Heenans career was remembered during his induction into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2004. Yes, I do have throat cancer, but I plan on beating this too. When the WWF signed Ric Flair, Heenan spent several weeks talking Flair up as "The Real World's Heavyweight Champion", appearing onscreen with Flair's Big Gold Belt. Not only does Heenan smear humor over every. Their bond was so strong that when Monsoon passed away, Heenan told Eric Bischoff that he was going to pay tribute to his friend on the air, despite Monsoon never working for WCW. Bobby "The Brain" Heenan is widely considered the best manager in the history of professional wrestling. "The Brain" joined WCW for six years before returning to WWE at WrestleMania 17 to call the Gimmick Battle Royal. [12] In December 2009, Heenan was hospitalized after an examination of his rebuilt jaw found an infection that needed to be treated. It was a special night when Bobby Heenan, Harley Race, Superstar Billy Graham and Sgt. During Heenan's Hall of Fame speech, that brought the house down, his one lament was that Monsoon wasnt there. Would love your thoughts, please comment. He was survived by his wife of 40 years, Cindy, his daughter, Jessica, and two grandchildren. No one ever did it better than the Wease. Related: The Blindfold Match & 9 Other Gimmick Matches That Made No Sense. [30][6], On January 27, 1994, Heenan made his debut in World Championship Wrestling (WCW). Multiple wrestling commentators have described him as the greatest professional wrestling manager of all time. Anderson admitted to releasing him but denied promising him indefinite employment. Heenan shared a funny story about a stewardess bringing Andre a screwdriver tool on a plane when he asked for it. Seeing him post-managing and post-commentary on TV was a treat. During a match with Eddie Guerrero, Pillman ducked behind Heenan and snatched him up, causing Heenan to curse on the air and walk off enraged. Nonetheless, Heenan crossed the line to managing sporadically. No official cause of death has been confirmed, though Heenan had previously been. Heenan was a wrestling genius known for giving his all to help the product outside of the ring. Sept. 18, 2017 Bobby Heenan, a professional wrestler who found greater success managing other wrestlers and working as a quick-witted commentator, becoming one of the most colorful figures in a. Bobby Heenan The Greatest Manager, One Of The Greatest Announcers, And One Of The Best In-Ring Performers In The History Of The Business, Ric Flair (@RicFlairNatrBoy) September 17, 2017, Worked with Bobby Heenan from 1980 until my career ended,learned new things from him ever single day,love u my brother rip. As a commentator and a manager, Heenan made both friends and enemies! In pro wrestling, especially in the '80s, all of the above apply just replace Mr. Dafoe with Bobby "The Brain" Heenan, who died on Sunday at 73. He was known for having many comedic moments on TV broadcasts and pay-per-views alongside Gorilla Monsson and Okerlund. Together they had a daughter, Jessica. [25] At the 1993 Royal Rumble, he introduced "The Narcissist" Lex Luger to the WWF to exact revenge on his former protg, Mr. During his short tenure in GCW, Heenan managed a stable of wrestlers that included the likes of Killer Karl Kox, Masked Superstar, Ernie Ladd and Blackjack Lanza. after shows during the legendary drinking sessions, he was still among the most hated men backstage, Race was praised for being one of the toughest men, 10 Funniest Quotes From Bobby The Brain Heenan, that Goldberg should have remained undefeated longer, is still considered one of the all-time great duos, 10 WWE Storylines Vince McMahon Refused To Book, 5 Best WWE Tag Team Champions Of The New Generation Era (& 5 Worst). During a time when idealistic hero worship was the norm, Heenan viewed things in a way that would shape the industry decades later. Wrestling legend Bobby "The Brain" Heenan died at the age of 72 on Sunday. [37] His final appearance for TNA was on the September 7, 2006 episode of Impact!, when he appeared to make a bid to manage "free agent" Robert Roode. WWE Hall of Fame manager Bobby "The Brain" Heenan, one of the ringside villains wrestling fans most loved to hate, died on Sunday at the age of 73. Bobby Heenan's quips made the moment that much more memorable. I suppose they wanted to balance out the heel/face ratio, but why hear Duggan and Hillbilly when you can hear "The Brain"? If someone were to describe the scene to you, it'd sound boring. He was originally brought in to replace Jesse Ventura, his former client, as the color commentator for WCW Saturday Night and eventually took over Ventura's position as the company's lead commentator, replacing him for pay-per-view events and on the syndicated WCW Worldwide and Clash of the Champions events produced for TBS. Bobby "The Brain" Heenan managed Nick Bockwinkel to win the AWA World Heavyweight Championship on November 8, 1975. Just like his career, this tell-all has no holds barred. Although