View source for Gorgeous George

{{short description|American professional wrestler (1915–1963)}}
{{other uses}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=October 2024}}

{{Infobox professional wrestler
|name        = Gorgeous George
|image       = Gorgeous George headshot circa 1950s (cropped).jpg
|caption     = Gorgeous George in the 1950s
|birth_name  = George Raymond Wagner
|birth_date  = March 24, 1915
|death_date  = {{Death date and age|1963|12|26|1915|3|23}}
|death_cause =
|birth_place = [[Butte, Nebraska]], U.S.<ref name="SI"/>
|death_place = [[Los Angeles, California]], U.S.
|names       = {{unbulleted list | George Wagner | Gorgeous George }}
|height      = 5 ft 9 in<ref name=wwe/>
|weight      = 215 lb<ref name=wwe/>
|billed      =
|trainer     =
|debut       = 1932
|retired     = November 7, 1962
|family      = [[Robert Kellum]] (grandnephew)
|spouse      = {{unbulleted list | {{marriage|Betty Hanson|1939||end=div}} | {{marriage|Cherie Dupré|1951|1962|end=div}} }}
}}
'''George Raymond Wagner''' (March 24, 1915 – December 26, 1963), known by his [[ring name]] '''Gorgeous George''', was an American [[professional wrestler]]. In the United States, during the "First Golden Age" of professional wrestling (1940s–1950s), Gorgeous George was one of the biggest stars of the sport, gaining media attention for his outrageous character, which was described as flamboyant and charismatic.<ref>Thesz, Lou, with Kit Bauman, ''Hooker, An Authentic Wrestler's Adventures Inside the Bizarre World of Professional Wrestling'', Mike Chapman, Editor (TWC-Press, 2000), p. 100.</ref> He was a major national celebrity at his peak, and was a pioneer of early entertainment television.<ref name="auto">{{Cite web|last=Slagle|first=Stephen Von|date=2019-11-17|title=Gorgeous George|url=https://historyofwrestling.com/gorgeous-george/|access-date=2021-07-02|website=History of Wrestling|language=en-US|archive-date=2021-07-09|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210709183619/https://historyofwrestling.com/gorgeous-george/|url-status=live}}</ref> He was posthumously inducted into the [[Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame and Museum|Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame]] in 2002 and the [[WWE Hall of Fame]] as part of the Class of 2010.

==Early life==
{{Professional wrestling sidebar}}Wagner, of German heritage, was born March 24, 1915, in [[Butte, Nebraska]]. For a time, his family lived on a farm near the village of Phoenix in Holt County and probably in Seward County, before they moved to [[Waterloo, Iowa]] and later [[Sioux City, Iowa|Sioux City]].<ref name=wwe>{{Cite web|title=Gorgeous George|url=https://www.wwe.com/superstars/gorgeousgeorge|access-date=2021-07-02|website=WWE|language=en|archive-date=2021-08-13|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210813230043/https://www.wwe.com/superstars/gorgeousgeorge|url-status=live}}</ref> When he was 7 years old, Wagner's family moved to [[Houston, Texas]], where he associated with kids from a tough neighborhood. As a child, he trained at the local [[YMCA]] and often staged matches against his friends.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Cusson|first=Jerome|date=October 3, 2010|title=A Closer Look At...Gorgeous George|url=https://www.pwponderings.com/2010/10/03/a-closer-look-at-gorgeous-george/|access-date=July 2, 2021|website=PWPonderings|archive-date=July 9, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210709182403/https://www.pwponderings.com/2010/10/03/a-closer-look-at-gorgeous-george/|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=Whatever Happened to Gorgeous George? by Joe Jares|url=http://www.crowbarpress.com/cbp-books/22-gg.html|access-date=2021-07-02|website=www.crowbarpress.com|archive-date=2021-05-15|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210515144445/http://crowbarpress.com/cbp-books/22-gg.html|url-status=live}}</ref>

In 1929, he dropped out of [[Milby High School]] at 14, and worked odd jobs to help support his family. At this time, he competed at carnivals, where he could earn 35 cents for a win.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Cusson|first=Jerome|date=October 3, 2010|title=A Closer Look At...Gorgeous George|url=https://www.pwponderings.com/2010/10/03/a-closer-look-at-gorgeous-george/|access-date=July 2, 2021|website=PWPonderings|archive-date=July 9, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210709182403/https://www.pwponderings.com/2010/10/03/a-closer-look-at-gorgeous-george/|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=Whatever Happened to Gorgeous George? by Joe Jares|url=http://www.crowbarpress.com/cbp-books/22-gg.html|access-date=2021-07-02|website=www.crowbarpress.com|archive-date=2021-05-15|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210515144445/http://crowbarpress.com/cbp-books/22-gg.html|url-status=live}}</ref> At age 17, he was getting booked by the region's top promoter, Morris Siegel. In 1938, he won his first title by defeating Buck Lipscomb for Northwest Middleweight crown. On May 19, 1939, he captured the Pacific Coast Light Heavyweight Championship.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Pacific Coast Light Heavyweight Title (California)|url=https://www.wrestling-titles.com/us/ca/ca-pc-lh.html|access-date=2021-07-02|website=www.wrestling-titles.com|archive-date=2021-07-09|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210709182916/https://www.wrestling-titles.com/us/ca/ca-pc-lh.html|url-status=live}}</ref>

