Nick Hausman: How did you first meet Teddy Hart?
Frederick Kroetsch: It was many years ago that I first met Teddy — I think 10 or 11 years. I was filming a documentary about indie prairie wrestling promotions. Some of the wrestlers I met told me about a wild and unpredictable wrestler named Teddy. Since everyone was so damn nice in the prairie wrestling circuit, I decided I should meet Teddy and add an over-the-top character to my project. Eventually I decided to just follow Teddy, and frame the show around him and his unusual mansion menagerie.
When was the first time you realized Teddy might have a dangerous edge to him?
There were little moments where I would see a look in Teddy’s eye, but usually I just chocked that up to marijuana. The people that hung around him said nice things about him. I didn’t fully realize what was going on until The Calgary Sun published an article about his charges. Then my world caved in and I was forced to re-evaluate things.
Were you ever compelled to help the women or others around Teddy when they talked about his abusiveness?
I helped get Teddy on a plane and flew him to Canada, where he was arrested. At the time, I felt it was the best I could do for everyone. I asked everyone questions and listened to their stories.
Did you ever worry about the safety and health of Teddy’s cats?
Yes I worried about his cats!!!! I still do!
At first I thought it was kind of cool, having so many cats. I didn’t know that much about cats before I met Teddy. I started getting fascinated with them. I even wound up making a little TV series about cats. And then I slowly realized many of the cats at his mansion weren’t living the greatest lives. By the time I fully realized this, most of the cats had been sent to shelters and Teddy was living in Texas. Some of his cats wound up with his parents. Those cats are living their best lives.
