James Ware
- Known for
- Acting
- Born
- June 20, 1957 (age 69)
- Birthplace
- Union City, Tennessee, USA
Biography
James Ware, better known by his ring name "The Birdman" Koko B. Ware, is a semi-retired American professional wrestler who made his professional wrestling debut in 1978. He gained most of his popularity in the World Wrestling Federation when he was known as the Birdman. Ware came to the ring with a blue-and-yellow macaw parrot named Frankie, and would flap his arms like a bird while dancing before and after his matches. Before joining the WWF, Ware worked as a part of several tag teams, first with Bobby Eaton in Memphis and then later on with Norvell Austin as one half of the The P.Y.T. Express in several promotions. It was not until late in 1980 that Koko’s fortune changed when he participated in a battle royal to crown the first ever Mid-American Television Champion. The crowd favorite was Jimmy Valiant, who Koko accidentally knocked into Danny Davis and eliminated Valiant. Moments later, Koko dumped Davis to the floor and won his first title. After the match, Jimmy Valiant returned to the ring and beat Koko down. Koko’s feud with Jimmy Valiant was quickly expanded to include the heel Tojo Yamamoto and Koko ally Tommy Rich. When Dutch Mantel returned to the CWA in early 1981 he quickly defeated Koko for the TV title making Koko’s first run with the gold a short one. Koko floundered until September 1981 when he was chosen to referee a Southern Heavyweight Championship title match between Jerry Lawler and “The Dream Machine". Ware unfairly counted Lawler out to give the Dream Machine the victory, a decision that did not sit well with Lawler nor the fans in Memphis. Koko quickly aligned himself with manager Jimmy Hart and his First Family and changed his name to Sweet Brown Sugar. Sugar never got the best of Lawler but did taste tag-team success alongside Steve Keirn and then with Bobby Eaton. Eaton & Sugar won the AWA Southern Tag Team Championship. On June 8, 2008, Koko made a special appearance at TNA's Slammiversary as a groomsman in the wedding for "Black Machismo" Jay Lethal and So Cal Val, along with George "The Animal" Steele, Kamala the Ugandan Giant, and Jake "The Snake" Roberts. On April 4, 2009, Koko was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame by The Honky Tonk Man. On September 5, 2009 Ware's wife died after a battle with cancer. On February 15, 2011 Koko made an appearance on Tosh.0. He is one of only three wrestlers to sport 'WWF' on his trunks.
Known For
Photos
Filmography
Biography: WWE Legends
TV · as Koko B. Ware (archive footage) · 1 ep
The Sheik
Movie · as Self
The History of WWE: 50 Years of Sports Entertainment
Movie · as Koko B Ware
Legends of Mid-South Wrestling
Movie · as Koko B. Ware
JCW Legends and Icons
Movie
WWE Hall Of Fame 2009
Movie · as Koko B. Ware
World Wrestling Legends: 6:05 - The Reunion
Movie · as Koko B. Ware
WWE Hall of Fame
TV · as Self · 1 ep
Beyond the Mat
Movie · as Self - Coco B. Ware
AWF Warriors of Wrestling
TV · as Koko B. Ware · 3 eps
WWE Wrestling Grudge Matches
Movie · as "The Birdman" Koko B. Ware
WWE Bashed in the USA
Movie · as "The Birdman" Koko B. Ware
WWE WrestleFest '93
Movie · as Koko B. Ware
WWE Royal Rumble 1993
Movie · as "The Birdman" Koko B. Ware
WWE Invasion of the Bodyslammers
Movie · as Koko B. Ware
Raw
TV · as Koko B. Ware · 5 eps
WWE Survivor Series 1992
Movie · as "The Birdman" Koko B. Ware
WWE World Tour 1992
Movie · as Koko B. Ware
WWE WrestleFest '91
Movie · as "The Birdman" Koko B. Ware
WWE SuperTape: Volume 4
Movie · as "The Birdman" Koko B. Ware
WWE Royal Rumble 1991
Movie · as Koko B. Ware
WWE Superstars & Stripes Forever: The March to WrestleMania VII
Movie · as "The Birdman" Koko B. Ware
WWE Royal Rumble 1990
Movie · as Koko B. Ware
WWE WrestleMania VI
Movie · as 'The Birdman' Koko B. Ware
WWE Survivor Series 1990
Movie · as "The Birdman" Koko B. Ware
WWE SummerSlam 1989
Movie · as Koko B. Ware
Fan Favorites
Movie · as Koko B. Ware
WWE U.K. PPV
Movie · as "The Birdman" Koko B. Ware
WWE Royal Rumble 1989
Movie · as "The Birdman" Koko B. Ware
The Brains Behind the Brawn
Movie · as Koko B. Ware
The Best of the WWF: volume 20
Movie · as Koko B. Ware
WWE Survivor Series 1988
Movie · as "The Birdman" Koko B. Ware
WWE Maple Leaf Wrestling: November '88
Movie · as "The Birdman" Koko B. Ware
WWE Los Angeles Wrestling: December '88
Movie · as "The Birdman" Koko B. Ware
WWE Maple Leaf Wrestling: April '88
Movie · as "The Birdman" Koko B. Ware
WWE Maple Leaf Wrestling: September '88
Movie · as "The Birdman" Koko B. Ware
WWE Maple Leaf Wrestling: October '88
Movie · as "The Birdman" Koko B. Ware
WWE SummerSlam 1988
Movie · as "The Birdman" Koko B. Ware
The Wrestling Album II: Piledriver
Movie · as Koko B. Ware
WWE WrestleMania III
Movie · as "The Birdman" Koko B. Ware
The Best of the WWF: volume 13
Movie · as Koko B. Ware
The Best of the WWF: volume 14
Movie · as Koko B. Ware
WWE Houston Wrestling: November '87
Movie · as "The Birdman" Koko B. Ware
WWE Maple Leaf Wrestling: January '87
Movie · as "The Birdman" Koko B. Ware
WWE Wrestling at The Meadowlands: January '87
Movie · as "The Birdman" Koko B. Ware
The First Annual NWA Jim Crockett Sr. Memorial Cup Tag Team Tournament
Movie · as Koko B. Ware
WWF Wrestling Challenge
TV · as Koko B. Ware, "The Birdman" Koko B. Ware · 39 eps
Power Pro Wrestling
TV · as Koko B. Ware · 2 eps
WWF Superstars
TV · as "The Birdman" Koko B. Ware · 46 eps
WWE Saturday Night's Main Event
TV · as Koko B. Ware · 1 ep
WCCW Thanksgiving Star Wars '84
Movie · as Koko Ware
WCCW Cotton Bowl Extravaganza '84
Movie · as Koko Ware
World Class Championship Wrestling
TV · as Koko B. Ware, Sweet Brown Sugar · 1 ep
Mid-South Wrestling
TV · as Coco Ware, Koko Ware · 9 eps
Mid-Atlantic Championship Wrestling
TV · as Sweet Brown Sugar · 5 eps
USWA Championship Wrestling
TV · as Koko Ware, Sweet Brown Sugar, Stagger Lee · 18 eps
WWE Old School
TV · as Koko B. Ware · 10 eps