ESPN dives deep into the once-popular TV show, American Gladiators, with an extensive two-part doc. It not only tells the story behind the trashy late ’80’s-mid-90’s television show, but it’s also a lot better than the show itself.
American Gladiators, the violent, coed sports competition show, debuted in 1989. Gladiators was the Jerry Springer of sports – and it killed. But after spawning versions of itself in several countries and seven years of collisions and countless concussions, Gladiators was dumped due to poor ratings. Extreme sports were the new “It.”
Dann Carr (photo courtesy, Erie Sports Hall of Fame)
Gladiators was born in Erie, Pennsylvania, where male iron workers would let off steam at picnics by competing in gladiator-type events, i.e., lots of brawling and body slamming. Iron worker Dann Carr saw dollar signs, but he needed backing. Enter Johnny Ferraro, a former Elvis impersonator with means.
Johnny Ferraro (photo courtesy OK Magazine)
Ferraro envisioned Gladiators as a movie, so he packed his bags and went west. After years of getting nowhere in Los Angeles – yes, a familiar story – Ferraro finally got a bite, but the buyer saw Gladiators as a television show. Yes, Ferraro was flexible, and the show eventually made it on the air.
It’s a miracle that there weren’t more injuries. Perhaps most shockingly, Gladiators athletes had to pay for their own medical care. Many were hurt because they feared being replaced. Some, probably most, turned to steroids to survive the show.
Director Ben Berman spoke to a small handful of Gladiator athletes, including Malibu, Gemini, Sabre, and Wesley “Two Scoops” Berry. They were forthcoming, and it was fascinating to learn what happened to these “gladiators” after their run. One participant, not listed above, is severely handicapped. Since filming, he has passed, which is not mentioned in the doc.
Many former Gladiators athletes refused to participate in the doc. (It’s inferred that they’re bitter about their experience.) While Gladiators gave them a platform, the pay was relatively low, and they weren’t paid residuals or compensated for merchandising. At one point, Gladiators cast members attempted to strike, but failed miserably.
Let’s face it: television is a blood sport.
When the Gladiators’ television run ended, Ferraro opened a Gladiators dinner theater in Orlando, Florida, and eventually took the circus to Vegas. But it didn’t work, and Ferraro wound up selling yachts.
The ESPN doc spends a lot of time on the mostly up-and-down relationship between co-creators Ferraro and Carr. Throughout the doc, questions linger. Who was the Gladiators’ true creator? What is Ferraro hiding? Was Carr screwed – and how bad? Lastly, where is Carr, and is he even still alive?
By the end, all is answered, well, almost. There appears to be another creator who was not given his proper due.
Besides Ferraro, no one believes that Gladiators is an artistic masterpiece. It was born out of the 1988 writers’ strike. Another writer’s strike in 2007 brought Gladiators back for another short run, which Hulk Hogan hosted.
And don’t look now: It’s reported that Amazon is producing yet another reboot. Stay tuned.
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Jon Hart is the author of Unfortunately, I was available.
