Age, Biography and Wiki

Peter Thornley (Brian Stevens (renamed Peter William Thornley upon adoption)) was born on 19 October, 1941 in Wellington, Shropshire, England, is an English wrestler. Discover Peter Thornley's Biography, Age, Height, Physical Stats, Dating/Affairs, Family and career updates. Learn How rich is he in this year and how he spends money? Also learn how he earned most of networth at the age of 82 years old?

Popular As Brian Stevens (renamed Peter William Thornley upon adoption)
Occupation N/A
Age 82 years old
Zodiac Sign Libra
Born 19 October 1941
Birthday 19 October
Birthplace Wellington, Shropshire, England
Nationality Japan

We recommend you to check the complete list of Famous People born on 19 October. He is a member of famous wrestler with the age 82 years old group.

Peter Thornley Height, Weight & Measurements

At 82 years old, Peter Thornley height is 6ft 2in and Weight 15 st - 18 st.

Physical Status
Height 6ft 2in
Weight 15 st - 18 st
Body Measurements Not Available
Eye Color Not Available
Hair Color Not Available

Dating & Relationship status

He is currently single. He is not dating anyone. We don't have much information about He's past relationship and any previous engaged. According to our Database, He has no children.

Family
Parents Not Available
Wife Not Available
Sibling Not Available
Children Not Available

Peter Thornley Net Worth

His net worth has been growing significantly in 2023-2024. So, how much is Peter Thornley worth at the age of 82 years old? Peter Thornley’s income source is mostly from being a successful wrestler. He is from Japan. We have estimated Peter Thornley's net worth, money, salary, income, and assets.

Net Worth in 2024 $1 Million - $5 Million
Salary in 2024 Under Review
Net Worth in 2023 Pending
Salary in 2023 Under Review
House Not Available
Cars Not Available
Source of Income wrestler

Peter Thornley Social Network

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Timeline

1941

Peter William Thornley (born 19 October 1941) is an English retired professional wrestler who was best known for the ring character Kendo Nagasaki.

The character of Nagasaki was a Japanese samurai with a mysterious past and reputed powers of healing and hypnosis.

1960

Nagasaki's most notable achievement during the 1960s was in March 1966 when he defeated and unmasked Count Bartelli (Crewe-born Geoff Condliffe) at the Victoria Hall in Hanley, Stoke-on-Trent.

Bartelli had been Nagasaki's mentor and tag team partner until they had a storyline falling out over Nagasaki's rough tactics in the ring.

During the late 1960s, Nagasaki would feud with Billy Robinson and also with a young Jean Ferre.

1964

In November 1964 Thornley had his first professional contest against "Jumping" Jim Hussey at Willenhall Baths.

1968

In 1968, Thornley toured Japan where he was billed under the alternative name Mr Guillotine (but still with the same visual image).

1970

He was one of the biggest draws of all time in British wrestling, especially in the mid-1970s and the turn of the 1980s – 1990s.

His identity as the man behind Kendo Nagasaki was first revealed publicly by a plumber who visited his house in the 1970s.

Away from the ring, Thornley has been a successful business entrepreneur and also had a career in rock management for around a decade from the late 1970s to the late 1980s, managing Cuddly Toys and Laura Pallas.

1971

Kendo Nagasaki made his ITV debut in May 1971 on the FA Cup Final special edition of World of Sport with a victory over Wayne Bridges.

During July 1971, in what was said to be a sensational TV contest with Billy Howes, his mask came off in the heat of the battle.

Howes spent a great deal of effort in pounding Nagasaki's head and dragging his tight-fitting mask up, almost covering Nagasaki's eyes, and tried to untie the straps holding it on, before under his relentless efforts it came loose.

Howes showed little sign of actually wrestling in the end stages, and was solely intent on removing the mask, which he finally did and Nagasaki quickly left the ring covering his face.

In December 1971, he appeared for the first time with manager "Gorgeous" George Gillette at Dumfries.

1972

He then went on to tour Canada and the United States during 1972 working for wrestling legend Stu Hart.

