Warning: This article makes multiple references to suicide. Viewer discretion is advised.
The Iron Claw has been met with acclaim from critics and audiences since its theatrical release in late December 2023, with much of the praise being directed at the performances surrounding the four brothers of the real-life wrestling family, the Von Erichs. The A24 biographical film has also been lauded for its examination of masculinity and mental health in the rise and fall of the iconic wrestlers, and the ultimate tragic deaths of all but one Von Erich brother, occurring between 1984 and 1993.
As is often the case with films that draw from historical and biographical works, The Iron Claw took several creative liberties to fit its desired cinematic narrative – including a more simplified biography of the Von Erichs, a controversial take on Fritz Von Erich’s parenting, as well as a missing brother. The facts surrounding the fates of the family differ from what was depicted on screen.
Fritz Von Erich (1929 – 1995)
Fritz Von Erich, the patriarch of the Von Erich family, started his career in college football. Fritz, born Jack Barton Adkisson Sr. never played the sport professionally after graduating, despite relocating to Canada to join the Canadian Football League — something which soon turned out in his favor. While visiting the country, he was tapped by legendary wrestler-turned-trainer Stu Hart.
An icon of the wrestling world, Hart saw Adkisson’s potential as a “heel” — the primary villain in wrestling. His size and natural athletic ability made him a perfect match for a German villain, and in 1952, Adkisson and Walter Sieber started their iconic run as the Von Erich brothers, a role they would play until 1959.
During that time, Adkisson and his wife welcomed their first son, Jack Jr. At the age of 6, Jack Jr. died from an electrical shock that led to an accidental drowning death outside of the family’s Niagara Falls home. Jack was the first son of the Adkisson family to die, and by the time of Frtz’s death in 1997, he had outlived five of his six sons.
While Jack Sr. never stopped pursuing his career as a wrestler, he stopped touring the East Coast and left the region to his former partner. Adkisson continued his career grind, becoming a wrestling promoter and inheriting World Class Champion Wrestling (WCCW) after his business partner died of a heart attack in 1969.
He continued to tour the country scouting talent for WCCW while participating in matches, and even travelled overseas to rebuild the Japanese wrestling scene in the 1970s. Jack’s “Iron Claw” grip, a move involving gripping an opponent’s head before slamming them down, became one of the most popular moves in wrestling, helping to combine Japan’s predominant “Puroresu” Sumo style of wrestling with the more theatric elements of televised American wrestling.
Adkisson’s last match came in 1986, just as the WCCW talent pool was running dry. By 1989, his company merged with the Continental Wrestling Association. Shortly after, Adkisson and his wife divorced in 1992 after 42 years of marriage.
Jack Adkisson died of brain and lung cancer in 1997. While holding an overall positive view of The Iron Claw film, Kevin Von Erich, the sole Von Erich son who survived Jack by the time of his death, stated that the film’s depiction of his father as an abusive mentor was inaccurate. The now 66-year-old stated that addiction, rather than upbringing, played a much larger role in his brothers’ premature deaths.
Kevin Von Erich (1957-present)
Kevin Von Erich, the then-eldest living Adkisson son, made his wrestling debut in 1976. With his natural good looks and charming personality, he was frequently used as a headliner for the WCCW, which he spent most of his life wrestling for. His first major success came in the late 1970s, as part of a tag team with his brother David. He wrestled for the WWF and the NWA and made a name for himself in the singles category by taking down Bruiser Brody, a hardcore brawler known for making his opponents bleed.
The Von Erich’s multi-year-long feud with the Fabulous Freebirds is still considered to be one of the best-worked stories in wrestling and one of the most memorable long-term feuds to date. David’s untimely death in 1984 put an end to the Freebirds story, but Kevin wrestled for years after, even mentoring a young “Stone Cold” Steve Austin in the late 1980s.
Adkisson never approved of his father’s decision to sell the WCCW at the turn of the decade, and took a brief hiatus in the early 1990s to focus on rebuilding the brand. His attempt was ultimately unsuccessful, and within the year he was forced to close it down yet again. He took a hiatus from wrestling during the venture but returned to the sport in 1991 when he joined the WWF.
Kevin retired in 2005, but two of his sons have continued on the Von Erich line. In 2017 at the age of 60, Adkisson made a brief comeback after a 22-year-hiatus when he appeared with his sons at The Rage Wrestling Mega Show. Kevin Von Erich was the only member of the Adkisson family to live to accept his induction into The WWE Hall of Fame in 2009, alongside his brothers posthumously.
Kevin Von Erich was not contacted by The Iron Claw’s director, Sean Durkin, until after the screenplay had been finished. Kevin praised the final cut of the film, Zac Efron’s performance as him in particular, and even revealed plans to go on a trip with Efron to celebrate their newfound kinship.
