Rise of a Star

Old School Fan · February 7, 2022

I enjoy that you’re doing an old school diary. I love seeing wrestling from this period. Focusing on Renne while saying the basic results for the other matches and gives a general view of what’s going on within in the company is a unique path to take in a diary. The article you made about a Blassie & Martel was also awesome! I by gawd love those types of articles. Got a few St. Louis wrestling programs that I love to read. The wrestling was treated seriously and made sense. I assume you use photoshop to make those posters, as someone who’s never used photoshop before but always wanted to make posters like that any recommendations for which photoshop to get or getting started using it?

Thanks, glad you like how the events and the posters and arena programs turned out. The Photoshop version I've been using to make my posters and programs is Photoshop Elements 15, but you can use whichever version of Photoshop that works for you.

Old School Fan · February 7, 2022

Renée Martel had had a busy day that Saturday, the day before her 19th birthday, doing autograph sessions at two of the local TV stations in Montreal. She did her first session at the studios of CFTM-TV (the city's independent French-language station where Johnny Rougeau's French wrestling program for All-Star Wrestling, Sur le Matelas, aired on Saturday afternoons), where she was met by young Francophone fans seeking her autograph after becoming fans of hers through either seeing her on TV or live in person at the matches at either the Paul Sauvé Arena for the regular shows or the larger Forum for the supercard events. After wrapping up her session at CFTM, she then went to the studios of English-language station and CTV affiliate CFCF-TV (which aired Sur le Matelas' sister English program Superstars of the Mat on Saturdays at lunch hour) for her next autograph session, which ended up drawing a larger and enthusiastic crowd of primarily English-speakers along with some Francophones; thanks to the larger crowd size, that session ended up lasting over half an hour past its planned 3:30 wrap-up time, as Renée made sure that no fan who came to the session left without an autograph.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

After the last autograph session ended, Renée went over to Morgan's Department Store downtown, where she knew Michèle Richard was working that day due to her on-call status when she was not wrestling. After saying hello and talking briefly with Michèle, Renée went "window-shopping" around the store for a while before finding a dress she liked, on sale for $12*, and decided to buy it. After the store closed for the day at 6:00, she and Michèle then went back to the latter's apartment and phoned in a Chinese takeout order for dinner.

"So, how's your writer's cramp holding up?" Michèle asked jokingly as she dug into some of the chop suey on her plate and speared a piece of broccoli.

"Huh?" a puzzled Renée asked as she was about to lift a forkful of chow mein.

"Your writer's cramp," Michèle pointed out again. "You must've been kept very busy signing autographs all afternoon at those meet-and-greets."

"Oh, that," Renée said with a slight giggle. "It was no big deal, really. Had a lot of fun meeting the kids who came out for autographs, I even got to pose with some of them for photographs."

"Well, that's alright," Michèle said. "That's a sign that you're starting to get more popular."

"True," Renée admitted. "It's opposite from what you deal with while wrestling as a villain - they don't get asked much for autographs anyway and I guess that's how it is with you, right?"

"Funny that you mention it," Michèle said. "After I parked my car close to work this morning and headed to Morgan's, I got recognized by a couple of boys who saw me at the matches a few times. I thought I was going to get hassled, but instead they asked me for my autograph. I won't lie and say I wasn't shocked because I was, getting asked for an autograph when I don't usually get asked."

"So, did you?" Renée asked before eating a bite of sweet-and-sour chicken.

"When they asked, I thought, 'Okay, why not?'" Michèle said. "They both looked about high school age and I figured it's just the odd fan or two who probably root for the 'bad girl' type anyway, so I went ahead and signed."

"You might want to be careful about that," Renée advised her friend. "You've got that 'bad girl' wrestling rep to maintain and I don't think you'd want to mess with that."

"Yeah, I know, kayfabe and all," Michèle said before putting another forkful of chow mein into her mouth. Just then, her apartment intercom began buzzing, so she swallowed her mouthful of food as she got up and walked over to answer the intercom, "Talk to me."

"It's Claire," the voice of Claire Lepage came over the intercom. "Is the birthday girl here yet?"

"She is, come on up," Michèle said before buzzing Claire into the apartment building and opening the front door for her.

"Uh, is there something you haven't told me yet?" a curious Renée wondered.

"Oh, did I forget to mention it?" Michèle said with a sly grin. "I called Claire, Julie and Barbara a couple of days ago and told them about your birthday tomorrow. Claire's here now and Julie's supposed to come soon. Barbara couldn't make it because she's busy back in Quebec City, but she sends her regards."

"Ah, so what do you have in mind, then?" Renée asked as she raised an eyebrow.

"You'll see soon enough," Michèle said.

Just then, Claire opened the front door the rest of the way as she arrived and came inside. "Hey, birthday girl!" the blonde girl said with a smile as she walked over and gave Renée a hug. "How's the day before your big day been?"

"Good so far," Renée said with a giggle. "Michèle told me about whatever it is she, you and Julie have planned, she just hasn't told me exactly what it is yet."

"Oh, well, until she does spring the surprise, I got something here for you," Claire then said as she took an envelope out from her purse and handed it to Renée, who opened it and took out a birthday card. Contained with the card was a booklet of movie theatre tickets which Claire had bought as a birthday gift for Renée while going out to a movie one night.

