Online World of Wrestling

PROMOTER PROFILES

[In Funk's Corner: Jim Barnette]

Jim Barnett started under Fred Kohler and was a major player when wrestling was on television in the Dumont Network in Chicago..

Jim Barnett was the first to realize the power of television and its relationship to professional wrestling..

~~~He was able to get Wrestling from the Marigold syndicated across the U.S. and thus was born the 1st national wrestling tv show..

Jim Barnett lived in Australia for about ten years, he had an apartment in the Hilton Hotel at Sydney's King's Cross..

Jim Barnett saw an open market in Australia as far as Wrestling was concerned and booked many American wrestlers on his events..

Jim Barnett ran one of the classiest promotions in wrestling history treating his talent good and enforcing a suit & tie dress code..

Jim Barnett always personally came to the dressing room before shows to motivate the wrestlers..

Jim Barnett was a master entertainer but was deadly serious about the business of drawing money..

After purchasing the Atlanta Territory, Jim Barnett became secretary of the National Wrestling Alliance..

Late 1970s: Jim Barnett was possibly the most powerful promoter in the National Wrestling Alliance..

1984: Jim Barnett was one of the leading executives during the WWF's expansion under Vince McMahon Jr..

Early 1990s: Jim Barnett was Ted Turner's closest confidante when he (Turner) got into the wrestling business..

1990s: Jim Barnett also worked for World Championship Wrestling for much of the 1990s..

Jim Barnett one of pro wrestling's all-time most colorful and controversial characters inside of the business..

Jim Barnett was the promoter during the glory days of wrestling in Chicago, Indiana, Georgia and Australia..

Jim Barnett was portrayed in a very negative manner in recent books by Jim Wilson and Ole Anderson..

September 17, 2004: Jim Barnett passed away yesterday at the age of 80 after a long battle with cancer..

~~~Jim Barnett suffered a broken arm in a fall, necessitating surgery, but never recovered from the surgery, contracting pneumonia..