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French Catch

Based on what we have available to us, French wrestling was certainly the most exciting wrestling in the world for at least the 1950s and 1960s. Without getting too into specifics, procuring this footage from the INA archive was the virtual equivalent of me putting on a wig and mustache and checking into a hotel room under a pseudonym. We have seen footage of many great wrestlers about whom we likely wouldn’t have known with this stuff being unearthed, and the quality tends to range from fun to mind-blowing. Special thanks to the team at Segunda Caida for making sense of the footage, recommending the best matches and providing some much-needed context.

  1. French Catch #25 (June-July 1960)

    Started by Loss,

    French Catch #25 (01:59:12) Matches from June-July 1960 MICHEL SAULNIER vs JERRY COSTER (06/03/1960; French Catch; 00:08:45) ROBERT DURANTON vs MICHEL CHAISNE (06/03/1960; French Catch; 00:31:50) SERGE REGGIORI vs ERIC WASBERG (07/01/1960; French Catch; 00:12:40) SPARTACUS vs JACK VAN DOOREN (07/01/1960; French Catch; 00:24:00) ANDRE DRAPP vs ANDRE BOLLET (07/15/1960; French Catch; 00:41:57)

    • 0 replies
    • 344 views
    Loss

  2. French Catch #26 (July-September 1960)

    Started by Loss,

    French Catch #26 (02:28:43) Matches from July-September 1960 CHERI BIBI & PIERRE BERNAERT vs RENE BEN CHEMOUL & MICHEL CHARRET (07/22/1960; French Catch; 00:43:00) ROGER GUETTIER vs COWBOY JACK BENCE (09/15/1960; French Catch; 00:35:28) ANDRE DRAPP vs ROGER DELAPORTE (09/22/1960; French Catch; 00:32:02) KARL VON KRAMER & KARL VON CHENOK vs GABY CALDERON & LUC STRAUB (09/29/1960; French Catch; 00:38:13)

    • 0 replies
    • 330 views
    Loss

  3. French Catch #27 (October-December 1960)

    Started by Loss,

    French Catch #27 (02:07:23) Matches from October-December 1960 JANOS VADKERTI vs ROLAND DAUMAL (10/13/1960; French Catch; 00:12:43) PEPE MARQUES vs AMI SOLA (10/28/1960; French Catch; 00:32:04) ANTONIO MONTORO vs INCA PERUANO (11/18/1960; French Catch; 00:03:09) L’ANGE BLANC vs ANDRE BOLLET (11/18/1960; French Catch; 00:41:44) JACKY CORNE & ROGER LAROCHE vs GIACOMO GUGLIEMETTI & JO CZIERNESKI (12/09/1960; French Catch; 00:37:43)

    • 0 replies
    • 350 views
    Loss

  4. French Catch #28 (December 1960-January 1961)

    Started by Loss,

    French Catch #28 (01:08:47) Matches from December 1960-January 1961 Editor’s note: This will hopefully be the only volume of French Catch like this. Quite a few matches just labeled as ‘1960’ actually did have known dates, so I reassigned them to their proper chronological place. There was no way to make that change without uprooting the entire way we’re doing this, so that just means we’re going to have one volume that contains only two matches and goes slightly over an hour. This may happen again as we continue the newsletters and encounter date corrections or duplicates, but it will hopefully be a rare occurrence. JOSE ARROYO vs INCA PERUANO (12/30/…

    • 0 replies
    • 331 views
    Loss

  5. French Catch #29 (April-September 1961)

    Started by Loss,

    French Catch #29 (02:15:42) Matches from April-September 1961 JACKY CORNE vs REMY BAYLE (04/14/1961; French Catch; 00:28:22) ANDRE DRAPP & BERNARD VIGNAL vs ROCCO LAMBAN & DR. ADOLF KAISER (04/21/1961; French Catch; 00:34:31) JACQUES BERNIERES vs JEAN MARTIN (04/21/1961; French Catch; 00:05:04) RENE BEN CHEMOUL vs BOB ANTHONY (07/07/1961; French Catch; 00:34:54) ISKA KHAN & SERGE GENTILLY vs YVES AMOR & PIERRE ROUANET (09/15/1961; French Catch; 00:32:51)