"It's a nice little gift, Claire, thanks," Renée said of the movie tickets, then she hugged Claire again. As the two girls were hugging, the intercom sounded again and Michèle went to answer it.

"It's Julie," Julie Painchaud's voice answered over the intercom.

"Come on up," Michèle said before she buzzed Julie in.

About a minute later, Julie arrived at the apartment and stepped through the front door. "Hey, how's the birthday girl doing?" the redhead greeted Renée as she walked over to give her a hug.

"It's been quite a day," a grinning Renée said.

"Well, just wait 'til later tonight," Julie said. "Meanwhile, I got something here for you," she added as she produced an envelope for Renée, who opened it and took out a birthday card - and inside it, also found a booklet of movie tickets.

Upon seeing the booklet, Renée started to giggle. "What's so funny?" Julie said, not getting the joke.

"I gotta ask, did you go to the movies the same night as Claire?" a still-laughing Renée asked.

"No, I never even... Oh, wait a minute," Julie said as her suspicions were raised. "Did Claire get you movie tickets too?"

"Guilty as charged," Claire said with an embarrassed giggle as Renée produced the other booklet of movie tickets, leading to all four girls starting to laugh over the coincidence.

"That's okay, Julie, it's the thought that counts," Renée said before giving Julie a hug as thanks for the tickets. Turning to Michèle, she then asked, "Alright, so what's the big surprise you have for me?"

"Well, I'm glad you asked," Michèle replied as she went to get her jacket and put on her shoes.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

So, what does Michèle have planned for Renée for her birthday? Stay tuned...

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

* When adjusted for inflation, $12 (in Canadian funds) in 1966 is equal to almost $98 as of 2021.

Old School Fan · February 12, 2022

While I continue working on the next chapter (on Renée's birthday eve night out), here's a YouTube clip:

Jerry Blackwell's face turn in the AWA (from St. Paul, MN, June 10, 1984 - features the post-match brawl pitting Bruiser Brody, Abdullah and Sheik Adnan vs. Dusty Rhodes, Curt Hennig and the Fabulous Ones)

Edited September 8, 2022 by Old School Fan
Major reformatting done due to bad auto-formatting

Captain Kremmen · February 12, 2022

HELL YEAH!

Fred's gonna tear Montreal apart...with his teeth! <img alt="" data-src="//content.invisioncic.com/g322608/emoticons/tongue.png.ceb643b2956793497cef30b0e944be28.png" src="<___base_url___>/applications/core/interface/js/spacer.png" />

This diary is really well written.

Serious question. How are you able to post pictures?

Old School Fan · February 14, 2022

HELL YEAH!

Fred's gonna tear Montreal apart...with his teeth!

This diary is really well written.

Serious question. How are you able to post pictures?

Check out some of the upcoming entries I have planned that'll feature "The Vampire" (AKA the "Hollywood Fashion Plate").

Here's the formatting I use for some of the pictures here, using the PostImage website for this example:

Old School Fan · February 14, 2022

Picking up where the previous chapter left off (with a song linked within the story to establish the setting and mood early in this post):

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

The birthday surprise Renée Martel got from Michèle Richard, Julie Painchaud and Claire Lepage was their taking her out for a night on the town as they went to go dancing at a downtown nightclub on St. Catherine Street. In their keeping of kayfabe, Michèle and Julie, being the heels, went to the club in Michèle's car, while babyfaces Renée and Claire took Renée's own car to get there, separately from the other girls. Once they went inside, they quickly hit the dance floor to groove to the latest rock songs playing over the club's sound system, both songs from local French-language rock bands and from American and British groups, after being asked to dance by some of the male patrons at the club.

After about twenty minutes, Renée and Claire were taking a break from the dance floor as they sat at a table close by while nursing soft drinks they had bought at the club's bar. "So, you enjoying yourself so far?" Claire asked as she and Renée tried not paying attention to the music.

"I didn't really think I would, but I am," Renée said with a grin. "It's been a good way to unwind from the autograph sessions I did earlier."

"Good," Claire said. "Too bad we don't do this more often."

"No, I couldn't do that," Renée said. "I wouldn't have the time for it, and even if my wrestling career did allow it, I don't think either my dad or Johnny would approve."

"I bet I know what Michèle would say to that," Claire said in response. "'Hey, what Johnny and your dad don't know ain't gonna hurt them,' that's what she'd say."

"I just know Michèle would," Renée remarked with a laugh.

A moment later, one of the male patrons of the nightclub walked up to Renée and Claire at their table. "Hi, would you like to dance?" the handsome stranger asked Renée.

"Yeah, sure," Renée said with a smile as she got up from her chair to follow the man onto the dance floor as

was playing on the sound system.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

After finishing up that dance, Renée and her new dance partner, who identified himself as Jean-Luc, went to another part of the club so they could talk. "Hey, you really know how to carve up the floor out there," Jean-Luc said as he complimented Renée's moves on the dance floor.

"Thanks, you did alright out there yourself," Renée replied.

"I couldn't quite hear what your name was with the music blaring earlier," Jean-Luc then said. "What is it again?"

"It's Renée," the blonde said.

"Well, nice to meet you, Renée," Jean-Luc said as he shook her hand. "I'm going to get a drink at the bar, do you want anything?"

