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Bios

Jim Barnett

From: Oklahoma City, OK

Birthday: Jun 9th

Feds Worked For: NWA, WCW, WWF, International Wrestling Alliance (Australia), World Championship Wrestling (Australia), World Wrestling Association (IN)

Affiliates: Fred Kohler

Other Facts: -Graduated from Classen High School in Oklahoma City in 1942
-While employed by NWA promoter Fred Kohler of Chicago, worked as a road agent for Verne Gagne, Pat O'Connor, Sonny Myers, and Hans Schmidt
-While working for Kohler, he was a major player when wrestling was on television on the Dumont Network in Chicago
-Was the first to realize the power of television and its relationship to professional wrestling
-Was able to get Kohler's "Wrestling from the Marigold" syndicated across the U.S. and thus was born the 1st national wrestling TV show
-Received the 1st wrestling manager's license ever issued by the Illinois Athletic Commission on November 16, 1955
-Was the promoter during the glory days of wrestling in Chicago, Indiana, Georgia and Australia
-Saw an open market in Australia as far as wrestling was concerned and booked many American wrestlers on his events
-Barnett ran one of the classiest promotions in wrestling history treating his talent good and enforcing a suit & tie dress code
-Always personally came to the dressing room before shows to motivate the wrestlers
-Became a member of the NWA in August 1969 after 20 successful years as a wrestling promoter
-After purchasing the Atlanta Territory, Barnett became secretary of the NWA and possibly its most powerful promoter
-Was one of the leading executives during the WWF's expansion under Vince McMahon.
-Was Ted Turner's closest confidante when Turner got into the wrestling business and worked for WCW for much of the 1990s.
-Barnett was portrayed in a very negative manner in recent books by Jim Wilson and Ole Anderson
-Employed actor Lee Majors as a driver in the 1950s.
-Passed away on September 18, 2004 at the age of 80 after a long battle with cancer
-Posthumously inducted into the Wrestling Observer Newsletter Hall of Fame in 1996
-Posthumously inducted into the NWA Hall of Fame in 2005
-Posthumously inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame Legacy Wing in 2019