Billy Varga
William Joe Varga (born January 10, 1919 in Cleveland , Ohio - † January 11, 2013 in Burbank , California ) was an American wrestler and film actor .
Life
Varga's father was already active in the European wrestling business (under the name "Count Joseph Varga"); his son became light heavyweight champion in December 1941 after attending Hollywood High School and graduating from the University of Southern California . A little later he went to the United States Navy until 1947 . He immediately regained the world title. Until the 1970s, the 1.80 m tall and 91 kg father of three children was active as a wrestler, where he called himself Count Billy Varga ; in addition, he repeatedly played roles for cinema and television. Here, too, he was mostly cast as a boxer, wrestler or referee. In several television shows he competed against celebrities in skits and for entertainment purposes, for example in his most famous fight against Herman Munster . Billy Varga died the day after his 94th birthday.
Filmography (selection)
- 1949: Alias the Champ
- 1953: Purgatory (Miss Sadie Thompson)
- 1964: The Munsters (TV series, one episode)
- 1980: Like a Wild Bull (Raging Bull)
- 1991: Alligator II: The Mutation
Web links
- Billy Varga in the Internet Movie Database (English)
Individual evidence
| personal data | |
|---|---|
| SURNAME | Varga, Billy |
| ALTERNATIVE NAMES | Varga, William Joe |
| BRIEF DESCRIPTION | American wrestler and film actor |
| DATE OF BIRTH | January 10, 1919 |
| PLACE OF BIRTH | Cleveland , Ohio |
| DATE OF DEATH | January 11, 2013 |
| Place of death | Burbank , California |