Nagasaki was renowned for his strength; in one televised match he lifted the 26 st "The Battling Guardsman" Shirley Crabtree later known as 'Big Daddy', up on to his shoulders, then calmly walked to a corner carrying him and finished the bout with his famous Kamikaze Crash, walking out the ring as Crabtree was being counted out.

1975

In December 1975, again facing Big Daddy (as he was by then only named) on television, Nagasaki was successfully unmasked (although he nonetheless went on to win the bout), starting a violent feud between the two.

The unmasking occurred two years before he had an official ceremonial unmasking ceremony at the Civic Hall, Wolverhampton in what was one of the most anticipated and most viewed moments in ITV's World of Sport.

1976

At the height of his career, Thornley discussed the relationship with his character in an interview for TVTimes in 1976 in which he claimed that the Nagasaki character was "the spirit of a samurai warrior who, 300 years ago, lived in the place that is now called Nagasaki" which he had contacted while in "a trance state" during meditation.

1977

Thornley wore a mask for most of his career, the one significant exception being several months following a December 1977 televised voluntary unmasking ceremony.

1978

He had originally retired in 1978 but returned to competition briefly in 1981 and then again from 1986 to 1993.

Thereafter he made sporadic wrestling appearances.

Thornley gave occasional interviews as Kendo Nagasaki, usually photographed fully masked or with his face hidden, and often speaking through a representative.

The character's voice was never heard in public.

In April the following year (1978), he appeared as an unmasked wrestler for the first time; in a contest at Croydon against Bronco Wells.

Following an August 1978 Nagasaki win on television over Colin Joynson, British Heavyweight champion Tony St. Clair entered the ring and announced he was accepting a title challenge from the now unmasked and therefore eligible Nagasaki.

However, before the match could take place, in September 1978 he retired on doctor's orders from the ring and began a new career in rock management.

1981

Nagasaki returned in 1981-1982 in a few appearances for Brian Dixon, in which the real Nagasaki feuded with notorious Nagasaki impersonator King Kendo (Bill Clarke) in a series of loser-lose-mask matches which saw Clarke defeated and unmasked night after night.

1986

In December 1986, Thornley made his masked return to the ring at the London Hippodrome in a ladder match with Clive Myers transmitted on ITV shortly after the New Year as the main event of the first ever edition of ITV wrestling taped at an All Star Wrestling show, and by September 1987 he went on to become the WWA World Heavyweight Champion after defeating Wayne Bridges.

1988

He also formed a tag team with Mark 'Rollerball' Rocco but this fell apart after a televised match in early 1988 resulting in a lengthy and violent feud between the two which would rage on at live shows during the first few years after the end of British Wrestling on TV.

Another tag team with Blondie Barrett would run for several years.

During his final ITV appearance, Nagasaki and Barrett defeated the 'Golden Boys' tag team of Robbie Brookside and Steve Regal when the masked man hypnotised (kayfabe) Brookside to attack Regal.

This too would lead to a long running storyline with Nagasaki regularly using his 'powers' to turn Brookside over to his side at live shows.

1989

In January 1989, George Gillette died of AIDS and Lloyd Ryan officially became Kendo's new manager.

1991

In October 1991, he feuded with Giant Haystacks, and at one point was robbed of a World title (said to be the CWA World Heavyweight Championship, actually held at the time by Rambo) after Haystacks deliberately pulled off his mask "forcing" him to abandon the match.

2002

His identity became more widely known after a 2002 court case over a land dispute with his neighbour.

2018

Thornley never spoke publicly about being Kendo Nagasaki until the publication of his autobiography in 2018.

Until the publication of his autobiography in 2018, Thornley and his close associates frowned on the use of his legal name, preferring that his out-of-character self be referred to as "Yogensha" (Japanese for seer).

According to his official website, the Nagasaki character is "in fact, a spirit guide and sensei ... who appears by being channelled through an otherwise ordinary man" i.e. Thornley/Yogensha