David Von Erich (1958-1984)
With a fiery disposition that led to memorable interviews, David Von Erich was an instant hit after his mainstream debut in 1977. He made his first, and only, WWF appearance that year before transitioning to Florida and following in his father’s footsteps as a heel for Champion Wrestling. During his time in Florida, he teamed up with wrestler Gorgeous Jimmy Garvin, and the two began a year-long feud, becoming nemesis for the remainder of their season. By 1983, Von Erich had returned to Texas to compete with the Fabulous Freebirds in the first-ever Six-Man Championship, with his brothers, Kevin, and Kerry.
Just a few weeks later, David Von Erich died in a Tokyo hotel. While some have claimed that David’s sudden death at the age of 25 could have been from an unintentional overdose, the official coroner’s ruling cites enteritis, swelling of the small intestine, which the Von Erich family also believe to be the case. The disease can be contracted by several factors, such as underlying autoimmune disorders like Crohn’s disease, or contaminated food and drink. In The Iron Claw, David was portrayed by actor Harris Dickinson.
Kerry Von Erich (1960- 1993)
Kerry Adkisson spent more than a decade working for his father’s company, the World Class Championship Wrestling (WCCW). He made his debut in 1978, and had a consistent running feud with Ric Flair, one that would tie into the Fabulous Freebirds storyline. Kerry defeated Flair in 1984, just three months after David’s death, declaring the victory a tribute to his late brother. He lost the championship belt just 18 days later in a controversial match, although it was later revealed that the short reign was agreed upon before the match.
In 1986, Kerry was in a near-fatal motorcycle accident that left his right foot mangled. According to Kevin, doctors managed to save his brother’s foot, but Kerry exacerbated the injury while attempting to walk after surgery. The resulting damage resulted in amputation, a fact only revealed posthumously.
He continued to wrestle after the accident, working for various promoters across the globe, winning several championship titles despite his hidden injury. During this time, Kerry developed an addiction to painkillers in order to continue wrestling after his injury.
Kerry died by suicide in 1993 at the age of 33, becoming the third Von Erich brother to die in this way. According to wrestling contemporary Bret Hart, Kerry felt that God had called upon him to join his brothers at what he deemed to be the “right” time, which Hart believes occurred following a depression after the breakdown of his marriage.
In The Iron Claw, Kerry’s belief surrounding his predeceased brothers is depicted in one of the final scenes. When Kerry (played by Jeremy Allen White), is reunited with David, Mike, and Jack Jr.
Mike Von Erich (1964-1987)
Mike Adkisson made his wrestling debut in 1983, just before the Von Erichs’ famous family feud with the Fabulous Freebirds. The feud made up most of Adkisson’s career, but the young wrestler found success in international wrestling federations. Though his brother Kerry tried to give Mike a feud of his own after his 1986 accident, Mike never lived to see the match-up.
The young wrestler tragically died by suicide in 1987 at the age of 23, and was the first Von Erich brother to die by suicide. Many attributed his death to the pressure of living up to his late brother, David, but the wrestler suffered several traumatic brain injuries before his death.
He was diagnosed with Toxic Shock Syndrome after undergoing surgery for a shoulder injury, and brain damage resulted from the infection. The year he took his own life, Adkisson suffered from another Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI), worsening his condition significantly.
Kevin Von Erich later said that the injury caused dramatic, more aggressive changes to his brother’s personality, citing an incident where his brother attacked a streetlight out of frustration over his condition. Such changes are thought to perhaps play a role in Kevin’s death by suicide. Mike was portrayed by Stanley Simons in The Iron Claw.
Chirs Von Erich (1969-1991)
The youngest son of Jack Adkisson grew up watching his brother’s successes. He frequently did odd jobs backstage and behind the WCCW’s cameras, and won his first wrestling match at the age of six. His youth prevented him from taking the stage during the company’s heyday, and though he made his debut at 20 in 1990.
At just 5’ 5”, Adkisson was significantly disadvantaged against his much larger brothers, but chronic illness prevented him from matching their strength. He suffered from severe asthma from a young age, and took Prednisone to suppress his immune system. The drug is known to cause bone and skin thinning, and Chriss regularly broke or fractured bones while performing wrestling moves within his skillset.
Despite such disadvantages in comparison to his brothers, Chris remained a fan favorite. Just prior to his 22nd birthday in September 1991, the youngest Adkisson took his own life. Despite the quick intervention of Kevin and his mother, Chris died 20 minutes after arriving at the hospital.
Chris Von Erich was omitted from The Iron Claw entirely, a decision that was met with controversy by fans of wrestling, as well as within the wrestling community itself. While many critics of this decision cited this choice as potentially disrespectful to Chris’ memory, filmmaker Sean Durkin argued the opposite was the case.
“There was a repetition to it, and it was one more tragedy that the film couldn’t really withstand,” Durkin explained to Variety. “These are characters on a page, and this is a film, and there’s no way you’re going to fully capture the life of a person in a film,” Durkin continued.
If you or someone you know is struggling with suicidal thoughts, you can call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK (8255).
Published: Jan 22, 2024 05:51 pm