== Professional wrestling career==
At {{convert|5|ft|9|in}} tall and weighing {{convert|215|lbs}}, Wagner was not especially physically imposing by professional wrestling standards, nor was he an exceptional athlete, although he was a gifted [[amateur wrestler]]. Nevertheless, he soon developed a reputation as a solid in-ring wrestler. In the late 1930s, he met Elizabeth "Betty" Hanson,<ref>{{Cite web|title=Betty Wagner, first wife of WWE Hall of Famer Gorgeous George, dead at 98|url=https://prowrestling.net/artman/publish/WWE/article10018832.shtml|access-date=2021-07-02|website=prowrestling.net|archive-date=2018-01-23|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180123072109/https://prowrestling.net/artman/publish/WWE/article10018832.shtml|url-status=live}}</ref> whom he later married in an in-ring ceremony.<ref name="SI"/> When the wedding proved a good drawing card, the couple re-enacted it in arenas across the country, enlightening Wagner to the potential entertainment value that was left untapped within the industry. Around this same time, ''[[Vanity Fair (U.S. magazine 1913–36)|Vanity Fair]]'' magazine published a feature article about a professional wrestler named 'Lord' Patrick Lansdowne, who entered the ring accompanied by two valets while wearing a velvet robe and doublet. Wagner was impressed with the bravado of such a character, but he believed that he could take it to a much greater extreme.<ref name="Greer">{{Cite web|last=Greer|first=Jamie|date=2020-02-12|title=The Last Bell: The Final Match of Gorgeous George|url=https://lastwordonprowrestling.com/2020/02/12/the-last-bell-the-final-match-of-gorgeous-george/|access-date=2021-07-02|website=Last Word on Pro Wrestling|language=en-US|archive-date=2020-08-10|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200810133527/https://lastwordonprowrestling.com/2020/02/12/the-last-bell-the-final-match-of-gorgeous-george/|url-status=live}}</ref>

Subsequently, Wagner debuted his new "glamour boy" image on a 1941 card in Eugene, Oregon. He quickly antagonized the fans with his exaggerated effeminate behavior when the ring announcer introduced him as "Gorgeous George". Such showmanship was unheard of at the time. Consequently, arena crowds grew in size as fans turned out to ridicule Wagner, who relished the sudden attention.

[[File:Gorgeous George wrestler circa 1940s.JPG|thumb|180px|Photo postcard of Gorgeous George, "the Human Orchid" and the "Toast of the Coast", circa 1940s.]]
Gorgeous George was soon recruited to Los Angeles by promoter Johnny Doyle. Known as the "Human Orchid", his persona was created in part by growing his hair long, dyeing it platinum blonde, and putting gold-plated bobby pins in it, which he called "Georgie Pins" and distributed to the audience.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Jares|first=Joe|title=George Was Villainous, Gutsy and Gorgeous|url=https://vault.si.com/vault/1969/03/17/george-was-villainous-gutsy-and-gorgeous|access-date=2021-07-02|website=Sports Illustrated Vault {{!}} SI.com|language=en-us|archive-date=2020-08-04|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200804152711/https://vault.si.com/vault/1969/03/17/george-was-villainous-gutsy-and-gorgeous|url-status=live}}</ref> He transformed his ring entrance into a bonafide spectacle that would often take up more time than his actual matches. He strolled nobly to the ring to the sounds of "[[Pomp and Circumstance Marches|Pomp and Circumstance]]",<ref>{{Cite web|last=Williams|first=Kevin|title=Walk That Aisle: The Importance Of Music In Wrestling|url=https://bleacherreport.com/articles/84671-walk-that-aisle-the-importance-of-music-in-wrestling|access-date=2021-07-02|website=Bleacher Report|language=en|archive-date=2021-07-09|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210709182054/https://bleacherreport.com/articles/84671-walk-that-aisle-the-importance-of-music-in-wrestling|url-status=live}}</ref> followed by his valet and a purple spotlight.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Dickinson|first=Joy Wallace|title='Gorgeous George' drew fans from Granny to Dylan|url=https://www.orlandosentinel.com/features/os-joy-wallace-dickinson-0430-story.html|access-date=2021-07-02|website=orlandosentinel.com|date=30 April 2017|archive-date=2021-07-09|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210709182842/https://www.orlandosentinel.com/features/os-joy-wallace-dickinson-0430-story.html|url-status=live}}</ref> Wearing an elegant robe sporting an array of sequins, Gorgeous George was always escorted down a personal red carpet by his ring valet "Jeffries", who carried a silver mirror while spreading rose petals at his feet. While Wagner removed his robe, Jeffries would spray the ring with disinfectant, ostensibly [[Chanel No. 5]] perfume, which Wagner referred to as "Chanel #10" ("Why be half-safe?" he was famous for saying){{Cref2|A}} before he would start wrestling.

