Kevin Sullivan did not want the world to know about his character, legend reveals (Exclusive)
Former WCW booker and wrestler Kevin Sullivan recently passed away at the age of 75. Legendary reporter Bill Apter paid respect to his long-time friend by sharing stories about some of their interactions.
Although he became known as one of wrestling's top bad guys, Sullivan was a babyface when Apter first met him in the early 1970s. The Taskmaster learned from legends including Dusty Rhodes and Eddie Graham before working for Vince McMahon Sr. He later became a cult leader character, leading some to believe he was a devil worshipper.
On Sportskeeda's The Wrestling Time Machine, Apter recalled how photographer Bill Otten sent him images of Sullivan's "devil" persona to include in magazines. At the time, Sullivan only wanted the gimmick to be seen at local events and had reservations about it being viewed worldwide.
"I've never revealed this, but he never wanted that gimmick to be in the magazines, so people would think he was a devil worshipper," Apter said. "He really didn't. Because the magazines went all over the world, and he sometimes would call me and just say, 'Billy, we're doing this locally. I'd appreciate you don't call me the devil and stuff like that.' We kept doing it because the publisher liked what it looked like and Bill Otten kept sending us pictures." [From 03:15 – 03:52]
In the video above, host Mac Davis and WWE Hall of Famer Teddy Long also shared stories about Sullivan's legendary career.
Bill Apter on Kevin Sullivan's WCW success
In front of the camera, Kevin Sullivan's time in WCW is best remembered for his association with The Dungeon of Doom. The faction was involved in a lengthy feud with the company's marquee name, Hulk Hogan, in the mid-1990s.
Bill Apter added that Sullivan also had a big part to play in WCW storylines in his behind-the-scenes role on the creative team:
"During that gimmick, he started, and I saw him do this, giving advice to younger wrestlers, and then when he got into WCW, before he was put on the booking end of this thing, he was, like Teddy said, just talking about ideas and all that and he became one of the main forces as a booker in that company that made that company soar to unbelievable heights." [From 04:11 – 04:43]
Apter also addressed what Kevin Sullivan's relationship with Chris Benoit was like after the Canadian married his ex-wife Nancy.
Do you have any favorite Kevin Sullivan memories? Hit the discuss button and let us know.
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