Summary

• Focus on Kevin Von Erich and his brothers, not their parents, Fritz and Doris, in "The Iron Claw."
• Emotional ending emphasizes the impact of brothers' passings on Von Erich parents.
• Fritz and Doris Von Erich's divorce in 1992 starkly contrasts with Kevin Von Erich's story ending.

Warning: Contains SPOILERS for The Iron Claw!

The Iron Claw puts Kevin Von Erich and his brothers at the center and does not reveal what happened to their parents, Fritz and Doris Von Erich, after the movie. Sean Durkin's 2023 movie starring Zac Efron as Kevin Von Erich explores a tumultuous time in the wrestler's life from 1979 to 1993. This setup means giving Kevin's brothers major roles to play from the start of the movie all the way through The Iron Claw's ending. While they are key parts of the film's emotional conclusion as a result of their various passings, the Von Erich parents are ever present in the story too.

Fritz Von Erich is a difficult, stubborn, tough, and demanding father to Kevin and his brothers throughout the critically acclaimed 2023 movie, while Doris is the peacekeeper who falls back on religion when times get difficult. The Iron Claw never shifts focus to make their lives take over, leaving both to be explored through subplots of the supporting characters. However, the movie's ending includes a rather ominous note in regard to what will happen between Fritz and Doris Von Erich next in The Iron Claw's true story. The multiple tragedies seemingly created great separation between them, leaving anyone who watches The Iron Claw with questions regarding their future together and individually.

Who Plays Fritz & Doris Von Erich In The Iron Claw

& What The Real Family Thought

The cast of The Iron Claw is star-studded, and the actors who play Fritz and Doris Von Erich in the film are no exception. Mindhunter's Holt McCallany plays Fritz Von Erich, the father of the Von Erich clan, while The Affair's Maura Tierney plays their mother Doris Von Erich. Here is what Kevin Von Erich thought about the portrayal of his parents, with him saying this in an interview (via People):

“[Critics] talk about [how] he made us wrestle and it was all about the bottom line. No, never. He didn't even want us to wrestle. I just want people to know my dad was a good, honorable man who I admire. I'd never say anything about him, and I won't tolerate anybody doing it around me, either.”

Fritz Von Erich & Doris Got A Divorce In 1992

Ending Their 42-Year Relationship

The final shot of Fritz Von Erich and Doris in The Iron Claw is of the two of them sitting alone in their kitchen. The scene takes place sometime after Kerry's death, with Fritz coming in from work to find Doris painting. He wonders what is for supper, and she says she hasn't cooked anything, leaving him unsure what to do. It is at this moment that the once happy - or at least passably so - couple appears to have reached an impasse where they are no longer that close now that all but one of their sons has died. This is The Iron Claw's way of foreshadowing that Fritz and Doris get a divorce.

Fritz and Doris Von Erich got divorced in July 1992 in real life. This means their marriage ended nearly a year before Kerry's death in 1993. The Iron Claw changes the true story and timeline of these events to make the divorce come after Kevin is their only remaining living son. Fritz and Doris Von Erich's divorce marked the end of a marriage that lasted for 42 years and gave them six sons, even though The Iron Claw leaves out Chris Von Erich. It also means that they lived separate lives after 1992 for the rest of their lives.

Fritz Von Erich Died In 1997

Pass

What happened to Fritz Von Erich after divorcing Doris in 1992 is largely unknown. He retired 10 years earlier from fighting and passed on ownership of World Class Championship Wrestling to Kevin by this point. It is known that Fritz lived the rest of his life in Dallas, Texas. At some point, he was diagnosed with brain and lung cancer. These led to Fritz Von Erich's death on September 10, 1997. He was 68 years old when he passed away. This came four years after the events of The Iron Claw and five years after divorcing Doris in real life.

Doris Von Erich Died In 2015

She Was Buried Next To Fritz

Doris Von Erich's life after The Iron Claw is also not well documented. It is known that she moved to Hawaii to live with Kevin, his wife Pam, and their kids in 2008 after remaining in Dallas after the divorce. She lived on a ranch with Kevin Von Erich and his family for the last eight years of her life, leading up to Doris' death on October 23, 2015. She battled emphysema throughout her life, though her cause of death was never confirmed. Despite divorcing Fritz 23 years earlier, Doris still chose to be buried next to her ex-husband so that she would be with her sons.

By spending her remaining years with Kevin's family on Hawaii, Doris died with loved ones around her. Her obituary (via Dignity Memorial) notes that Kevin, Pam, and their kids and grandchildren were all present when she passed away. They spent her final moments singing the Christian hymn "How Great Thou Art" to her. Doris' death occurred 22 years after The Iron Claw takes place and 23 years after divorcing Frtiz. It is also why she is not featured in the movie's final family photo showing Kevin's entire family together in Hawaii.

Source: Dignity Memorial