American Gladiators

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American Gladiators was a TV show that ran between 1989 and 1996. It was a physical game show, in which the contestants (two male and two female) matched themselves against the program's stable of athletes in a variety of feats of strength and agility. The champions at the end of each season won a prize package, which varied from items that included a new car, a trip, and money (usually over $100,000 total). The contests were often quite extravagant and elaborate, with challenges featuring things such as highwires, steel cages, swinging ropes, and other obstacle course fare.

Most of the first two seasons were taped at Universal Studios Hollywood. In 1991, they decided to move to CBS/MTM Studios. International episodes were taped in Birmingham, England, home of the British version.

The show was produced by Trans World International with Four Point Entertainment and was distributed by Samuel Goldwyn Television (now by MGM Television). Theme music was composed by Bill Conti.

The show spawned a spinoff for children, Gladiators 2000.

While the show was still airing in 1992, reruns began airing on USA, who had the rights to the first four seasons of the show. In 2003, Spike TV (then TNN) began airing reruns from the show's entire run, save for the first, fifth, and sixth seasons (except for a few specials from seasons five and six). ESPN Classic now owns the rights to American Gladiators, and the show will join the regular weeknight lineup on April 2, 2007 with Daily airings of the show at 7 PM EDT Monday-Friday.

Contents

[edit] Events

Most of the events tested the contenders' physical abilities against the superior size and strength of the Gladiators. Rarely did an event call for the contenders to actually match up against each other. Rather, in events where both contenders did compete simultaneously, success was determined by who fared better against the gladiators rather than overmatching the contender directly. All events prior to The Eliminator were played for points, the value of which often varied from season to season.

Starting with the 1992 season, a "Crunch Time" game was played for bigger points before the Eliminator.

In the first half of the first season, a referee dressed as a grim reaper would disqualify a contender or gladiator by putting a thumbs down over their heads.

Only five events were used throughout the program's run on American television. Other events were added and some discontinued for various reasons.

[edit] Assault

Played from 1989-1996

The two contenders competed separately against a single Gladiator. The object was to fire a series of five weapons to hit a target at one end of the playing field, with 60 seconds given to do so. Below the target, a Gladiator used a cannon to shoot tennis balls at speeds in excess of 100 miles per hour at the contender, and would end the game by directly hitting the contender (ricochets didn't count). The five weapons used by the contenders were located near protective barriers and varied from season to season. The first barrier usually held a crossbow, the second a pneumatic rocket launcher, the third a cannon, the fourth usually a pistol, and the last softballs (although a pump gun and Nerf balls would sometimes be found there). For season four, the crossbow station and pistol station were switched around several times during the course of the competition.

Originally, if the contender hit the target, they would receive 7 points, with 10 points being awarded if they hit the bullseye. 4 points could also be earned if they crossed the finish line at the end of the course without being hit or before time ran out. Later, this was changed to 1 point for each weapon the contestant could fire before getting hit or time running out, with a bonus point being awarded for crossing the finish line. 10 points were given if the target was hit.

[edit] Breakthrough & Conquer

Played from 1989 to 1996

This was a two-part event that was part American football, part wrestling. A contender would have to carry a football 15 yards and into an endzone against a single Gladiator in the "Breakthrough" portion of the event. In the "Conquer" portion, the object was to freestyle wrestle a different Gladiator out of a ring that varied in size (12-15 feet in diameter). Each success was worth a number of points and in earlier versions there was a bonus for winning both parts of the event. In the semifinal matches of the first half of season one, the Conquer ring was elevated. Unfortunately, Gladiator Sunny injured her knee when she landed wrong upon being pushed out of the ring and was never seen on AG again. The ring was lowered back to the ground as a result.