"Nothing alcoholic, no," Renée said. "I wouldn't mind a soft drink, though, maybe a Pepsi or Coke."

"Okay, I'll be right back," Jean-Luc said as he went off to the bar.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

At another part of the club, Michèle and Julie were sitting at their own table some distance from Renée and Claire's table, still maintaining kayfabe to avoid the two groups of girls being associated with each other in case of the chance of any club patrons or employees possibly recognizing them from TV as wrestlers. "You ever get out to the clubs all that much?" Michèle asked Julie, needing to speak up to be heard over the music.

"I do sometimes on the weekends, when nursing school's in session," Julie said. "Helps me unwind from all the studying."

"Well, there you go," Michèle said. "Nightclubbing's a good way to relax after a busy week."

"Even though I have to soak my feet afterward thanks to all that dancing," Julie joked, drawing laughter from Michèle.

"That reminds me, did you see that guy Renée was dancing with out there?" Michèle then asked, speaking of Jean-Luc.

"Did I ever," Julie remarked. "I couldn't take my eyes off him the whole time she was with him on the floor."

"Now you got another chance," Michèle said, directing Julie to look in Jean-Luc's direction as he headed toward the bar and bought two drinks, one for himself and one for Renée. The girls watched as Jean-Luc paid for the drinks, but they noticed that, rather than go back to Renée right away, he went to the end of the bar, placed the drinks on it and reached into his coat.

"Hold on, what's he up to?" Julie wondered aloud as she glanced momentarily at Michèle before looking back to Jean-Luc, who had taken out what appeared to be a white cube, then took out something else, appearing to be a small squeeze tube. Acting discreetly and thinking no one had seen what he did, he then squeezed a couple of drops of liquid onto the cube and dropped the cube into the drink and then stirred the drink with a swizzle stick to dissolve the cube.

"Whatever it is he just did, I don't like it," a displeased Michèle said as she then saw Jean-Luc take the drink he had spiked in his right hand and, with his own drink in his left hand, walked back to Renée. "Let's move," she said to Julie as she got up from her chair.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Jean-Luc then returned with drinks in hand to where Renée was standing. "Hope I didn't keep you waiting," he said to her as he arrived. "The bar's been pretty busy tonight."

"That's okay, the music kept me occupied while I waited," Renée said with a grin.

"Here, I got you a Coke," Jean-Luc then said as he prepared to hand the drink in his right hand - the drink he had spiked moments earlier - to an unsuspecting Renée.

"Okay, thanks," a pleased Renée said. As Jean-Luc was about to hand the Coke to her, however, he suddenly felt the drink, contained in a clear plastic cup, get smacked out of his hand as it went flying before landing on the floor near some patrons.

"I saw what you just did!" an angry Michèle snapped at a stunned Jean-Luc as she got right in his face. "What the hell's the matter with you?!" she added before she began loudly cursing at him. Following Michèle's lead, Julie soon joined in and also began yelling at Jean-Luc, which began drawing attention from other club patrons as a shocked Renée wondered what was going on.

The scene Michèle and Julie were causing soon drew the attention of a club bouncer, who quickly arrived at the scene. "Okay, hold on, what's going on here?" the bouncer asked.

"I saw this guy go and spike someone's drink," Michèle said as she then lunged at Jean-Luc, grabbed at his coat and reached into its inner pocket, then pulled out several items and let them drop on the floor. The bouncer picked up the items, which turned out to be several sugar cubes and a small silver-colored squeeze tube; he then read some writing on the tube and scowled at what he read.

"Alright, wise guy, you're coming with me to the manager's office," the bouncer then said as he grabbed Jean-Luc by the arm in a hammerlock and escorted him away.

After seeing the bouncer leave with Jean-Luc, Michèle said to Julie, "Let's get the hell out of here." Upon coming to Renée, she then said, "We gotta go, I'll explain outside." Renée and Julie then started walking toward the club's front entrance with Michèle, who saw Claire still sitting at her table and called and gestured to her, saying, "Come on, we're leaving," at which point Claire got up and followed the other girls.

Once the girls got to the door, Michèle and Julie were the first ones to go out onto the street, followed a few seconds later by Renée and Claire as they walked down the block some distance from the club before turning a corner past the Capitol Theatre and off of St. Catherine Street onto a side street where Michèle and Renée's cars were parked. "Okay, that was a close one," Michèle said as the girls finally stopped near her car.

"Michèle, what was that all about in there?" a puzzled Renée asked about the earlier incident where Michèle confronted Jean-Luc.

"That guy you were dancing with at the club was about to acid-drop you," Michèle explained. "Julie and I saw him spike your drink at the bar and he was about to give you that drink when I stopped him and got in his face about it."

"Acid-drop?" Renée said, still not fully understanding.

"He was gonna drug you with LSD," Michèle pointed out. "What he did was one of the ways they administer or take LSD, by putting a drop or two of it on a sugar cube and then eating the cube. He put the cube he spiked into your drink and stirred it in before he brought it to you. I don't know what he had in mind when he did that, but it probably wasn't anything good."

"I saw the argument from my table, but I didn't know why it happened at first," Claire said, "but now I know. Renée, you just got saved from something bad possibly happening to you, almost like Truro."

