Howdy, Neighbor!
Stan "Plowboy" Frazier and
His Appetite for Life
Kurt Nielsen
Published: 2025
Pages: 262
Synopsis: The life and times of Stan Frazier, best known as the WWF's Uncle Elmer.
Plus a cook book!
Hillbilly Jim was a valuable and popular character, and the WWF wanted to keep him in the public eye until he was ready to return to the ring. As Jim Morris (the man who portrayed Hillbilly Jim) recalled, "They had all that time promoting and getting over Hillbilly Jim. They had to do something - they had to keep the thing going." So it was decided to make him a manager, where his physical participation wasn't required. It was suggested that he manage another hillbilly - one of his "kin folk" - while he was on the mend. A few names were tossed about. Then Jimmy Hart mentioned he knew a guy down in Memphis who would be ideal: Stan Frazier. Hart had worked with Frazier countless times over the years and knew his value. Hart told Vince McMahon, "He may not get over for a long time, but he will get over."
WWF boss McMahon was really high on Frazier. In him, he saw nothing but potential because he possessed many of the qualities that he sought out in his concept of professional wrestling as "sports entertainment." Stan's ability to wrestle was almost secondary in the equation because he had natural charisma, knew how to entertain, and he was one of the biggest men in the business. Frazier, just standing there, had that immedate "wow factor." Vince loved all of this.
Admittedly, Stan "Plowboy" Frazier is not top of mind when it comes to considering the industry greats. He'll probably never make anyone's Mount Rushmore, and I don't believe the guy ever had his own action figure - an extreme rarity in the business.
Having said that, Frazier now has his own biography with Howdy Neighbor!, written by artist and former Cauliflower Alley Club board member Kurt Nielsen. And perhaps unlike his short-lived WWF run, there's a lot of memorable content in this one.
In a wrestling career that spanned three decades, Frazier underwent more gimmick changes than Earthquake, Big Boss Man and Brutus Beefcake combined. Among the many characters he portrayed over the years, he was known as Plowboy Frazier; Playboy Frazier; Tiny Frazier; Lieutenant Frazier; Big Tex; The Convict: The Long Ranger; The Giant Rebel; The Giant Hillbilly; and yes, even Kamala II.
While many of these personas aren't known to most wrestling fans, his Convict character was a favorite of wrestling magazines, and as Plowboy Frazier, he had memorable encounters against the likes of Jerry "The King" Lawler in Memphis.
And even though his time in the WWF wasn't extensive, he did manage to compete at WrestleMania II against Adorable Adrian Adonis and made headlines on the second Saturday Night's Main Event by marrying his sweetheart Joyce (a shoot wedding) in the middle of the ring.
Beyond the squared circle, Frazier was also a wrestling promoter; he dabbled in acting (appearing on an episode of The Andy Kaufman Show and kind of, sort of took part in a Bigfoot movie); he had side-hustles selling fake Rolex watches and other merchandise; and he even sang country and western music on occasion.
Nielsen, who considered Uncle Elmer was one of his favorite wrestlers due to his unique look and style, isn't afraid to tell the truth about the man behind the bib overalls in this book. Many of the stories Frazier told people over the years were of the "tall tale" variety. For example, there was no proof that he was given the key to Mobile, Alabama in 1972. Nor could anyone confirm his careers in amateur wrestling or semi-pro football . And the author openly admits that Frazier's alleged appearance on The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson never happened.
The last portion of the biography is actually a Stan Frazier cookbook; a project that Nielsen was working on with Joyce Frazier until she passed away in 2004. So if you're looking for recipes of everything from Corn Chowder Soup to Singing River Pasta, or from Pinto Bean Pie to Pascagoula Pork Roast, this book has got you covered.
Overall Rating: Oh Hell Yeah! This biography may not be everyone's cup of tea (or borrowing from the Frazier cookbook - Sweet Tea), but it makes for a really interesting read on one of wrestling's lesser-known personalities. Howdy Neighbor! is definitely a fun read.
