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An Insightful Look Into The Life Of "Playboy" Gary Hart

Posted: Oct 2nd 2009 By: CMBurnham

"Playboy" Gary Hart's pro-wrestling resume is a beauty.

He was an acclaimed manager, grappler and matchmaker for more than three decades. He helped shape the careers of such superstars as Dusty Rhodes, King Kong Bundy and the Ultimate Warrior. Hart was the creative force behind numerous regional territories, including the Texas wrestling boom featuring the Von Erich family in the 1980s. He also was a real-life hero, helping to save the lives of two other wrestlers (Dennis "Austin Idol" McCord and Buddy Colt) after a Florida airplane crash in the mid-1970s.

Because he wasn't a self-promoter and remained protective of backstage secrets even after fading from the business in the 1990s, Hart often is overlooked by fans and historians as one of the industry's most influential figures. But a new posthumously printed autobiography should help Hart assume his rightful place among wrestling's sharpest minds.

"My Life in Wrestling ... With a Little Help From My Friends" is a 472-page epic that Hart completed before dying of a heart attack in March 2008 at the age of 66. Hart, whose real name was Gary Williams, provides an in-depth perspective of the companies he worked for throughout the world and fascinating figures he met along the way.

"A lot of people know Gary as a manager, but he's done so much more," co-author Phillip Varriale said Thursday in a telephone interview. "He had a fantastic story to tell. It also was very important for him to set the record straight on a lot of mistruths and rumors out there, particularly when it came to the Von Erichs and World Class Championship Wrestling."

That Dallas-based company thrived as the Von Erich family fought with the Fabulous Freebirds and other villains that Hart frequently managed. But WCCW also is remembered for the deaths of four Von Erichs (Kerry, David, Chris and Mike) and rampant drug use that led to the premature passing of other prominent performers like Gino Hernandez, Chris Adams and Terry "Bam Bam" Gordy. Fritz Von Erich, the family patriarch and Texas wrestling icon, sold off his struggling promotion in 1989.

Hart writes extensively about the difficulty of being WCCW matchmaker and Fritz Von Erich's refusal to recognize that his family's drug problems contributed to his sons' demise. Varriale said Hart wanted a platform to explain the situation in depth after biting his tongue publicly for years following WCCW's collapse.

"He was running the Dallas territory and the main antagonist for the Von Erichs," Varriale said. "If that had leaked out then, it would have killed business. I think it was so strongly engrained in Gary to never, ever allude to his behind-the-scenes influence that he kept it to himself for decades."

With his bald head and towering stature, the 6-foot-4 Hart is best remembered among casual fans as a devious manager who guided the likes of such hard-core heels as Bruiser Brody, Abdullah the Butcher and The Spoiler. Hart's last great run came in 1989 with World Championship Wrestling when paired with The Great Muta and Terry Funk.

"He had a real way to connect with people and was such an imposing figure," Varriale said. "He knew how to use that to his advantage and do great interviews. He could pull off the evil aura better than anyone."

Behind the scenes, Hart showed extreme loyalty to the performers he worked with. "Manager" wasn't just a title for Hart like other mouthpieces. Hart became legitimately involved in guiding his talent by helping to negotiate contracts, storylines and match finishes.

"He didn't look at it like, '(Management) can place me with whomever they want and I'll just get my payday,' " Varriale said. "He wanted to connect with his wrestlers, especially those who he thought had a lot of potential. He wanted them to help grow and would work with them 24/7. The Great Muta is a perfect example of that."

The Hart legacy in wrestling is now carried on by son Chad, who wrestles primarily on the independent circuit in Texas. He also writes about his other son, Jason, and how Hart structured his schedule to spend as much time with his family as possible.

"I talk to his sons all the time and they're sure Gary would have been proud of the feedback we're receiving," said Varriale, who also helped legendary managers J.J. Dillon and Captain Lou Albano with their autobiographies.

"Gary had read every wrestling book out there. This was not something where he just wanted to spout and reminisce. He really wanted to get his facts right and make as compelling a story about the industry as possible."

"My Life in Wrestling ... With a Little Help From My Friends" (Gean Publishing; $30) will be officially released Oct. 19. To order, visit www.playboygaryhart.com.

(Alex Marvez writes a syndicated pro-wrestling column for Scripps Howard News Service. Contact him at alex1marv(at)aol.com or follow him via Twitter at http://twitter.com/alexmarvez.)

Tags: Gary Hart, Dusty Rhodes, King Kong Bundy, Ultimate Warrior, Von Erichs, Buddy Colt, WCCW, Fabulous Freebirds, Keerry Von Erich, David Von Erich, Mike Von Erich, Gino Hernandez, Chris Adams, Terry Gordy, Fritz Von Erich, Bruiser Brody, Abdullah the Butcher