Steve Gallon, Jr. (September 10, 1925 – September 1, 2004), known as Wildman Steve (or Wild Man Steve), was an American comic entertainer, radio personality, promoter, MC and recording artist.
Biography
He was born in Monticello, Florida, but in the late 1930s moved with his parents to
Waterbury, Connecticut
Waterbury is a city in the U.S. state of Connecticut. Waterbury had a population of 114,403 as of the 2020 United States census, 2020 Census. The city is southwest of Hartford, Connecticut, Hartford and northeast of New York City. Waterbury i ...
, where he attended school. He served in the
US Navy
The United States Navy (USN) is the naval warfare, maritime military branch, service branch of the United States Department of Defense. It is the world's most powerful navy with the largest Displacement (ship), displacement, at 4.5 millio ...
in
Korea
Korea is a peninsular region in East Asia consisting of the Korean Peninsula, Jeju Island, and smaller islands. Since the end of World War II in 1945, it has been politically Division of Korea, divided at or near the 38th parallel north, 3 ...
, and became a
Golden Gloves
The Golden Gloves of America is an organization that promotes annual competitions of amateur boxing in the United States, in which winners are awarded a belt and a ring, and the title of national champion. The organization currently owns 30 fr ...
boxing
Boxing is a combat sport and martial art. Taking place in a boxing ring, it involves two people – usually wearing protective equipment, such as boxing glove, protective gloves, hand wraps, and mouthguards – throwing Punch (combat), punch ...
champion, before returning to Waterbury to set up a salon and
nightclub
A nightclub or dance club is a club that is open at night, usually for drinking, dancing and other entertainment. Nightclubs often have a Bar (establishment), bar and discotheque (usually simply known as disco) with a dance floor, laser lighti ...
. He became involved in local radio in Waterbury, and then in
Hartford
Hartford is the List of capitals in the United States, capital city of the U.S. state of Connecticut. The city, located in Hartford County, Connecticut, Hartford County, had a population of 121,054 as of the 2020 United States census, 2020 ce ...
,
Bridgeport
Bridgeport is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Connecticut and the fifth-most populous city in New England, with a population of 148,654 in 2020. Located in eastern Fairfield County at the mouth of the Pequonnock River on Long Is ...
Boston, Massachusetts
Boston is the capital and most populous city in the Commonwealth (U.S. state), Commonwealth of Massachusetts in the United States. The city serves as the cultural and Financial centre, financial center of New England, a region of the Northeas ...
, in about 1958. There, he acquired his
sobriquet
A sobriquet ( ) is a descriptive nickname, sometimes assumed, but often given by another. A sobriquet is distinct from a pseudonym in that it is typically a familiar name used in place of a real name without the need for explanation; it may beco ...
, "Wildman Steve". Besides his radio appearances, he started performing in local clubs alongside comedians such as
Flip Wilson
Clerow "Flip" Wilson Jr. (December 8, 1933 – November 25, 1998) was an American comedian and actor best known for his television appearances during the late 1960s and 1970s. From 1970 to 1974, Wilson hosted his own weekly variety series '' The ...
,
Redd Foxx
John Elroy Sanford (December 9, 1922 – October 11, 1991), better known by his stage name Redd Foxx, was an American stand-up comedian and actor. Foxx gained success with his raunchy nightclub act before and during the civil rights movemen ...
Miami
Miami is a East Coast of the United States, coastal city in the U.S. state of Florida and the county seat of Miami-Dade County, Florida, Miami-Dade County in South Florida. It is the core of the Miami metropolitan area, which, with a populat ...
,
Florida
Florida ( ; ) is a U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern region of the United States. It borders the Gulf of Mexico to the west, Alabama to the northwest, Georgia (U.S. state), Georgia to the north, the Atlantic ...
, to work at radio station
WMBM
WMBM (1490 AM) is a radio station broadcasting a gospel format. Licensed to Miami Beach, Florida, United States, the station serves the Miami area. The station is currently owned by New Birth Broadcasting Corp. Inc. and features programming f ...
. He became one of the most popular radio personalities in the region, working alongside Milton "Butterball" Smith and King Coleman. He also established a reputation as a promoter and master of ceremonies, bringing to Miami top entertainers such as
James Brown
James Joseph Brown (May 3, 1933 – December 25, 2006) was an American singer, songwriter, dancer, musician, and record producer. The central progenitor of funk music and a major figure of 20th-century music, he is referred to by Honorific nick ...