George required that his valets spray the referee's hands before the official was allowed to check him for any illegal objects, which thus prompted his now-famous outcry "Get your filthy hands off me!"<ref>{{Cite book|last=Sneddon|first=Rob|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=2P6ICgAAQBAJ&q=Get+your+filthy+hands+off+me%21+gorgeous+george&pg=PA59|title=The Phantom Punch: The Story Behind Boxing's most Controversial Bout|date=2015|publisher=Down East Books|isbn=978-1-60893-366-2|language=en}}</ref> Once the match finally began, he would cheat in every way he could. Gorgeous George was the industry's first true cowardly villain, and he would cheat at every opportunity, which infuriated the crowd.<ref>{{Cite book|last=Greenberg|first=Keith Elliot|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=QsCizgeX_ngC&q=Get+your+filthy+hands+off+me%21+gorgeous+george&pg=PA26|title=Pro Wrestling: From Carnivals to Cable TV|date=2000|publisher=Lerner Publications|isbn=978-0-8225-3332-0|language=en}}</ref> His credo was "Win if you can, lose if you must, but always cheat!". This flamboyant image and his showman's ability to work a crowd were so successful in the early days of [[television]] that he became the most famous wrestler of his time, drawing furious [[Heel (professional wrestling)|heel]] [[Heat (professional wrestling)|heat]] wherever he appeared.<ref>{{Cite web|author=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.-->|date=2012-03-24|title=Outrageous, Gorgeous George|url=https://www.legacy.com/news/celebrity-deaths/outrageous-gorgeous-george/|access-date=2021-07-02|website=Legacy.com|language=en-US|archive-date=2021-07-09|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210709184644/https://www.legacy.com/news/celebrity-deaths/outrageous-gorgeous-george/|url-status=live}}</ref>

It was with the advent of television that Wagner's in-ring character became the biggest drawing card the industry had ever known. With the networks looking for cheap, effective programming to fill its time slots, pro wrestling's glorified action became a genuine hit with the viewing public, as it was the first program of any kind to draw a real profit.<ref>{{Cite book|last=Molinaro|first=John F.|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=JN_ZAAAAMAAJ&q=gorgeous+george|title=Top 100 Pro Wrestlers of All Time|date=2002|publisher=Winding Stair Press|isbn=978-1-55366-305-8|language=en}}</ref> Consequently, it was Gorgeous George who brought the sport into the nation's living rooms, as his histrionics and melodramatic behavior made him a larger-than-life figure in American pop culture.<ref>{{Cite book|last=Capouya|first=John|title=Gorgeous George: The Outrageous Bad-Boy Wrestler Who Created American Pop Culture|date=2008|publisher=Harper Collins |isbn=978-0061173035}}</ref>

His first television appearance took place on November 11, 1947, an event that was named among the top 100 televised acts of the 20th century by ''[[Entertainment Weekly]]''.<ref>{{Cite magazine|last=Tucker|first=Ken|date=1999-02-19|title=The 100 Greatest Moments In Television: 1950s|url=https://ew.com/article/1999/02/19/100-greatest-moments-television-1950s/|access-date=2022-10-27|magazine=Entertainment Weekly|language=en-US|archive-date=2022-10-27|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221027114435/https://ew.com/article/1999/02/19/100-greatest-moments-television-1950s/|url-status=live}}</ref> He immediately became a national celebrity at the same level of [[Lucille Ball]] and [[Bob Hope]], who personally donated hundreds of chic robes for George's collection, while changing the course of the industry. No longer was pro-wrestling simply about the in-ring action. Wagner created a new sense of theatrics and character performance that had not previously existed. In a very real sense, it was Gorgeous George who single-handedly established television as a viable entertainment medium that could potentially reach millions of homes across the country.<ref name="auto"/> It is said that George was probably responsible for selling as many television receivers as [[Milton Berle]].<ref>{{Cite web|last=Compton|first=Eric|date=2008-08-24|title=Gorgeous George|url=https://nypost.com/2008/08/24/gorgeous-george/|access-date=2021-07-02|website=New York Post|language=en-US|archive-date=2021-07-09|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210709182943/https://nypost.com/2008/08/24/gorgeous-george/|url-status=live}}</ref>

In addition to his grandiose theatrics, Gorgeous George was an accomplished wrestler. While many may have considered him a mere [[List of professional wrestling terms#G|gimmick wrestler]], he was actually a very competent freestyle wrestler, having started learning the sport in [[amateur wrestling]] as a teenager, and he could handle himself quite well if it came to a legitimate contest.<ref>{{Cite web|date=2017-10-30|title=The legend of Gorgeous George began in the northwest|url=https://slamwrestling.net/index.php/2017/10/30/the-legend-of-gorgeous-george-began-in-the-northwest/|access-date=2021-07-02|website=Slam Wrestling|language=en-US|archive-date=2021-07-09|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210709182201/https://slamwrestling.net/index.php/2017/10/30/the-legend-of-gorgeous-george-began-in-the-northwest/|url-status=live}}</ref> The great [[Lou Thesz]], who took the AWA title away from Wagner, and who was one of the best "[[Legit (professional wrestling)|legit]]" wrestlers ever in professional wrestling, displayed some disdain for the gimmick wrestlers. Nevertheless, he admitted that Wagner "could wrestle pretty well", but added that, "he [Wagner] could never draw a fan until he became Gorgeous George."<ref>{{Cite web|title=House of Deception – Wrestler Gorgeous George|url=https://houseofdeception.com/Gorgeous_George.html|access-date=2021-07-02|website=houseofdeception.com|archive-date=2021-01-24|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210124231729/https://www.houseofdeception.com/Gorgeous_George.html|url-status=live}}</ref>

