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A cowboy reflects on Paul Bearer: Before WWE Hall of Fame induction, William Moody honored by Gulf Coast Wrestling

Posted: Apr 4th 2014 By: John Sharp

Less than one month before the late William Moody's alter-ego "Paul Bearer" was to be inducted into the World Wrestling Entertainment's Hall of Fame, the Mobile native was honored closer to home.

Moody, who died March 5, 2013, in Mobile, was posthumously honored with an induction into the Lee Fields Gulf Coast Wrestling Hall of Fame on March 8.

Unlike this Saturday's ceremony in New Orleans, which will be televised the night before WWE's Wrestlemania XXX at the Superdome, last month's induction was a private event. It was part of the 23rd annual Gulf Coast wrestler's reunion that was attended by about 200 people.

The induction happened the same night that "Cowboy" Bob Kelly ? once regarded by Moody as a key person who helped him break into professional wrestling in the 1970s -- was also recognized with the same induction.

"Had he not gone to the WWE, he would've just been one of the boys," Kelly, 77, a Mobile resident who excelled during the Gulf Coast Wrestling heyday period from 1965-1977. "But it was talent that got him there, regardless of what they called him."

Kelly and Moody were friends. Kelly relied on Moody in recent years to be the master of ceremonies during Gulf Coast wrestling reunions. For more than six years, Moody attended the reunions, made the name tags, wrote the invitation letters and coordinated other behind-the-scenes planning.

"He was important for these events," Kelly said. "He grew up with all of us. He said if it wasn't for me, he would not have been in the business. I loved him to death."

Moody begins, Kelly soars

Kelly said Moody got started in professional wrestling as a 15 or 16 year old high school student who would show up to the Mobile Civic Center and other venues to take pictures for Gulf Coast Wrestling.

So much a regular Moody was to these events that he had his own reserved seat, Kelly said. That was quite a feat back in the 1970s, when some Gulf Coast Championship Wrestling events would draw 10,000 people to the Civic Center.

Kelly was there for almost all of them. A performer and promoter, he worked alongside his "best friend," Lee Fields during those days in promoting events that were televised locally. Together, the two would promote local performers in Mobile, Pensacola, Mississippi and Louisiana while coordinating with famed wrestling promoter Sam Muchnick and his National Wrestling Alliance.

The partnership between Fields and Kelly was a success. Mobile became a popular territory and Kelly was its biggest star. A native of Louisville, Ky., Kelly was the territories most popular performer ? he never turned "heel," nor was represented as the villain during his stint in Mobile. His bouts with the Wrestling Pro, Eddie Sullivan and his most heated rival, Donnie Fargo, are still talked about by older wrestling fans in the area today.

Kelly was loyal to the Gulf Coast brand. Whenever one of Muchnick's "troubleshooters" from the NWA would come into Mobile, Kelly took notice. In 1972, he was "arrested" inside the ring at the Mobile Civic Center for "knocking out" one of the troubleshooters who snuck into the Civic Center to watch some of the matches.

Shortly thereafter, Kelly took to local TV to call out Muchnick. He even traveled to Tennessee to meet with Muchnick regarding the handcuffing incident. The program was so popular that 150 people watched Kelly and Fields depart for Nashville, Tenn., at the Mobile Regional Airport.

Muchnick's performers would come into Mobile on occasions thanks to Kelly's persistence. Lou Thesz, a popular former world champion, was once defeated by The Pro in Mobile.

Kelly was a booker for the promotion in the 1970s, and wasn't afraid to ask questions.

"A lot of bookers didn't think Sam Muchnick would do something like that (with regards to having his performers travel to the Gulf Coast to wrestler in the territory)," Kelly said. "I made a lot of money asking a lot."

Kelly retired from the business in 1977, around the same time that Fields sold the promotion to his cousin, Ron Fuller, who turned it into Continental Championship Wrestling.

Kelly and his late wife of 55 years, Chris ? who passed away in October ? worked in real estate together as sales people for Cooper Real Estate in Mobile. They were regularly recognized for their sales in the late 1970s and early 1980s.

But before Kelly's grappling days ended, a young William Moody entered his life. In 1974, Kelly gave Moody ? the young photographer, who went by the moniker "Mr. X" -- a chance in the ring. Moody would wrestle intermittently during the 1970s.

