Emile Dupre
REAL NAME: Emile Goguen
BORN: October 20, 1936 in Shediac, New Brunswick
6'0", 225 pounds
 |
| Emile
Dupre with a couple of fans. - photo courtesy Terry
Dart |
Emile Dupre talks really fast on the phone. He's obviously a busy man.
Only a few minutes to talk.
Besides being the promoter of the Atlantic Grand Prix Wrestling circuit
every summer, Dupre, 62, has a variety of business interests around his
hometown of Shediac, New Brunswick.
Yet in 10 minutes of conversation with Dupre, a lot of ground is covered
-- from when he started to the 1999 summer tour.
Dupre's summer wrestling circuit has come to be known as one of the best
regular training grounds in North America, and is one of the few
promotions still running shows every day of the week.
Looking back, Dupre has a charming, Maritime way of describing how
things progressed - wrestling-wise - to where they are today. He had
gotten involved with the promotion in 1964 or 1965, helping out Cowboy
Len Hughes, the promoter at that time. Hughes was getting on in age, and
needed some help.
It snowballed from there. "Geez, I got involved bigger and bigger and
bigger and finally I end up with a television show that lasted 17
years," recalled Dupre. "Then I had some of the best wrestlers the world
ever produced."
Dupre first got involved in wrestling in 1956. He was into weightlifting
and trained with Vic Butler and Reggie Richard, who had dabbled in
amateur and pro wrestling in Moncton, NB. They said that he had
potential, and he gave it a go.
He started in the Boston-area, and within a short period of time, had
been pretty well across the continent, plus tours to Australia and New
Zealand.
"I wasn't a real heavy guy," Dupre explained. "I was a slim, slim
wrestler with a Lou Thesz, a Verne Gagne type of body."
His home base was still New Brunswick, so it was a natural to get
involved with the local promotion.
Recent grads from the Grand Prix tour who have gone on to bigger things
are
Edge,
Christian,
Cyrus/Jackyl and
Kurrgan.
Dupre claimed that their success did not surprise him. "Nothing
surprises me in this business. I don't get surprised any more," he said.
"When I see guys that have potential, I say to myself, 'gee, I think if
the right guys see them, they're going right to the top.' And that's
exactly what happens in many cases."
The WWF has sent him wrestlers, like former CFL star Glenn Kulka, to be
on the tour. This year, Paul Orndorff came to Halifax to scout talent
for WCW.
Each spring, Dupre gets out his wrestling ring and sets up shop in
Shediac.
"I don't run a wrestling school," said Dupre. "If I talk to you and
think you have potential, I'd train you and not charge you. ... Maybe to
get a couple of guys with fat bellies hanging out saying 'hey, I want to
collect a couple of thousand of dollars from you, show you a couple of
dozen holds and send you home', I'm not going to do that."
Rene Rougeau, who is on his second tour of duty with Grand Prix, is a
recent example of someone trained by Dupre. In return, the
trainer/promoter doesn't automatically expect the student to tour with
the company. "There's no contract," Dupre said. "If you like it and you
want to get on the tour with us, you're welcome. That's how it works
with me, anyways." (Rene Rougeau is actually Emile's son. For more on him, see his
bio page.)
The 1999 tour was dubbed the Legends of Grand Prix 99 and has been very
successful, according to Dupre.
"The people are thrilled to the bones just to see them one more time,"
he said. "They figure it's their last kick at the can kind of thing."
-- GREG OLIVER,
SLAM! Sports
Stories
Memories
Myself and my friend had the opportunity to meet the legendary Emile Dupree at the 99 AGP Tour in Berwick Nova Scotia. As always Dupree
had put together a top notch card including the Cuban Assassin and The Beast. Nothing would make us happier to get a chance to see the tour
continue in the new millenium. Having grown up with the greatest wrestling alliance ever put together the 99 tour brought back tremendous
memories. The ability to see Bob Bass, the Cuban, the beast and Leo Burke, brought back memories of
Big Stephen Petitpas, the Great
Mulumba, Killer Karl Krupp and Stompin Paul Peller. If Dupree can continue to combine some of the great new young wrestlers with the
legendary blasts from the past he brought to our region last summer the future for AGP looks bright. The only thing that could be better is if
Emile himself would jump into a pair of trunks and hit his former adversaries with continuous mule kicks aka fish kicks. Hopefully a Contract
will be signed with ATV and the programming would include the recent tour and feature a match from the past each week. All the best to Emile
and the boys keep up the great work and we will be patiently awaiting your return.
Doug "Gator" Wilson and James Charters.
To read that AGPW was on local TV for 17 years is a real wakeup call. Gone
are the days when wrestling was on Saturday at 2 and the same guys came to
your town on Wednesday night. Now wrasslin' is available 24-7. The biz is
smarter and the fans are much 'Smarter'. Sure I was a kid when I watched
AGPW and I didn't know if it was fake or not and I would be surprised when I
would see Leo Burke, Killer Karl Krupp, Big Stephen Petipas and The Cuban
Assasin all leave in the big white car together. But it didn't matter (No
Rock Reference) it was simply just wrestling. No soap opera stuff here. It
would be AWSOME if ATV would open up their vaults and let us relive 17 years
of memories with Mr. McCluckCluck & the Gang. Anyone who grew up here can
still tell you who was who. Man, just look who was here and what happened to
a lot of them. As far as the 2000 Tour goes, I'll be there with a smile on
watching the vets go at it !
Keep it up Emile !!!!
Robbie Mac
We the boys of coronation avenue would like too thank Emile for his
assistance in the ring in presenting him with his own scrap book and
hoping too see him at another event this summer and having more great
moments like the one we had at the Berwick arena.We hope you enjoyed the
scrap book and that the other AGP stars of past years enjoy the book
like we have once again thank you from the boys of coronation ave and
keep AGP alive for years too come.
SCRAPBOOK GATOR WILSON
Those were the good ol' days when they used to wrestle in that small hall.
Where in the WWF do you see them smashing their opponent's head off the fuse
box!
Now living in Virginia, I like to think of these things that still make me
Canadian -- and weekends were always reserved for Grand Prix Wrestling and
Hockey Night in Canada.
I like the web-site, now if only I can get the original theme to the show to
make my life complete.
Charlie MacLeod (Sydney, N.S.), Richmond VA