[[File:Gorgeous George attempting to pin cph.3d02360.jpg|thumb|George attempting to pin another wrestler during a match, 1949]]
[[File:Gorgeous George Wrestler, 1948 - no sound.webm|thumb|240px|Highlight reel of Gorgeous George – first demonstrating his character before transitioning to footage of him performing in the ring. (No Sound)]]
On March 26, 1947, Wagner defeated [[Enrique Torres]] to capture the Los Angeles Heavyweight Championship.<ref>{{Cite web|date=2007-09-12|title=Bond to wrestling's past is lost with Torres' passing|url=https://slamwrestling.net/index.php/2007/09/12/bond-to-wrestlings-past-is-lost-with-torres-passing/|access-date=2021-07-02|website=Slam Wrestling|language=en-US|archive-date=2021-07-09|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210709181815/https://slamwrestling.net/index.php/2007/09/12/bond-to-wrestlings-past-is-lost-with-torres-passing/|url-status=live}}</ref> On February 22, 1949, he was booked as the feature attraction at [[New York City]]'s [[Madison Square Garden (1925)|Madison Square Garden]] in what was pro wrestling's first return to the building in 12 years. By the 1950s, Gorgeous George's star power was so large that he was able to command 50% of the gate for his performances, which allowed him to earn over $100,000 a year, making him one of the highest-paid athletes in the world. On May 26, 1950, Gorgeous George defeated [[Don Eagle]] to claim the [[AWA World Heavyweight Championship (Boston version)]], which he held for several months.<ref>{{Cite web|title=AWA World Heavyweight Title (Boston)|url=https://www.wrestling-titles.com/us/newengland/awa/ma-awa-h.html|access-date=2021-07-02|website=www.wrestling-titles.com|archive-date=2019-03-16|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190316231520/http://www.wrestling-titles.com/us/newengland/awa/ma-awa-h.html|url-status=live}}</ref>

During this reign, he was beaten by the [[National Wrestling Alliance]] World Champion [[Lou Thesz]] in a highly publicized bout in [[Chicago]].<ref>{{Cite web|date=2017-09-28|title=Lou Thesz vs. Gorgeous George|url=https://www.eatsleepwrestle.com/?p=1859|access-date=2021-07-02|website=Eat Sleep Wrestle|language=en-US|archive-date=2021-07-09|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210709182735/https://www.eatsleepwrestle.com/?p=1859|url-status=live}}</ref> Gorgeous George's perhaps most famous match was against his longtime rival [[Whipper Billy Watson]] on March 12, 1959,<ref>{{Cite web|date=1900-12-04|title=Whipper Billy Watson Career Record|url=https://slamwrestling.net/index.php/1900/12/04/whipper-billy-watson-career-record/|access-date=2021-07-02|website=Slam Wrestling|language=en-US|archive-date=2021-07-09|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210709185632/https://slamwrestling.net/index.php/1900/12/04/whipper-billy-watson-career-record/|url-status=live}}</ref> in which a beaten George had his treasured golden locks [[Professional wrestling match types#hair match|shaved]] bald before 20,000 fans at [[Toronto]]'s [[Maple Leaf Gardens]] and millions more who watched the match on [[CBC Television]].<ref>{{Cite web|last=Von Slagle|first=Stephen|date=2020-02-08|title=Whipper Watson|url=https://historyofwrestling.com/whipper-watson/|access-date=2021-07-02|website=History of Wrestling|language=en-US|archive-date=2021-07-09|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210709182633/https://historyofwrestling.com/whipper-watson/|url-status=live}}</ref>

In one of his final matches, Gorgeous George later faced off against, and lost to, an up-and-coming [[Bruno Sammartino]].<ref>{{Cite web|title=Timeline: History of the WWF 1963–1969 with Bruno Sammartino The Wrestling Revolution|url=http://www.thewrestlingrevolution.com/review.php?id=3128|access-date=2021-07-02|website=The Wrestling Revolution|language=en|archive-date=2021-07-09|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210709182407/http://www.thewrestlingrevolution.com/review.php?id=3128|url-status=live}}</ref> He lost his precious hair again, when he was defeated by [[Dick Beyer|the Destroyer]] in a [[Professional wrestling match types#Luchas de apuestas|hair vs. mask match]] at the [[Grand Olympic Auditorium|Olympic Auditorium]] on November 7, 1962.<ref name="Greer"/> This was his final match, as he was nearly 50 years old and suffering from the effects of alcoholism.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Long|first=Mark|title=Gorgeous George Has Head Shaved By Destroyer|url=https://historyofwrestling.com/timeline/gorgeous-george-has-head-shaved-by-destroyer/|access-date=2021-07-02|website=History of Wrestling|date=23 January 2020|language=en-US|archive-date=2021-07-09|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210709182448/https://historyofwrestling.com/timeline/gorgeous-george-has-head-shaved-by-destroyer/|url-status=live}}</ref> Gorgeous George appeared in one motion picture, ''[[Alias the Champ]]'', made in 1949, which featured wrestler [[Tor Johnson]].<ref>{{Cite web|title=Alias the Champ (1949)|url=https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0041108/|access-date=2021-07-02|website=IMDb|language=en-US|archive-date=2021-05-10|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210510130930/https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0041108/|url-status=live}}</ref>

