Les Kellett
Encyclopedia
Les Kellett was a British
professional wrestler
who rose to prominence due to the popularity of televised wrestling
in the 1960s and 1970s. He was born in Laisterdyke
, Bradford
, West Yorkshire
, the son of Bill Kellett, a renowned Bradford engineer, and Sarah Kellett.
Kellett worked in the merchant navy
as an engineer and was demobbed in Manchester where a meeting with Joe Hill led him to consider life as a professional wrestler. During the 1950s he earned between £40 and £50 and was fighting five to six times a week all over the country. In the 1960s Kellet was nominated for the ITV Sports Personality of the Year and was presented to Prince Philip at the Royal Albert Hall
in the 1970s.
In the 1970s, he could regularly be seen on ITV
's Saturday afternoon sports show-case, World of Sport
. Although well known for his comic antics he was widely respected and feared, in equal measure, by his fellow professionals and was regarded as one of the toughest opponents in the sport. One of his standard tactics was to appear punch-drunk and almost defeated in a match, before suddenly recovering his ability and delivering the decisive move.
The money he earned from his wrestling appearances was not great, and he continued to supplement his earnings by working a small holding and café called "The Terminus" in the Bradford area with his wife Margaret. On two acres behind the house Les sometimes bred pigs and once said he kept fifty head of cattle. Although not seen in televised action after the 1970s, he is still fondly remembered as one of its most endearing characters.
Kellett died peacefully in his sleep, in Ilkley
, two years after he moved to a nursing home, at the age of 86, leaving a widow, Margaret, son Christopher and two grandchildren, Robert and Keeley. His other son, David, with whom he used to wrestle as a tag partner, had died in 2000.
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...
professional 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...
who rose to prominence due to the popularity of televised wrestling
Wrestling
Wrestling is a form of grappling type techniques such as clinch fighting, throws and takedowns, joint locks, pins and other grappling holds. A wrestling bout is a physical competition, between two competitors or sparring partners, who attempt to gain and maintain a superior position...
in the 1960s and 1970s. He was born in Laisterdyke
Laisterdyke
Laisterdyke is an area of Bradford, West Yorkshire situated to the east of the city on the border with Leeds and located in the Bradford Moor ward and in the East Bradford parliamentary constituency....
, Bradford
Bradford
Bradford lies at the heart of the City of Bradford, a metropolitan borough of West Yorkshire, in Northern England. It is situated in the foothills of the Pennines, west of Leeds, and northwest of Wakefield. Bradford became a municipal borough in 1847, and received its charter as a city in 1897...
, West Yorkshire
West Yorkshire
West Yorkshire is a metropolitan county within the Yorkshire and the Humber region of England with a population of 2.2 million. West Yorkshire came into existence as a metropolitan county in 1974 after the passage of the Local Government Act 1972....
, the son of Bill Kellett, a renowned Bradford engineer, and Sarah Kellett.
Kellett worked in the merchant navy
Merchant Navy
The Merchant Navy is the maritime register of the United Kingdom, and describes the seagoing commercial interests of UK-registered ships and their crews. Merchant Navy vessels fly the Red Ensign and are regulated by the Maritime and Coastguard Agency...
as an engineer and was demobbed in Manchester where a meeting with Joe Hill led him to consider life as a professional wrestler. During the 1950s he earned between £40 and £50 and was fighting five to six times a week all over the country. In the 1960s Kellet was nominated for the ITV Sports Personality of the Year and was presented to Prince Philip at the Royal Albert Hall
Royal Albert Hall
The Royal Albert Hall is a concert hall situated on the northern edge of the South Kensington area, in the City of Westminster, London, England, best known for holding the annual summer Proms concerts since 1941....
in the 1970s.
In the 1970s, he could regularly be seen 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...
's Saturday afternoon sports show-case, World of Sport
World of Sport (UK TV series)
World of Sport was a British television sport anthology programme which ran on ITV between 2 January 1965 to 28 September 1985 in response to competition from BBC's Grandstand...
. Although well known for his comic antics he was widely respected and feared, in equal measure, by his fellow professionals and was regarded as one of the toughest opponents in the sport. One of his standard tactics was to appear punch-drunk and almost defeated in a match, before suddenly recovering his ability and delivering the decisive move.
The money he earned from his wrestling appearances was not great, and he continued to supplement his earnings by working a small holding and café called "The Terminus" in the Bradford area with his wife Margaret. On two acres behind the house Les sometimes bred pigs and once said he kept fifty head of cattle. Although not seen in televised action after the 1970s, he is still fondly remembered as one of its most endearing characters.
Kellett died peacefully in his sleep, in Ilkley
Ilkley
Ilkley is a spa town and civil parish in West Yorkshire, in the north of England. Ilkley civil parish includes the adjacent village of Ben Rhydding and is a ward within the metropolitan borough of Bradford. Approximately north of Bradford, the town lies mainly on the south bank of the River Wharfe...
, two years after he moved to a nursing home, at the age of 86, leaving a widow, Margaret, son Christopher and two grandchildren, Robert and Keeley. His other son, David, with whom he used to wrestle as a tag partner, had died in 2000.
In wrestling
- Finishing moves
- Boston crabBoston crabThe Boston crab is a professional wrestling hold that typically starts with the opponent lying supine on the mat, with the wrestler standing and facing them. It is a type of spinal lock where the wrestler hooks each of the opponent’s legs in one of his arms, and then turns the opponent face-down,...
- Spinning toe hold
- Boston crab
- Signature moves
- Leg drop armbreakerLeg dropA leg drop or legdrop refers to an attack used in professional wrestling in which an attacking wrestler will jump and land his leg across a fallen opponent's chest, throat, face or head or in some cases, the groin/lower-abdominal area...
- Tornado armbreaker
- Leg drop armbreaker