From the Archives: Actor Douglas Fairbanks teaching sailor wrestling moves

This image of Douglas Fairbanks was part of a four photo sequence appearing in the March 10, 1918, Los Angeles Times. Under the headline,” Doug shows how to capture Hun,” Fairbanks posed with a U.S. Navy sailor Eddie O’Hara.

On the back of the print, a hand written note reported that Fairbanks was demonstrating some of the some of the moves “handed down to him by Kid McCoy, Jack Dempsey and Leach Cross.”

The silent film actor Douglas Fairbanks was an avid boxing and wrestling fan.

Boxer Jack Dempsey reigned as world heavyweight champion from 1919 to 1926.

Kid McCoy, born Normay Selby, was a boxer and early Hollywood actor.

Leach Cross, born Louis Wallach, was a lightweight boxer.

I was unable to locate the other images from this sequence. Below is a copy of the page from the March 10, 1918, Los Angeles Times.

See more from the Los Angeles Times archives here