[edit] Human Cannonball

Played from 1989 to 1991, went on hiatus for season three, returned for 1992-1993 season, retired afterwards

Contenders stood on a raised platform, opposite a Gladiator standing on a lower platform, holding a pad. The object was to swing on the rope and knock the Gladiator off the pedestal. Contenders faced two to three Gladiators (this varied by season) and earned bonus points for knocking down all three Gladiators. Originally, contestants could do whatever it took to get the Gladiator off the platform. This was changed by the semifinals of the first half of season one, after contender Brian Hutson kicked Gladiator Malibu in the chest, which lead to Malibu kneeing himself in the eye upon landing on the crash mats during the preliminaries (leading to the one and only appearance of Gladiator Bronco). After this, a "tuck rule" was put in place, where the contender had to stay in that position throughout the swing.

In season 1, both contenders competed separately. Because of this, the event ran longer than the one-hour format could hold, and therefore, part of all of the event were cut in some episodes due to time constraints. Shortly afterwards, the rules were changed so that both contenders competed at the same time against the same two gladiators.

[edit] Joust

Played from 1989 to 1996

The contender competed against the Gladiator in a pugil stick battle. In the first half of season one, the object of the Joust was to push your opponent back towards a trap door behind them, which would spring when touched and drop them to the floor. (This was only for the men, the women had no such obstacle) Points were awarded to the contender no matter how long they stayed on the platform.

After that, the rules were changed. The contender and gladiator faced each other on two separate platforms, and the object became knock your opponent off. A contender earned 10 points for knocking the gladiator off, and 5 points for staying on the platform for the entire 30 seconds. If either competitor crossed over to their opponent's platform or failed to put up a fight, they were disqualified.

The gladiator who competed in the most Jousts was Gemini, competing in more than fifty in his three seasons as an American Gladiator. Throughout his run, he was only defeated 8 times, and went unbeaten in his final season.

[edit] Powerball

Played from 1989 to 1996

The two contenders competed against three Gladiators. The contenders would grab a colored ball from a bin, and try to deposit it into one of five scoring cylinders on the floor. Gladiators were to tackle or wrestle the contenders to the ground, or knock them out of bounds. If they did the contender had to get another ball and try again. Scoring varied from season to season but after the playing field changed from a semicircluar shape to a rectangle beginning in the second half of season one, the middle cylinder was worth more points than the outer cylinders. Also, when the field was changed, a second bin was added to the field, and contenders had to alternate between them when they grabbed their scoring balls. The only major Powerball rule was that the Gladiators could not tackle the contestants high (read head), and if they did they were automatically disqualified. In the second half of season one, the "no tackle" rule was even more extreme after contender Zimbob Schwartze was excessively tossed around by the female gladiators, resulting in two stoppages of the game. After the preliminaries, the gladiators could not tackle the contenders in ANY fashion, but only push them down or out of bounds. This once resulted in one female gladiator getting left alone against the two contenders when the others got disqualified for tackling.

[edit] The Wall

Played from second half of season one (1990) to 1996

Contenders would have to scale a rock climbing wall before being pulled off by the Gladiator chasing them. When The Wall was first introduced in the second half of season one, the contestants were given a head start of 20 seconds (the women may have been higher), but by the second season the time had gone down to 10 seconds (save for a point in season four where the head start was 15 seconds). The latest version saw the wall divided into partitions and Gladiators started at the same time as the contenders, but were forced to go over a vertical barrier to reach the contender's portion of the wall. Contenders were given one minute (the first incarnation of the event had a two-minute time limit) to climb the wall for 10 points. Finishing second earned 5 points. In the first two seasons, 5 points were also awarded to the contender who climbed to a higher point on the wall if both happened to fail. Gladiator Laser was particularly adept at this event, having grown up climbing mountains in Montana. If Laser was drawn by a contender, it generally meant that they were not going to make it to the top.