"He did not wrestle much down here," Kelly said. "But it's no telling how much he spent coming to the matches (to purchase ringside seats to take pictures). He took good pictures for us and Lee wanted them for the (Mobile Register). He got to be one of the boys of sort."

The rise of Paul Bearer

A few years later, in 1978, Moody's wrestling career was re-cast as a manager and took up the name "Percival Pringle III." A boisterous and villainous manager, Pringle would go on to guide the careers of "Ravishing" Rick Rude, "Stunning" Steve Austin, Eric Embry, Lex Luger and The Ultimate Warrior.

He also managed Mark Calaway, the 7-foot giant who wrestled in Dallas as "Texas Red." In 1984, Pringle was ringside during Calaway's first match against Bruiser Brody.

The two would soon reunite in 1990 in Vince McMahon's World Wrestling Federation (now known globally as WWE). Moody dyed his hair black and dressed up in a morticians outfit ? he was a certified mortician in real-life ? and became Paul Bearer. His trademark bronze urn, creepy facial expressions and high-pitch shrill of "Ohhhh Yessss!" helped make him an international star.

Of course, managing Calaway ? now known as The Undertaker ? did not hurt. The Undertaker, who has never lost a Wrestlemania match in 21 tries and will headline this year's event in New Orleans against former UFC champion Brock Lesnar, won the WWF championship from Hulk Hogan in 1991.

"The thing that made him really big was that he was a licensed mortician and Vince McMahon found that out and he was given the Paul Bearer (persona)," Kelly said. "He excelled at it."

During a lengthy stint with the WWE, Moody as Paul Bearer would manage other superstars: Mick Foley (who wrestled in the 1990s as "Mankind"), Vader, Kane and The Executioner.

In 2005, Moody signed a "legends contract" with the WWE that allowed him to work outside the organization. He would often return to Mobile and help Kelly with the annual Gulf Coast reunion shows and serve as the MC.

"I loved him to death," Kelly said. "He did a lot for me."

Hard losses

Moody attended the 2013 reunion on Friday and Saturday, but did not show up for the Hall of Fame ceremony ? the first induction event for Gulf Coast Championship Wrestling ? that night. Moody was taken to the hospital that night and died a few days later.

The dichotomy of memorializing Moody was on full display when WWE, during an episode of Monday Night RAW last year, had both Undertaker and Kane salute their late manager on bended knee to close the show.

In Mobile, the man people simply called "Bill," was mourned in simpler ways. A visitation was held at Serenity Funeral Home and a Mass of Christian burial was celebrated at St. Vincent Catholic Church.

"There was no way to know he was that sick," Kelly said in an interview last year with AL.com. "But that was Percy. He would never miss a booking. He was going to make the show if it killed him. And I guess it did."

Kelly said he was "devastated" by the loss of Moody. He faced more personal heart ache when in late October, his wife passed away.

"I miss her dearly," Kelly said. He keeps a memorial in her honor in the living room of his Mobile home off Dauphin Island Parkway. "I'm hurt that she is gone, but I can't complain about anything. We did it all together."

Chris and Bob Kelly traveled a lot once Bob Kelly's in-ring days were over. He said they visited all 50 states and renewed their vows on their 50th wedding anniversary on June 28, 2008, in Alaska.

Chris Kelly attended the Cauliflower Alley Club reunions with her husband in Las Vegas. She also participated in the Gulf Coast reunions and once won the "Best Dressed" contest for showing up in 50s-60s garb during the 2000 event.

A picture of Kelly with his late wife and Moody hangs in Kelly's office. It was taken in 2003 during one of the Cauliflower Alley Club reunions.

Two Halls of Fame

Kelly said he won't be in New Orleans on Saturday. He might watch the Paul Bearer induction ceremony on TV.

He admits that he takes satisfaction in being inducted into the Gulf Coast Hall of Fame with Moody on the same day and before the WWE Hall of Fame came calling.

"They swerved me," Kelly said, saying that his induction was a surprise. "I always said that the guys who paved the road for me and others should go in first. I was just in tears. I was thinking about Chris at the same time. When they said Cowboy Bob Kelly, I just about fainted."