Doug Kirkley (armwrestler)

Douglas Green Kirkley (Sept. 24, 1931 -- May 18th, 1988) was a professional, world-champion arm-wrestler, occasional actor, and religious leader.

Personal
Kirkley was born in Oklahoma City. His father was an amauter armwrestler.

He married Janet Istook in 1949. They were divorced in 1968.

Kirkley served in the U.S. Army from 1950 until 1955 and saw action during the Korean War.

Kirkley got married again in 1981 when he married 21 year-old Amy Marshall. Kirkley creditied Marshall with being the key to his "salvation" and Marshall later served as the music director at Kirkley's Church Of The Holy Word.

As a professional arm-wrestler
Though Kirkley was never considered to be an innovative arm-wrestler, he was still respected by his peers. The majority of his victories were the result of his own brute force.

As an Actor
Kirkley made a handful of films. With his imposing physique. he was often cast as villianous henchmen. He made his film debut as the Outlaw Judd Clinton in the 1967 western, Monument Valley. Other film appearances included roles in The Statement of Silas Reed (1971), Stanley Hopper Is Alive and Well North Of the Border (1972), Robot Revolution (1977), Only One Shall Reutrn (1980), and The Third Deadly Lie (1980).

As Religious Leader
In 1981, in Kirkley announced that -- through the help of Amy Marshall -- he had been "born again." He retired from both armwrestling and acting.

He and Marshall founded the evengelical Church of the Holy Word in Norman, Oklahoma. As the Rev. Douglas Green Kirkley, he led the church and, it was reported, even made claims to be a "faith healer."

Death
Kirkley died suddenly at the age of 56. It was later announced that he had succumbed to a heart attack brought on by abusing sterroids in his youth.