[edit] Atlasphere

Played from 1990 to 1995, sparingly after 1992-93 season

Contenders climbed into large metal cage-like spheres, rolling them from within, and maneuvering them toward scoring pods on the playing field for points. Two Gladiators used their own spheres to obstruct the contenders from scoring. Contenders simultaneously tried to score as many points as they could in 60 seconds. The scoring pods changed over the years. At first the contestants needed to completely stop in the pod but later versions had a button located in the center of each pod that when compressed emitted smoke and awarded points. This change increased the scoring in the game and provided more action, and eliminated a problem with the previous pods, particularly present with the women- sometimes a contender would get into the pod, score, and then find themselves unable to get out.

[edit] Hang Tough

Debuted in 1990, became regular event in 1991, played until 1996

A 55-foot field of gymnastic rings separated two raised platforms. The contender and gladiator started out at opposite ends of the rings. The object was for the contender to swing to the opposite platform without being pulled off by the gladiator or falling off on their own within 60 seconds. Contenders were given 10 points for success. If the contender managed to stay on the rings for the full 60 seconds without dropping, they would earn 5 points (although they could gain more originally if they got near the gladiator's podium) Also, a contender could be awarded the 10 points if the Gladiator hit them above the shoulders in order to bring them off the rings. After the first few playings, the contestant had to make it halfway across the rings to earn a draw (signified by passing a blue set of rings by their podium). Also added was a rule where the contender could not stay in one place for more than 5 seconds, otherwise they would be automatically disqualified. These rules were put in place because several contenders were just content to stay in one place and avoid contact with the Gladiators.

[edit] Swingshot

Played from 1991 to 1996

A pillar was suspended from the ceiling of the arena approximately twenty feet in the air, with three rows of Nerf balls (colored yellow, blue, and red) velcroed to it. The two contenders and two (originally three) Gladiators stood on individual pedestals about twelve feet high and ten feet away from the central pillar, each of them attached to a harness to which a bungee cord was attached. The object was for the contenders to leap from their pedestals on the bungee cord to the ground, bounce up from the ground on the bungee, and grab as many balls as they could from the central pillar (originally, they were only allowed to grab one ball at a time). They would then need to bounce back to the ground and re-leap to their own pedestal, dropping any balls they were able to grab in their scoring bin. The two opposing Gladiators would also leap from their pedestals and try to time their jumps such that they could knock the contenders off course during their leaps. The yellow balls, the easiest to grab, were worth 1 point throughout the show's run. The blue balls, in the middle row, were worth 2 and sometimes 3 points, and the red balls were worth 3-5 points.


[edit] The Maze

Played from 1991 to 1993

Both competitors raced through a maze, attempting to find their way to the exit within 45 seconds. Four Gladiators positioned themselves inside the maze to obstruct the way, but had to stay in their assigned zones and not chase the contender if they got through. The Maze featured moveable partitions so that the maze could change each time the event was played. If a contender got out of the Maze, they would receive 10 points. If both contenders got out before time ran out, the second contender out got 5 points. Tommy Knox held the record for fastest time through the Maze, exiting in 15 seconds during season three.

[edit] Sky Track

Played regularly in 1992-93 season, played sparingly afterwards until retired in 1995

Players, suspended by a harness, would race on an upside-down track suspended from the ceiling of the arena. The track was covered in Velcro and players would propel themselves using their gloved hands and their feet, racing against a Gladiator for points. Contenders got 10 points for winning the race, and 5 points for finishing second. This was the only event that gladiator Tower never competed in, as he was too big for the one-size harness used in the event. The most adept at this event was probably Turbo, as he only lost once in his Sky Track runs.

[edit] Super Powerball

Played only in 1992-93 season

This was a short-lived variation on the original "Powerball" event for the "Crunch Time" series of games. The rules were similar to Powerball, however there were only three scoring cylinders positioned in a horizontal line at the middle of the field. To compensate for the fewer number of cylinders, there were only two Gladiators to stop the condenders. Interestingly, this version did not officially replace the original Powerball, despite the fact show producers had frequently made minor rule changes to other events (even Powerball itself) in the past. Super Powerball was the only one dubbed a "new" event and both versions were played on different weeks before the new version was abandoned.