Renée muttered something under her breath as she covered her eyes with her right hand and shook her head in disbelief, then she walked over and hugged Michèle. "Thanks, Michèle," she said to her friend. "I hate to think what would've happened if you and Julie hadn't been there to stop him." She then turned and hugged Julie, saying, "I owe you both for that."

"Hey, that's what friends are for," Michèle said as she patted Renée on her shoulder.

"Yeah, but now our club night's a bust thanks to that guy," Julie joined in. "I don't think we'll be going back to that club anytime soon, if at all."

"Well, just so the night's not a total loss, I got an idea," Michèle said.

"What is it?" Renée asked.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Michèle's idea was for the four girls to drive out of town and head over to a drive-in restaurant she knew about in neighboring Laval. When they arrived at the busy drive-in, Renée, who had Claire with her again, parked her car closer to the drive-in building on one side of the attached fixed canopy, while Michèle and Julie parked on the other side of the canopy, further from where Renée and Claire were parked.

Soon after the girls' arrival, one of the waitresses on duty stepped out from inside the restaurant and walked over to Renée's car first. "Hi, can I take your..." the waitress started to say, before she realized with a gasp who was sitting in the driver's seat of the car she came out to serve. "Wait a minute, you're Renée Martel, aren't you?"

"Yep, that's me," Renée said with a pleased laugh over the recognition.

It was all the waitress could do to contain her excitement over meeting one of her favorite wrestlers in person, but she tried her best. "Ohmigosh, this is so exciting!" she said as she marveled at Renée. "I think I might faint!"

"Oh, no, don't do that," Renée said reassuringly, "or you won't be able to take our order. Just take a few deep breaths and relax." After the waitress did as instructed, Renée then asked her, "Are you okay now?"

"Yeah, I will be," the waitress said. "Before I take your order though, let me head back inside a moment and talk to my boss."

After the waitress went back in to see the drive-in's manager, Claire looked to Renée and asked, "You don't think we're going to have any problems, do you?"

Renée leaned toward the steering wheel just enough so she could look inside the restaurant, where she saw the waitress talking with a man, apparently the manager. "From the looks of it, I don't think we should," she replied.

After the man looked outside to Renée's car for a moment, he then nodded and said something to the waitress, who then went back outside to the driver's side of the car. "I just finished talking to my boss," the waitress began. "He's seen you wrestle on TV before and he's a fan of yours too, so he said whatever you and your friend order tonight is on the house."

"Oh, okay," Renée said with a giggle. After she and Claire briefly discussed what they wanted to get, she then turned to the waitress and said, "We'll get two cheeseburgers, two sides of fries, two apple turnovers and two medium root beers."

"Coming right up," said the waitress. "Oh, and before I go, is your friend a wrestler too?"

"I sure am," Claire said as she greeted the waitress. "I'm Claire Lepage."

"Can I get both your autographs?" the waitress then asked as she tore a sheet of paper out of her order pad and handed it and her pen to Renée.

"You sure can," Renée said with a grin as she autographed the paper, then handed it to Claire to sign.

Shortly after the waitress went back inside the restaurant to place their orders, Renée and Claire overheard the sound of a car horn honking the first five notes of the "Shave and a Haircut" sounder. Realizing it was a signal prearranged by Michèle, Renée looked over to her friend's car and sounded the final two notes with her own car horn in response. Within seconds, in a seeming case of "monkey see, monkey do", other car horns began sounding around the drive-in parking lot, and Renée looked over and saw Michèle laughing in her car, amused at what she started.

Looking over at Michèle's car as well and seeing her laughing in the driver's seat, Claire asked, "Does Michèle like making mischief like that sometimes?"

"Does Bugs Bunny like carrots?" Renée replied rhetorically, which then started her and Claire laughing as well.

Edited January 17 by Old School Fan
Image added

Old School Fan · February 14, 2022

All-Star Wrestling @ Paul Sauvé Arena

June 27, 1966 - Montreal, Quebec

Claire Lepage wrestled Marianne Duchesne* (making her debut) to a time-limit draw.

Mary Jane Mull defeated Renée Martel by pinfall.

Marcel Martel & Ti-Blanc Richard defeated Paul DeGalles & Baron Gattoni when Gattoni submitted to Martel's figure-four leglock.

Fred Blassie & Hans Schmidt defeated Mr. Haiti & Eddie Auger when Blassie pinned Haiti following a neckbreaker.

ASW World Heavyweight Championship

Édouard Carpentier © defeated The Beast (John Yachetti) by pinfall following a cross-bodyblock. Post-match, Fred Blassie ran in and attacked Carpentier using Carpentier's title belt, then attempted to brutalize him before Marcel Martel and Ti-Blanc Richard ran in and chased Blassie out.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

* Marianne Duchesne (pronounced du-shane) was created for this diary.

Old School Fan · February 17, 2022

The latest All-Star Wrestling arena program is now out:

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Edited September 8, 2022 by Old School Fan
Manually reformatted to include picture due to inexplicable improper auto-reformatting

Old School Fan · February 17, 2022

All-Star Wrestling @ Paul Sauvé Arena

July 4, 1966 - Montreal, Quebec

Paul DeGalles defeated Mr. Haiti by pinfall.

