Dee Booher

Dee Booher (born August 6, 1948[1]) is an American actress and retired female professional wrestler and roller derby skater. She competed in the Gorgeous Ladies of Wrestling as Matilda the Hun.[2]

Dee Booher
Born (1948-08-06) August 6, 1948
Torrance, California
ResidenceSeal Beach, California
Professional wrestling career
Ring name(s)Matilda the Hun
Queen Kong
Billed height6 ft 4 in (193 cm)
Billed weight300 lb (136 kg)
Billed fromGermany
Trained byMando Guerrero
DebutDecember 5, 1985

Amateur wrestling

Booher first wrestled at El Camino Junior College in California, helping the team win a state championship.[3] She went on to organize amateur mud wrestling shows, performing as a masked character named Queen Kong. After California's gaming commission barred her from wrestling men, her first professional match was against a 700 lb (320 kg) bear.[4][5]

Professional wrestling career

Booher later teamed with GLOW creator David McLane and director Matt Cimber to cast, recruit and train performers for the first all-women's professional wrestling show. She also wrote the show's theme song.[4] Booher portrayed Matilda the Hun in GLOW. Her villainous character ate raw meat in the ring and scared children in the crowd, which Booher said she enjoyed.[5]

After two years with GLOW, Booher and others left to form a competing show called Powerful Women of Wrestling, but it was unsuccessful.

Booher said she learned her signature move, a big splash, from watching English professional wrestler Big Daddy.[4]

Acting

Booher has had several film roles in her career, including in the Mel Brooks comedy Spaceballs. She also appeared in the music video for Aerosmith's "Love in an Elevator", carrying a dwarf on her shoulders.[4]

Booher has also had guest-starring roles in television series including Married... with Children, My Two Dads, Mama's Family and Night Court. She often portrayed her Queen Kong character in these roles.

Personal life

Booher grew up in Lake Arrowhead, California. Prior to becoming involved in wrestling, she held jobs including as a masseuse and as a phone sex operator.[4]

After Booher's professional wrestling career, she earned a living doing stunt work as well as by performing singing telegrams that incorporated aspects of wrestling.[2]

In 2012, Booher appeared in a documentary about GLOW, titled GLOW: The Story of the Gorgeous Ladies of Wrestling.[5]

Booher lives in Seal Beach, California. She uses a motorized wheelchair because of wrestling-related spinal deterioration.[2]

References
  1. Booher, Deanna. Glamazon Queen Kong : my life of glitter, guts & glory. [United States]: Deanna Booher. ISBN 978-1-4675-8051-9. OCLC 1100587998.
  2. Alimurung, Gendy (June 20, 2017). "This '80s female wrestling league was dangerous and sexist — and the best job of their lives". The Washington Post. Retrieved July 12, 2018.
  3. Booher, Dee. "About Matilda the Hun". QueenKong.com. Retrieved July 13, 2018.
  4. Godfrey, Alex (January 22, 2013). "The Woman Who Wrestled Bears". Vice. Retrieved July 12, 2018.
  5. Larson, Sarah (June 20, 2017). "Before the Netflix Series, Whet Your Whistle with "GLOW," the Documentary". The New Yorker. Retrieved July 12, 2018.
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