[edit] Gauntlet

Played from 1993 to 1996

Contenders ran through a chute past five (later four) gladiators armed with pads of varying size and shape, who tried to slow or stop their progress. 5 points were given for getting past all the Gladiators within the 25-second time limit (later 20), and 10 points were earned for completing the task with at least 5 seconds left over. Eventually the event was played for a straight 5 points, with no bonus awarded for fast times. A contender lost by either failing to make it through the gauntlet or being forced out of it by a gladiator.

[edit] Pyramid

Played from 1993 to 1996

The premise of this event was similar to that of "The Wall". Contenders attempted to climb up a 42-foot tall stepped pyramid made of "crash mats". Two Gladiators began the event at the top of the pyramid to keep the contenders from reaching the top. If the contender scaled the pyramid and pushed the scoring button at the top within 60 seconds, they earned 10 points. The second contender to make it up was given five points.

[edit] Tug-O-War

Played from 1993 to 1996

The contender and gladiator dueled in a one-on-one tug of war. The twist to this event was that each competitor stood atop a fulcrum-based platform that shifted position with the person's weight. The contender was given the physical advantage of having his platform in the "back" position to start the tug, while the Gladiator began the pull with his platform in the "forward" position. Pulling the Gladiator off within 30 seconds earned the contender 10 points. Staying on the platform and having pulled more rope to one's side earned the contender 5 points. Gladiator Hawk was the most adept at the Tug-O-War, considering he appeared the most often in the event.

[edit] Whiplash

Played from 1994 to 1996

The contender and a Gladiator each grasped one half of a double-triangle-shaped item called "the bone". At the whistle, the competitors tried to wrestle the bone out of the grasp of his opponent. If the contender successfully pulled the bone away (called "owning the bone"), or if he pulled the Gladiator off a raised circular platofrm within 30 seconds, he earned 10 points. If he lasted all 30 seconds without losing grasp of the bone, he earned 5 points. Neither contestant or Gladiator could place their second hand on the bone, doing so was an automatic disqualification and, if the Gladiator was disqualified, earned the contender 10 points.

[edit] Snapback

Played from 1994 to 1996

Both contenders and two Gladiators were attached by a bungee cord to walls opposide each other. Hanging red and blue colored cylindrical markers were placed in the playing field between the contenders and the Gladiators. The contenders' task was to retrieve the markers and return them to a bin for points. The bungee cords provided resistance and the Gladiators were assigned the task of keeping the contenders from scoring points, similar to their duties in "Swingshot." The red markers, which were closer to the ground, were worth two points each, while the higher hanging blue markers were worth three.

[edit] The Eliminator

The deciding event was unique in that it was the only event that pitted the two contenders against each other rather than directly against the Gladiators. The two competitors would race through an obstacle course for time.

Originally, The Eliminator was a scored event, with a set time limit to complete it, with two points being awarded for every second left on the clock. (The time limit for both men and women was originally 1:00, but the women's limit changed to 1:30 and later 1:15 in season two.) This led to confusion among some fans, as the player who had "won" by finishing first had often actually lost through points deduction. Any fall on the course was a 5-point penalty (2 1/2 seconds) in early rounds, and occasionally 5-second penalties (10 points) in later rounds.

Later, points amassed during the previous events were converted into time in seconds that served as a head start for the contender in the lead. Each point resulted in a 1/2-second in time (Example: A 13-point lead would result in a 6 1/2-second head start).

The Eliminator went through several changes during the run of AG.

[edit] First season

The first season eliminator consisted of the following:

  • Contenders push giant medicine balls up a ramp, then place them in bins.
  • Walk across balance beam, where six Gladiators swing medicine balls at the contenders
  • Walk across commando ropes
  • Rope swing over wall
  • Weave through set of cones, then break through one of four paper barriers (two were open, two had Gladiators with blocking pads behind them)

[edit] Second season

AG's second season Eliminator changed completely from the first season, and was conducted as such.