Mixed Tag Team Match

Chief White Eagle & Renée Martel defeated Ron Garvin & Mary Jane Mull when White Eagle used the Indian Deathlock to force Garvin to submit.

Marcel Martel & Ti-Blanc Richard defeated The Guillotines when Guillotine II submitted to Richard's bearhug.

Édouard Carpentier & Johnny Rougeau defeated Fred Blassie & Bulldog Brower (subbing for the injured Hans Schmidt) when Blassie was disqualified for throwing the referee aside and for excessive violence (particularly targeting Carpentier, who was bloodied by Blassie during the match). Post-match, Blassie continued on his rampage against Carpentier as the locker rooms emptied out to try to stop Blassie's onslaught. After Blassie was finally removed from the ring, he grabbed the arena mic and demanded a title shot against Carpentier.

Captain Kremmen · February 19, 2022

My man Fred's already getting good old school heat.

Ever heard this?

King of Men by Fred Blassie:

Old School Fan · February 20, 2022

My man Fred's already getting good old school heat.

Ever heard this?

King of Men by Fred Blassie:

I listened to both that and "Pencil Neck Geek" and they both made for a pretty interesting listen. Dr. Demento sure liked them enough to feature them on his radio show and on later album compilations.

Old School Fan · February 20, 2022

July 1966

Over at the studios of CJPM-TV (the independent TV station in Chicoutimi, Quebec) where a TV taping was being held for All-Star Wrestling, Renée Martel and Michèle Richard had finished going over their upcoming tag team match (with Claire Lepage as Renée's partner while newcomer Marianne Duchesne would team with Michèle) and were now going over a post-match interview. "Okay, so after the match, you'll go on with the host first and talk about the match, right?" Michèle said to Renée.

"Yep, I talk with the host for about a minute, then you come in..." Renée said.

"Right, I come in and start an argument, we start arguing for a bit, then I lay down a challenge to you and Claire for a rematch..." Michèle added.

"Which I accept," Renée finished. "And you'll make the argument look good by pitching it up a bit, right?"

"Don't I always?" Michèle said with a grin.

"I've never known you not to when you get in front of the camera," Renée replied.

While Renée and Michèle were talking, Fred Blassie, who had come along on the trip to Chicoutimi as he was scheduled to face Édouard Carpentier for the All-Star World Heavyweight title at the TV taping, approached the girls. While he had been touring with All-Star starting the week before, he had not spoken with the ladies on the roster up until that point, although he knew that Renée, Michèle and Claire were all fluently bilingual. "So, ladies, how's it going with you today?" he asked the girls.

Michèle, who had been speaking French with Renée up to that point*, decided to pull a rib on Fred the moment he spoke. "No habla ingles, señor," she said jokingly in Spanish while Renée giggled.

"Okay, very funny," Fred said in response. "I'm told you both speak English though."

"No, davvero, non parliamo inglese," Renée then piped up with another giggle, putting the little bit of Italian she had learned from Bruno Sammartino and Gino Brito to use while Michèle also laughed.

"Okay, I get the point," Fred then said with a chuckle. "I should've spoken with you and the other girls right from when I first arrived."

"So why wait until now to do it?" Renée said, finally switching to English.

"I would've, but I know how protective your dad seems to be of you and the other girls," Fred explained. "I get it though, I got a daughter of my own along with two sons and I'd be the protective dad with her too whenever she went out with a boy."

"And you've worked with my dad before down in Los Angeles, right?" Renée said.

"Sure did," Fred replied. "Wrestled him several times a couple of years ago with my World title on the line. You're from the same town as he is, right - Drummondville?"

"Yeah, that's right," Renée confirmed.

"Ah, now that's God's country**," Fred then said with a grin. "And you, Michèle, where are you from?"

"Sherbrooke," Michèle said. "That's not far off from Drummondville."

"Hey, now that's God's country too," Fred remarked.

"Hold on, now how can both towns be God's country?" Renée wondered.

"I took the time to travel around the area before first arriving in Montreal," Fred explained. "Trust me on this, any place that has a beautiful countryside like your towns have, that's God's country."

"Ah, okay," Renée said with a giggle. "That makes sense now. But since you've been staying in Montreal for a few days, what about there do you like?"

"That's easy, and it's something I found out about when I first got there - the Japanese steak houses it has," Fred said. "I first got hooked on teriyaki cooking when I was wrestling in Japan and I've liked it ever since."

"Hmmm, I've never tried teriyaki before," Renée remarked, curious about that style of Japanese cooking. "What's it like?" After Fred explained about it to her (including the use of fish in Japan for teriyaki cooking, while red and white meats were used in North America), she then remarked, "Mmm, now that sounds delicious."

"Well then, next time we're back in Montreal, we'll have to get over to a steak house to enjoy some teriyaki," Fred said.

"Well, I can join you anyway, since you and me are on the same side of the rulebook," Michèle pointed out, invoking kayfabe.

"Oh yeah, that's right," Renée said with a sheepish grin. "Even if I could come along, I'd have to sit at another part of the restaurant."

"Not a problem, just have your dad come along too and I'll cover the bill for all of us," Fred said, pleasing both Renée and Michèle.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

* Whenever two or more Francophone characters (such as Renée and Michèle) speak together in this diary, they are assumed to be speaking French with each other (but translated to English for reader benefit) and would be heard doing so by non-Francophones, but as Renée, Michèle and other Francophones here are also fluent in both French and English, they will switch to English when speaking with non-Francophones (as done here with Fred Blassie, for example).

