James Ware
Acting • Born 1957-06-20
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.
Filmography
58 credits
WWE Wrestling Grudge Matches
Movie • 1993
"The Birdman" Koko B. Ware
WWE WrestleFest '91
Movie • 1991
"The Birdman" Koko B. Ware
WWE SuperTape: Volume 4
Movie • 1991
"The Birdman" Koko B. Ware
WWE Bashed in the USA
Movie • 1993
"The Birdman" Koko B. Ware
WWE Royal Rumble 1990
Movie • 1990
Koko B. Ware
WWE Royal Rumble 1991
Movie • 1991
Koko B. Ware
WWE SummerSlam 1989
Movie • 1989
Koko B. Ware
WWE WrestleMania VI
Movie • 1990
'The Birdman' Koko B. Ware
WWE Survivor Series 1992
Movie • 1992
"The Birdman" Koko B. Ware
WWE Survivor Series 1988
Movie • 1988
"The Birdman" Koko B. Ware
The Wrestling Album II: Piledriver
Movie • 1987
Koko B. Ware
WWE Survivor Series 1990
Movie • 1990
"The Birdman" Koko B. Ware
WWE WrestleMania III
Movie • 1987
"The Birdman" Koko B. Ware
WCCW Thanksgiving Star Wars '84
Movie • 1984
Koko Ware
WWE WrestleFest '93
Movie • 1993
Koko B. Ware
Fan Favorites
Movie • 1989
Koko B. Ware
The Best of the WWF: volume 13
Movie • 1987
Koko B. Ware
The Best of the WWF: volume 14
Movie • 1987
Koko B. Ware
World Wrestling Legends: 6:05 - The Reunion
Movie • 2005
Koko B. Ware
JCW Legends and Icons
Movie • 2011
WWE U.K. PPV
Movie • 1989
"The Birdman" Koko B. Ware
WWE Maple Leaf Wrestling: November '88
Movie • 1988
"The Birdman" Koko B. Ware
WWE Houston Wrestling: November '87
Movie • 1987
"The Birdman" Koko B. Ware
WWE Los Angeles Wrestling: December '88
Movie • 1988
"The Birdman" Koko B. Ware
WWE Maple Leaf Wrestling: January '87
Movie • 1987
"The Birdman" Koko B. Ware
WWE Maple Leaf Wrestling: April '88
Movie • 1988
"The Birdman" Koko B. Ware
WWE Maple Leaf Wrestling: September '88
Movie • 1988
"The Birdman" Koko B. Ware
WWE Wrestling at The Meadowlands: January '87
Movie • 1987
"The Birdman" Koko B. Ware
WWE Maple Leaf Wrestling: October '88
Movie • 1988
"The Birdman" Koko B. Ware
The History of WWE: 50 Years of Sports Entertainment
Movie • 2013
Koko B Ware
Legends of Mid-South Wrestling
Movie • 2013
Koko B. Ware
WWE Hall Of Fame 2009
Movie • 2009
Koko B. Ware
The Sheik
Movie • 2014
Self
WWE SummerSlam 1988
Movie • 1988
"The Birdman" Koko B. Ware
WWE Royal Rumble 1989
Movie • 1989
"The Birdman" Koko B. Ware
WCCW Cotton Bowl Extravaganza '84
Movie • 1984
Koko Ware
The First Annual NWA Jim Crockett Sr. Memorial Cup Tag Team Tournament
Movie • 1986
Koko B. Ware
WWE Superstars & Stripes Forever: The March to WrestleMania VII
Movie • 1991
"The Birdman" Koko B. Ware
WWE Royal Rumble 1993
Movie • 1993
"The Birdman" Koko B. Ware
The Brains Behind the Brawn
Movie • 1989
Koko B. Ware
WWE Invasion of the Bodyslammers
Movie • 1993
Koko B. Ware
WWE World Tour 1992
Movie • 1992
Koko B. Ware
The Best of the WWF: volume 20
Movie • 1989
Koko B. Ware
Biography: WWE Legends
TV • 2021
Koko B. Ware (archive footage)
AWF Warriors of Wrestling
TV • 1995
Koko B. Ware
Raw
TV • 1993
Koko B. Ware
WWF Wrestling Challenge
TV • 1986
Koko B. Ware
Saturday Night's Main Event
TV • 1985
World Class Championship Wrestling
TV • 1982
Koko B. Ware
World Class Championship Wrestling
TV • 1982
Sweet Brown Sugar
WWE Old School
TV • 1973
Koko B. Ware
Power Pro Wrestling
TV • 1986
Koko B. Ware
Mid-South Wrestling
TV • 1981
Coco Ware
Mid-South Wrestling
TV • 1981
Koko Ware
Saturday Night's Main Event
TV • 1985
Koko B. Ware
Mid-Atlantic Championship Wrestling
TV • 1981
Sweet Brown Sugar
WWE Hall of Fame
TV • 2005
Self
USWA Championship Wrestling
TV • 1977
Koko Ware