==Retirement and death==
[[File:Gorgeous George.jpg|thumb|upright=1.3|Gorgeous George and wife Betty, 1950]]
As his wrestling career wound down, Wagner invested {{USD|250,000}} in a {{convert|195|acre|km2|adj=on}} turkey ranch built in [[Beaumont, California]]. He used his showman skills to promote his prized poultry at his wrestling matches and sport shows.<ref>{{Cite web|date=2016-09-04|title=Back in the Day: Wrestler 'Gorgeous George' had Inland turkey ranch|url=https://www.pe.com/articles/george-811926-gorgeous-turkeys.html|access-date=2021-07-02|website=Press Enterprise|language=en-US|archive-date=2016-10-16|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161016185743/http://www.pe.com/articles/george-811926-gorgeous-turkeys.html|url-status=live}}</ref> He raised [[Domesticated turkey|turkeys]] and owned a cocktail lounge in [[Van Nuys|Van Nuys, California]], which he named "Gorgeous George's Ringside Restaurant".<ref>{{Cite web|date=1997-12-14|title=A Gorgeous Era in Wrestling|url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1997-dec-14-me-64027-story.html|access-date=2021-07-02|website=Los Angeles Times|language=en-US|archive-date=2021-07-09|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210709182611/https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1997-dec-14-me-64027-story.html|url-status=live}}</ref>

Wagner was diagnosed with [[Cirrhosis|liver cirrhosis]] in 1962 and his doctors instructed him to retire from wrestling.<ref name="Langford">{{Cite web|last=Langford|first=Mike|date=2019-10-31|title=Pomp And Circumstance: The Brilliance Of Gorgeous George|url=https://illegalforeignobject.com/2019/10/31/pomp-and-circumstance-the-brilliance-of-gorgeous-george/|access-date=2021-07-02|website=Illegal Foreign Object|language=en|archive-date=2021-07-09|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210709183554/https://illegalforeignobject.com/2019/10/31/pomp-and-circumstance-the-brilliance-of-gorgeous-george/|url-status=live}}</ref> This, combined with financial troubles that stemmed from a recent divorce, worsened his health. He suffered a heart attack on December 24, 1963, and died two days later, at age 48.<ref name="Langford"/> A plaque at his gravesite reads "Love to our Daddy Gorgeous George".<ref>{{Cite web|title=George Raymond "Gorgeous George" Wagner...|url=https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/5068/george-raymond-wagner|access-date=2021-07-02|website=www.findagrave.com|language=en|archive-date=2019-01-18|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190118121405/http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr|url-status=live}}</ref>

==Legacy==
[[File:Gorgeous George robe.jpg|thumb|George pictured in 1954]]
[[Muhammad Ali]] and [[James Brown]]<ref>{{Cite web |last=McLeod |first=Kembrew |date=2011-12-15 |title=Elements of Style: How a Gender-Bending Wrestler Changed Pop Culture |url=https://littlevillagemag.com/elements-of-style-how-a-gender-bending-wrestler-changed-pop-culture/ |access-date=2025-10-22 |website=Little Village |language=en-US}}</ref> acknowledged that their own approach to flamboyant self-promotion was influenced by George. This was referenced in the 2021 movie ''[[One Night in Miami...]]''. A 19-year-old Ali met a 46-year-old George at a Las Vegas radio station. During George's radio interview, the wrestler's promo caught the attention of the future heavyweight champion. If George lost to [[Freddie Blassie|Classy Freddie Blassie]], George exclaimed, "I'll crawl across the ring and cut my hair off! But that's not gonna happen because I'm the greatest wrestler in the world!"<ref>{{Cite web|title=Muhammad Ali's Life in Poetry, Activism, and Trash Talk|url=https://nymag.com/intelligencer/2016/06/muhammad-alis-poetry-activism-and-trash-talk.html|access-date=2021-07-02|website=Intelligencer|date=4 June 2016|language=en-us|archive-date=2021-07-09|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210709183225/https://nymag.com/intelligencer/2016/06/muhammad-alis-poetry-activism-and-trash-talk.html|url-status=live}}</ref>

