Ringside photographers are usually there to capture the action. But a rookie WWE freelancer quickly became part of the action, when Randy Savage chased him around the ring after telling him not to take photographs of his real-life wife!
To some, he was the "Snap into a Slim Jim!" guy. To others, he was "Bone Saw McGraw" from the 2002 Spider-Man movie. But above all, Randy Savage was the "Macho Man" – WWE superstar, professional wrestling legend… and terrorizer of one poor ringside photographer.
During the Eighties, Savage (real name Randy Poffo) was led to the ring by his beautiful valet Miss Elizabeth – real name Elizabeth Poffo, Randy's off-screen wife.
Savage was famously protective of her in the cutthroat world that pro rasslin' used to be, often threatening other wrestlers and warning people backstage not to go near her. And on a fateful day, in Toronto's Maple Leaf Gardens in the mid-Eighties, that warning extended to greenhorn photographer Tom Buchanan.
While he eventually spent 17 years working for WWE (World Wrestling Entertainment), ascending to the position of chief of photography, back then he was on a freelance assignment for the promotion (at that point called WWF, the World Wrestling Federation, before losing its name in a dispute with the World Wide Fund for Nature).
As Buchanan explains, in a story shared on the Book Pro Wrestlers Facebook page:
"I had been assigned by WWF Magazine to shoot a series of live events, starting in Toronto, and ending in Chicago. I was tasked with shooting everything that happened at those events, but was asked to be sure to get lots of photos of Miss Elizabeth.
ABOVE: Savage also attacked a photographer back in the Memphis wrestling territory!
"Toronto was the first town, and the house was sold out as usual. Once Randy’s match was in progress I turned my camera on Miss Elizabeth, who was leaning against the ring apron cheering on 'her man'. Randy saw what I was doing, and briefly interrupted the match to lock me with his evil gaze and shout: 'Don't you take her picture.'"
Buchanan held up his hands, as if to say 'no problem', and backed away while the crowd booed Savage. But he still had a brief to work to and so, when the action resumed, he again turned his attention to Elizabeth.
"Once again Randy saw what was up and interrupted his match, this time running to the rope, pointing at me and shouting: 'I said, don't you take her picture.'"
Again the timid photographer backed away, the crowd showing their support by boing the wrestler. An assignment is an assignment, though, so again he pointed his lens back at the valet once the match was underway – but he was never out of Savage's sight.
"Randy was watching out of the corner of his eye and again interrupted his match, this time running to the rope and jumping to the ground. I was terrified and started backpedaling, then I just outright ran around the ring with Randy in hot pursuit.
"As he gained on me I leaped over the steel barricade and cowered behind a police officer. Randy stood his ground, pointed his long outstretched arm and tape wrapped finger at me, and shouted: 'Don't you EVER take her picture!'
While the crowd showered the rabid Savage with jeers for chasing after a scrawny photographer, Buchanan "stayed far, far away, not really sure what to make of the very real aggression I had just innocently become a part of."
ABOVE: To non-wrestling fans, Savage might best be known as the Slim Jim spokesman
After the event, he tiptoed his way to the backstage area trying to avoid the irate wrestler. He found the promoter, Jack Tunney, and explained the situation, asking if Randy was serious about coming after him.
Tunney explained that Savage is incredibly protective of his wife, and that if he'd interrupted his match then he must have been truly furious, advising Buchanan to be careful and not to let the wrestler get his hands on him.
The poor photographer was checking round corners at their shared hotel that night, and at the airport the next day on the way to the next arena – where he would again be photographing Savage's match from ringside.
Summoning the courage to straighten things out, once he arrived at the venue he tracked down the wrestler's dressing room. He sheepishly explained that he was the photographer from the previous night in Toronto and, stumbling over his words, asked if there was a problem.
"Randy thought for a moment, rubbing his chin, looking skyward, muttering: 'Photographer, photographer, Toronto, Toronto, photographer… OH YEAAAAH, YOU RUN FAST! THAT WAS GOOOOOD!' And in that instant I was schooled in the ways of the wrestling world."
Ever the showman – and ever the intense performer – Savage had seen an opportunity to generate "heat" with the crowd and decided to made Buchanan part of the action. He just didn't smarten him up to what was happening!
The skit was such a success that the pair would repeat it around that loop of live events – culmninating at a show in Chicago, where none other than The A-Team star Mr T was in attendance, who also got involved in the action!
There are dozens of great stories from in and around the wild world of professional wrestling, and if you're a fan I highly recommend following the Book Pro Wrestlers page for more of them.
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