Former Wrestling Villain Grapples With New Role

For 15 years, Pistol Pete Marquez performed live theater for wrestling fanatics. Now he wrestles with a new challenge--the stage.

Marquez was a bad guy. Audiences loved to taunt him. Opponents loved to tackle him. He was at the peak of his profession. For four years, he and Buddha Khan were the International Wrestling Federation’s tag-team champions.

Today, he’s 34, starting over, going solo. He’s playing a pagan priest in a small production, “The Curse of the Mummy’s Purse,” at the Gypsy Playhouse in Burbank. The play pays homage to old-fashioned mummy movies.

Not exactly “Wrestlemania,” but he’s not complaining.

“It’s a lot like wrestling,” Marquez said. “You have to entertain the audience, and show emotions to a crowd.”

In some ways, this job is easier. As wrestling skyrocketed in popularity, it evolved into a more sophisticated form of entertainment, choreographed and scripted to the last, minute detail. Acting, especially in live theater, offers Marquez greater flexibility.

In his new play, he speaks no dialogue but exhibits a strong presence. He wears a loincloth and a consistent frown. He falls a lot and gets laughs.

“Falling is easy,” Marquez said. “That’s the first thing I learned. Because the thing that’s going to hit you the most is the ground.”

Better than the fist, which is how his childhood began. Marquez spent much of his youth in Los Angeles gangs. Like many of his friends, he seemed destined for a life in prison. His wrestling talent spared him.

“I didn’t have to prove myself by shooting someone,” he said. “I had wrestling.”

Marquez even worked out with police officers at the YMCA. At 18, he turned professional, working nearly every night. “It was fun; it was always at night, and I made good money.”

In 1981, he landed a guest appearance on ABC-TV’s “Fantasy Island” as a wrestler in a segment about the world’s strongest man. A new ambition was born.

“I got the acting bug, and I’ve been doing a little ever since,” he said.

His credits, however, have mostly consisted of commercials, low-budget films and stunt work in obscure television specials. For example, he was Lionel Ritchie’s bodyguard in a Pepsi spot and appeared in a “Fight Back With David Horowitz” episode. He also recently worked on “Club Fed,” a Rumar Films spoof of prisons, due sometime next year. He played an ethics professor at the prison. “I got a chance to body-slam Karen Black,” he said.

In “Curse of the Mummy’s Purse,” he appears in only three or four scenes but still finds a way to vary his performances. “Maybe I’ll grunt a little more one day than the next,” he said with a laugh.

But other actors were impressed with his role, however brief.

“None of us knew about him till this show,” said Gabrielle Sinclair, who appears in the play, “and I wondered how much experience he had, but he adjusts so well. I’d love to see him wrestle, because he’s such a good actor.”

Marquez is optimistic about the future. “I’m in a certain category. There aren’t too many Mexicans my size. There will be roles for me. It’s just a matter of getting the auditions.”

Earlier this year, when the roles were infrequent, Marquez contemplated taking a break from acting. He auditioned for a job providing television commentary on wrestling, but hasn’t heard anything yet. He has even considered returning to his old occupation.

“If the right situation comes up, I’d go back to wrestling,” he said. “But I’d really like to make it in acting.”

“The Curse of the Mummy’s Purse” is appearing at the Gypsy Playhouse, 3321 W. Olive Ave., Burbank. It shows Fridays and Saturdays at 8 p.m. and Sundays at 3 p.m. Tickets are $12 for general admission, $10 for actor discount, and $8 for students and senior citizens. For more information, call 818-954-9858.