** Blassie's exclamation of "Oh, that's God's country!" references the 1990s documentary movie he starred in, Mr. Blassie Goes to Washington.

Old School Fan · February 22, 2022

All-Star Wrestling @ CJPM-TV Studios

July 7, 1966 - Chicoutimi, Quebec (aired July 9, 1966 on Sur le Matelas and Superstars of the Mat)

Eddie Auger defeated Paul DeGalles by pinfall.

Highlights of Marcel Martel & Ti-Blanc Richard vs. The Guillotines from July 4 in Montreal were shown.

Two out of Three Falls

Renée Martel & Claire Lepage battled Margot Bouchard & Marianne Duchesne to a TV time-limit draw after scoring one fall each.

First fall - Bouchard pinned Lepage following an elbow drop.
Second fall - Renée evened the match by making Duchesne submit to the Alligator Clutch.
Third fall - Time expired.

(The main studio camera moves in on ringside post-match for a ringside interview [translated from the original French] for Sur le Matelas)

INTERVIEWER: That was quite a match we just had, and it's easy to see why my two guests at this time are two of the up-and-coming young female stars in All-Star Wrestling, Renée Martel and Claire Lepage. Great match you two had today, Claire.

CLAIRE LEPAGE: Thanks, ______. You know, Margot Bouchard and this new girl Marianne Duchesne are two tough competitors and there's few tougher girls out there than Bouchard, but Renée and me held our own today and they didn't get the win over us. Next time out, they won't be as lucky because we'll give it all we got and work our way to the win - right, Renée?

RENÉE MARTEL: Exactly right, Claire, that's what it's all about. Bouchard, let me tell you this - you and me have been fighting it out in wrestling rings all over Quebec and beyond for over a year now and you've been my most persistent rival. You've stopped at nothing to try to beat me to back up your claims of superiority, but you've tried tricks against me that you've never tried against other wrestlers - and why? Because you know, deep down, that you think I'm the better wrestler and you want to knock me down the ladder and keep me down so you can then say you're the best. But if you need to pull dirty tricks against me to try to win, that tells me all I need to know and all the fans need to know when they see us wrestle. But let me say something else...

MARGOT BOUCHARD: (Coming in to interrupt as the studio audience reacts with some boos and jeering) Just a minute, Martel! Where do you get off saying that I need to use dirty tricks to beat you in our matches, huh? I don't need to use anything fancy to beat my other opponents, and I sure don't need them to beat you! All I need is my skills and a few good fists to put you down for the count!

MARTEL: Is that so? Grabbing tights, putting your feet on the ropes for illegal leverage to get pins - is that what you call using your skills? If you can't beat me clean the way you do other opponents, what's that say about you then?

BOUCHARD: Really? You wanna put your money where your mouth is, then?! Go ahead, then, let's see what you got! (Bouchard then pushes Martel and an argument breaks out pitting Bouchard against Martel and Lepage as the audience reacts to the arguing when All-Star Wrestling promoter Bob Langevin arrives and intervenes)

BOB LANGEVIN: Okay, girls, hang on a minute. We won't settle anything here now by arguing at ringside. Margot, you want another shot at Renée?

BOUCHARD: You bet I do!

LANGEVIN: And Renée and Claire, you want to take Margot on again?

MARTEL: That's what we want!

LEPAGE: Just name it, time and place!

LANGEVIN: Alright, then let's make it official - a rematch with Renée Martel and Claire Lepage against Margot Bouchard and Marianne Duchesne this coming Monday night, July 11 at the Paul Sauvé Arena in Montreal.

BOUCHARD: (Pointing at Martel and Lepage) You both better be at the top of your game on Monday night because I will - and that night, me and Marianne walk out the winners! Count on it! (Bouchard then leaves)

INTERVIEWER: Okay, Renée and Claire, final thoughts?

LEPAGE: Yeah, you bet we'll be at the top of our game! And you know what else, Bouchard? We'll have the fans on our side when we meet Monday night! (The audience reacts with cheers)

MARTEL: That's right, Claire. And just remember this, Bouchard - don't write checks with your mouth that your backside can't cash! We'll see you in Montreal Monday night! (More audience cheering)

INTERVIEWER: And that's going to be some match! We'll be back with more wrestling right after some words from our sponsors!

Highlights of Édouard Carpentier & Johnny Rougeau vs. Fred Blassie & Bulldog Brower from July 4 in Montreal were shown to set up the TV main event.

ASW World Heavyweight Championship

Fred Blassie defeated Édouard Carpentier © via match stoppage to win the title when Carpentier was ruled unable to continue due to excessive blood loss. Post-match, Blassie celebrated with his newly-won title belt and obnoxiously taunted the studio audience, who responded with boos and jeering as Carpentier was tended to by the referee and a ringside doctor.

Edited September 8, 2022 by Old School Fan
Manually reformatted to include pictures due to inexplicable improper auto-reformatting

Captain Kremmen · February 23, 2022

Hell yeah!

Fred comes in and wins the big belt right away!

If this match were real you could just see him tearing at a cut on Carpantier's head with those sharpened teeth!

