In this episode of Dark Side of the Ring, the documentary series turns its attention to Chris Colt, one of the wildest wrestlers who never quite broke through. The episode explores Colt’s self-destructive nature, his struggles with substance abuse, and his journey from the wrestling ring to the world of pornography.
The episode, “Chris Colt: Welcome to My Nightmare,” airing on VICE on Tuesday, April 9, delves into the life of Chris Colt, whose wrestling career took him from LSD trips in the ring to a tragic end.
Born Charles Harris in the 1940s, Chris Colt began his professional wrestling career in the 1960s. He formed tag teams, including the Hell’s Angels (also known as the California Hell’s Angels or Comancheros) with Ron Dupree, and the Chain Gang with Jack Dillinger. Colt, who was openly homosexual, performed under various ring names, including Paul Dupree, Jim Dillinger, Chuck Dupree, and Chris Von Colt.
Colt’s career was marked by his innovative use of entrance music, outrageous costumes, and face makeup. He was a true trailblazer, influencing wrestlers such as Kevin Sullivan, Legion of Doom, and Jesse Ventura. However, his self-destructive choices and struggles with substance abuse prevented him from achieving lasting stardom.
The episode will uncover Colt’s infamous incident in Phoenix, where he hallucinated spiders during a cage match and fled the venue, fighting both fans and security. It will also explore his later life, where he turned to pornography and struggled with drug and alcohol addiction before his untimely death in a Seattle homeless shelter in the 1990s.
Dark Side of the Ring, narrated by Dutch Mantel, delves into the darker stories of professional wrestling, shedding light on tragedies, scandals, and controversies.
Dark Side of the Ring airs on VICE at 9.00 pm on Tuesday, April 9, 2024.
