Adrian Street
Encyclopedia
Adrian Street is a Welsh
professional wrestler known for his flamboyant, androgynous wrestling persona, brought to prominence in the 1970s and 1980s. Street was often accompanied to the ring by his long-time manager
Miss Linda, and the two worked primarily as villains
. After retiring from full-time in-ring work, Street ran the Skull Krushers wrestling school and went into business designing professional wrestling gear. .
in Brecknockshire
, Street's family was in the coal mining business - his father was a miner for 51 years. In his teenage years, he began bodybuilding. He left home at age 16 and began his professional wrestling career in 1957. His early inspirations were American wrestlers Lou Thesz
, Buddy Rogers
and Don Leo Jonathan
(from whom Street adopted his first moniker, Kid Tarzan Jonathan).
Later in his career, he developed his "Exotic" Adrian Street gimmick, a flamboyantly gay character. His wrestling costume generally involved pastels and glitter face make up and clipping his bleached hair into mini-pigtails. As "The Exotic One" his signature move in the ring was to kiss opponents to escape being pinned down and to put make up on his opponents when they were disabled. He was managed by Miss Linda, a bodybuilder who would frequently participate as an accomplice to Street's in-ring shenanigans. He worked primarily as a heel
and traveled all over the world.
He formed a tag partership with fellow 'bad boy' Bobby Barnes called the Hells Angels.
In 2005, he appeared at WrestleReunion
in a battle royal
for the IWA Heavyweight Championship, which was won by Greg Valentine
.
in the film Quest for Fire
. He also appeared in Grunt: The Wrestling Movie, as well as appearing in the opening scenes of Pasolini's 1972 film The Canterbury Tales
as a wrestler.
. Don Leo Jonathan
was his best man at the wedding.
He survived a bout with cancer.
Street and his wife sell professional wrestling gear and other sundries via their website. He created the ring gear worn by Mick Foley
as Dude Love during his feud with Stone Cold Steve Austin
. He also ran the Skull Krushers wrestling school until it was permanently closed due to damages suffered to the ring and apartments by Hurricane Ivan
.
Wales
Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
professional wrestler known for his flamboyant, androgynous wrestling persona, brought to prominence in the 1970s and 1980s. Street was often accompanied to the ring by his long-time manager
Manager (professional wrestling)
In professional wrestling, a manager is a secondary character paired with a wrestler for a variety of reasons. The manager is often either a non-wrestler, an occasional wrestler, an older wrestler who has retired or is nearing retirement or, in some cases, a new wrestler who is breaking into the...
Miss Linda, and the two worked primarily as villains
Heel (professional wrestling)
In professional wrestling, a heel is a villain character. In non-wrestling jargon, heels are the "bad guys" in professional wrestling; the term heel coming from the term take to you heels, which means to run away which heel champions tend to do to avoid losing their titles.storylines...
. After retiring from full-time in-ring work, Street ran the Skull Krushers wrestling school and went into business designing professional wrestling gear. .
Early life
Born in BrynmawrBrynmawr
Brynmawr is a market town in Blaenau Gwent, south Wales. The town, sometimes cited as the highest town in Wales, is situated at 1,250 to 1,500 feet above sea level and nestled at the head of the South Wales Valleys...
in Brecknockshire
Brecknockshire
Brecknockshire , also known as the County of Brecknock, Breconshire, or the County of Brecon is one of thirteen historic counties of Wales, and a former administrative county.-Geography:...
, Street's family was in the coal mining business - his father was a miner for 51 years. In his teenage years, he began bodybuilding. He left home at age 16 and began his professional wrestling career in 1957. His early inspirations were American wrestlers Lou Thesz
Lou Thesz
Aloysius Martin "Lou" Thesz was a United States professional wrestler and 18-time world heavyweight champion, most notably holding the NWA World Heavyweight Championship three times. Combined, he held the NWA Championship for 10 years, three months and nine days , longer than anyone else in history...
, Buddy Rogers
Buddy Rogers
Buddy Rogers may refer to:*Charles Rogers , aka "Buddy" Rogers, American actor and jazz musician*Buddy Rogers , aka "Nature Boy", stage name of wrestler Herman Rohde...
and Don Leo Jonathan
Don Leo Jonathan
Don Heaton , also known as Don Leo Jonathan, is an American former professional wrestler.-Professional wrestling career:...
(from whom Street adopted his first moniker, Kid Tarzan Jonathan).