Ali, who later echoed that very promo when taunting his opponent [[Sonny Liston]], recalled, "I saw 15,000 people comin' to see this man get beat. And his talking did it. I said, 'This is a gooood idea!'"<ref>{{Cite book|last=McLeod|first=Kembrew|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=_wzUAgAAQBAJ&q=I+saw+15,000+people+coming'+to+see+this+man+get+beat.+And+his+talking+did+it.+I+said,+'This+is+a+good+idea!'&pg=PT200|title=Pranksters: Making Mischief in the Modern World|date=2014|publisher=NYU Press|isbn=978-0-8147-9630-6|language=en}}</ref> In the locker room afterward, the seasoned wrestler gave the future legend some invaluable advice: "A lot of people will pay to see someone shut your mouth. So keep on bragging, keep on sassing and always be outrageous."<ref name="SI">{{cite web|url=http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/article/magazine/MAG1114630/index.htm |title=King Strut |author=John Capouya |publisher=[[Sports Illustrated]] |access-date=2008-05-04 |date=December 12, 2005 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110603232105/http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/article/magazine/MAG1114630/index.htm |archive-date=June 3, 2011 }}</ref>

In 2002, he was inducted into the inaugural class of the Pro Wrestling Hall of Fame (PWHF.org) by a committee of his peers. On March 27, he was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame class of 2010. His 97-year-old former wife, Betty Wagner, accepted the honor on his behalf, answering questions and telling the story of how he became Gorgeous George.<ref>{{Cite web|title=411MANIA|url=http://411mania.com/wrestling/411-wrestling-hall-of-fame-class-of-2012-gorgeous-george/|access-date=2021-07-02|website=411 Wrestling Hall of Fame Class of 2012: Gorgeous George|language=en-US|archive-date=2021-08-02|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210802162853/https://411mania.com/wrestling/411-wrestling-hall-of-fame-class-of-2012-gorgeous-george/|url-status=live}}</ref>

In September 2008, the first full-length biography of Gorgeous George was published by HarperEntertainment Press. The title of the 304 page book is ''Gorgeous George: The Outrageous Bad Boy Wrestler who Created American Pop Culture'' by [[John Capouya]]. In the 2005 book ''I Feel Good: A Memoir in a Life of Soul'', [[James Brown]] said he used many of Gorgeous George's antics to "create the James Brown you see on stage".<ref name="SI"/><ref name="GarnerReview">{{cite news |last1=Garner |first1=Dwight |title=Perfumed, Coiffed and Grappling With Demons (book review) |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/19/books/19book.html |access-date=23 May 2019 |work=The New York Times |date=18 September 2008 |archive-date=5 January 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180105234552/http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/19/books/19book.html |url-status=live }}</ref>

[[Bob Dylan]] said meeting George changed his life. In Dylan's book ''Chronicles: Volume One'', Dylan recounts a story of meeting Gorgeous George in person. He wrote, "He winked and seemed to mouth the phrase, 'You're making it [the music] come alive.' I never forgot it. It was all the recognition and encouragement I would need for years."<ref name="SI"/><ref name="dylan">{{cite web|url=https://www.cbsnews.com/news/bob-dylan-tells-all-almost/|title=Bob Dylan Tells All (Almost)|agency=Associated Press|publisher=CBS.com|access-date=2008-05-04|date=2004-10-05|archive-date=2008-05-21|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080521085122/http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2004/10/05/entertainment/main647383.shtml|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|last=Dylan|first=Bob|title=Chronicles: Volume One|date=2004|location=New York|publisher=Simon & Schuster|isbn=9780743228152|oclc=56634799}}</ref>

The 1951 [[Warner Brothers]] ''[[Merrie Melodies]]'' [[cartoon]] ''[[Bunny Hugged]]'' featured the one-shot character "Ravishing Ronald", modeled after Gorgeous George. [[The Bowery Boys]] also lampooned Gorgeous George (with [[Huntz Hall]] as a much-heralded wrestler) in the 1952 feature ''[[No Holds Barred (1952 film)|No Holds Barred]]''. Musical performers such as [[Liberace]], [[Little Richard]], [[Elton John]], [[Prince (musician)|Prince]] and [[Morris Day]] show signs of the George [[meme]].

His theme tune "Pomp and Circumstance" was later also used as a theme tune by [[Randy Savage]] in the WWF 1985–1994 (a classical arrangement) and WCW 1994–1997 (a rock  guitar arrangement).<ref>{{Cite web|last=Grimes|first=A. C.|date=2019-03-22|title=The Untold Truth Of 'Macho Man' Randy Savage|url=https://www.grunge.com/148495/the-untold-truth-of-macho-man-randy-savage/|access-date=2021-07-02|website=Grunge.com|language=en-US|archive-date=2021-07-09|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210709183245/https://www.grunge.com/148495/the-untold-truth-of-macho-man-randy-savage/|url-status=live}}</ref>

Others in professional wrestling who have used the name "Gorgeous George" include [[Stephanie Bellars]],<ref name=oww>{{cite web|url=http://www.onlineworldofwrestling.com/profiles/g/gorgeous-george-fem.html|title=Gorgeous George profile|access-date=2009-11-07|publisher=Online World of Wrestling|archive-date=2009-11-25|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091125235452/http://www.onlineworldofwrestling.com/profiles/g/gorgeous-george-fem.html|url-status=live}}</ref> [[Gorgeous George III]]<ref name=oww3>{{cite web|url=http://www.onlineworldofwrestling.com/profiles/s/stro.html|title=Robert Kellum|publisher=Online World of Wrestling|access-date=2009-09-01|archive-date=2009-09-07|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090907214921/http://www.onlineworldofwrestling.com/profiles/s/stro.html|url-status=live}}</ref> and George Gillette, manager of [[Peter Thornley|Kendo Nagasaki]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/observer/osm/story/0,6903,562562,00.html|title=Who is that masked man? – Sport – The Observer|website=www.theguardian.com|access-date=8 December 2018|archive-date=22 July 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210722093949/https://www.theguardian.com/observer/osm/story/0,6903,562562,00.html|url-status=live}}</ref>

The 1978 motion picture ''[[The One and Only (1978 film)|The One and Only]]'' starring [[Henry Winkler]] was loosely based on his career.

