BOOK REVIEW: “Jim Londos – The Golden Greek of Professional Wrestling” by Steven Johnson

Photo Courtesy: McFarland Books

When you think of generational talents who essentially changed – or in some cases saved – the wrestling industry, you think of Steve Austin, Hulk Hogan, Ric Flair, or Bruno Sammartino. For the modern fan, these are the names that are the most recognizable. But if you go back further, all the way to the turn of the 20th century, you’d discover that Jim Londos is one of the most important names in the history of the business, and one hardly anyone knows.

As John Layfield notes in his excellent foreword, this is the story of a dream that came true through the hard work of one man, a man without any real support through established connections. Like many immigrants, Londos would arrive at Ellis Island from Greece looking for an opportunity. He would work as an unskilled laborer as he tried to find his feet in his new homeland. A fateful encounter early in his journey would set him on the path to athletics, eventually leading him into professional wrestling.

It’s worth noting that there was a staggering amount of research required to put together a book on the life and career of a man who rose to popularity during the first half of the twentieth century, and author Steven Johnson was more than up to the task. In a sport as niche as pro wrestling where the reliability of record-keeping is suspect at best, sorting through the fact from fiction is easier said than done. One example was tracking down and uncovering Londos’ vaudeville work where he performed under the gimmick of “The Wrestling Plasterer”, a persona that had him strutting to the ring in workman’s clothes covered in bits of plaster.

As noted above through the early years of his career, Jim had struggled with identity. Born Chris Theophelos, he changed his ring name after receiving a disappointing letter from his father who believed Chris’ career choice would bring embarrassment to the family name. Chris would have a complicated relationship with his father over the years, something that often drove him to push himself harder to become as great as he could be. Johnson was able to pull a wealth of information from the Londos’ family records that added an immeasurable level of depth to Londos’ story.

The heart and soul of Londos’ professional career lies in his epic, decades-long rivalry with Ed “Strangler” Lewis. In 1917, Londos had his first of countless matches with his legendary rival and would continue to battle inside the squared circle throughout the years until the end of their respective careers. Whether it was for show or not, it appeared the two hated one another. Their feud drew large crowds despite Londos’ constantly ending up on the losing end of their encounters. It was during these encounters that Londos honed his craft and became a pioneer in the realm of selling. His grimaces and his slamming of his hands in frustration when locked in a hold would draw the empathy of crowds creating a strong fan base who would follow him from town to town to see him perform.

While this is a story about the formative years of Jim Londos, it is also a story about laying the foundation of what would become professional wrestling. In examining Londos’ rise in popularity and notoriety, Johnson writes about the infancy of the territorial system in which Londos teamed up with promoter John Contos who took on sole representation of Londos’ and his bookings by establishing his presence as world champion in many towns and states.  This would be at odds with promotors in more established wrestling towns and would lead to a governing body in the NWA being formed years later.

As I said earlier, trying to nail down the financial specifics of the era must have been extremely difficult, but what Johnson did uncover was fascinating. In just the first four years of the 30s, Londos made $3 million alone, which, adjusted for inflation, is around $70 million today. This is incredible given that the country was in the depths of The Great Depression when finding steady work was at a premium. So much more is in here including estimated gates and attendances from many of Jim’s biggest shows.

I could go on and on about everything I learned here, but I would just have to reprint the book in this review. I love the chance to explore either bygone eras or subjects in which I have little to no knowledge and this book ticks both boxes.

Jim Londos – The Golden Greek of Professional Wrestling is available now through McFarland Books

About Brandon Sears 28 Articles
Insurance broker by day, constant reader, die hard Toronto Maple Leafs fan and wrestling-watcher by night.