Professional wrestling career
Street was trained as a professional wrestler by Chic Osmond. His first professional wrestling match was on August 8, 1957. Using the name Kid Tarzan Jonathan, Street defeated Geoff Moran.Later in his career, he developed his "Exotic" Adrian Street gimmick, a flamboyantly gay character. His wrestling costume generally involved pastels and glitter face make up and clipping his bleached hair into mini-pigtails. As "The Exotic One" his signature move in the ring was to kiss opponents to escape being pinned down and to put make up on his opponents when they were disabled. He was managed by Miss Linda, a bodybuilder who would frequently participate as an accomplice to Street's in-ring shenanigans. He worked primarily as a heel
Heel (professional wrestling)
In professional wrestling, a heel is a villain character. In non-wrestling jargon, heels are the "bad guys" in professional wrestling; the term heel coming from the term take to you heels, which means to run away which heel champions tend to do to avoid losing their titles.storylines...
and traveled all over the world.
He formed a tag partership with fellow 'bad boy' Bobby Barnes called the Hells Angels.
In 2005, he appeared at WrestleReunion
WrestleReunion
WrestleReunion is the premier professional wrestling and fan convention, founded by Sal Corrente in 2005.-WrestleReunion 1:...
in a battle royal
Battle royal (professional wrestling)
In professional wrestling, a battle royal is a multi-competitor match type in which wrestlers are eliminated until one is left and declared winner...
for the IWA Heavyweight Championship, which was won by Greg Valentine
Greg Valentine
John Wisniski, Jr. is an American professional wrestler, better known as Greg "The Hammer" Valentine. He is the son of wrestler Johnny Valentine.-Training:...
.
Other media
Street starred alongside Ron PerlmanRon Perlman
Ronald N. "Ron" Perlman is an American television, film and voice over actor. He is known for having played Vincent in the TV series Beauty and the Beast , a Deathstroke figure known as Slade in the animated series Teen Titans, Clarence "Clay" Morrow in Sons of Anarchy, the comic book character...
in the film Quest for Fire
Quest for Fire (film)
Quest for Fire is a 1981 film adaptation of the 1911 Belgian novel by J.-H. Rosny aîné . Directed by Jean-Jacques Annaud and adapted by Gérard Brach, the film stars Everett McGill, Ron Perlman, Nameer El-Kadi, and Rae Dawn Chong. It won the Academy Award for Makeup. Michael D...
. He also appeared in Grunt: The Wrestling Movie, as well as appearing in the opening scenes of Pasolini's 1972 film The Canterbury Tales
The Canterbury Tales (film)
The Canterbury Tales is a 1972 Italian film directed by Pier Paolo Pasolini and based on the medieval narrative poem The Canterbury Tales by Geoffrey Chaucer. It is the second film in Pasolini's 'Trilogy of Life'...
as a wrestler.
Personal life
In 2005, Street proposed to long-time manager Miss Linda at a reunion of the Cauliflower Alley ClubCauliflower Alley Club
The Cauliflower Alley Club is a non-profit fraternal organization, which includes a newsletter and website, comprising both retired and active professional wrestlers and boxers in North America....
. Don Leo Jonathan
Don Leo Jonathan
Don Heaton , also known as Don Leo Jonathan, is an American former professional wrestler.-Professional wrestling career:...
was his best man at the wedding.
He survived a bout with cancer.
Street and his wife sell professional wrestling gear and other sundries via their website. He created the ring gear worn by Mick Foley
Mick Foley
Michael Francis "Mick" Foley, Sr. is an American semi-retired professional wrestler, author, comedian, actor, voice actor and former color commentator. He has worked for many wrestling promotions, including WWE, WCW, ECW and TNA. He is often referred to as "The Hardcore Legend", a nickname he...
as Dude Love during his feud with Stone Cold Steve Austin
Stone Cold Steve Austin
Steve Austin , better known by his ring name "Stone Cold" Steve Austin, is an American film and television actor and retired professional wrestler...
. He also ran the Skull Krushers wrestling school until it was permanently closed due to damages suffered to the ring and apartments by Hurricane Ivan
Hurricane Ivan
Hurricane Ivan was a large, long-lived, Cape Verde-type hurricane that caused widespread damage in the Caribbean and United States. The cyclone was the ninth named storm, the sixth hurricane and the fourth major hurricane of the active 2004 Atlantic hurricane season...
.