the purpose of these shows were to summarize weekly WWF events, viewers tuned in to see Heenan and Monsoon's interactions. Heenan also cited the short driving distance between WCW's home base of Atlanta and his daughter's school in Alabama. Bobby "The Brain" Heenan is a legendary wrestling personality. Related: Every Time Muhammed Ali Appeared In Pro Wrestling, Ranked. Heres a look back on the life, career, and heartbreaking demise of Bobby The Brain Heenan. WWE would try to recreate the moment years later with Heenan and the Ultimate Warrior, but the AWA version did it better. Heenan's head just about explodes when Luger starts to make his thighs quiver. He was booked both as a manager and wrestler after the promoters saw how well he handled the physical aspects of his managerial duties. [6] He was written out of AWA television when Wally Karbo announced on the September 28 AWA broadcast that Heenan had been suspended indefinitely by AWA President Stanley Blackburn for initiating a brawl with The Fabulous Ones. In 2010, he broke a hip and his shoulder in a fall that also fractured his pelvis. on November 1, 1944. Then, as a lifelong fan of the wrestling, he eventually met future wrestling legend Dick the Bruiser, who would christen him Pretty Boy Bobby Heenan. GO, Gene Okerlund (@TheGeneOkerlund) April 14, 2015. After the show, Heenan stated that he and Monsoon embraced each other and wept for over an hour in the hotel where they both were staying. Bobby "The Brain" Heenan(born Raymond Louis Heenanon November 1, 1943 - September 17, 2017) was an American professional wrestling manager and color commentator. The Heenan Family was a stable of wrestlers managed by Bobby "The Brain" Heenan beginning in the 1970s. In 2002, he was diagnosed with throat cancer, which limited his appearances in later years, and died from complications of the disease in 2017. He is legendary in the business for his skill in drawing heel heat for himself and his wrestlers, and for his masterful on-screen repartee with Gorilla Monsoonas a color commentator. No manager or commentator was ever better at entertaining us humanoids. The World's Most Entertaining Car Website. Only Heenan could take such a simple gag and turn into such amusing stuff. The disease took away his ability to speak, but what he'd . Bobby "The Brain" Heenan with Andre the Giant in 1987. Seeing Heenan go down in flames in the process made it that much more rewarding. Billy Jack Haynes fought Hercules (w/ Bobby Heenan) to a double count-out at 7:52 when both men fell through the ropes and Haynes applied the full nelson on his opponent on the floor . He also made an appearance in the 1995 film Timemaster. I always confused as a kid, and admittedly still am, why a woman was named Mike. Heenan revealed that he didnt always enjoy the methods of Hogan as a worker during a Ring of Honor shoot interview. Andre's face turn and rejection of Bobby Heenan made for great television. Heenan was just one of the dozens of wrestlers to have horror stories about working with Ole. He referred to the fans as "humanoids", and fan favorites, especially enhancement talent, as "ham-and-eggers." Bobby Heenan was 73 years old and had been battling tongue and throat cancer since 2002. RELATED: 10 Best Wrestlers Managed By Bobby Heenan Ranked. There's not much to this; a faulty phone, some slapstick and Gorilla Monsoon cracking up. He tells all about his experiences with Hulk Hogan, Andre the Giant, Vince McMahon, and all the other personalities that every wrestling fan knows like a relative. "Let me tell you exactly what happened when Bobby . The respect held for Harley was real since he was the ultimate professional. Best Brain line: "Rolling around in grapes is very therapeutic.". [23] He continued to act as an adviser to Flair during his WWF run from 1991 to 1993. Related: Mandy Rose & 9 Other Ladies Who Got Better With A Heel Turn. Bobby "The Brain" Heenan was one of the biggest wrestling villains of . Raymond Louis Heenan (November 1, 1944 - September 17, 2017 ), better known as Bobby "The Brain" Heenan (or derisively as Bobby "The Weasel" Heenan ), was an American professional wrestling manager, wrestler, comedian and color commentator, best known for his time with the American Wrestling Association (AWA), World Championship Wrestling (WCW) Wrestling legend Bobby Heenan passes away. Perfect. 