As an adult, you look back and appreciate just how much of a comedic genius he was. When it looks like the Rockers are going to bury the hatchet, Heenan confidently says, I told you so. [18] A few months after that, he led Mr. Seeing Heenan go down in flames in the process made it that much more rewarding. Together they had a daughter, Jessica. He popped off joke after joke, having almost as much fun as the fans. A dark cloud hovers over the professional wrestling world today, as one of the most beloved characters in history has checked out way too soon. Studd challenged Andr to a US$15,000 bodyslam match at the first WrestleMania, with the stipulation being that Andr would have to retire had he lost. WWE didn't have enough available air time to utilize his talents and thought branching out to this medium could help wrestling's journey into the mainstream. The king of the one-liner and the king of the ad-lib made us laugh for decades. Perfect, The Red Rooster, and The Brooklyn Brawler. Which he sort of did, but Bobby Heenan was still able to create a little bit of havoc when he was invited to Lettermans show. He was both a wrestler and a manager during his 13-year run with the promotion, which he left in 1974. But to have cancer in the throat, to a man who is solely recognized by his mic work, is such a slap in the face. All the wit and insults you'd imagine "The Brain" delivering are packed into the handful of episodes they made. Peter Rosenberg recounts a few of Heenan's most memorable contributions, what Heenan meant . The World's Most Entertaining Car Website. Five months later that year in June 1996, Heenan made a one-off return to ringside at The Great American Bash as the manager of two of his former clients, Ric Flair and Arn Anderson, in a tag team match against his broadcast colleague Steve McMichael and then Carolina Panthers linebacker Kevin Greene. [6], His first memoir, Bobby The Brain: Wrestling's Bad Boy Tells All, was released by Triumph Books on September 1, 2002, with a foreword from Hulk Hogan. 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. [7] He also occasionally wrestled with a storyline "brother" Guy Heenan, portrayed by Guy Mitchell, from the Assassins. Perfect chemistry powered their banter. Best Brain line: "Mike McGuirk is living proof that even with the best physicians in the world, there's no cure for ugly.". He makes fun of Ivan Putski's finishing move, the 49ers and George Wells. Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame and Museum, Wrestling Observer Newsletter Hall of Fame, "Bobby Heenan, Professional Wrestling Personality, Dies at 72", "Looking back at the illustrious career of Bobby 'The Brain' Heenan", "Bobby Heenan Passes Away At 72 Years Old", "Column: Remembering the time a fan shot at Bobby 'The Brain' Heenan", "Bobby Heenan: The wrestling manager Chicago loved to hate", "Former wrestling manager Bobby 'The Brain' Heenan dead at 73", "Bobby Heenan, greatest pro wrestling manager of all-time, dead at age 72 after long battle with throat cancer", "RIP: A life look at WWE Hall of Famer Bobby 'The Brain' Heenan", "WWE: History of the World Tag Team Championship", "Powell's WrestleMania 6 review: Hulk Hogan vs. A crazed Roddy Piper is thrown into the Gorilla and Heenan mix, adding emotion to the scene as well as some stiff punches. According to Pro Wrestling Sheet, doctors kept him for an extended stay because of high blood pressure and he was eventually released. Monsoon and Heenan developed a bond that was shown in their commentary and grew even stronger behind the scenes. The passing of Gorilla saw Heenan demanding that WCW give him a minute before Nitro to share a message honoring his old partner. I just want to let all the wonderful humanoids out there know how grateful I am for the good wishes. Heenan, who'd lived in the Tampa area for more than 30 years prior to his death, was diagnosed in 2002. Throat cancer has tried to take away one of wrestling's great voices, but it can never touch these clips and these memories. Heenan appeared on TNA several times, once accompanying members of the 2005 World Series Champions, the Chicago White Sox. The professional wrestling community is once again grieving the loss of one of its icons. [9] In 1974, he left the WWA. Less than a year after making his appearance at WrestleMania 17, Bobby Heenan announced that hed been diagnosed with throat cancer in 2002. Anderson admitted to releasing him but denied promising him indefinite employment. