November 12, 2007 Observer Newsletter: The life & career of The Fabulous Moolah
There is little doubt, simply because of her role in the business for so many decades, that the preeminent female figure in the history of this industry would be Lillian Ellison. The most famous ever, at least in North America, would be her alter ego, The Fabulous Moolah.
Ellison was the main power broker in the world of women’s wrestling from the mid-to-late 50s into the early 80s, running her Girls Wrestling Enterprises booking office that supplied female talent to most of the wrestling promotions in North America. She trained her talent at her 42-acre estate on 101 Moolah Drive, in Columbia, SC, made deals with the promoters, sent talent on the road, and took the best bookings for herself as the perennial world champion, a belt she owned and controlled.
Ellison passed way on 11/2 at a Columbia, SC, hospital at the age of 84. She had surgery to replace her left shoulder on 10/30, and was in a lot of pain over the next few days.
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Dave Meltzer is the founder and lead writer on the Wrestling Observer Newsletter, the weekly constant when it comes to news and reviews in pro wrestling and mixed martial arts for more than 40 years. Dave also co-hosts Wrestling Observer Radio with Bryan Alvarez and had had bylines for The National, Yahoo Sports, MMA Fighting and others.