Looking forward to see where this goes.

Could you imagine the crowd heat for the re-match???!!!

KUTGW!

Old School Fan · February 23, 2022

All-Star Wrestling @ Paul Sauvé Arena

July 11, 1966 - Montreal, Quebec

Chief White Eagle wrestled George Bollas to a time-limit draw.

Renée Martel & Claire Lepage defeated Margot Bouchard & Marianne Duchesne when Renée pinned Duchesne following a forearm shot off the ropes.

Two out of Three Falls

Marcel Martel & Ti-Blanc Richard defeated Ron & Terry Garvin in two straight falls.

First fall - Richard forced Ron Garvin to submit to a bearhug.
Second fall - Martel pinned Terry Garvin following a clothesline.

ASW World Heavyweight Championship

Fred Blassie © defeated Jacques Rougeau by disqualification when Rougeau accidentally hit the referee after Blassie ducked out of the way of a clothesline intended for him. Post match, Blassie and Rougeau began brawling around ringside and all the way back to the locker room area.

Old School Fan · February 23, 2022

Hell yeah!

Fred comes in and wins the big belt right away!

If this match were real you could just see him tearing at a cut on Carpantier's head with those sharpened teeth!

Looking forward to see where this goes.

Could you imagine the crowd heat for the re-match???!!!

KUTGW!

When that rematch comes, it's gonna be a big one.

Old School Fan · February 23, 2022

Alex Turk Promotions @ Winnipeg Civic Auditorium

July 16, 1966 - Winnipeg, Manitoba

Renée Martel defeated Mary Jane Mull when Renée snared Mull with a small package pin.

Paul Jones defeated Frank Marconi by submission via the Indian deathlock.

Dutch Savage defeated Eric Froelich by pinfall following a running piledriver.

Two out of Three Falls

Haystacks Calhoun, Don Leo Jonathan & Pat Barrett defeated Gene Kiniski, John Tolos & Tony Borne, two falls to one.

First fall - Kiniski pinned Barrett following a shoulderbreaker.
Second fall - Kiniski's team was disqualified for excessive double-teaming against Barrett.
Third fall - Calhoun pinned Borne following a big splash.

Old School Fan · February 24, 2022

All-Star Wrestling @ Paul Sauvé Arena

July 18, 1966 - Montreal, Quebec

Chief White Eagle went to a time-limit draw with Ron Garvin.

Renée Martel avenged her June 27 loss to Mary Jane Mull when Renée defeated Mull by forcing her submission with the Alligator Clutch.

Marcel Martel & Ti-Blanc Richard defeated The Great Amara* & Baron Gattoni when Amara did not make it back into the ring in time to beat the referee's ten-count after he and Martel brawled around ringside.

ASW World Tag Team Championship

Jacques & Johnny Rougeau defeated The Mighty Yankees © to win the title when Jacques pinned Yankee I following a knockout punch.

ASW World Heavyweight Championship

Fred Blassie © battled Édouard Carpentier to a no-contest when the referee lost control of the match due to Blassie and Carpentier both brawling and was forced to throw it out. Post-match, the locker rooms emptied out as the faces and the heels attempted in vain for several minutes to separate Blassie and Carpentier.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

* The Great Amara was an early ring name used by Canadian wrestler and future hardcore legend Abdullah the Butcher (who, at this point both IRL and ITTL, was considerably slimmer than he would be in his later career).

BHK1978 · February 25, 2022

I have been really enjoying this diary. Love the presentation.

I honestly did not know Ronnie Garvin and Abdullah the Butcher went as far back as the mid-1960s.

Old School Fan · February 28, 2022

I have been really enjoying this diary. Love the presentation.

I honestly did not know Ronnie Garvin and Abdullah the Butcher went as far back as the mid-1960s.

Yep, Garvin got his start back in 1962 while there are varying dates on when Abdullah debuted (Wikipedia claims 1958 as his debut year, while Cagematch.net gives 1961 and Wrestlingdata.com gives 1965, but all agree that he first started wrestling as Abdullah in 1967).

Old School Fan · March 1, 2022

While the next chapter is in progress, here's a YouTube clip featuring a prominent early star who will be the subject of that upcoming chapter:

(narrated by Gene Okerlund)

Old School Fan · March 2, 2022

As another tie-in to the upcoming chapter, let's go back in time for a moment to 1962 and check out what was happening in Los Angeles at the time:

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Worldwide Wrestling Associates @ Olympic Auditorium

October 31, 1962 - Los Angeles, California

John Paul Henning defeated Rocky Hunter by pinfall.

Don Manoukian defeated Jack Terry by pinfall.

Marcel Martel defeated Gorgeous George. Though George was nearing the end of his wrestling career at this point, he was still playing up his perennial gimmick as the flamboyant "glamour boy" heel that made him a household name throughout the 1950s as he taunted the fans during his entry and pre-match ritual and utilized his usual stalling tactics and cowardly heel mannerisms (including refusing to even lock up with Martel at times and calling him a "dirty cowboy" at one point), but the popular Martel rallied and brought George's career one step closer to its close by scoring the submission win via the sleeperhold.

WWA International Television Tag Team Championship

Country Boy Calhoun* & Abe Jacobs defeated Sir Alan Garfield & Karl Von Schober © to win the title when Jacobs pinned Garfield following the Kiwi Roll.