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. On September 17, 2017, Bobby Heenan passed away at the age of 72 due to organ failure which his daughter said was brought on by complications of his throat cancer, as reported by the Tampa Bay Times. This was partly done because of Andr's ailing health, hoping to prolong his career, but also to . "[12] Hogan subsequently turned his back on the fans and joined Hall and Nash to form the New World Order (nWo). This was the first world tilte won by a protg of Bobby "the Brain" Heenan. [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. Ultimate Warrior for the WWF Championship and Intercontinental Championship, Ted DiBiase vs. Jake Roberts, Andre the Giant and Haku vs. Demolition for the WWF Tag Titles", "30 Days of WrestleMania: Looking back at WrestleMania V", "How Bobby 'The Brain' Heenan built himself into a WWE legend", "Wrestling star Bobby "The Brain" Heenan of Largo is dead at 72", "Bobby "The Brain" Heenan helped shape the world of professional wrestling", "Bruce Prichard, Jimmy Hart share their favorite Bobby 'The Brain' Heenan memories", "Local Wrestling Star: Bobby Heenan was the greatest manager ever, but an even greater friend", "Raw Results 6/11/07 Wilkes Barre, PA (2007 WWE Draft & more)", "Turning Point PPV results 12/11/05 (Sting sends a message & more)", "Official Results From Thursday's Impact! Hearing Heenan berate McGuirk makes me curious to the material he could have come up with for Lilian Garcia or Justin Roberts. Dean Mitchell sent us this new photo of "Rowdy" Roddy Piper and Bobby "The Brain" Heenan. Over the next 13 years, he battled a number of health issues and heartbreakingly became nearly unrecognizable. 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. AWA All Star Wrestling, "Classic Moment of the Week" March 22, 2011, Video related to bobby the brain heenan dead: 5 fast facts you need to know, Bobby "The Brain" Heenan recalls the Superstars he managed during his 2004 Hall of Fame Speech, "The Brain" recalls managing "Superstar" Billy Graham, Sgt. . The night ultimately belonged to Heenan, whose induction speech stole the show. It was a special night when Bobby Heenan, Harley Race, Superstar Billy Graham and Sgt. Heenan was a wrestling genius known for giving his all to help the product outside of the ring. Others had closer bonds with him and loved the time working together. Other wrestlers felt that Ole was a bully and showed little respect to his peers in real life. On SpikeTV", "Pro wrestling icon Bobby Heenan dies at 72", "GameSpy: Showdown: Legends of Wrestling", "Pro wrestling commentator Bobby 'The Brain' Heenan dead at 73", "Bobby Heenan, legendary pro wrestling manager, dead at 73", "Bobby Heenan breaks hip and shoulder, fractures pelvis", "WWE Hall of Famer Bobby 'The Brain' Heenan reportedly hospitalized", "Bobby Heenan: Remembering the greatest and explaining why he is widely regarded as the greatest at what he did", "Mooneyham: Gone but not forgotten, professional wrestling lost memorable names in 2017", "Triple H: Bobby Heenan Wasn't Just a Manager, One of the Greatest Wrestlers Ever", "Jim Ross on Bobby Heenan, Gorilla Monsoon", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Bobby_Heenan&oldid=1127575056, Professional wrestling managers and valets, The Four Horsemen (professional wrestling) members, Pages containing links to subscription-only content, Short description is different from Wikidata, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, This page was last edited on 15 December 2022, at 13:57. At the time, Sterling Golden was in a rut but Heenan convinced him to head to the AWA, and Hulk Hogan as born. He berated fans by calling them humanoids, one of many amazing phrases he coined throughout his career, and provided so many amazing moments in the booth until he decided to retire in 1993. Dennis Miller gave us a taste of that on his talk show in 2004. And whether it was as the manager or as a wrestler, he could get the crowd going as well as anyone."[13]. All the heat he'd drawn over the years makes the moment that much better as fans were eager to watch him make a fool of himself, if not fall completely off the animal. Related: 10 Things Fans Should Know About Brian Pillman. In his younger days, he dropped out of eight grade to support his mother and grandmother. Heenan finally managed his first champion in the WWF when "Ravishing" Rick Rude upset The Ultimate Warrior for the WWF Intercontinental Championship, a match Heenan ensured Rude would win by holding Warrior's leg down so he could not break the pin. Its no secret that off-screen the two bickering commentators, Gorilla Monsoon and Bobby Heenan were as thick as thieves. Bobby Heenan was born on 1 November 1944 in Chicago, Illinois, USA. "[48] Author Brian Shields notes that many consider him "one of the most significant figures in professional wrestling history". Just like his career, this tell-all has no holds barred. About Press Copyright Contact us Creators Advertise Developers Terms Privacy Policy & Safety How YouTube works Test new features NFL Sunday Ticket Press Copyright . [7] In 1966, he wrestled his first match against Calvin "Prince" Pullins. At the heartbreaking passing of WWE Hall of Famer Bobby "The Brain" Heenan, Cathy Kelley pays a touching tribute to the legendary manager and looks back on his career in this very special edition of WWE Now. Heenan first appeared in the Twin Cities in 1967, where he briefly was the manager for Larry Hennig (Curt's father) and Harley Race. Hogan complained for years about Heenan ruining his WCW heel turn by questioning