  • Run up ramp on a reverse treadmill. Contenders could run up side of ramp if unsuccessful after three attempts to scale ramp.
  • Clear a pit through use of a hand bike
  • Cross balance beam, where a Gladiator swings a weighted blocking pad at the contender in an attempt to knock them off.
  • Climb up a 20-foot cargo net
  • Ride a zipline back down to arena floor
  • Clear two high hurdles, then choose a barrier to break through (with only one barrier open instead of two)

[edit] Third season

In the third season, in addition to the head start rule, the Eliminator underwent the following changes:

  • Falls off handbike earned the contender a penalty (:10 for women, :07 for men)
  • Balance beam replaced by a rolling cylinder
  • Contestant climbed 2 walls after zipline (originally they climbed one wall and faced a medicine ball gauntlet, followed by a small hurdle), Gladiators threw medicine balls at contenders from an elevated platform after second wall
  • Contestant climbed a hurdle and broke tape to win

[edit] Fourth season

The fourth season Eliminator course was pretty much the same as the previous season's, with two exceptions. The first was the removal of the second wall, with the contenders instead facing one wall (which was now made of plexiglass), and a gauntlet of swinging blocking pads (operated by two Gladiators). Also, the run from the final hurdle to the finish line was lengthened considerably from the previous season.

[edit] Fifth season and afterwards

Season 5 saw another drastic Eliminator makeover:

  • Contenders scaled a tower through use of a Versaclimber machine
  • Slide to hand bike
  • Run over rolling log, cargo net climb, zipline ride
  • Wall climb, followed by treadmill run
  • Swing through paper barrier to finish

For the sixth and seventh seasons, the rolling log was replaced by two ball-filled pits, which the contestant had to wade through and climb out of.

It should be noted that from the fifth season on, there were no Gladiators to contend with on the main course through the Elimination (they still "enforced" the penalty for falling off the handbike).

[edit] International tournament shows

On the international tournament shows (which were taped in England at the home of the UK version of AG), The Eliminator consisted of the following:

  • Clearing a set of hurdles by alternating going over high hurdles and under low hurdles
  • Climbing a rope to a platform
  • Clearing a pit using monkey bars (women) or the hand bike (men)
  • Running over the rolling log
  • Climbing the cargo net
  • Riding the zipline
  • Walking across a balance beam
  • Running up the travellator (treadmill)
  • Rope swing through barrier for finish

[edit] Visual makeovers

In season five, the show got a massive makeover, including a change in logo which changed even more for season six (the original logo got a more angular and three-dimensional look, and then completely disappeared), a change in color scheme (from red, white, and blue to silver and scarlet), and music played during the introduction of each event (which also was used during the International versions). However, the most notable change was the change of the opening theme, which was a rock remix of the original theme.

However, during the final season, two more things changed. The logo changed completely from its gem shaped logo to the metallic "AG" logo, with the A on top of the G to form a diamond shape (this is also when the announcers used the acronym "AG" to identify the show on a regular basis, as the previous two seasons only found it being used sparingly), and the opening featured each gladiator in a pose to show off their physiques, only with little clothing on.

[edit] Hosts

[edit] List of Gladiators

Jim Starr (Laser) was the Gladiator with the longest run on the program. He appeared from 1990 to 1996, only missing the first half of season one (1989).

The following Gladiators were with the show for the indicated years:

