Bill Cardille became the full time announcer for Studio Wrestling
after Mal Alberts left Channel 11 in October of 1961. Prior to
that he was a fill in announcer for the show. Red Donley
became the sports director for WIIC Channel 11 at that time.

With the opening of the new Pittsburgh Civic Arena and the
promoting efforts of Pennsylvania Wrestling Inc. wrestling
was becoming very popular in Pittsburgh and the Tri-State
area. With Bill Cardille as announcer Studio Wrestling was
about to become one of the highest rated local programs
in Pittsburgh broadcasting history.
Bill Cardille during a live
beer commercial on WICU-TV
in Erie, PA. mid 1950's.
In the early 1960's Bill Cardille was the guest announcer
for a limited series of wrestling shows from Chicago's Marigold
Gardens. Here are some photos from those programs:
Bill Cardille interviewing
"Golden Boy"
Paul Christy
Bill Cardille interviewing
"Killer" Kowalski
Prior to joining WIIC Channel 11 in 1957 Bill Cardille had
experience conducting live interviews with wrestlers during
the intermissions of the network wrestling shows that were
broadcast from Chicago's Marigold Gardens. Cardille would
broadcast live from the WICU-TV studios in Erie, PA where
he would discuss upcoming matches with name wrestlers
who were touring at that time. He would also do live beer
commercials during the Marigold Gardens intermissions.
Above Right: Bill Cardille interviewing "Crusher" Lisowski
The "Voice" Meets The "Champion"!

When Bill Cardille joined WIIC-TV Channel 11 in Pittsburgh in 1957
construction was still under way at the new television studio building.
Cardille noticed a large, muscular young man who was working as a
carpenter. Their paths crossed but little did they know that they
would both someday be involved with wrestling. The name of the
carpenter who helped construct the Channel 11 studios was Bruno
Sammartino. A strong bond of friendship between these two men
continues to this day.
The "Voice of Wrestling"
Bill Cardille interviews
"The Champion"
Bruno Sammartino.
Bruno Sammartino tests
his strength by performing a
total of 15 pushups with 200 lb
announcer Bill Cardille on his back!
Using announcer Bill Cardille to
perfrom an overhead press Bruno
shows why he is known as the
"Strongest Man in the World"!
Through the weekly Studio Wrestling show and numerous public
appearances at various wrestling shows throughout the Tri-State
area, Bill Cardille became the voice and the face of Studio Wrestling.
The following advertisements and photographs chronicle the
many public appearances that Cardille made during those early
days of wrestling.
Above: Advertisement from July 16, 1966.
Below: Advertisement from the St. Teresa Family
Fun Fair. The date was September 16, 1966.
Above Left: Baseball Hall of Famer Pie Traynor, Bill Cardille,
and wrestling fan Mike Vekoski of West Mifflin, PA.
These photos are from a wrestling show staged at the
Eastland Mall shopping center in the East Hills.
It was the summer of 1971.
In 1969 Bill Cardille began to host a second wrestling show for the
World Wide Wrestling Federation and promotor Vince McMahon Sr.
Cardille would travel to Philadelphia to tape this syndicated program
while still hosting Studio Wrestling in Pittsburgh. Cardille hosted the
syndicated W.W.W.F. program from 1969 through 1975. Cardille had
the opportunity to join the W.W.W.F. on a full time basis but did not
want to be away from his family and home in Pittsburgh.

The final wrestling show on Channel 11 aired on August 3, 1974.
Bill Cardille would remain with Channel 11 until his retirement from
television in 1998. Cardille returns to Channel 11 each year
to host the annual Jerry Lewis Muscular Dystrophy Association
Labor Day Telethon. Wrestling Champion and legend Bruno
Sammartino also takes part in the annual telethon.
Above: Bill Cardille and Bruno Sammartino at the local portion of
the 2007 Jerry Lewis Muscular Dystrophy Association Labor Day
Telethon in Pittsburgh.

Thank you Bill Cardille for the wonderful Studio Wrestling Memories!
Bill Cardille wrestling photo gallery: Coming soon!