Von Erich, The Legend Lives On - 1997 student documentary by Rusty Baker

Von Erich, The Legend Lives On is a student documentary short that was shown only once at University of North Texas Radio-Television-Film Department’s Summer Documentary Workshop Screening on July 3, 1997. Although Kevin Von Erich has granted several interviews, both before and after, this documentary features his wife Pam in her only recorded interview. It also includes Fritz Von Erich’s final interview before he passed away in September of that year. The documentary spring-loaded Rusty Baker’s Faded Glory, The Von Erich Story.

Rusty Baker was a film student at UNT when he met his childhood hero, Kevin Von Erich, who happened to be his temporary next-door neighbor while his house was being built near Lake Dallas. Kevin and Rusty became great acquaintances and soon partnered together to make the Von Erich’s first documentary since leaving the WCCW. Kevin’s father, Fritz, gave Baker unprecedented access to the family’s 8mm home movies dating as far back as 1959. The films chronicled the family’s home life as well as their rise into professional wrestling. Fritz had turned down scores of requests for interviews in his late life, but gave Baker 30 minutes to ask questions dealing with the Von Erich family’s tragic past.

Rusty Baker, who wrote and produced Von Erich The Legend Lives On is a contributor to this YouTube channel and authorizes its content. Portions of Von Erich wrestling footage were cleared for use by the Von Erich family in 1997, but later became the Intellectual Property of the WWE in 2006. The interviews were recorded and edited by Rusty Baker for the documentary seen here.