  • Erika Andersch .... Diamond (1990–1993)
  • Cheryl Barldinger .... Sunny (1989)
  • Salina Bartunek .... Elektra (1992–1993)
  • Shelley Beattie .... Siren (1992–1996, was unique because she was deaf)
  • Chuck Berlinger .... Viper (1992–1993)
  • Jonathan Byrne .... Steel (1996)
  • Danny Lee Clark .... Nitro (1989–1992, 1994-1995; became a co-host of the show in 1995, under the name of Dan Clark)
  • Steve Davis .... Rage
  • Sebastian Galloway .... SEB (1991–1993)
  • Shirley Eson .... Sky (1992–1996)
  • Lori Fetrick .... Ice (1990–1992, 1993–1996) (once dated Drew Carey)
  • Victoria Gay .... Jazz (1993–1996)
  • Shannon Hall .... Dallas (1994, 1995)
  • Steve Henneberry .... Tower (1991–1994)
  • Raye Hollitt .... Zap (1989–1990, 1991–1995) (posed in Playboy)
  • Michael Horton .... Gemini (1989–1992) (years before that, he was a contestant on the game show Press Your Luck).
  • Tonya Knight .... Gold (1989–1992)
  • Aaron Krueger .... Cougar (1991)
  • Natalie Lennox .... Lace #2 (1992–1993)
  • Deron McBee .... Malibu (1989) (played the character Motaro in the film Mortal Kombat: Annihilation)
  • David Nelson .... Titan (1989–1990)
  • Marisa Pare .... Lace (1989–1992) (posed in Playboy)
  • Sha-Ri Pendleton .... Blaze (1989–1992)
  • Ed Radcliffe .... Tank (1995)
  • Lee Reherman .... Hawk (1993–1996. He went on to be the host of the currently-on-hiatus G4TV game show, Arena.)
  • Cathy Sassin .... Panther (1992–????) (alternate gladiator)
  • Billy Smith .... Thunder (1990–1992)
  • Christopher Stango .... Urkin (1994, 1 episode only)
  • Galen Tomlinson .... Turbo (1990–1996)
  • Mark Tucker .... Rebel (1993)
  • Barry Turner .... Cyclone (1992–1993)
  • Lynn "Red" Williams .... Sabre (1992–1996, appeared as Jax in the film Mortal Kombat: Annihilation. He was once also a contestant on the comedy game show Street Smarts, competing under his Gladiator name.)
  • Real Name Unknown ... Bronco (Appeared in 1989 after Malibu was hurt during the Human Cannonball.)

[edit] Champions

Season Men's Champion Women's Champion
1 Brian Hutson Bridget Venturi
2 Craig Branham Dorann Cumberbatch
3 Mark Ortega Kathy Mollica
4 Clifton "Cliff" Miller Cheryl Wilson
5 Wesley "Two Scoops" Berry Peggy Odita
6 Kyler Storm Adrienne Sullivan
7 Pat Csizmazia Tiziana "Tee" Sorge

