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Adrian Street
Adrian Street (5 December 1940 – 24 July 2023) was a Welsh professional wrestler and author nicknamed "Exotic" who came to prominence in the 1970s and 1980s. During his career, Street was best known for his androgynous and flamboyant wrestling persona. Street was often accompanied to the ring by his long-time manager and wife Miss Linda, and the two worked primarily as heels.
Street was born on 5 December 1940 in Brynmawr in South Wales. He came from a coal-mining family; his father was a miner for 51 years. Street began bodybuilding as a teenager, and in 1957 – at age 16 – he left home to begin his career in professional wrestling.
His early inspirations were American wrestlers Lou Thesz, Buddy Rogers, and Don Leo Jonathan, from whom he adopted his first moniker: Kid Tarzan Jonathan.
Street was trained as a professional wrestler by Chic Osmond and Mike Demitre. His first professional wrestling match took place on 8 August 1957. Using the name Kid Tarzan Jonathan, Street defeated Geoff Moran.
Later in his career, he developed his "Exotic" Adrian Street image, an outrageously-attired, effeminate character who was implied–but never explicitly stated–to be gay. Street has explained that this gimmick was born by accident as a result of him playing up to taunting from an audience one evening. In his words: "I was getting far more reaction than I'd ever got just playing this poof. My costumes started getting wilder". His wrestling attire evolved to include pastel colours and glitter makeup, and he clipped his bleached hair into mini- hipigtails. As "The Exotic One", his signature move in the ring was to kiss opponents to escape being pinned down, and to put makeup on his opponents when they were disabled. He also sang several glam rock songs, such as "Sweet Transvestite with a Broken Nose" and "Imagine What I Could Do To You", the latter being his entrance music.
In 1971, he was booked in a match with the TV presenter Jimmy Savile. Due to disagreements with booking as well as disliking Savile due to his openly bragging about sleeping with underage girls, Street legitimately attacked Savile during the match and tore out Savile's hair. When the true nature of Savile’s sexual abuse towards underage girls became more apparent after his death, Street stated in an interview; “Had I known then what I know about him now, I’d have given him an even bigger hiding.”
Working primarily as a heel, Street travelled all over the world; locations where he wrestled included Germany, Canada, and Mexico. In the UK, he formed a tag partnership with fellow heel Bobby Barnes, naming themselves the Hells Angels.
In 1969 Street met his future manager/valet and real-life wife, Miss Linda (Linda Gunthorpe Hawker). During the 1970s, Linda wrestled in Britain as Blackfoot Sue. Later in America, the two formed a double-act, Miss Linda becoming one of professional wrestling's first female valets and frequently participating as an accomplice to Street's in-ring shenanigans.
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Adrian Street
Adrian Street (5 December 1940 – 24 July 2023) was a Welsh professional wrestler and author nicknamed "Exotic" who came to prominence in the 1970s and 1980s. During his career, Street was best known for his androgynous and flamboyant wrestling persona. Street was often accompanied to the ring by his long-time manager and wife Miss Linda, and the two worked primarily as heels.
Street was born on 5 December 1940 in Brynmawr in South Wales. He came from a coal-mining family; his father was a miner for 51 years. Street began bodybuilding as a teenager, and in 1957 – at age 16 – he left home to begin his career in professional wrestling.
His early inspirations were American wrestlers Lou Thesz, Buddy Rogers, and Don Leo Jonathan, from whom he adopted his first moniker: Kid Tarzan Jonathan.
Street was trained as a professional wrestler by Chic Osmond and Mike Demitre. His first professional wrestling match took place on 8 August 1957. Using the name Kid Tarzan Jonathan, Street defeated Geoff Moran.
Later in his career, he developed his "Exotic" Adrian Street image, an outrageously-attired, effeminate character who was implied–but never explicitly stated–to be gay. Street has explained that this gimmick was born by accident as a result of him playing up to taunting from an audience one evening. In his words: "I was getting far more reaction than I'd ever got just playing this poof. My costumes started getting wilder". His wrestling attire evolved to include pastel colours and glitter makeup, and he clipped his bleached hair into mini- hipigtails. As "The Exotic One", his signature move in the ring was to kiss opponents to escape being pinned down, and to put makeup on his opponents when they were disabled. He also sang several glam rock songs, such as "Sweet Transvestite with a Broken Nose" and "Imagine What I Could Do To You", the latter being his entrance music.
In 1971, he was booked in a match with the TV presenter Jimmy Savile. Due to disagreements with booking as well as disliking Savile due to his openly bragging about sleeping with underage girls, Street legitimately attacked Savile during the match and tore out Savile's hair. When the true nature of Savile’s sexual abuse towards underage girls became more apparent after his death, Street stated in an interview; “Had I known then what I know about him now, I’d have given him an even bigger hiding.”
Working primarily as a heel, Street travelled all over the world; locations where he wrestled included Germany, Canada, and Mexico. In the UK, he formed a tag partnership with fellow heel Bobby Barnes, naming themselves the Hells Angels.
In 1969 Street met his future manager/valet and real-life wife, Miss Linda (Linda Gunthorpe Hawker). During the 1970s, Linda wrestled in Britain as Blackfoot Sue. Later in America, the two formed a double-act, Miss Linda becoming one of professional wrestling's first female valets and frequently participating as an accomplice to Street's in-ring shenanigans.