Biography

Funk has strong wrestling bloodlines. His dad, Dory Funk Sr., was a well-known grappler from the 1940s to the 1970s, and his brother, Dory Funk Jr., wrestled from 1963 until the early 90s, and won the National Wrestling Alliance (NWA) world heavyweight championship in 1969. Funk, himself, became NWA champion and thus the Funks have the distinction of being the only brothers to win the NWA championship. Funk made his film debut as (what else?) a wrestler in Sylvester Stallone's (a noted wrestling fan) movie Paradise Alley (1978). Funk then did double-duty as a pro wrestler and actor/stunt man (he was prominent in Patrick Swayze's movie, Road House (1989)). Not technically a great wrestler, Funk was more known for his brawling tactics, and had some great feuds during his career with "Handsome" Harley Race, "Nature Boy" Ric Flair, "The American Dream" Dusty Rhodes and others. After maintaining a low profile in wrestling, Funk resurfaced in the 90s in the new Extreme Championship Wrestling (ECW) series and the World Wrestling Federation (WWF), this time in his new persona as "Chainsaw Charlie".
- IMDb mini biography by: Ken Severson

Known for retiring from wrestling, only to return

Trademark Moves: The Spinning Toe-Hold & The Chicken Punch

[on why he refused to press charges against fans who tried to injure or kill him] I mean, do I want to put someone in jail because I convinced him or her that I needed to die? That's how I look at it and that may be sick, but it's also beautiful.

[on the riots that would start after his matches ended] The riots were a form of flattery. The greatest thing for a bad guy wrestler is to do your job so well that someone wants to kill you. What could be more wonderful?

[on how he made a name for himself in Japan] How many times did they see Antonio Inoki stretching some dude on the front page compared to how many times they saw some idiot--me--bleeding a gusher with barbed wire wrapped around his throat?