In wrestling
- Finishing moves
- Sleeper hold
- Splash
- ManagersManager (professional wrestling)In professional wrestling, a manager is a secondary character paired with a wrestler for a variety of reasons. The manager is often either a non-wrestler, an occasional wrestler, an older wrestler who has retired or is nearing retirement or, in some cases, a new wrestler who is breaking into the...
- Miss Linda
Championships and accomplishments
- All Star WrestlingAll Star WrestlingAll Star Wrestling is a British Professional wrestling promotion also known as All Star Promotions, Superslam Wrestling and Big Time Wrestling and originally known as Wrestling Enterprises , run by Brian Dixon and based in Liverpool, England...
- World Middleweight Championship (2 times)
- Cauliflower Alley ClubCauliflower Alley ClubThe Cauliflower Alley Club is a non-profit fraternal organization, which includes a newsletter and website, comprising both retired and active professional wrestlers and boxers in North America....
- Gulf Coast/GAC Honoree Award (2005)
- Championship Wrestling from Florida
- NWA Florida Heavyweight ChampionshipNWA Florida Heavyweight ChampionshipThe NWA Florida Heavyweight Championship was a major title in Championship Wrestling from Florida, USA and is now the major title in NWA Florida. It started in 1937 and was abandoned in 1949. It was picked back up in 1966 by CWF and lasted until 1987 when the company was purchased by Jim Crockett...
(1 time)
- NWA Florida Heavyweight Championship
- NWA Hollywood Wrestling
- NWA Americas Heavyweight ChampionshipNWA Americas Heavyweight ChampionshipThe NWA Americas Heavyweight Championship was the top singles championship in the National Wrestling Alliance's Los Angeles territory, known officially as NWA Hollywood Wrestling, from 1968 until the promotion closed in 1982. The title was first established in 1967 as a secondary championship in...
(1 time) - NWA Americas Tag Team ChampionshipNWA Americas Tag Team ChampionshipThe NWA Americas Tag Team Championship was a professional wrestling tag team title in the National Wrestling Alliance's NWA Hollywood Wrestling based out of Los Angeles, California....
(2 times) - with Timothy Flowers
- NWA Americas Heavyweight Championship
- NWA Wrestle Birmingham
- NWA Wrestle Birmingham Heavyweight Championship (1 time, current)
- Pro Wrestling IllustratedPro Wrestling IllustratedPro Wrestling Illustrated is a professional wrestling magazine. PWI is currently based in Blue Bell, Pennsylvania and published by Kappa Publishing Group.-History:The first issue of Pro Wrestling Illustrated was released in 1979...
- PWI ranked him # 171 of the 500 best singles wrestlers in the PWI 500Pro Wrestling IllustratedPro Wrestling Illustrated is a professional wrestling magazine. PWI is currently based in Blue Bell, Pennsylvania and published by Kappa Publishing Group.-History:The first issue of Pro Wrestling Illustrated was released in 1979...
in 1992
- PWI ranked him # 171 of the 500 best singles wrestlers in the PWI 500
- Mid-South Wrestling Association
- Mid-South Television Championship (1 time)
- Southeastern Championship WrestlingContinental Championship WrestlingContinental Championship Wrestling was a professional wrestling promotion based out of Knoxville, Tennessee from 1974 until 1988 and Dothan, Alabama from 1978 to 1990, managed by Ron Fuller. When Fuller sold the promotion to David Woods, it changed name to the Continental Wrestling Federation...
- NWA Southeastern Heavyweight Championship (Northern Division) (4 times)
- Southwest Championship WrestlingSouthwest Championship WrestlingSouthwest Championship Wrestling was a professional wrestling promotion that was owned by Joseph Blanchard and based in San Antonio, Texas, from 1978 to 1985, when it was purchased by Texas All-Star Wrestling and absorbed into that company.-Venues:...
- SCW Southwest Junior Heavyweight ChampionshipSCW Southwest Junior Heavyweight ChampionshipThe SWCW Southwest Junior Heavyweight Championship was a secondary title in Southwest Championship Wrestling, challenged for by lighter weight wrestlers. It lasted from 1981 until 1985, when it was abandoned after SWCW was sold to Texas All-Star Wrestling....
(1 time)
- SCW Southwest Junior Heavyweight Championship
- Wrestling Observer Newsletter awards
- Best Gimmick (1986)
External links
- Official website
- Adrian Street at Online World of Wrestling