Rick "Lick" Joe, the [[Oklahoma]] based wrestler from the 1989 video game ''[[Violence Fight]]'', has some styling cues resembling Gorgeous George, though with the "gorgeous" factor taken away.

In the 2000 movie ''[[Snatch (film)|Snatch]]'', [[Adam Fogerty]] plays a bare fist fighter named Gorgeous George.

The film ''[[Queen of the Ring (film)|Queen of the Ring]]'' depicts Gorgeous George played by [[Adam Demos]].

==Personal life==
Wagner was married twice, first to Betty Hanson (1913–2011),<ref>{{Cite web|title=Betty George, first wife of WWE Hall of Famer Gorgeous George, passes away|url=https://www.wwe.com/inside/bettygeorgepasses|access-date=2021-07-02|website=WWE|language=en|archive-date=2021-07-09|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210709182316/https://www.wwe.com/inside/bettygeorgepasses|url-status=live}}</ref> whom he married in 1939 in [[Eugene, Oregon]] inside a wrestling ring.<ref name="SI"/> They adopted two children. In 1951, after divorcing Betty, he married Cherie Dupré (1927–2000). By this marriage, he had one biological son, Gary George. Cheri filed for divorce from George in April 1962.<ref>{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=H-6DoPuiRkEC&q=gorgeous+george+1962+divorce&pg=PA27|title=The Pro Wrestling Hall of Fame: The Heels|last1=Oliver|first1=Greg|last2=Johnson|first2=Steven|publisher=ECW Press|year=2007|isbn=978-1550227598|location=Toronto|page=27|via=Google Books}}</ref>

Wagner's grandnephew [[Robert Kellum]], best known as "The Maestro" in [[World Championship Wrestling]], also wrestled as "Gorgeous George III" in the [[United States Wrestling Association]].<ref name="Hannibal">{{cite web |last1=Nicholson |first1=Devon |title=Former WCW Superstar The Maestro LIVE Career Interview |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3D3mWOx341Q  |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211212/3D3mWOx341Q| archive-date=2021-12-12 |url-status=live|website=Hannibal TV Podcast |date=January 6, 2021 |access-date=7 January 2021}}{{cbignore}}</ref>

==Championships and accomplishments==
[[File:Gorgeous George poster.jpg|thumb|upright|A Jacksonville, Florida poster advertises George]]
* '''[[American Wrestling Association (Boston)]]'''
** [[AWA World Heavyweight Championship (Boston version)|AWA World Heavyweight Championship]] (1 time)<ref name=F4W0526>{{cite web | url=http://www.f4wonline.com/other-wrestling/day-pro-wrestling-history-may-26-dick-bruiser-crusher-beat-larry-hennig-harley-race | title=On this day in pro wrestling history (May 26): Dick the Bruiser & Crusher beat Larry Hennig & Harley Race in a nine fall death match, Tiger Mask wins WWF Jr. Heavyweight gold | date=May 26, 2015 | access-date=February 11, 2017 | publisher=Wrestling Observer Figure Four Online | archive-date=October 30, 2017 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171030170310/http://www.f4wonline.com/other-wrestling/day-pro-wrestling-history-may-26-dick-bruiser-crusher-beat-larry-hennig-harley-race | url-status=live }}</ref>
* '''[[Continental Championship Wrestling|Gulf Coast Championship Wrestling]]'''
** [[NWA Gulf Coast Heavyweight Championship]] ([[NWA Gulf Coast Heavyweight Championship#Title history|1 time]])
* '''[[International Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame]]'''
** [[International Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame#Members|Class of 2023]]<ref>{{cite web|url=https://slamwrestling.net/index.php/2023/03/16/ipwhf-class-of-2023-both-great-and-gorgeous/|title=IPWHF Class of 2023 both 'Great' and 'Gorgeous'|work=Slam Wrestling|first=Greg|last=Oliver|date=March 16, 2023|accessdate=December 5, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230507112606/https://slamwrestling.net/index.php/2023/03/16/ipwhf-class-of-2023-both-great-and-gorgeous/|archive-date=May 7, 2023|url-status=live}}</ref>
* '''[[Georgia Championship Wrestling|Mid-South Sports]]'''
** [[NWA Southern Heavyweight Championship (Georgia version)|NWA Southern Heavyweight Championship ''(Georgia version)'']] ([[NWA Southern Heavyweight Championship (Georgia version)#Title history|1 time]])
* '''[[Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame and Museum|Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame]]'''
** Charter member inducted in 2002
* '''[[Stampede Wrestling]]'''
** [[Stampede Wrestling#Hall of Fame|Stampede Wrestling Hall of Fame]] (Class of 1995)<ref>{{Cite episode |title=Stampede Wrestling Hall of Fame: 1948-1990 |series=Showdown at the Corral: A Tribute to Stu Hart |series-link=Stu Hart 50th Anniversary Show |first=Ed (host) |last=Whalen |network=[[Shaw Communications|Shaw Cable]] |station=[[CICT-DT|Calgary 7]] |date=December 15, 1995 |time=15:38}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.wrestling-titles.com/canada/ab/hof.html |title=Stampede Wrestling Hall of Fame (1948–1990) |year=2003 |publisher=Puroresu Dojo |access-date=2016-02-14 |archive-date=2012-03-24 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120324061517/http://www.wrestling-titles.com/canada/ab/stampede/hof.html |url-status=live }}</ref>
* '''[[WWE|World Wrestling Entertainment]]'''
** [[WWE Hall of Fame]] ([[WWE Hall of Fame#Specialty inductees|Class of 2010]])<ref name="gorgeous">{{cite web|url=http://www.wwe.com/inside/news/gorgeoushof|title=Gorgeous George enters Hall of Fame|publisher=[[WWE|World Wrestling Entertainment]]|date=2010-03-15|access-date=2010-03-15|archive-date=2012-10-26|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121026005816/http://www.wwe.com/inside/news/gorgeoushof|url-status=live}}</ref>
* '''''[[Dave Meltzer#Wrestling Observer Newsletter|Wrestling Observer Newsletter]]'''''
** [[Wrestling Observer Newsletter Hall of Fame]] ([[Wrestling Observer Newsletter Hall of Fame#Inductees|Class of 1996]])
* '''Other titles'''
** [[Pacific Coast Light Heavyweight Championship]] (2 times)
** Pacific Northwest Middleweight Championship (1 time)
** [[World Heavyweight Championship (Pacific Northwest)|World Heavyweight Championship (Los Angeles version)]] (1 time)
** [[Nebraska Pro Wrestling Hall of Fame]] (Class of 2020)