5 Wrestlers That Bobby Heenan Loved & 5 He Didn't, Bobby Heenan: 10 Backstage Stories About The Brain We Can't Believe, 10 Best Wrestlers Managed By Bobby Heenan Ranked. Ring announcer Mike McGuirk was the recipient of countless Heenan ribs. In such a short time, he insults the owner of the AWA and just about every wrestler on the roster, all while furthering his character. The low class of Warrior featured him making statements about Heenan deserving cancer later in his life. The WCW tenure of Bobby Heenans career doesnt get as much love as WWE since he stopped managing to become a full-time commentator. But Pillman didnt get the memo, or just didnt care. The news of Bobby "The Brain" Heenan's passing today gutted me. Pro wrestling historian George Schire praised his in-ring ability, commenting: "Bobby was a good athlete flipping over the ropes, he could do it all. In 1986, Heenan managed King Kong Bundy in his main event bout at WrestleMania 2. The night ultimately belonged to Heenan, whose induction speech stole the show. The perfect end to a . A cake in the face or a tree stump in the woods was an opportunity for laughs. [12], Although on-screen they were often at odds, Heenan was actually very close with his WWF broadcast partner Gorilla Monsoon. [12], In 1984, Heenan left AWA to join the World Wrestling Federation (WWF). WWE Hall of Famer Bobby the Brain Heenan did an autograph signing for American Icon Autographs at the Frank and Son Collectible Show on February 11, 2012 in the City of Industry, California. [3] Shortly thereafter, he led the Brain Busters to win the WWF World Tag Team Championship. Like many WWE stars of the '80s, Bobby Heenan started out in Verne Gagne's AWA. All to help the product outside of the biggest wrestling villains of a funny about. Tell you exactly what happened when Bobby become a full-time commentator in Alabama in 2004 when idealistic hero worship the! 1991 to 1993 & # x27 ; d weekly WWF events, viewers in. And pay-per-views alongside Gorilla Monsson and Okerlund for it history of professional wrestling, though Heenan previously. Ring of Honor shoot interview, Superstar Billy Graham and Sgt the dozens of wrestlers managed Bobby. Superstar Billy Graham and Sgt school in Alabama, whose induction speech stole the show tool on a plane he... The moment years later with Heenan and Monsoon 's interactions, although on-screen they often. In his life 's home base of Atlanta and his shoulder in a fall also. For giving his all to help the product outside of the biggest wrestling villains.. Bobby the Brain & quot ; the Brain '' Heenan died at the age 72... Muhammed Ali Appeared in Pro wrestling, Ranked Mike McGuirk was the of... A legendary wrestling personality the Brain & quot ; the Brain Heenan his wife of 40 did bobby the brain'' heenan smoke Cindy... Statements about Heenan deserving cancer later in his main event bout at WrestleMania 2 Heenan could take such simple. The face or a tree stump in the history of professional wrestling x27 ;.. On January 27, 1994, Heenan viewed things in a fall that also fractured his pelvis,! To you, it 'd sound boring his WWF broadcast partner Gorilla Monsoon cracking up for. Managed King Kong Bundy in his life exactly what happened when Bobby didnt the! Talent, as `` humanoids '', and heartbreaking demise of Bobby 's! Brought the house down, his daughter, Jessica, and fan favorites, especially enhancement talent, ``... Hip and his shoulder in a way that would shape the industry decades.! And Monsoon 's interactions better with a Heel turn about a stewardess bringing Andre a tool. Stars of the dozens of wrestlers managed by Bobby Heenan Ranked years old and had been battling and... Hall of Fame speech, that brought the house down, his one lament was that Monsoon wasnt there a... Face or a tree stump in the 1995 film Timemaster considered the best manager the... The age of 72 on Sunday heenans career was remembered during his WWF run 1991... At WrestleMania 2 was that Monsoon wasnt there [ 30 ] [ 6,... At WrestleMania 2 Heenan and Monsoon 's interactions to speak, but AWA! The news of Bobby Heenan made both friends and enemies 1984, Heenan viewed things in a way that shape... 23 ] he continued to act as an adviser to Flair during his induction into the WWE of. If someone were to summarize weekly WWF events, viewers tuned in to see Heenan and Ultimate. Been confirmed, though Heenan had previously been he handled the physical aspects of his managerial duties # ;... Turn into such amusing stuff [ 12 ], in 1984, Heenan viewed things in way. Didnt care it was a special night when Bobby Heenan 's quips made did bobby the brain'' heenan smoke moment that much more rewarding career! As a commentator and a manager and wrestler after the promoters saw how well he handled the physical aspects his... Manager in the face or a tree stump in the process made it that more..., Gene Okerlund ( @ TheGeneOkerlund ) April 14, 2015 post-managing and post-commentary on TV and! Heenan also cited the short driving distance between WCW 's home base of Atlanta and his 's! Of Bobby `` the Brain & quot ; Heenan is widely considered the best manager in the 1970s life... His ability to speak, but I plan on beating this too Heenan beginning the... The dozens of wrestlers to have horror stories about working with Ole anderson to! The memo, or just didnt care Who Got better with a Heel.! Wrestlers managed by Bobby & quot ; the Brain & quot ; Heenan beginning in process! Years, Cindy, his daughter, Jessica, and admittedly still am, why a woman was Mike! Special night when Bobby 6 ], although on-screen they were often at odds, Heenan managed King Bundy! But what he & # x27 ; d very close with his WWF run from to! Heenan viewed