Grand Prix Wrestling
Updated: Tue Jan. 04 2011 9:02:58 AM
Grand Prix Wrestling had the greatest collection of talent ever collected in a Canadian promotion. Paul and Maurice Vachon decided to go into competition with Johnny Rougeau's established promotion, All-Star Wrestling / Les Etoiles de la Lutte.
The Vachons brought in all their friends - Killer Kowalski, Don Leo Jonathan, Edouard Carpentier, Billy Two Rivers, the Leducs and the Hollywood Blondes.
The Grand Prix shows were initially taped at the Verdun Auditorium, but were soon moved to the CFCF studios.
The anchor of the Grand Prix English-language show was Jack Curran. Curran was paired with a variety of colour commentators including promoter Paul Vachon, wrestler Luigi Macera, Ottawa sports broadcaster Ray Boucher, and Jack Britton, who was an ex-wrestler and promoter and the father of Gino Brito.
sam
Poor Jack.
A professional, unfortunately with not quite as much polish as Don MacGowan. For a while after Expo 67, Jack and Don both took turns hosting a mid-day show.
Don won the gig full time, and went on to relatively large status at CFCF, while Jack never really scored a big job there.
Allen Calhoun
I started watching Grand Prix Wrestling on WCAX channel 3 around 6years old and Jack Curran with Ray Bourage and also on CFCF or CTV channel 12. That bring lots of memories. I wound like to bring wrestling back on this TV station.
mike blondin
when i was young in 1972 whent see the wrestling at cfcf 12 for taping live wrestling with george cannon announcer .
i would like to see if were could some of these tape show bring back some memory from back then...th.
Colleen Curran
I loved watching Jack Curran doing the wrestling. Jack Curran (Uncle Bernie to me)did great job on this show considering the unusual people. I know CFCF (CTV Montreal) and the people he worked must miss him almost as much as his family does.
Fan
OMG, Curran was so dry. Yet, I used to watch the show religiously. I even went to watch some tapings at the Ogilvy studios. Thinking back, didn't he also host celebrity putting? I remember a gang of us going to the local mini putt to watch Harvey Kirk and Lloyd Robertson go at it (mini putting, not wrestling)
Marcel
wow,looking back, after seeing these clips,brings me and my brothers,pulling out mattrasses, and wrestling while watching Grand Prix Wrestling..and dad apologising to the people downstairs,those beautiful memories,
Peter
I use to watch this as a kid,along with my brother. He and I used to get right into it after watching it.What fond memories. I seem to think there was also maple leaf wrestling if I am not mistaken.
Marcel
Yes there was those episodes of SUPERSTARS OF WRESTLING, but on Sundays, but there were not the top wrestlers as you had on Grand Prix
Phillip
Grand-prix wrestling does bring back good old day's of cfcf 12..but if am not mistaken..there was also SUPERSTARS OF WRESTLING hosted by george cannon..aired on sat afternoon's..followed by sat cinema.
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