzzled him. Now this is all on my left side, the right was perfect. In fact when he ran the spur up my right foot I practically kicked him in the face, that thing hurts! The Dr. tells me that he will have to admit me. I said he couldn't cause I had to be in Texas for a big double shot weekend - priority's!
Well he was pissed at that point! He tried everything to get me to say in the hospital for tests, he said I needed an MRI, BRI, ZRI anything that ends with an "I"! But, I checked myself out signing a paper stating that if I were to die he nor the hospital were liable.
The next day I was off to Texas, cane in hand...how stupid was I?
So I arrive and no one knows what is going on. All the staff knew was I was not feeling well. In my mind, knowing the pro wrestling business, I thought that if people knew I had a STROKE I was prey!
Yes folks, I didn't say it early on, I was diagnosed with some kind of stroke. The second Dr. looked at the car scan and noticed "spots" and that was his professional opinion.
Anyhow, I was walking around backstage in my full suit, getting ready to conduct interviews and we had a full house of over 5,000 in Houston. I was so confused. I've never really taken any type of medication, so they really did a number on me. My speech was slurred, I could not stand up straight without the cane and I felt like hell. The venue I was in was an open air rodeo arena and it was raining and it was humid. YES I WAS STUPID!
Here is a interview from that day that I conduced with Bob Trobich, one day after having a stroke. You'll notice I'm leaning on Bob, I'm trying to make it seem that I could not hear him, but in reality he is helping me stand up & at the end of the video I pretty much start loosing it and can't think:
The next night we were bussed to McAllen and we crowned new NWA World Tag Team Champions in Karl Anderson and Joey Ryan. I actually had a great time, well what I do remember!
So I get back home, check myself in the hospital and spend 5 days and 4 nights in St. Joesph's where I was poked and pulled every which way, had test after test and fought with just about anyone who walked into the room. My Mom and Grandmother visited and so did my Sister. Shanesphotos.com came by and snuck hot dogs and ice cream to me. That was great!
In the end I did in fact suffer from a stroke and after 6 different types of MRI's they said I have 3 lesions on my brain. Today, I still feel weird cause I don't know what is going on in there! I try to take each day as easy as I can, but with the cards, wrestling people, production people, Nissan Motors and just about everyone else its very hard to keep things easy.
So, I gotta say that I've really done something special just keeping my head up and in the game while dealing with this stuff. Thanks to everyone who has helped me during all this crap, don't think I didn't take notes! And to the fans, always a big thanks, your professional support is one reason I keep pressing on!
As a kid I would save what money I would get (usually a few bucks) or "find" to buy two magazines. I was obsessed with both MAD Magazine and Pro Wrestling Illustrated (PWI). I was all about MAD because of the East Coast "old style" of comedy and of course the art. There would be hours on the weekends that I would not pop my head out of my room because I was drawing and recreating the pages of MAD; I really liked Mort Drucker and Don Martin's work!
PWI on the other hand was a different world to me because I got the chance to read about fighters that I did not get to see on television. Remember, these were the territory days of the early 1980s and there was really no Cable TV. Locally in Los Angeles, we got the stuff from the Olympic and mostly early WWF programming. But, with PWI, I was able to imagine the craziness of Memphis, the blood and guts of Carlos Colon and Puerto Rican Wrestling and the huge crowds of Japan. PWI also covered the NWA pretty heavily then too. I was totally sucked into the "who is better Harley Race or Bob Backlund", "The WWF or NWA?"
It's sad to say that the mighty pro wrestling publishing groups do not really exist and it is hard to find PWI. But, last night I was at a newsstand and found an issue and started to thumb. It's really fun for me to cruise PWI today because I know close to 60% of the talent they cover, so its a real good feeling to see your friends being spotlighted.
Well for the first time in my career I have been looked upon as worth in the grand old publication. Last month I (along with Bob Trobich) was asked to participate in an interview and talk about what we are doing post TNA. Let me tell you what kind of a rush I got when Stu Staks (the publisher) called me and made the request. It took everything in me not to bust!
So for those of you interested in our storied organization please pick up the June 2008 issue and check out the story. Its 6 pages FULL COLOR! I appreciate what PWI did for us, they really did us a good service.
Our Newark event was a great success! We entertained well over 3,500 great people in Newark, NJ at the JFK Rec Center. For the most part the whole night was fun, but there were several moments that I wish I could forget. We've had this date put together since November of last year and simply was going to be a regular card, but turned into a Showcase TV taping at the last minute and we had to make "it" work for television.
The East Coast crew is lead by Ricky O (he's also one of the three commentators on the Showcase) and I feel they always do a great job planning and executing a date.
Well anyhow, I will be able to go into this much more in a bit. The reason I have to cut this short is because I have to go into a planning meeting for the April 18/19 TV tapings (back on the East).
Thanks to all involved with NWA Pro East and all the officials of the City of Newark, NJ.
. Here is video from my WLW TV program. It features Sid Vicious Vs. James "The Griz". The action is being called by Steve Murphy of St. Louis and Larry "The Axe" Henning. These guys took over after Gordon Solie was too sick to travel or speak.
So, I took the last few minutes to go over my long day. What I was doing was stalling while I compressed the Sid video for youtube, but youtube wants to be an ASS! Now after I spent the last 40 minutes or so editing and compressing the file they want to goof with things and not allow it to work! What the hell is their problem? I'm on a deadline! I hate myself.
