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With former pro wrestlers entering political office, it's nice to recall a time when at least one pro wrestler was content just to wrestle...and portray a monstrous brute in the movies. We refer, of course, to...
By CRYSTAL GUILLORY It is safe to say that wrestling has never been more popular than it has been right now. Indeed, one does not have to look very far but to see wrestlers writing books, hawking items, starring in movies and running for political office. However the wrestlers today are "Johnny come latelys" compared to the one of the first wrestler to break into the movies. The very wrestler who is a b-horror legend in his own right. I am talking about none other than Tor Johnson. Tor Johanssen (he later shortened his last name to Johnson) was born in Sweden in the early part of the 1900's. As a young man he came over here to look for opportunity. He found it in the wrestling ring, wrestling under the name "Super Swedish Angel". Apparently someone connected with Hollywood must have seen the hulking giant in the ring, for he was hired for a bit part in Eddie Cantor's film (ask your grand or great grandparents folks on who he is) Kid Millions. From that point on he had parts in movies with Bob Hope, W.C. Fields and other stars in the thirties. He did not let his film work stop his work in the ring though; he kept working in movies and wrestling until the Sixties. It was in the Fifties that Tor officially retired from the ring. It was also in this decade when he got the roles that made him the cu;t horror legend that he is today. That legend started with the Ed Wood film Bride Of The Atom ( later released as Bride Of The Monster.) He was hired to portray the "harmless as a kitchen" (that is what it sounds like when Bela Lugosi speaks the line) mute assistant of Lugosi's mad doctor, named Lobo. While Tor is not an accomplished actor, he does bring a certain humanity and heart to the role.
He then went on to work in The Black Sleep as Curry, the lobotomized servant of a mad scientist. Once again he used his massive frame to strike fear in the heart of the movie-goer, while generating some sympathy when pathos is shown. Tor then went on to work on the movie he will forever be associated with, that movie being Ed Wood's Graverobbers From Outer Space released. of course, as Plan 9 From Outer Space. You can read all about this flick in my article here.
Tor was cast as Inspector Daniel Clay, a mumbling police officer who becomes the vision of terror when he is killed and then returns from the grave.The scenes of his zombie form lumbering through the cemetery are memorable indeed.
The character of Lobo was not forgotten though, for he was brought back in The Unearthly where he was even given a few lines of dialogue (the first time for the Lobo character) and he saves Allison Hayes from sharing his fate. In Ed Wood's Night Of The Ghouls, Lobo returns yet again to work with a fake spiritualist and two ghosts in this recently rediscovered film. Again, Tor was able to supply the creepy feeling by lumbering silently through the film.
Afterwards, Tor brought back the character of Lobo for some personal appearances in Southern California in the late Sixties due the popularity of the character. His last starring role was in Beast Of Yucca Flats where he portrayed a defecting Russian scientist who gets caught in an atomic blast and becomes an atomic monster. Hence his was the title role.
Tor continued to work in television in the Sixties, even entering in some game shows at that time. He kept working for most of the decade. However, in the beginning of the next decade, on May 12, 1971, Tor died. Even though Tor is not still with us in the flesh, he is lives forever on the screen with his memorable roles. Tor has become such an horror icon that a mask based on him is still a Halloween best-seller.
His massive presence left an impression on horror filmdom indeed. Which brings me to my point. I wonder how much more popular would Tor be today? Would his biography be on the New York Times bestseller list? Would he be a guest referee for a big wrestling event? Would he had even run for political office? Alas, we will never know the answer to these questions. It is just as well that things are the way they are, that the first breakout wrestling star was a horror icon. We salute you Tor! (Crystal Guillory is vice-president of the New Orleans Worst Film Festival to be held on June 10, 2000. Click here to read more about it. You can contact Crystal personally here.) |
