Woody Farmer
{{Short description|American professional wrestler and actor (1935–2012)}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=November 2024}}
{{Infobox professional wrestler
| name = Woody Farmer
| image =
| alt =
| caption =
| birth_name =
| birth_date = {{Birth date|1935|12|25}}
| birth_place = Buchanan County, Virginia, United States
| death_date = {{Death date and age|2012|02|29|1935|12|25}}
| death_place = Union City, California, United States
| height = 6 ft 1 in
| names = Woody Farmer
| trainer = Ray Stevens
}}
Woody Farmer (December 25, 1935 – February 29, 2012) was an American professional wrestler and actor.
Early life
As a young man, Farmer joined the army and the workout schedule of the army led to him taking up wrestling as a hobby. It then became a career for him.
Professional wrestling career
Farmer started out wrestling in the 1960s and was trained by Ray Stevens. His early wrestling days were spent on the Northern California, Hawaii and Las Vegas wrestling circuits.Slam Wrestling - [https://web.archive.org/web/20160311230544/http://slam.canoe.com/Slam/Wrestling/2007/03/20/3790664.html Woody Farmer leads three generations to battle By Mike lano]
In Phoenix on January 7, 1966, Farmer was beaten by Nikita Mulkovich. He was beaten again by Mulkovich on January 31.The History of Arizona Wrestling, By Dale Pierce [https://books.google.com/books?id=KqOfCQAAQBAJ&dq=%22Woody+Farmer%22Wrestler&pg=PA1977 Page 47] On October 2, 1970, Farmer and Tito Montez took on The Comancheros in Phoenix, but were beaten by them. On the 19th of that month, they beat The Comancheros.The History of Arizona Wrestling, By Dale Pierce - [https://books.google.com/books?id=KqOfCQAAQBAJ&dq=%22Woody+Farmer%22Wrestler&pg=PA1977 Page 61]
In 1967 he wrestled for World Wide Wrestling Federation as a jobber.
In 1971, with partner Bobby Duncum, farmer defeated The Beast and Bulldog Brower and won the NWA Western States Tag Team Titles.F4Wonline.com, April 8, 2018 - [https://www.f4wonline.com/other-wrestling/daily-pro-wrestling-history-0408-larry-zbyszko-wins-awa-world-title-255331 Daily Pro Wrestling History (04/08): Larry Zbyszko wins AWA World title by Brian Hoops]
In 1980, Farmer was photographed at a gym for a publicity stunt with iconic stripper Carol Doda.San Jose Mercury News, November 20, 2015 - [https://www.mercurynews.com/2015/11/20/celebrity-san-francisco-stripper-carol-doda-led-quiet-early-life-in-vallejo/ Celebrity San Francisco stripper Carol Doda led quiet early life in Vallejo By Richard Freedman] From 1989 to 1992, Farmer was a promoter and achieved a degree of success in that field.Cagematch.net - [https://www.cagematch.net/?id=2&nr=6062 Woody Farmer, Career Data]Pro Wrestling: A Comprehensive Reference Guide, By Lew Freedman - [https://books.google.com/books?id=TQ5pDwAAQBAJ&dq=%22Woody+Farmer%22Wrestler&pg=PA217 Page 217 Promoters, wrestling]
It was reported by the East Bay Times on February 15, 2007, that 71 year old Farmer, along with his son 43 year old son Shane Kody and 21 year old grandson Riot (both wrestlers) were to wrestle another three man tag team for the Night of Champions on the 24th of that month.East Bay Times, February 15, 2007 - [https://www.eastbaytimes.com/2007/02/15/wrestlers-to-face-off-for-charity-in-hayward/ Wrestlers to face off for charity in Hayward By Rachel Cohen] On February 24 for Bay Wrestling Federation in Alameda, California, he teamed with his son Shane Kody and his grandson Riot defeating Boom Boom Comini, Johnny Starr and Mr. Frost.
During his career, Farmer had at least two titles. Once with Bobby Duncum for the NWA Western States Tag Team title in 1971 and California State Heavyweight in 1982, defeating Mike York.OnlineWorldofWrestling.com - [http://www.onlineworldofwrestling.com/bios/w/woody-farmer/ Woody Farmer, Title History]
Acting career
In 1985, he played an international wrestler in Grunt! the Wrestling Movie which was directed by Alan Holzman.TV Guide - [https://www.tvguide.com/movies/grunt-the-wrestling-movie/cast/125217/ Grunt! the Wrestling Movie, Cast]AllMovie - [https://www.allmovie.com/movie/grunt%21-the-wrestling-movie-v21025/cast-crew Grunt! the Wrestling Movie (1985), Cast]
Farmer had a role as Fuzzy in the Frank Harris directed Low Blow which starred Leo Fong as private eye, Joe Wong.TV Guide - [https://www.tvguide.com/movies/low-blow/cast/104917/ Low Blow, Cast & Crew]Rotten Tomatoes - [https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/low_blow Low Blow (1986), Cast] He would appear in another film involving Fong's Joe Wong character, this time in Blood Street.Comeuppance Reviews, 2/01/2011 - [http://www.comeuppancereviews.net/2011/02/blood-street-1990.html Blood Street (1990)]
Personal life
Farmer's son Rex is a wrestler who wrestles under the name of Shane Kody. East Bay Times, April 10, 2008 - [https://www.eastbaytimes.com/2008/04/10/wrestlers-rock-ring-for-a-worthy-cause/ Wrestlers rock ring for a worthy cause By Laurie Burkitt] He also had another son named Todd who was not included in his fathers generation of wrestlers who later had two sons. His grandson Rex, Jnr. is also a wrestler known as Riot.Slam Wrestling - [https://web.archive.org/web/20160311230544/http://slam.canoe.com/Slam/Wrestling/2007/03/20/3790664.html Woody Farmer leads three generations to battle By Mike lano]
Death
Farmer died in California from cancer at age 76 on February 29, 2012.Obituaries in the Performing Arts, 2012, By Harris M. Lentz III - [https://books.google.com/books?id=V9hM_XbAOcQC&dq=%22Woody+Farmer%22Wrestler&pg=PA93 Page 93 Famer, Woody]
Filmography
| class="wikitable plainrowheaders sortable"
|+ Film |
| scope="col" | Title
! scope="col" | Role ! scope="col" | Director ! scope="col" | Year ! scope="col" class="unsortable" | Notes # |
|---|
| scope="row" | Grunt! The Wrestling Movie!
| Battle Royale Wrestler | 1985 | |
| scope="row" | Low Blow
| Fuzzy | 1986 | |
| scope="row" | Blood Street
| Allan | 1988 | |
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- {{IMDb name|nm0267810}}
- [http://azwreshistory.blogspot.com/2012/03/death-of-woody-farmer.html Arizona Pro Wrestling History: The Death Of Woody Farmer]
- [https://web.archive.org/web/20160311230544/http://slam.canoe.com/Slam/Wrestling/2007/03/20/3790664.html Slam.canoe.com: Woody Farmer leads three generations to battle by Mike Lano]
- {{professional wrestling profiles}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Farmer, Woody}}
Category:American male professional wrestlers
Category:Professional wrestlers from Virginia
Category:People from Buchanan County, Virginia
Category:20th-century male professional wrestlers
Category:20th-century American professional wrestlers