===''Luchas de Apuestas'' record===
{{See also|Lucha Libre#Luchas de Apuestas|l1=Luchas de Apuestas}}
{|class="wikitable sortable" width=100% style="text-align: center"
! scope="col"|Winner (wager)
! scope="col"|Loser (wager)
! scope="col"|Location
! scope="col"|Event
! scope="col"|Date
!class="unsortable" scope="col"|Notes
|-
|Whipper Billy Watson (career) || Gorgeous George (hair) || Toronto, Ontario || Live Event || {{dts|1959|3|12}} ||
|-
|The Destroyer (mask) || Gorgeous George (hair) || Los Angeles, California || Live Event || {{dts|1962|11|7}} || Gorgeous George's final match.
|}

==See also==
{{Portal|Biography}}
* [[List of premature professional wrestling deaths]]

==Notes==
{{Cnote2 Begin|liststyle=upper-alpha|colwidth=40em}}
{{Cnote2|A|Originally a slogan of [[Arrid]] deodorant in the 1940s and 1950s: "Why be half-safe? Use Arrid to be sure."<ref>{{cite book |last1=Studwell |first1=William Emmett |last2=Cooper |first2=B. Lee |last3=Hoffmann |first3=Frank |title=The National and Religious Song Reader: Patriotic, Traditional, and Sacred Songs from Around the World |series=Haworth Popular Culture |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=jMQcncuUp8kC&pg=PA78 |access-date=December 9, 2020 |year=1996 |publisher=Routledge |isbn=978-0789000996 |page=78}}</ref>}}
{{Cnote2 End}}

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
* [http://www.houseofdeception.com/Gorgeous_George.html House of Deception] many photos of Gorgeous George
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20050314041123/http://www.wrestlingmuseum.com/pages/bios/halloffame/georgebio.html Wrestling Museum Hall of Fame]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20050216104106/http://nsea.org/news/GWagnerProfile.htm Nebraska State Education]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20050322092751/http://1wrestlinglegends.com/finishes/george/ Wrestling legends] – discusses origin of gimmick
* {{Find a Grave|grid=5068|name=Gorgeous George}}
* {{Professional wrestling profiles}}

{{WWE Hall of Fame}}
{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:George, Gorgeous}}
[[Category:1915 births]]
[[Category:1963 deaths]]
[[Category:20th-century American male actors]]
[[Category:20th-century American professional wrestlers]]
[[Category:20th-century male professional wrestlers]]
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[[Category:American people of German descent]]
[[Category:Burials at Valhalla Memorial Park Cemetery]]
[[Category:LGBTQ characters in professional wrestling]]
[[Category:People from Beaumont, California]]
[[Category:People from Boyd County, Nebraska]]
[[Category:People from Seward County, Nebraska]]
[[Category:Professional wrestlers from California]]
[[Category:Professional wrestlers from Houston]]
[[Category:Professional wrestlers from Nebraska]]
[[Category:Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame and Museum]]
[[Category:Stampede Wrestling alumni]]
[[Category:WWE Hall of Fame inductees]]