NWA’s Most Unhinged Legend: “The Taskmaster” Kevin Sullivan
An Exclusive Interview By Paul E. Pratt
“When people get sucked into a storyline,” says the legendary Kevin Sullivan, “They want to tune in to see what’s happening next week.”
“The Taskmaster” first terrorized National Wrestling Alliance over 35 years ago. Starting with the Varsity Club, and later the Dungeon of Doom, Sullivan proved one of pro wrestling’s great storytellers.
From iconic moments in Championship Wrestling from Florida (CWF), to booking some of the most significant angles in wrestling history, Sullivan’s ability to captivate audiences is legendary.
“I believe in long-term storytelling,” he details, reflecting on early work in CWF. Sullivan notes his transformation from babyface to one of wrestling’s most intriguing and hated characters took years.
Kevin Sullivan’s “Army of Darkness” — “Superstar” Billy Graham, Fallen Angel, The Lock and Sir Oliver Humperdink — dominated Florida. Years later, Sullivan’s Varsity Club of “Dr. Death” Steve Williams and Mike Rotundo saw similar NWA success.
Capitalizing on late-70’s/early-80’s political and economic crises, Sullivan attracted malcontents questioning the ideological existence of “The American Dream.” His “Army of Darkness” launched a years-long crusade against former NWA World’s Heavyweight champion Dusty Rhodes and other Florida favorites
Sullivan credits then-unknown “Trudy Herd” for truly cementing his character. Herd arrived in CWF as a reporter first attacked, then recruited — perhaps ‘seduced’? — by Sullivan. His following shockingly shaved Herd’s head on TV, giving rise to Luna Vachon.
“With everything else, people might have thought ‘This is bull…,’ but after that, they thought, ‘This really is a cult!’” he shares, “Luna was the catalyst that got us off and running, I believe.”
By 1987, the chaotic Sullivan arrived in NWA to wreak further havoc on Rhodes and the era’s most popular stars. His faction, The Varsity Club, quickly dominated.
“At that time, no one was going to get over The Four Horsemen, but that Varsity Club was one of the best things I’ve ever been in,” says Sullivan, “I wish we’d had a longer run!”
The Varsity Club made the most of its time though. Mike Rotundo reigned as NWA World Television Champion and Rick Steiner held the Florida titlebefore being replaced by “Dr. Death” Steve Williams, with whom Sullivan held the coveted U.S. Tag Titles.
A pinnacle of Sullivan’s early work in NWA was a feud with “Gorgeous” Jimmy Garvin. Amidst allegations of a secret past and possible infidelity with Garvin’s valet — “She was my Patti before she was your Precious,” Sullivan would say — his creative prowess was on full display.
“I’ve always liked to put sexual undertones in angles. Go back to the Bible. It was Adam and Eve and The Devil, right?” he explains, “It’s part of our nature! It adds depth to a story.”
Perhaps making the angle so memorable, the true nature of the relationship between Sullivan and Precious was never fully revealed. That was no accident, notes Sullivan: “You’ve got to keep something hidden, I think!
“It means something different for everyone,” he says of his storytelling style, “Your mind creates the picture.”
Sullivan continues to flex his creativity even now. Most recently, he’s joined fellow legends Gangrel, ECW’s Bill Alfonso and promoter Nelio Cuomo to revive CWF.
“It was the premier territory, and historically, it’s going to get lost in time. Maybe we can extend that,” he says of their effort to return the Florida territory’s prominence.
“If we can bring Championship Wrestling from Florida back, it will give guys a place to learn,” Sullivan concludes, “Maybe they can learn the history of the business and apply it in this day and age.”