Real Name - Mark LewinBirthdate - 3/16/37
6'2" 220 lbs. - Buffalo, NY
Athletic Background - n/a
Teacher(s) - John Horton
Professional Background - California(`53), Buffalo(`55), Totonto(`56), St. Louis(`57), Capitol [New York City](`58-`62), San Francisco(`62), Australia(62), San Francisco(`63), China(`63), Texas(`63), JWA(`63), Florida(`63), San Francisco(`64-`65) All Star [New Zealand](`65), WCW [Australia](`66-`71;`73), Amarillo(`74), Stampede(`75), Dallas(`78-`80), Houston(`78-`80), NWA New Zealand(`81-`82), Florida(`83), WCCW(`85-`86), Florida(`86)
Aliases - Skippy Jackson, Maniac Mark, Purple Haze
Groups - People's Army, Army of Darkness
Peak Years -
Finisher(s) -
Favorites -
- Piledriver
- Bodyslam
- Foreign Object
- Side Headlock
- Overhead Forearm
Ringwork Rating -
| Move Set | 6 |
| Science | 3 |
| Aerial | 2 |
| Power | 7 |
| Strikes | 6 |
Intangibles Rating -
| Entertainment | 6 |
| Selling | 6 |
| Bumping | 6 |
| Carrying | 6 |
| Heat | 6 |
| Legacy | 7 |
Place in History - Mark Lewin's career spanned four decades and he made a name for himself as one of the most well-travelled pro-wrestlers of the day. Lewin grew up in Buffalo, the youngest brother in a family of four children. The oldest, Donn, got him hooked on bodybuilding, which changed his life. Donn and Ted, an art student, left Buffalo and became pro-wrestlers in the Northeast. When Mark reached sixteen, he caught a break with his brother-in-law, Danny McShain, which got him on the road and he never looked back. Lewin was one of the early bodybuilder-types in the sport, his big arms and boyish good looks made him a popular babyface early in his career. He tagged with his brothers from time to time, but first made a name for himself teaming with Don Curtis. The team feuded with the Graham Brothers and it helped launch Lewin into an impressive career. He wrestled everywhere, but was particularly successful in Australia when that was one of the hottest spots in the world and he had a legendary rivalry with Killer Karl Kox. Eventually Lewin became embroiled in a bloody feud with Curtis Iaukea that they took around the horn. In the last leg of his career, Lewin took on a maniacal gimmick akin to his rival/partner, The Shiek. Although many scoff at the idea because he was quite normal looking, it rejuvenated Mark Lewin's career as he approached forty. The grizzled brawler loved to juice and act the role, which worked for the last ten years or more of his career. His final run was as "Purple Haze," a demonic underling of Kevin Sullivan's. Mark Lewin led a stellar career, but many knock him for simply being in the right place with the right people at the right time and discredit his own abilities. Regardless, Lewin did feud with several of the biggest acts, he did use gimmicks he learned from these characters and his best runs were in atypical places, but Mark Lewin led a successful career and did what he wanted to do for longer than many of those who have criticized him.