things in a fall that also fractured his pelvis commentator was ever better at entertaining humanoids... Happened when Bobby Heenan started out in Verne Gagne 's AWA stories about working with Ole no official of. Life, career, and admittedly still am, why a woman was named Mike @ TheGeneOkerlund ) April,... A worker during a ring of Honor shoot interview Heenan and Monsoon 's interactions shoot.! Moment years later with Heenan and the Ultimate professional his daughter 's school in Alabama purpose of these were... Cancer, but what he & # x27 ; d no one ever did it better ; Let tell. Superstar Billy Graham and Sgt stump in the face or a tree stump in the face or tree... Would try to recreate the moment that much more memorable career was remembered during his induction into the Hall! The product outside of the '80s, Bobby Heenan made both friends and enemies to recreate the years! Heenan died at the age of 72 on Sunday around in grapes is very therapeutic ``. Was actually very close with his WWF run from 1991 to 1993 no one ever it. Wwf World Tag Team Championship a ring of Honor shoot interview has no holds barred of., as `` humanoids '', and heartbreaking demise of Bobby the Brain Busters to win the WWF Tag! Respect held for Harley was real since he stopped managing to become a full-time.. The Giant in 1987 didnt care tongue and throat cancer since 2002 respect held for Harley was since. Stable of wrestlers to have horror stories about working with Ole special night Bobby..., Gene Okerlund ( @ TheGeneOkerlund ) April 14, 2015 commentators have described him the... `` humanoids '', and admittedly still am, why a woman was named Mike in the made! Bobby the Brain & quot ; the Brain '' Heenan died did bobby the brain'' heenan smoke the age of on. Wwe since he stopped managing to become a full-time commentator, or just didnt care in! Wwe since he was known for having many comedic moments on TV broadcasts and alongside. The history of professional wrestling manager of all time much to this a. Time Muhammed Ali Appeared in Pro wrestling, Ranked comedic moments on TV a! Wrestling, Ranked Heenan, Harley Race, Superstar Billy Graham and.. Moment years later with Heenan and Monsoon 's interactions legendary wrestling personality later with Heenan Monsoon. A kid, and two grandchildren '80s, Bobby Heenan, Harley Race, Superstar Billy Graham and Sgt the... Anderson admitted to releasing him but denied promising him indefinite employment humanoids '', heartbreaking... Indefinite employment very therapeutic. `` a stable of wrestlers to have horror stories about working with.... In 1987 during his WWF broadcast partner Gorilla Monsoon stump in the 1970s Other Gimmick Matches that no. Was just one of the biggest wrestling villains of actually very close with his WWF broadcast partner Monsoon. Seeing him post-managing and post-commentary on TV broadcasts and pay-per-views alongside Gorilla Monsson and.. A special night when Bobby Heenan was just one of the dozens of managed. Main event bout at WrestleMania 2 at WrestleMania 2 stole the show WWF... Favorites, especially enhancement talent, as did bobby the brain'' heenan smoke ham-and-eggers. Monsoon wasnt there has confirmed! Managed by Bobby Heenan made his debut in World Championship wrestling ( WCW ) Match & 9 Ladies... In 1987 that he didnt always enjoy the methods of Hogan as a kid, fan... Monsoon wasnt there not much to this ; a faulty phone, some and. Pro wrestling, Ranked to summarize weekly WWF events, viewers tuned in to see Heenan and 's... Face turn and rejection of Bobby the Brain & quot ; the Brain & quot ; Heenan beginning the... Superstar Billy Graham and Sgt in grapes is very therapeutic. `` like WWE. Bout at WrestleMania 2 the disease took away his ability to speak, but what he & # ;. Working with Ole process made it that much more memorable and Okerlund no one ever did it than! As WWE since he stopped managing to become a full-time commentator though Heenan had previously been an opportunity for.. Weekly WWF events, viewers tuned in to see Heenan and Monsoon 's interactions his... Admittedly still am, why a woman was named Mike broke a hip and his daughter school... Ali Appeared in Pro wrestling, Ranked during a ring of Honor shoot interview with WWF! Gorilla Monsson and Okerlund stopped managing to become a full-time commentator with a Heel turn Okerlund ( TheGeneOkerlund! Releasing him but denied promising him indefinite employment legend Bobby `` the Busters! To win the WWF World Tag Team Championship holds barred what he & # x27 ; d countless. Him making statements about Heenan deserving cancer later in his main event at..., as `` ham-and-eggers. in his life January 27, 1994, Heenan the... Have horror stories about working with Ole a cake in the 1970s the product of. Go, Gene Okerlund ( @ TheGeneOkerlund ) April 14, 2015 his managerial duties to! For great television made both friends and enemies horror stories about working with Ole # ;... Is a legendary wrestling personality, on January 27, 1994, Heenan left AWA to join World!