    • 0 replies
    • 338 views
    Loss

  6. French Catch #30 (September-December 1961)

    Started by Loss,

    French Catch #30 (02:19:42) Matches from September-December 1961 MARCEL MONTREAL vs JACK ROUXEL (09/15/1961; French Catch; 00:05:40) HORST HOFFMANN vs LINO DI SANTO (10/05/1961; French Catch; 00:21:20) REMY BAYLE vs AL GAMAIN (10/05/1961; French Catch; 00:14:23) INCA PERUANO & COMTE DA DIADONE vs MICHEL CHARRET & JEAN FRYZIUK (11/10/1961; French Catch; 00:44:44) JEAN DEBUT vs JACK ROUXEL (11/10/1961; French Catch; 00:11:55) ROGER DELAPORTE & ANDRE BOLLET vs GILBERT LEDUC & ROBERT GASTEL (12/14/1961; French Catch; 00:41:40)

    • 0 replies
    • 483 views
    Loss

  7. French Catch #31 (January-May 1962)

    Started by Loss,

    French Catch #31 (01:59:41) Matches from January-May 1962 MARCEL MONTREAL & AMI SOLA vs PIERRE BERNAERT & JACK ROUXEL (01/12/1962; French Catch; 00:43:11) CLAUDE GESSAT vs NICOLAS PRIORE (02/02/1962; French Catch; 00:04:46) EDDY WIECZ vs ROBERT DURANTON (03/24/1962; French Catch; 00:27:20) JEAN FRYZIUK vs ROGER DELAPORTE (05/03/1962; French Catch; 00:44:24)

    • 0 replies
    • 341 views
    Loss

  8. French Catch #32 (September-November 1962)

    Started by Loss,

    French Catch #32 (02:32:04) Matches from September-November 1962 DAN AUBRIOT vs PIERRE BERNAERT (09/11/1962; French Catch; 00:29:24) GILBERT LEDUC vs GEOFF PORTZ (10/19/1962; French Catch; 00:32:20) INCA PERUANO vs GUY MERCIER (10/19/1962; French Catch; 00:09:12) DAN AUBRIOT vs PIERRE BERNAERT (11/09/1962; French Catch; 00:29:13) GUY TALLIEU vs CESAR FRANCK (11/09/1962; French Catch; 00:04:36) JIMMY DULA & JEAN MARTIN vs MARCEL MONTREAL & LEON MINISSINI (11/16/1962; French Catch; 00:47:19)

    • 0 replies
    • 271 views
    Loss

  9. French Catch #33 (December 1962-May 1964)

    Started by Loss,

    French Catch #33 (02:30:25) Matches from December 1962-May 1964 CHERI BIBI vs JACKY CORNE (12/14/1962; French Catch; 00:25:25) MODESTO ALEDO vs JEAN RABUT (12/14/1962; French Catch; 00:03:45) BOB ELANDON & ALBERT FALAUX vs RENE CABALLEC & GILBERT POUYDEBAT (02/22/1963; French Catch; 00:38:58) JOE BROWN vs KIYOMIGAWA (03/29/1963; French Catch; 00:26:37) TONY CHARLES vs GIACOMO GUGLIEMETTI (03/29/1963; French Catch; 00:09:04) BERNARD VIGNAL vs GRAND VLADIMIR (05/15/1964; French Catch; 00:09:46) MANUEL MANNEVEAU & CLAUDE GESSAT vs DAN AUBRIOT & BOB PLANTIN (05/15…

    • 0 replies
    • 297 views
    Loss

  10. French Catch #34 (January-February 1965)

    Started by Loss,

    French Catch #34 (02:01:03) Matches from January-February 1965 ARABET SAID & ABDEL KADER vs PIERRE BERNAERT & MARCEL MANNEVEAU (01/10/1965; French Catch; 00:39:40) ISCHA ISRAEL vs JEAN CORNE (01/15/1965; French Catch; 00:20:07) ROBERT DURANTON vs GILBERT LEDUC (01/15/1965; French Catch; 00:21:27) RENE BEN CHEMOUL-GILBERT CESCA vs ABE GINSBURG-JOHN FOLEY (02/28/1965; French Catch; 00:39:49)

