Historical Von Erich family photos in the wrestling ring captured by Star-Telegram cameras
Brayden Garcia
“The Iron Claw,” the movie based on the famous Texas-based wrestling Von Erich family, is hosting its world premiere in Dallas on Wednesday.
Movie studio A24 announced in October that a majority of the cast are expected to attend the Dallas premiere on Wednesday at The Texas Theatre. Sean Durkin writes and directs the biographical drama, which hits theaters on Dec. 22.
The movie follows the real-life story of Von Erich family who took the wrestling world by storm in the early 1980s before tragedy struck.
Zac Efron plays Kevin Von Erich in the movie, with Jeremy Allen White and Harris Dickinson portraying Kerry Von Erich and David Von Erich respectively. Holt McCallany will portray the family patriarch Fritz Von Erich.
The Von Erich family was wrestling royalty in the late ‘70s and early ‘80s until tragedy struck.
By the time Fritz Von Erich died in 1997, five of his six sons preceded him in death. The last surviving son Kevin Von Erich just recently moved back to Texas after staying away for years.
Kerry Von Erich committed suicide in 1993, David Von Erich died from enteritis in 1984, Mike Von Erich died by overdose in 1987, Chris Von Erich shot himself in 1991 and first-born Jack Barton Adkisson Jr. drowned at just six-years-old in 1959.
During the Von Erich’s family run in the North Texas wrestling scene, which featured an appearance at Will Rogers Coliseum in Fort Worth, the Star-Telegram was there to document it all.