Dee Booher
Dee Booher | |
---|---|
Born | Torrance, California | August 6, 1948
Residence | Seal Beach, California |
Professional wrestling career | |
Ring name(s) | Matilda the Hun Queen Kong |
Billed height | 6 ft 4 in (193 cm) |
Billed weight | 300 lb (136 kg) |
Billed from | Germany[citation needed] |
Trained by | Mando Guerrero[citation needed] |
Debut | December 5, 1985[citation needed] |
Dee Booher (born August 6, 1948[1]) is an American actress and retired female professional wrestler and roller derby skater. She competed in the Gorgeous Ladies of Wrestling as Matilda the Hun.[2]
Amateur wrestling[]
Booher first wrestled at El Camino Junior College in California, helping the team win a state championship.[3] She went on to organize amateur mud wrestling shows, performing as a masked character named Queen Kong. After California's gaming commission barred her from wrestling men, her first professional match was against a 700 lb (320 kg) bear.[4][5]
Professional wrestling career[]
Booher later teamed with GLOW creator David McLane and director Matt Cimber to cast, recruit and train performers for the first all-women's professional wrestling show. She also wrote the show's theme song.[4] Booher portrayed Matilda the Hun in GLOW. Her villainous character ate raw meat in the ring and scared children in the crowd, which Booher said she enjoyed.[5]
After two years with GLOW, Booher and others left to form a competing show called Powerful Women of Wrestling, but it was unsuccessful.[citation needed]
Booher said she learned her signature move, a big splash, from watching English professional wrestler Big Daddy.[4]
Acting[]
Booher has had several film roles in her career, including in the Mel Brooks comedy Spaceballs. She also appeared in the music video for Aerosmith's "Love in an Elevator", carrying a dwarf on her shoulders.[4]
Booher has also had guest-starring roles in television series including Married... with Children, My Two Dads, Mama's Family and Night Court. She often portrayed her Queen Kong character in these roles.[citation needed]
Personal life[]
Booher grew up in Lake Arrowhead, California. Prior to becoming involved in wrestling, she held jobs including as a masseuse and as a phone sex operator.[4]
After Booher's professional wrestling career, she earned a living doing stunt work as well as by performing singing telegrams that incorporated aspects of wrestling.[2]
In 2012, Booher appeared in a documentary about GLOW, titled GLOW: The Story of the Gorgeous Ladies of Wrestling.[5]
Booher lives in Seal Beach, California. She uses a motorized wheelchair because of wrestling-related spinal deterioration.[2]
References[]
- ^ Booher, Deanna (2013). Glamazon Queen Kong : my life of glitter, guts & glory. [United States]: Deanna Booher. ISBN 978-1-4675-8051-9. OCLC 1100587998.[self-published source]
- ^ Jump up to: a b c Alimurung, Gendy (June 20, 2017). "This '80s female wrestling league was dangerous and sexist — and the best job of their lives". The Washington Post. Retrieved July 12, 2018.
- ^ Booher, Dee. "About Matilda the Hun". QueenKong.com. Retrieved July 13, 2018.
- ^ Jump up to: a b c d e Godfrey, Alex (January 22, 2013). "The Woman Who Wrestled Bears". Vice. Retrieved July 12, 2018.
- ^ Jump up to: a b c Larson, Sarah (June 20, 2017). "Before the Netflix Series, Whet Your Whistle with "GLOW," the Documentary". The New Yorker. Retrieved July 12, 2018.
External links[]
- Official website
- Dee Booher at IMDb
- Papers of Deanna Booher, 1970-2017: A Finding Aid. Schlesinger Library, Radcliffe Institute, Harvard University.
- 1948 births
- Living people
- American female professional wrestlers
- Professional wrestlers from California