Adrian Adonis
Keith Adonis Franke (September 15, 1953 – July 4, 1988) was an American professional wrestler better known by his ring name Adrian Adonis. He was best known for his appearances with the American Wrestling Association and World Wrestling Federation throughout the 1980s.
| Adrian Adonis | |
|---|---|
Franke as "Adorable" Adrian Adonis in the 1980s | |
| Birth name | Keith Adonis Franke |
| Born | September 15, 1953 Buffalo, New York, U.S. |
| Died | July 4, 1988 (aged 34) Lewisporte, Newfoundland, Canada |
| Cause of death | Traffic collision |
| Spouse(s) |
Bea Franke Hall (m. 1972) |
| Children | 2 |
| Professional wrestling career | |
| Ring name(s) | Adrian Adonis Keith Franks |
| Billed height | 5 ft 11 in (1.80 m) |
| Billed weight | 298 lb (135 kg) |
| Billed from | New York City |
| Trained by | Fred Atkins |
| Debut | 1974 |
Adonis debuted in 1974 under his real name, until he adopted the Adrian Adonis name in the late 1970s. He later began working for the American Wrestling Association (AWA), forming a tag team with Jesse Ventura called the “East-West Connection,” winning the AWA World Tag Team Championship. They debuted for the World Wrestling Federation in late 1981, but Ventura stopped wrestling regularly due to injuries. After this, Adonis began teaming with Dick Murdoch as the “North-South Connection,” winning the WWF Tag Team Championship.
In 1986, Adonis underwent a gimmick change as an effeminate, flamboyant wrestler who wore pink clothing and garish makeup, adopting the “Adorable” Adrian Adonis name. He would be involved in a feud with Roddy Piper, which culminated in a hair vs. hair match at WrestleMania III. After he was fired in mid-1987, he made a brief return to the AWA and would make appearances in small promotions until his death in a car accident in 1988.