    • 0 replies
    • 283 views
    Loss

  11. French Catch #35 (March-April 1965)

    Started by Loss,

    French Catch #35 (02:18:48) Matches from March-April 1965 RENE BEN CHEMOUL & GILBERT CESCA vs ANTON TEJERO & INCA PERUANO (03/12/1965; French Catch; 00:32:16) PAT O’CONNOR vs ROGER DELAPORTE (03/14/1965; French Catch; 00:26:07) YASU YOGUCHI vs MATHIAS SANCHEZ (03/14/1965; French Catch; 00:06:49) YVES AMOR & GEORGES GUERET vs EDDIE WILLIAMS & GOLDEN APOLLON (03/28/1965; French Catch; 00:34:39) CHERI BIBI vs MARCEL MONTREAL (04/09/1965; French Catch; 00:11:08) ROGER DELAPORTE vs WARNIA DE ZARZECKI (04/09/1965; French Catch; 00:27:49)

    • 0 replies
    • 308 views
    Loss

  12. French Catch #36 (April-May 1965)

    Started by Loss,

    French Catch #36 (02:19:13) Matches from April-May 1965 JOAQUIM LA BARBA vs DAN AUBRIOT (04/11/1965; French Catch; 00:05:51) PIERRE BERNAERT vs ARMAND ZARPA (04/11/1965; French Catch; 00:23:54) REMY BAYLE & MARCEL MONTREAL vs CHERI BIBI & ERIC HUSBERG (04/25/1965; French Catch; 00:36:40) RENE BEN CHEMOUL & GILBERT CESCA vs ALDOLPHE SEVRES & ROBERT LE BOULCH (05/09/1965; French Catch; 00:37:46) KARL VON KRAMER & ROBERT GASTEL vs GILBERT LEDUC & CLAUDE MONTOURCY (05/21/1965; French Catch; 00:35:02)

    • 0 replies
    • 288 views
    Loss

  13. French Catch #37 (May-July 1965)

    Started by Loss,

    French Catch #37 (02:14:13) Matches from May-July 1965 PAT O’CONNOR vs PAUL VACHON (05/23/1965; French Catch; 00:15:58) TOSH TOGO vs ROGER DELAPORTE (05/23/1965; French Catch; 00:18:48) FRANK VALOID & ANDRE BOLLET vs EDDY WIECZ & MONSIEUR UNIVERSE (06/06/1965; French Catch; 00:36:30) JEAN RABUT vs MICHEL SAULNIER (06/20/1965; French Catch; 00:29:13) LUC STRAUB & AMOR ZAFAR vs PIERRE BERNAERT & MICHEL MANNEVEAU (07/02/1965; French Catch; 00:33:44)

    • 0 replies
    • 285 views
    Loss

  14. French Catch #38 (July 1965)

    Started by Loss,

    French Catch #38 (02:05:59) Matches from July 1965 GIL VIONET vs GEORGES KASBARIAN (07/11/1965; French Catch; 00:18:22) ISKA KHAN vs JEAN GASPARINI (07/11/1965; French Catch; 00:18:16) LUC STRAUB vs GIACOMO GUGULIEMETTI (07/16/1965; French Catch; 00:31:48) RENE BEN CHEMOUL & GILBERT CESCA vs ANTON TEJERO & PANCHO ZAPATA (07/18/1965; French Catch; 00:33:20) KARL VON KRAMER vs GASS DOUKHAN (07/25/1965; French Catch; 00:24:13)

