Larry Hennig: Classic Daddy Bear Pro-Wrestler
Larry Hennig is a retired American professional wrestler (from 1963 to 1985) and the father of the late “Mr. Perfect” Curt Hennig. He started out as a heel with the moniker of “Pretty Boy” Larry Hennig while partnered with “Handsome Harley Race” and later turned into a face (babyface/”good guy”) as Larry “The Axe” Hennig.
Screenshots taken from The Wrestler (1974)
I just recently watched The Life and Times of Mr. Perfect (DVD documentary about Larry Hennig’s son) and I could just palpably sense his bittersweet feelings of losing a child. It was a great documentary and you really see the close-knit bonds that exist between such rare pro-wrestling families.
The following videos are parts 1 and 2 of a tag-team match between the father/son team of Larry & Curt Hennig against Nick Bockwinkel and Mr. Saito. Larry was a whopping 344 pounds at the time of this match back in 1984.
(higher quality version)
(higher quality version)
I’ve received a couple of emails about my previous post comparing Leonid Zhabotinsky to a husky and muscular Andy Richter (and, wow, I haven’t posted about him at all). I do see a resemblance, but Larry Hennig was the very first person I thought of when I discovered the Big Zhabo. They both have that very pleasant and inviting face which betrays their supposedly intimidating built. What do you guys think?
BearMythology 
This quiet look and red beard (before the last photo) is sooo attractive.
Oldschool “unreachable”
Just finished watching the DVD myself…always have had a thing for Mr Perfect….damn shame…all my favs are slowly going..
I see the resemblance to Zhabotinsky, and the more recent fotos remind me of Arn Anderson, another wrestling legend.