Ted Arcidi recalls working with a young Undertaker, who helped him get a job in WWE, the popularity of his action figures

By Jason Powell, ProWrestling.net Editor (@prowrestlingnet)

The Two Man Power Trip of Wrestling Podcast with Ted Arcidi
Host: JP John Poz
Twitter: @TwoManPowerTrip
Website: www.tmptempire.com
Interview available at Tmptow.podomatic.com

Entering the WWF: Well, they knew my background as the World’s Strongest Man from breaking power lifting records. So my buddy Ken Patera got me a meeting with Vince McMahon up at the original WWF office in Greenwich Connecticut. I was really tight with him then and still am today actually. So, Vince basically hired me on the spot and sent me up to Tony Altomare’s school to train up in Connecticut. The WWF put me through wrestling school so I could be ready to get on the road. I only got about six months of actual in ring training because they wanted me on the road right away. At the time, Ken Patera had just gotten canned for beating up a cop at McDonalds, so they needed a replacement for him right away. It was a lot of learning on the job for me because I was pushed into starting so quickly.

Popularity of his Action Figure: I made about 75 grand off those dolls. They must have sold a shit load of them because back then that was a lot of money. They used to do a monthly audit report of how many of them were sold and we would be shocked at how many were sold. They were collector items and they still are. They are worth now than ever. I thought the likeness was pretty spot on too, they were great dolls and so many people were clamoring to get them. Getting the Outback Jacks and the Ted Aricidi dolls, we were the rare ones, we were the Honus Wagners of our time (laughs).

Working with the Undertaker: Yeah, he was my tag team partner down in World Class for awhile as Texas Red. He was so young to the business at that time. I tried to help him best I could. We actually have another connection too besides teaming together and that was Percy Pringle. Percy was my manager when I was a heel down there in World Class. Very sad still to see that he passed, he was a great guy.

Other topics include his entire WWF run, working for Vince McMahon, his WWF departure, working for the Von Erichs in WCCW, his role on Ray Donovan, working with Robert Deniro, and more.

You can listen to other shows apart of the TMPT Empire including Shane Douglas’ Triple Threat Podcast, Taking You to School with Dr. Tom Prichard, Talking Tough with Rick Bassman, Taskmaster Talks with Kevin Sullivan and the University of Dutch with Dutch Mantell.