Film Identifier: F.2008-04-0056

Run Time
0h 28m 20s

Format
16mm

Color
B&W

Sound
Optical

Date Produced
circa 1957

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. An evenly matched event between two strong, athletic wrestlers. Each gets a fall, but the match goes to Rogers (aka “Nature Boy”) when Anaya (aka “Apollo Anaya” aka “Cyclone Anaya”) can not recover from the piledriver that Rogers used to win the second fall. That Anaya is so visibly hurt is a vivid example that for all of the theatricality of wrestling that it remains a violent and dangerous sport. Interestingly, Davis, who usually impersonates the voices wrestlers’ of foreign or ethnic background with stereotypical flair, does not do so to Anaya.

Log
00:01 MS ref & wrestlers in corner of ring, 00:38 LS match begins, armlock on Rogers, MS headlock on Anaya, 05:00 LS armlock on Rogers, bodyslam on Anaya, armlock on Rogers, leglock on Rogers, bodyslam on Anaya, bodyslam on Rogers, MS headlock on Rogers, Davis talks about how wrestlers get their ‘cauliflower” ears, 10:00 reverse chin press on Anaya, LS flying headscissors on Anaya, hammerlock on Anaya, MS wristlock on Anaya, 14:50 bodyslams on Rogers, Anaya wins first fall at 15:10 when Rogers submits to Anaya’s cobra hold, 16:53 second round begins, armlock on Anaya, bodyslam on Rogers, bodyscissors on Anaya, 20:00 armscissors on Anaya, MCU toehold on Rogers, toehold on Anaya, bodyslams on Rogers, MS Anaya knocks Rogers out of ring, crowd gets riled up after Rogers slaps Anaya, dropkick on Anaya, piledriver on Anaya 25:05 MCU Rogers wins second fall, MS 26:48 Rogers wins match when Anaya can not recover from second fall, Roger helps Anaya up but Anaya collapses, doctor enters the ring, Davis calls him a “fine, negro doctor”, Rogers helps Anaya out of the ring, out 28:05

Distributors

Main Credit

Actors, Performers and Participants