Thoughts on the death of John Tolos
I don’t have a lot of memories of John Tolos, but to wrestling fans in Los Angeles in the 1970s, the maniacal “Golden Greek” was legendary.
In his prime, Tolos – who died on May 28 at the age of 78 – was regarded as one of wrestling’s best talkers and top heels.
Any discussion about wrestling’s all-time classic feuds has to include a mention of Tolos’ battles with Fred Blassie in Los Angeles in the early ’70s. Blassie had been the most hated man in the territory for years before doing a babyface turn and engaging in a program with Tolos that set box office records.
The key angle in the feud saw Tolos throw Monsel powder in Blassie’s eyes on television. Blassie sold the eye injury for a few months before finally coming back for revenge. The first Tolos-Blassie match at the Los Angeles Coliseum reportedly drew a crowd of more than 25,000.
I remember watching Tolos on WWWF television a few times back in the early-to-mid 1970s, but I didn’t see enough of him to have a strong opinion. He returned to the WWF in the early ’90s for a short stint as Coach, the heel manager of Mr. Perfect and The Beverly Brothers.
My condolences go out to Tolos’ family and friends.
Comments
I was thinking about Coach, a few days ago....
Anyway, I liked that gimmick, so I was dissapointed that he was pulled from television after such a short stint.
My condolences go out, too.
Posted by: Christopher | May 31, 2009 2:22 PM
I'm too young to remember him, but only last week i was watching Summerslam 91 where he lead Curt Hennig to the ring for his superb match with Bret Hart.
I came online afterwards, looked him up and read all about his history.
Only days later i read that he'd passed away.
RIP
Posted by: John | May 31, 2009 8:00 PM
John Tolos was quite simply one of the greatest "heels" in the history of professional wrestling, His feud with the late Freddie Blassie has to rank as one of the top Five in the history of the sport. Great workers, kept in fantastic shape even into his 50s, and what an interview....He did get to wrestle Sammartino in the mid-70s but I can't help but think of how big he would have been today if he had been born a generation later. Also, out of the ring, a very nice man.
Posted by: Guy Gruppie | June 1, 2009 3:15 PM
In the early 60's John and Chris Tolos were a great tag team in the WWWF. They won the US tag titles from Gorilla Monsoon and Killer Kowalski. In those days the US tag titles were the same as the World tag titles in the old WWWF.
Posted by: TomC From Frederick | June 1, 2009 5:07 PM
I never new him but my close beloved friend Mike Le Bell did.
Thought alot of him.
xox
Posted by: Jane | June 4, 2009 12:16 AM
As John Tolos always said. There was only one way to spell wrestling -- T-O-L-O-S!
Posted by: Gary | June 5, 2009 11:47 AM
The only way to spell wrestling was T.O.L.O.S.!! That was his slogen. I was the biggest Tolos fan at the time. I got to meet him and he was really cool. I know that he was remembered for many matches and his interviews and stints, however, his comeback against The Big Cat Ernie Ladd was in my opinion the best Tolos match ever. His voice will forever ring in my ears and If there was cable or Satelite T.V. back then as it is today, Tolos would have been as famous as Flair, Hogan or Stone Cold. May the great memory of The Golden Greek live on.
Posted by: barry | November 8, 2010 2:59 PM