For a short while, a cast member of the Von Erich family existed, which “The Iron Claw” left out. After his son David’s death, Fritz Von Erich needed a replacement, and since his other sons weren’t yet old enough or physically ready, he hired someone to play the part. A 24-year-old wrestler named William Vaughan had the talent and the look, and began to join Kevin Von Erich and newly-belted world champion Kerry Von Erich (played by Jeremy Allen White) in the ring, where he was known as Lance Von Erich.
As Kevin tells it in “Dark Side of the Ring,” he and his brother were adamantly opposed to the ruse. They suspected their loyal fan base would catch on to the lie and feel betrayed, and they were proven right. Lance and the real Von Erichs had a falling out, which complicated the storyline that their company, World Class Championship Wrestling, had been selling to the public. He was written out of the family, and as a result, their brand took a credibility hit.
Ironically, the film adaptation wound up mirroring real life. A professional wrestler, Maxwell Jacob Friedman, who goes by MJF, was cast as Lance Von Erich in “The Iron Claw.” He’s also listed as an executive producer. However, this subplot was cut from the final version of the film. Friedman can only be seen on screen for a matter of seconds without any context, and there’s no mention of the names William Vaughan or Lance Von Erich.