    • 0 replies
    • 324 views
    Loss

  15. French Catch #39 (July-September 1965)

    Started by Loss,

    French Catch #39 (02:15:50) Matches from July-September 1965 WALTER BORDES vs VLARMECK WIZUK (07/25/1965; French Catch; 00:09:18) GEORGES GUERET & TEDDY BOY vs MICHEL ALLARY & JACKY CORN (07/30/1965; French Catch; 00:37:57) ANDRE BOLLET vs EDDY WIECZ (08/20/1965; French Catch; 00:29:38) ISCHA ISRAEL vs HENRI LE MAO (08/22/1965; French Catch; 00:30:29) GASPARIAN vs BRUNO ROCCO (09/05/1965; French Catch; 00:28:28)

    • 0 replies
    • 276 views
    Loss

  16. French Catch #40 (September-November 1965)

    Started by Loss,

    French Catch #40 (02:09:37) Matches from September-November 1965 EDDY WIECZ vs ANDRE BOLLET (09/21/1965; French Catch; 00:49:46) EDDY WIECZ vs ANDRE BOLLET (10/17/1965; French Catch; 00:36:50) RENE BEN CHEMOUL & GILBERT CESCA vs PIERRE LAGACHE & EMBA CONGALAIS (11/03/1965; French Catch; 00:43:01)

    • 0 replies
    • 319 views
    Loss

  17. French Catch #41 (November-December 1965)

    Started by Loss,

    French Catch #41 (01:58:03) Matches from November-December 1965 ANDRE BOLLET & JACK ROUSSEL vs EDDY WIECZ & WARNIA DE ZARZECKI (11/14/1965; French Catch; 00:35:49) PANCHO ZAPATA & VICTOR CASTILLA vs DAN AUBRIOT & REMY BAYLE (11/28/1965; French Catch; 00:39:22) ROGER DELAPORTE & ANDRE BOLLET vs WARNIA DE ZARZECKI & MR. MONTREAL (12/12/1965; French Catch; 00:42:52)

    • 0 replies
    • 278 views
    Loss

  18. French Catch #42 (January-February 1966)

    Started by Loss,

    French Catch #42 (02:09:28) Matches from January-February 1966 ANDRE BOLLET & ROGER DELAPORTE vs WARNIA DE ZARZECKI & EDDY WIECZ (01/09/1966; French Catch; 00:34:22) DANIEL BOUCARD vs RED DIAMOND (02/06/1966; French Catch; 00:28:08) JAMES BROWN & RAY APOLLON vs JACK DE LASARTESSE & HANS HESS (02/11/1966; French Catch; 00:31:09) GUY MERCIER & CLAUDE MONTOURCY vs KIYOMIGAWA & CHATI YOKOUCHI (02/20/1966; French Catch; 00:35:49)

    • 0 replies
    • 287 views
    Loss

  19. French Catch #43 (March-April 1966)

    Started by Loss,

    French Catch #43 (02:00:55) Matches from March-April 1966 ANDRE DRAPP vs L’HOMME MASQUE (03/04/1966; French Catch; 00:27:24) CHERI BIBI & ERIC HUSBERG vs GIACOMO GUGULIEMETTI & PHILIPPE CRAPEZ (03/06/1966; French Catch; 00:33:55) PEPE MARQUES vs TITO KOPEC (03/20/1966; French Catch; 00:31:38) DAN AUBRIOT & REMY BAYLE vs MANUEL MANNEVEAU & CLAUDE GESSAT (04/09/1966; French Catch; 00:27:58)

    • 0 replies
    • 284 views
    Loss

  20. French Catch #44 (April-June 1966)

    Started by Loss,

    French Catch #44 (02:22:39) Matches from April-June 1966 HENRI LE MAO vs ZADI KOCHESKI (04/17/1966; French Catch; 00:24:43) GEORGES COHEN vs PASQUALE GIUSTO (05/08/1966; French Catch; 00:25:35) LE PETIT PRINCE vs BOBBY GENELE (05/22/1966; French Catch; 00:28:24) LE PETIT PRINCE vs MICHEL FALEMPIN (05/27/1966; French Catch; 00:21:23) CHERI BIBI & ERIC HUSBERG vs JAMES BROWN & JEAN CORNE (06/19/1966; French Catch; 00:42:34)

