JACKIE PALLOOne of wrestling’s biggest stars who was known to his fans as ‘Mr TV’, Jackie Pallo died at the age of 80 on 11 February, 2006, after a long battle with cancer.His televised exploits in the ring during the 1960s and ‘70s were legendary on both sides of the Atlantic and he was described by son Jackie Junior as “a bombastic character right to the end.”In later life, he also appeared in pantomime and guest spots on television, including a cameo as a gravedigger in an episode of cult show ‘The Avengers’.His controversial 1985 autobiography, entitled ‘You Grunt, I’ll Groan’, was the first real expose of the wrestling entertainment business in Britain.Born Jack Ernest Gutteridge on 12 June, 1926, he grew up surrounded by boxing in the gym his father owned in Islington, London. His father, grandfather and uncle were all involved and, after brief stints as a butcher and mechanic, he decided to train as a wrestler with Dale Martin Promotions.Alongside famed nemesis Mick McManus, he quickly became a household namefollowing his TV debut in 1956.His trademark striped shorts and gold boots made him instantly recognisable and, a natural showman, wrestling fans became hooked on ‘Mr TV’s’ legendary bouts.During the sport’s 1960s heyday, Mr Pallo also enjoyed a memorable acting career with stints on TV’s ‘Emergency Ward 10’, ‘Are You Being Served’ and even ‘The Avengers’, in which he was famously and inadvertently knocked unconscious during a fight with Honor Blackman’s judo champion character, Cathy Gale.“I want to make it clear that this was an accident,” he said afterwards. “I have never been beaten by a woman and never intend to be.”The 1970s brought an appearance on ‘This Is Your Life’, attracting many celebrities of the day, while the ‘80s saw the publication of his autobiography, ‘You Grunt, I’ll Groan’.In it, among many other admissions, he revealed that his wrestling bouts were staged and referees, desperate to produce the necessary blood to satisfy frenzied audiences, carried razor blades to nick fighter’s earlobes.The book thrust Mr Pallo back into the wrestling limelight but,following a major hip operation, he retired from the ring in 1983.After a long battle withcancer he died on 11 February, 2006, aged 80, at his home in Ramsgate, Kent.Mr Pallo was survived by his son, Jackie Jr., and wife Trixie, who also found fame with the nation after watching her husband fight at the ringside for many years.He once claimed that one of the highest paydays of his career wasjust £80.Former sports commentator and cousin to the wrestler, Reg Gutteridge, described him as a “great performer and a lovely guy.”
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