WWA World Heavyweight Championship

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

* Early ring name used by Haystacks Calhoun.

Captain Kremmen · March 2, 2022

That heat with Blassie and the French-Canadian hero would have been incredible.

And Blassie probably would have turned it up to near riot conditions.

HAIL FRED!!!

Major win for The Destroyer as he defeats the holder of the #1 World Title across the globe.

Old School Fan · March 4, 2022

August 1966

Back at Michèle Richard's apartment, she and Renée Martel were in the living room as they finished watching a TV documentary program on the life of Gorgeous George, the pioneering flamboyant wrestler who had died back in 1963, and had watched the program with interest. "Well, that was a pretty good show - if kind of sensationalistic," Renée remarked as the program ended.

"Yeah, I guess it was," Michèle said as she got up and walked over to the TV set to change channels. "Didn't your dad get to wrestle him a few times?"

"He did - and in fact, Gorgeous George was an early opponent of Papa's when Papa was about three years into his career," Renée replied. "I was only about a year old when he first faced George at the Forum back in 1948."

"How'd that match go?" Michèle asked.

"George won," Renée said. "I was too young to have seen the match then, but Papa told me about it years later. They faced each other a few more times after that, in and around Los Angeles while we were living down there and up in San Francisco for Roy Shire. I was there to see it the last time Papa faced George in 1962, when George's career was winding down and Papa was one of his last opponents - and that time, Papa won."

"Ever get to meet him in person?" Michèle said.

"I did, when I went to meet Papa backstage after the card was over and he and George were talking," Renée said. "Even then, he was trying to live up to the image he portrayed in the ring. I'll admit, he was quite an interesting character."

"After seeing that documentary about him, I believe it," Michèle remarked. "And I'll also admit, I also had a reason for inviting you here to watch the documentary with me."

"Oh, what's that?" Renée wondered.

"You know how I've developed my wrestling image as a tough girl over the past two years, right?" Michèle said.

"Sure," Renée said.

"Well, I want to take that image as Margot Bouchard to the next level," Michèle said as she went into her bedroom for a moment, then she came back out sporting a new black leather jacket she had put on. "I bought it at Morgan's after saving up to get it. So, what do you think?"

Renée took a moment to look over the leather jacket. "You know, I think that might work to add to your ring persona," she then said of the jacket. "I like it."

"Good, I thought you would," Michèle said as she then walked over to her stereo system. "And I also thought, if Gorgeous George can come to the ring accompanied by entrance music, I see no reason why I can't do that too. Here, give this a listen," she added as she put a 45 RPM record on the stereo's turntable and played the song, which turned out to be a hard rock tune by a local Francophone band.

After the song finished, Renée was sold on Michèle's idea. "You've got an idea that just might click if you can convince Johnny to go for it," she said.

"That's what I plan to do next time I see him," Michèle said. "In fact, since I'm heading with you to Winnipeg for that Alex Turk event on Saturday, I'm gonna see if I can convince Turk to let me debut my enhanced image at his show. In any case, if I can use this to add to my persona and get more people to come out to see me get my butt kicked or to see an opponent try to shut my mouth, then I've done my job."

"Well, Mr. Turk is a bit of a traditionalist as a promoter," Renée said, "but if you can sell him on your image and convince him to let you use entrance music like Gorgeous George did, then you're halfway there already. After that comes the fans, and they're the ones you really have to sell it to."

"And that's what I'm gonna do," Michèle said with a sly grin.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

This (via YouTube) is the proposed entrance theme song Michèle played for Renée as part of her planned image upgrade (note that it was recorded in French):

(a 1960s Canadian hard-rock group best described as being like a Québécois version of the Rolling Stones)

And here's the look Michèle wanted to go for as part of her Margot Bouchard ring persona, taken from this DAZ Studio-created B&W publicity photo:

Edited September 8, 2022 by Old School Fan
Manually reformatted to include picture due to inexplicable improper auto-reformatting

Captain Kremmen · March 5, 2022

I have been really enjoying this diary. Love the presentation.

I honestly did not know Ronnie Garvin and Abdullah the Butcher went as far back as the mid-1960s.

Is this Gary Busey???

Sign In

Rise of a Star

Recommended Posts

Link to comment

Share on other sites

Top Posters In This Topic

Popular Days

Top Posters In This Topic

Popular Days

Popular Posts

Old School Fan

Old School Fan

Old School Fan

Posted Images

Link to comment

Share on other sites

Link to comment

Share on other sites

Link to comment

Share on other sites

Link to comment

Share on other sites

Link to comment

Share on other sites

Link to comment

Share on other sites

Link to comment

Share on other sites

Link to comment

Share on other sites

Link to comment

Share on other sites

Link to comment

Share on other sites

Link to comment

Share on other sites

Link to comment

Share on other sites

Link to comment

Share on other sites

Link to comment

Share on other sites

Link to comment

Share on other sites

Link to comment

Share on other sites

Link to comment

Share on other sites

Link to comment

Share on other sites

Link to comment

Share on other sites

Link to comment

Share on other sites

Link to comment

Share on other sites

Link to comment

Share on other sites

Link to comment

Share on other sites

Link to comment

Share on other sites

Join the conversation