Welcome to this week's Saturday GLOWcase! Today, we're shining the spotlight on a fascinating figure behind the scenes of GLOW: Gorgeous Ladies of Wrestling—the one and only Matt Cimber. If you were like me, watching GLOW on TV every week as a kid, you probably didn't think much about who was directing the show. But once you dive into the story of Matt Cimber, you'll find a treasure trove of interesting tidbits and a newfound appreciation for the creative mind behind this iconic series.
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| Lightning and MTV with Matt |
Back when I was a kid, I used to watch GLOW: Gorgeous Ladies of Wrestling on TV every week. I had no idea who the director was and, frankly, I didn't really care. The show was just so entertaining that the behind-the-scenes details didn't matter to me. It wasn't until years later that I stumbled upon the fascinating story of Matt Cimber, the man pulling the strings behind the camera.
Matt Cimber, originally named Thomas Vitale Ottaviano, had quite the career before GLOW. He directed a bunch of 70s exploitation films like The Candy Tangerine Man and The Witch Who Came from the Sea. But what really blew my mind was finding out he was the co-founder and director of the GLOW wrestling show. Interestingly, in the GLOW episodes, he was listed as Tom Vitale in the credits. Go figure. Plus, he was married to the legendary Jayne Mansfield, and they had a son named Tony, who appeared on the show as "Nature Boy." Matt's close involvement with some of the wrestlers added another layer to the show's behind-the-scenes dynamics as well as on screen magic.
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| Matt Cimber with dedicated GLOW fan Manuel Briano |
Discovering more about Matt Cimber gave me a newfound appreciation for GLOW. It's incredible to think about the creativity and vision that went into making such a unique show. His diverse career—from directing off-Broadway plays to working with Jayne Mansfield—just added more layers to my respect for the show.
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| Matt with MTV, Matilda, Mt. Fiji, Ashley Cartier, Jailbait, Thunderbolt, Envy and Godiva |
So there you have it, a little nugget of history I never knew I needed. I hope you enjoyed this deep dive into Matt Cimber's contributions to GLOW. His journey from 70s exploitation films to co-founding GLOW and directing it under the name Tom Vitale is nothing short of remarkable. Now, I'd love to hear from you! Do you have any fun or interesting GLOW memories? Drop your thoughts and stories in the comments below. And if you enjoyed this post, feel free to share it with fellow fans!
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