Johnny Kwango
Encyclopedia
Johnny Kwango, real name John Lagey, (20 April 1920 – 19 January 1994) was a British
middleweight wrestler
. Kwango started wrestling from the late 1940s through to the 1980s and was famous for his head-butt moves. He achieved fame in Britain through televised matches on ITV
, but also enjoyed popularity in Europe, Middle East and Africa. His mother was a strong woman in a German circus and may have been possibly Europe's first woman wrestler.
Kwango’s hobbies included photography, cars, amateur radio and collecting jazz records. He lived in Peckham and lost a two-year cancer battle at age of 74. He had 6 children and 10 grandchildren.
British people
The British are citizens of the United Kingdom, of the Isle of Man, any of the Channel Islands, or of any of the British overseas territories, and their descendants...
middleweight wrestler
Professional wrestling
Professional wrestling is a mode of spectacle, combining athletics and theatrical performance.Roland Barthes, "The World of Wrestling", Mythologies, 1957 It takes the form of events, held by touring companies, which mimic a title match combat sport...
. Kwango started wrestling from the late 1940s through to the 1980s and was famous for his head-butt moves. He achieved fame in Britain through televised matches on ITV
ITV
ITV is the major commercial public service TV network in the United Kingdom. Launched in 1955 under the auspices of the Independent Television Authority to provide competition to the BBC, it is also the oldest commercial network in the UK...
, but also enjoyed popularity in Europe, Middle East and Africa. His mother was a strong woman in a German circus and may have been possibly Europe's first woman wrestler.
Personal life
Before he became a wrestler, Kwango was a ballet dancer in the first all black dance company in Europe, The Ballet Negres. He was also an accomplished drummer and pianist and played in various night clubs in London’s west end along with his brother, Cyril who himself was a musician with the hilarious orchestra, Sid Millward and His Nitwits later to become Nuts and Bolts. His older brother Butcher Johnson was also a wrestler and was known for his ‘mule kick’.Kwango’s hobbies included photography, cars, amateur radio and collecting jazz records. He lived in Peckham and lost a two-year cancer battle at age of 74. He had 6 children and 10 grandchildren.