,
Jerry Butler
Jerry Butler Jr. (December 8, 1939 – February 20, 2025) was an American soul singer-songwriter, producer, musician, and politician. He was the original lead singer of the R&B vocal group the Impressions, who were inducted into the Rock and ...
album
An album is a collection of audio recordings (e.g., music) issued on a medium such as compact disc (CD), Phonograph record, vinyl (record), audio tape (like 8-track cartridge, 8-track or Cassette tape, cassette), or digital distribution, dig ...
s with other comedians, before striking out on his own with the 1969 comedy albums ''Shacking Up'' and ''My Man! Wild Man!''. The latter was reportedly the first party album by a black comedian to reach the album charts of both ''
Cash Box
''Cashbox'', also known as ''Cash Box'', is an American music industry trade magazine, originally published weekly from July 1942 to November 1996. Ten years after its dissolution, it was revived and continues as ''Cashbox Magazine'', an online ...
'' and ''
Billboard
A billboard (also called a hoarding in the UK and many other parts of the world) is a large outdoor advertising structure (a billing board), typically found in high-traffic areas such as alongside busy roads. Billboards present large advertis ...
'', staying in the top 50 for 26 weeks. Its success led Gallon to record a series of further party albums, noted for their risqué and explicit content, through to the early 1990s. Wildman Steve, ''Discogs.com'' Retrieved 21 September 2015
He also appeared in several movies, including ''Ain't That Just Like a Honkey!'' (1976), '' Petey Wheatstraw'', and '' The Guy from Harlem'' (both 1977). The only film in which he had a starring role was the controversially-titled '' The Six Thousand Dollar Nigger'', also known as ''Super Soul Brother'', directed by Rene Martinez, Jr., in 1978, in which he played a homeless drunk injected by a mad scientist with a serum that gives him enhanced powers. One reviewer refers to Gallon's "frenetic physical comedy and shameless stereotype baiting". Review of ''Super Soul Brother'', May 24, 2010, ''Mad Mad Mad Mad Movies'' Retrieved 21 September 2015 He toured in the
Caribbean
The Caribbean ( , ; ; ; ) is a region in the middle of the Americas centered around the Caribbean Sea in the Atlantic Ocean, North Atlantic Ocean, mostly overlapping with the West Indies. Bordered by North America to the north, Central America ...
and
Bermuda
Bermuda is a British Overseas Territories, British Overseas Territory in the Atlantic Ocean, North Atlantic Ocean. The closest land outside the territory is in the American state of North Carolina, about to the west-northwest.
Bermuda is an ...
with his Wildman Steve Revue, and promoted worldwide tours by comedians and musicians including
Rudy Ray Moore
Rudolph Frank Moore (March 17, 1927October 19, 2008), known as Rudy Ray Moore, was an American comedian, singer, actor, and film producer.Millie Jackson, and LaWanda Page.
In later years, he contributed to charitable activities in Miami, particularly working with
unemployed
Unemployment, according to the OECD (Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development), is the proportion of people above a specified age (usually 15) not being in paid employment or self-employment but currently available for Work (hu ...
people. In 2002, the City of Miami gave him the Cultural Ambassador's Award, for his services to the entertainment industry and its promotion around the world. He died in Miami in 2004 at the age of 78.
Discography
* ''Shacking Up'' (1969)
* ''My Man! Wild Man!'' (1969)
* ''Wild! Wild! Wild! Wild!'' (1970)
* ''King Of Them All'' (1971)
* ''Eatin' Ain't Cheatin!!!'' (1973)
* ''Do Not Disturb'' (1973)
* ''When You're Hot – You're Hot!!!'' (1976)
* ''The Six Thousand Dollar Nigger'' (1978)
* ''Midnight Snack'' (1978)
* ''Is It Good Baby'' (1980)
* ''Did He Really Say That'' (1980)
* ''Everybody's Man'' (1983)
* ''For Ladies Only'' (1988)
* ''Fake It Till You Make It'' (1990)
* ''Love To Make A' Ugly M.F. Laff'' (1993)