[edit] Trivia

  • In the first half of season one, the scoring system was different. Instead of using the point system the show would use later in its run, the points were given on a ten point scale (for instance, winning in the Joust or winning both parts of Breakthrough & Conquer was worth 100 points, 10 times the 10 points offered under the later system).
  • Former contestant Rico Constantino, went on to become well-known as a professional wrestler in the WWE, under the name of "Rico." He was challenged by Gemini (Michael Horton) to find out if "he had what it took" to be a contestant for the show. He would end up defeating Gemini in his best event, the Joust, one of the few contenders to do so (Horton lost only 8 of his Jousts on his three seasons of AG, with the majority of losses to Constantino or Eldon Kidd). Rico went on to defeat all the other contestants and Gladiators to become the champion for the first half of the 1990-1991 season. In the Grand Championship, Rico came up just short, losing to Craig Branham by a mere two seconds in the Eliminator.
  • Season four was probably one of the most injury-plagued seasons in AG history. While the Gladiators were fairly injury-free (save for Elektra's broken nose in the Grand Championship), more than a few contenders were put out due to injury, including at least three winners who were unable to advance any further in the tournament due to their injury.
  • During season three, two contenders had accidents while finishing the Eliminator. One fell off the zipline shortly after taking to it, but emerged uninjured. In the first episode of the second half, a female contender landed wrong off the zipline and severely injured her ankle, rendering her unable to finish the course (although the contender, a police officer named Angela Shepard, got to return during a special police themed episode of AG a few years later).
  • AG held three alumni shows for past contenders. The first was during season two for four season 1 contenders, including men's runner up Lucian Anderson. The second took place in season six, featuring all six Grand Champions crowned in Gladiator Arena in seasons 3 through 5. The final alumni show took place in the final season, pitting the Grand Champions from seasons 5 and 6 against each other.
  • In the final alumni show, dubbed the "Battle of the Best", a famous moment took place when season six Grand Champion Kyler Storm performed a somersault leap over Turbo in Breakthrough to score (he had wanted to perform the move during his season, but he was told not to, so he kept his mouth shut this time around). The two would clash again in Swingshot, when Turbo caught Kyler in mid-air and got into a fistfight after Kyler had faked two earlier leaps from his platform, a violation of the rules. Both would be disqualified for their actions, although Kyler did receive some of the points he lost by his fake jumps.
  • Quite possibly the most dramatic finish in AG history came during the men's Eliminator in season three's Grand Championship. Runner up Joe Mauro held a four second lead over champion Mark Ortega and held it all the way down to the first wall, while Ortega pecked away at it. Mauro struggled with the first wall and gave up on his first attempt to scale it. Just as Mauro came back down, Ortega came off the zipline and caught up with him. They were nearly even scaling the second wall, and Mauro held a slight lead going down the straightaway to the hurdle. Ortega flew over the hurdle just as Mauro cleared it, and both landed at the finish line at approximately the same time, causing the officials to review the finish. It was determined that Ortega's hand crossed the finish line a split second before Mauro broke the tape at the line, and he was crowned Grand Champion.
  • Season Three's Second Half runner up, Darryl Gholar, would eventually compete on the short lived Battle Dome, advancing all the way to the finals of season one (falling to eventual champion George King).
  • Throughout the show's run, the uniforms for the contenders changed. In the first part of season one, the contenders did not have specific uniforms. For the rest of that season and the following year, contenders wore red and blue. Season three saw that change to blue and gray for the men and orange and yellow for the women (although for that year's Grand Championship, they returned to the red and blue). Season four saw purple for men and pink for women replace blue and orange, For season five and six contenders wore silver and black, and the 7th and final season the contenders wore blue and purple (black purple for men and light purple for women)
  • As well as the contenders having uniforms, the Gladiators had their own. Although the designs varied from Gladiator to Gladiator, they always wore red, white, and blue uniforms paired with boxing shoes (first two seasons) or sneakers (last five seasons).
  • In the third and fourth seasons, the show featured former NFL players competing against each other in an elimination-style format, with the two highest scorers after six events advancing to the eliminator. Charles White won both competitions, erasing a deficit in the Eliminator both times.
  • Peggy Odita, the season five women's champion, also won the International Challenge in season four (representing Nigeria), as well as the International Gladiators 2 Grand Championship in 1996 (representing the United States), and served as the referee on Gladiators 2000.
  • A "Celebrity Challenge" episode of the series aired in 1994, featuring John C. McGinley and Dean Cain, among others, as competitors.

[edit] Popular Culture

  • The show was featured in an episode of Family Matters in 1993, in which Carl and Urkel competed to settle a score. (The story line was that Sabre was Waldo's cousin, and he set the whole thing up). The Joust, Wall, and Eliminator were featured (the only difference being the Eliminator course was missing the wall prior to the gauntlet, for reasons never explained). The stipulation was that if Urkel lost, he would never be allowed back in the Winslow family house. If Carl lost, he would have to apologize to Urkel for the incident which led to them being there in the first place. They finished the Eliminator in a dead heat to finish with overall tie scores, but resolved their differences at the finish line in order to avoid doing the whole course again to break the tie.
  • In the cartoon series The Simpsons, Luann Van Houten dates a fictional American Gladiator who goes by the name Pyro. Pyro is seen using the Atlasphere as his personal means of transportation. They later break up when Pyro discovers Luann is cheating on him with his best friend and co-worker Gyro.


[edit] International versions

[edit] See also

[edit] External links

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