which side Hulk was on when he walked to the ring to form the New World Order. He went to WCW because of the money and the easier schedule, but he loved being a part of WWE. [40] A second memoir, Chair Shots and Other Obstacles: Winning Life's Wrestling Matches, was released by Sports Publishing on February 1, 2004, and has an introduction by Ric Flair. He was able to have lunch with his daughter at least once a week. He replaced Jesse Ventura on Prime Time Wrestling and All American Wrestling, aired on the USA Network, teaming up with Gorilla Monsoon. Everyone is talking about the "Champions Rumble" match signed for January 27th in the Astrodome in Houston Texas on Pay Per View. [28] For instance, Heenan claimed that Marty Jannetty was trying to escape Shawn Michaels' attack on the Barber Shop after Michaels threw him through a glass window. Gorilla Monsoon and Bobby Heenan were so entertaining on Prime Time Wrestling that they didn't even need the wrestling. The news of Bobby "The Brain" Heenan's passing today gutted me. Just a week after the deal was done, Bobby Heenan appeared for WWE at WrestleMania 17 to call the Gimmick Battle Royal alongside Mean Gene Okerlund. Family (1) Spouse [17] Demolition would win the titles back at WrestleMania VI. Heenan had stints managing Flair in both promotions as two of the greatest heels of all-time formed chemistry together. 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. But when Ventura was forced to retire due to blood clots, The Brain was paired with Big John Studd in his long-running feud against Andre the Giant. 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. The more people who are exposed to him, the better. 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. He attributed his departure to a dispute with Afflis over pay for his participation in the first-ever wrestling event held at Market Square Arena, emphatically stating that he never returned to the promotion as a result. But one fateful night on Nitro, Heenan was certainly flummoxed himseelf. Bobby Heenan was born in Chicago, Illinois in November 1944. [31], At the following pay-per-view, Bash at the Beach, Heenan reacted incredulously when his old rival Hulk Hogan walked out during the main event match between The Outsiders (Kevin Nash and Scott Hall) and Sting, Lex Luger and Randy Savage by shouting "Whose side is he on? The two had drastically different approaches to wrestling and the unspoken heat added to Heenans heelwork. [24], Heenan retired from managing in 1991 to become a full-time commentator. Tony Shiavonne and Bobby "The Brain" Heenan talk about the very first ever Best Of The Best pay per view set for Super Saturday the weekend of Super Bowl XXX. I think Ole Anderson is a piece of sh**. Thank you for all the support. Like many WWE stars of the '80s, Bobby Heenan started out in Verne Gagne's AWA. on November 1, 1944. Goldberg still ended up becoming a favorite of Heenan when calling his matches and interacting backstage. Perfect Curt Hennig, Mr. From there, Heenan managed some of wrestlings biggest stars and appeared on the TV screen with legends such as Andre the Giant. WWE is saddened to learn that WWE Hall of Famer Bobby Heenan, regarded by many as the greatest manager in sports-entertainment history . Heenan's wearing a tux with a ruffled shirt that looks like it is out of a 70s prom scene. Heenan's speech at the 2004 WWE Hall of Fame was perfect Bobby. Heres what you need to know about the life and death of Heenan: Bobby "The Brain" Heenan dies at age 73- When It Was Cool article- #BobbyHeenan https://t.co/dyzDGRJVFd pic.twitter.com/WcOmdAE7i5, WhenItWasCool.com (@WIWCool) September 17, 2017, According to Pro Wrestling Sheets Ryan Satin, Heenans daughter told his close friends on Facebook that he was surrounded by family members as he passed. [40] WWE Hall of Fame commentator Jim Ross selected Heenan as the greatest talent in the history of the wrestling business. Though the actual action doesn't start until after three-and-a-half minutes into the match, it's compelling from the start because of how ridiculous and hilariously cowardly Heenan is. He stayed with the company until 2000 before leaving and making sporadic appearances with the WWE. [38] Pro Wrestling Report honored Heenan at the annual Blizzard Brawl event on December 5, 2009, in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, as he was given their Lifetime Achievement Award. He led Mr in 1974, he dropped out of eight grade support... Contributions, what Heenan meant manager in sports-entertainment history the Brain '' Heenan 's passing today gutted me in... Behind the scenes s wearing a tux with a ruffled shirt that looks like the are... Loss of one of wrestling 's great voices, but it can never touch these clips and these.... Heenan was a wrestling genius known for giving his all to help the product of. Denied promising him indefinite employment the Time working together portrayed by Guy Mitchell, the! 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did bobby the brain'' heenan smoke