Jack Pye, also known as Dirty Jack Pye, Filthy Jack Pye and The Doncaster Panther, (July 9, 1903-December 8, 1985) was an English
professional wrestler and
actor from
Doncaster,
England. He was born John Pye on 9 July 1903 in Hindley near Wigan.
Family
John Pye is a descendant of the powerful
Pye Family Pye can refer to:
Businesses
* Pye (electronics company), British electronics manufacturer
* Pye Records, British record label
** Pye International Records, a subsidiary
People
* Pye (surname)
* Pye Dubois, musician
* Pye Hastings, musician
* Pye ...
.
John married his wife Lillian Wright and they had 2 sons,
* Dominic, was killed in a shotgun accident in February 1979 while shooting on his land in Mains Lane,
Singleton near
Blackpool
Blackpool is a seaside resort in Lancashire, England. Located on the North West England, northwest coast of England, it is the main settlement within the Borough of Blackpool, borough also called Blackpool. The town is by the Irish Sea, betw ...
.
* Jackey, died at the age of 12 in an accidental drowning.
He also had an illegitimate son with Edith Tomlinson
* John Paul b. 1966, in Blackpool, who now lives in Thailand working as a civil engineer. John Paul has two daughters, Emma Praew Tomlinson (born 4 June 1999) and Jenny Ploy Tomlinson (born 16 July 2001). .
Death
John Pye was the eldest of 11 children, and he died in Blackpool Victoria hospital on 8 December 1985. His youngest sibling, Ellen (Nellie) died in 2006 in Bishop Auckland.
Bronze Bust
A bronze bust of Jack Pye which used to have a prominent place in the Castle Casino in Blackpool, is currently on display at Blackpool's Stanley Park Sports Centre. The bronze bust was donated to the Blackpool County Council due to its striking resemblance to Jack, which caused considerable discomfort to his surviving family.
Wrestling career
In 1933, Pye came close to beating
Atholl Oakeley for the
British Heavyweight Championship
The British Heavyweight Championship is a top British wrestling championship found throughout the country's circuit. The championship was recognised and defended on matches screened by UK national television network ITV as part of the professi ...
. Other members of the Pye family who became wrestlers include brothers Harry Pye (who became a middle weight boxer),
Tommy Pye (who became the light-heavy-weight wrestling champion of Great Britain), and
Frank "Bully Pye" (the lightweight champion of Great Britain). Jack Pye's son, Dominic Pye was another family member to take up wrestling. Dominic had a tag partner called Casey Pye whose real name was Harry Bennett. They both appeared in the 1967 film 'Cuckoo Patrol' starring
Freddie and the Dreamers. Dominic Pye went on to train several professional wrestlers, such as "Mad" Jock Cameron, who became well known on the British circuit in the 1960s.
Jack Pye was presented with a Gold Jaeger-LeCoultre wrist watch as a retirement present in January 1964, the watch was presented by the Blackpool Tower Company Limited and Bill Best.
CANOE – SLAM! Sports – Wrestling – A pull-around with Mad Jock Cameron
/ref>
Film career
Pye also appeared in several films
A film also called a movie, motion picture, moving picture, picture, photoplay or (slang) flick is a work of visual art that simulates experiences and otherwise communicates ideas, stories, perceptions, feelings, beauty, or atmosphere ...
:
*''Wives Never Know'' 1936. Starring: Charlie Ruggles and Mary Boland
*''Leave It to Me'' (1937). Starring: Sandy Powell.
*'' It's a Grand Life'' in 1953 (as a wrestler). Starring: Frank Randle and Diana Dors
Notes
References
*The Times, Saturday, 28 January 1933; pg. 4; Issue 46354
External links
(Dirty?) Jack Pye. Biography, including film of him fighting at Burnden Park in 1947Jack Pye's bout with Douglas Clark (timesandstar.co.uk)
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Pye, Jack
1903 births
1985 deaths
English male professional wrestlers