10. His First Gimmicks Were Very Different
The silhouette of Sarge is so iconic, that it's difficult to imagine him as anything other than Drill Sergeant. But, while he famously was a Drill Sergeant in real life, his nickname during his tenure with the United States Marine Corps actually being Sergeant Slaughter, his first forays into finding a character were very different. His first instincts were to be as unlike his real self as possible. To that end, his beautician wife bleached his hair and he debuted, working for Verne Gagne in the American Wrestling Association (AWA) in 1975 as "Beautiful" Bobby Remus, a flamboyant character who wore tie-dye clothing and preened. Although not intended as a homosexual character, other wrestlers would start blowing him kisses, and the local crowds would laugh at him. A change was needed. The next significant character came when he donned a lucha libre style mask (amazing that he found one that would cover his chin) and became Super Destroyer Mark II. Several superstars had been called the Super Destroyer in the past, including one Hulk Hogan during his time at Championship Wrestling from Florida in the late 70s. As Mark II, Remus was managed by not only Lord Alfred Hayes, but Bobby 'the Brain' Heenan. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fgC8xDj19-Y