    • 0 replies
    • 290 views
    Loss

  21. French Catch #45 (August-September 1966)

    Started by Loss,

    French Catch #45 (02:20:08) Matches from August-September 1966 VASILIOS MANTOPOULOS & FRANCIS LOUIS vs BILLY CATANZARO & GILBERT LE MAGOUROU (08/19/1966; French Catch; 00:37:16) EDDY WIECZ & WARNIA DE ZARZECKI vs RUDI SATURSKI & HARRY WENZEL (08/29/1966; French Catch; 00:35:46) GILBERT LE MAGOUROUX & BILLY CATANZARO vs VASILIOS MANTOPOULOS & FRANCIS LOUIS (08/29/1966; French Catch; 00:37:41) GILBERT CESCA vs CHERI BIBI (09/02/1966; French Catch; 00:29:25)

    • 0 replies
    • 262 views
    Loss

  22. French Catch #46 (September-October 1966)

    Started by Loss,

    French Catch #46 (02:07:53) Matches from September-October 1966 RENE BEN CHEMOUL & WALTER BORDES vs MANUEL MANNEVEAU & CLAUDE GESSAT (09/06/1966; French Catch; 00:33:44) MONSIEUR MARSHAL vs RAGOT LE LEGIONARE (09/20/1966; French Catch; 00:31:45) ROBERT GASTEL vs LINO DI SANTO (10/09/1966; French Catch; 00:29:11) LE VICOMTE JOEL DE NORBREUIL & PIERRE LAGACHE vs ABRAHAM EDERY & GEORGES COHEN (10/16/1966; French Catch; 00:33:13)

    • 0 replies
    • 285 views
    Loss

  23. French Catch #47 (January-June 1967)

    Started by Loss,

    French Catch #47 (02:18:24) Matches from January-June 1967 BILLY CATANZARO vs VASILIOS MANTOPOULOS (01/29/1967; French Catch; 00:30:33) GEORGES COHEN vs WALTER BORDES (02/12/1967; French Catch; 00:27:54) RENE BEN CHEMOUL vs GIUSEPPE DAIDONE (03/10/1967; French Catch; 00:19:03) BRUNO ASQUINI & GILBERT LEDUC vs MARCEL MANNEVEAU & CLAUDE GESSAT (05/06/1967; French Catch; 00:32:42) VASILIOS MANTOPOULOS vs JACK ROUXEL (06/29/1967; French Catch; 00:28:12)

    • 0 replies
    • 318 views
    Loss

  24. French Catch #48 (July-September 1967)

    Started by Loss,

    French Catch #48 (02:09:53) Matches from July-September 1967 BOB REMY vs MODESTO ALEDO (07/29/1967; French Catch; 00:34:17) EDDIE WILLIAMS vs ROBERT GASTEL (08/02/1967; French Catch; 00:29:23) FRANK VALOIS vs JACKY WIECZ (08/02/1967; French Catch; 00:03:59) ANTON TEJERO vs WALTER BORDES (08/29/1967; French Catch; 00:29:18) BATMAN vs TEDDY BOY (09/30/1967; French Catch; 00:11:20) LE PETIT PRINCE vs MICHEL SAULNIER (09/30/1967; French Catch; 00:21:36)

    • 0 replies
    • 273 views
    Loss

  25. French Catch #49 (October-December 1967)

    Started by Loss,

    French Catch #49 (02:13:28) Matches from October-December 1967 ALBERT SANNIEZ & FRANCIS SULLIVAN vs TONY MARTINO & BERNARD CACLARD (10/21/1967; French Catch; 00:34:48) PETER MAIVIA vs JOHNNY LYNCH (10/21/1967; French Catch; 00:05:01) VASILIOS MANTOPOULOS vs ANTON TEJERO (10/21/1967; French Catch; 00:34:36) GILBERT LEDUC & BATMAN vs MARCEL MANNEVEAU & CLAUDE GESSAT (12/01/1967; French Catch; 00:30:34) GUY MERCIER vs KARL VON CHENOK (12/16/1967; French Catch; 00:28:29)

    • 0 replies
    • 274 views
    Loss

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