Ole Anderson Dead at 81

[Fake Jesus]

According to Ric Flair on twitter. Outside chance Ric just assumes Ole is already dead, but he usually gets these things right

[BorneAgain]

If true, it's a pity Ole never wrote an autobiography. Guy experienced pretty much every facet of territory wrestling and even as grumpy as he was, there'd be some very interesting commentary on things throughout his career.

As far as his work, Ole might be the definition of an old school worker. Wasn't flashy and never really had an outstanding physical presence, but the guy knew how to get heat, pulled off being a pissed off heel, and knew how to pick his spots as a wrestler.

He's not likely to get the credit he probably warrants because his best stuff wasn't consistently recorded and his reputation as the a**hole that hates everyone is pretty widespread; Ole was a hell of talent he wanted to be though.

["Playboy" Don Douglas]

I got a little long winded with my post, so I’m sorry for the double post.

I saw the news from Greg Price, the old Fanfest promoter who was friends with Ole, so I tend to believe him.

["Playboy" Don Douglas]

Feb 26, 2024 19:08:11 GMT -5 BorneAgain said:

If true, it's a pity Ole never wrote an autobiography. Guy experienced pretty much every facet of territory wrestling and even as grumpy as he was, there'd be some very interesting commentary on things throughout his career.

As far as his work, Ole might be the definition of an old school worker. Wasn't flashy and never really had an outstanding physical presence, but the guy knew how to get heat, pulled off being a pissed off heel, and knew how to pick his spots as a wrestler.

He's not likely to get the credit he probably warrants because his best stuff wasn't consistently recorded and his reputation as the a**hole that hates everyone is pretty widespread; Ole was a hell of talent he wanted to be though.

He did write a book, and while it sometimes gets heavy on the griping about the then-current state of wrestling, I really enjoyed it. It’s one I’ve read multiple times.

You can buy it straight from the publisher:

www.crowbarpress.com/cbp-books/01-oa.html

[Muskrat]

Just saw this on Jim Valley’s Twitter. 81’s a decent run, helluva lot better then a lot of guys from the 70’s and 80’s. RIP

[Ganon83]

It's still insane to me that at one point Ole was the booker of not one but two major promotions at the exact same time. The business eventually passed him by but in his day he was just a gifted mind.

[BorneAgain]

Feb 26, 2024 19:17:24 GMT -5 "Playboy" Don Douglas said:

Feb 26, 2024 19:08:11 GMT -5 BorneAgain said:

If true, it's a pity Ole never wrote an autobiography. Guy experienced pretty much every facet of territory wrestling and even as grumpy as he was, there'd be some very interesting commentary on things throughout his career.

As far as his work, Ole might be the definition of an old school worker. Wasn't flashy and never really had an outstanding physical presence, but the guy knew how to get heat, pulled off being a pissed off heel, and knew how to pick his spots as a wrestler.

He's not likely to get the credit he probably warrants because his best stuff wasn't consistently recorded and his reputation as the a**hole that hates everyone is pretty widespread; Ole was a hell of talent he wanted to be though.

He did write a book, and while it sometimes gets heavy on the griping about the then-current state of wrestling, I really enjoyed it. It’s one I’ve read multiple times.

You can buy it straight from the publisher:

www.crowbarpress.com/cbp-books/01-oa.html

I might actually have to check this out then. As I said, Ole's spot as a tag team, singles, and territory booker put him in interesting company and its even rare to find someone outside a Watts or a Dusty that was a major booked in two very different eras of wrestling.

[Cranjis McBasketball]

It’s so sad 81 basically makes him Methuselah in wrestling years. RIP.

[CubsFan71]

My favorite incarnation of the Horsemen was and still is the original four with Ole. RIP sir

[yokohamacpfc]

He's been living with MS for nearly 20 years so at least he's not in pain anymore. The guy hated Vince so much I reckon he was staying alive to witness his fall from grace and then he felt he could check out. RIP.

[El Pollo Guerrera]

Rest in peace, you cranky old son-of-a-gun.

Going to have to check that book, I'm sure he had some great stories to tell.

[tafkaga]

I recall Jim Cornette and Steve Austin both giving Ole props for being really really good at cussing.

["Playboy" Don Douglas]

Feb 26, 2024 20:59:40 GMT -5 tafkaga said:

I recall Jim Cornette and Steve Austin both giving Ole props for being really really good at cussing.

Cornette told a couple of Ole stories I thought were funny.

At some point early in their time working together, Ole told him, “Cornette, I used to think you were a dumb f***. But so many dumb f***s who are worse than you have came along that you’ve moved up without having to do anything.”

The other was when Jim and Baby Doll had gotten a higher payoff than Ole during their program. Ole was bitching about it. “All these years in the business. All the sold out arenas, the blood, the injuries, almost getting killed. I never thought I’d see the day that a fat-ass manager and a dumb (c word) would make more money than me.”

Jim responded, “Well, Ole, on behalf of the dumb (c word), the fat-ass manager would like to thank you for all those sacrifices you made that allowed us to make more money than you.”

Jim said, “He started to like me after that.”

[fw91]

He was way before my time, but when after seeing in in archived footage, I remember being surprised that he really wasn't related to Arn Anderson.

[The anti-ratings Luddite]

Feb 26, 2024 21:29:01 GMT -5 fw91 said:

He was way before my time, but when after seeing in in archived footage, I remember being surprised that he really wasn't related to Arn Anderson.

Hell, Arn and Ole weren't even REALLY Anderson's. 

Only Gene Anderson was.

["Playboy" Don Douglas]

Feb 26, 2024 21:29:01 GMT -5 fw91 said:

He was way before my time, but when after seeing in in archived footage, I remember being surprised that he really wasn't related to Arn Anderson.

Somewhere around here, I have a Horsemen compilation that starts with things leading up to the group’s formation, which includes a babyface Ole deciding to ditch his partner Thunderbolt Patterson to team with Arn. Something I noticed from Arn’s early promos compared to the ones I was more familiar with is the influence of Ole. Arn didn’t exactly copy Ole, but Arn early on was a little more flashy and the matter of fact “I’ll kick your ass and here’s how and why” that he became known for was a direct result of the Ole influence.

[J. Hova]

Ole was a great all around performer and backstage mind. He was making 250k a year in the late 70s booking Georgia and being a main event star. That translates to over a million dollars a year today, in Georgia for crying out loud. People wonder why Ole stayed in Georgia for so much of his career. Let me think about that for a moment.

Say what you will about Ole, but he was consistent. It didn't matter if you were a job guy, main event, a manager, or somewhere in between, he didn't like you.

[OGBoardPoster2005]

An Ole podcast would have been interesting

["Playboy" Don Douglas]

Feb 26, 2024 22:31:31 GMT -5 J. Hova said:

Ole was a great all around performer and backstage mind. He was making 250k a year in the late 70s booking Georgia and being a main event star. That translates to over a million dollars a year today, in Georgia for crying out loud. People wonder why Ole stayed in Georgia for so much of his career. Let me think about that for a moment.

Say what you will about Ole, but he was consistent. It didn't matter if you were a job guy, main event, a manager, or somewhere in between, he didn't like you.

That’s what always got me with Meltzer’s argument that the Andersons didn’t belong in the hall of fame because “They didn’t travel.” As Ole said, “We didn’t have to.”

I understand that a lot of people have only heard others tell them that he was a bitter old prick and a failed booker. And I know that everyone didn’t get to have one on one conversations with him and eat dinner with him, so I saw a different side of the man. You don’t have to have the same personal feelings about him that I ended up with, but just watch the video. See the professional wrestler that he was and the fact that he is one of the greatest heels of all time.

[Woo]

RIP you absolute legend.