Bruce Prichard on Bobby Heenan: "He was the perfect talent." Bobby Heenan was quick to inform viewers of his . With a career spanning more than four decades, Bobby Heenan was the The Brain behind some of the most prolific Superstars in sports-entertainment history. Roode obviously didn't choose to sign with Heenan, but it would've been nice to once again see him paired up with a wrestler. As an adult, you look back and appreciate just how much of a comedic genius he was. Heenan criticized WCW on multiple occasions for doing things that harmed Goldbergs magic as the most unstoppable wrestler. [20] At WrestleMania IV, he teamed with The Islanders to defeat The British Bulldogs and Koko B. He will go down in the books as someone who mastered the craft". The British Bulldogs tag team became two wrestlers that Bobby Heenan didnt enjoy working with due to their reckless nature. Bobby "The Brain" Heenan Vs. I just want to let all the wonderful humanoids out there know how grateful I am for the good wishes. 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. Nobody else had us simultaneously rooting against them and loving them like "The Brain.". Bobby Heenan reminded everyone how entertaining he was by sharing details of his career, including thanking Harley Race for their time working together. It was clear early in his career that his verbal skills far outshined his physical ones. Most times, he would just intentionally keep their heads out of the frame. [12] Instead, Heenan managed Big John Studd (whom Heenan was best friends with in the AWA) in his feud against Andr the Giant. Heenan viewed Warrior as one of the most unprofessional and disrespectful people he ever encountered in the wrestling business. One of Bobby Heenans last televised appearances actually wasnt for his home in WWE. [12], In 1984, Heenan left AWA to join the World Wrestling Federation (WWF). Hearing Heenan berate McGuirk makes me curious to the material he could have come up with for Lilian Garcia or Justin Roberts. 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. His presence made any wrestler, any gimmick seem more important. [7] In May 2016, he fell again and broke a hip. [6] The AWA was the starting point for the first incarnation of his eponymous heel stable, The Heenan Family, which initially consisted of Bockwinkel, Stevens, Bobby Duncum Sr., and Blackjack Lanza. Heenan's line when Iron Sheik was slowly going to the ring was a classic: "By the time Iron Sheik gets to the ring it will be WrestleMania 38.". Bobby Heenan managed Andre the Giant in WWE, but that wasnt the only time they spent working together. He died on September 17, 2017. [10][11] Later in 1975, Bockwinkel captured his first of several AWA World Heavyweight Championships, ending the seven-year reign of perennial champion and AWA promoter Verne Gagne. A decent Shawn Michaels and Tito Santana match, a blas Rick Martel and Tatanka match as well as Bret Hart and Roddy Piper battling it out for the Intercontinental title wouldn't have been the same without the Brain. Heenan first appeared in the Twin Cities in 1967, where he briefly was the manager for Larry Hennig (Curt's father) and Harley Race. Wrestling 93: Rulebreaker, Spring 1993 Issue, Article "Bobby Heenan and Lex Luger: The Total Package of Brain and Brawn! "WWE is saddened to learn that WWE Hall of Famer Bobby Heenan, regarded by many as the greatest manager in sports-entertainment history, has passed away at age 73. In 2002, he announced in a statement that he had been diagnosed with throat cancer and would be undergoing extensive rehabilitation. Having spent over fifty years in the wrestling business, Heenan has a lot of stories. Heres a look back on the life, career, and heartbreaking demise of Bobby The Brain Heenan. [41] After his Hall of Fame induction, Heenan provided comments for use in WWE documentary releases. He died on September 17, 2017 in Largo, Florida, USA. He instantly became the top interviewer for the promotion and in a lot of . He's had tons of funnier moments, but few times has he so effortlessly shown off his ad lib skills. In 2002, he was diagnosed with throat cancer, which limited his appearances in later years, and died from complications of the disease in 2017. Related: Every Time Muhammed Ali Appeared In Pro Wrestling, Ranked. In 2010, he broke a hip and his shoulder in a fall that also fractured his pelvis. He was given an on-air farewell by Gorilla Monsoon on the December 6, 1993 edition of Monday Night Raw, broadcast from the Westchester County Center in White Plains, New York. 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 king of the one-liner and the king of the ad-lib made us laugh for decades. It made him calm. With minimal production value, they could turn a banal situation into comedy. Dave Meltzer (@davemeltzerWON) September 17, 2017, The WWE released a statement acknowledging his death, saying it extends its condolences to Heenans family, friends and fans.. Videos by OutKick. The low class of Warrior featured him making statements about Heenan deserving cancer later in his life. After losing a match to Greg Gagne, Heenan was forced to wear the weasel suit and he made the most of the incident with some zealous slapstick. [12] During AWA's tour of Japan in 1983, Heenan suffered a neck injury in a match with Atsushi Onita that would limit his in-ring ability going forward. [15] Heenan and the Heenan Family had a feud with Hulk Hogan in the 1980s, and Heenan managed two WrestleMania challengers to Hogan's title. [4][5][1] His father Robert Heenan was a railroad worker, and his mother Mildred Bernadette Kambrz was a hotel manager. Heenan also cited the short driving distance between WCW's home base of Atlanta and his daughter's school in Alabama. [7] This impressed promoter Sam Muchnick, who typically hated wrestling managers, and Heenan is believed to be the only heel manager to work in Muchnick's St. Louis Wrestling Club. Several times during his career, Heenan ended up nearly giving fans blood. 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. Bobby Heenan passed away on Sunday leaving behind the legacy as one of the greatest managers in wrestling history. 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 tearfully let everyone know that the Pearly Gates were now known as The Gorilla Position. Related: Mandy Rose & 9 Other Ladies Who Got Better With A Heel Turn. [45], On September 17, 2017, Heenan died at the age of 72 while surrounded by family at his home in Largo, Florida. Fans couldn't know at the time that they wouldn't see "The Brain" back in the WWE for nearly a decade or know that they when he finally did return, throat cancer would have started to eat away at him. The wrestlers under his tutelage were collectively known as "The Heenan Family" at various times throughout his career. He was known for having many comedic moments on TV broadcasts and pay-per-views alongside Gorilla Monsson and Okerlund. [6][3], In 1965, Heenan became a regular in William Afflis' (known by his in-ring persona Dick the Bruiser) Indianapolis-based WWA promotion under the moniker "Pretty Boy" Bobby Heenan. Gorilla Monsoon and Bobby Heenan were so entertaining on Prime Time Wrestling that they didn't even need the wrestling. Two years later, he was hospitalized when his rebuilt jaw became infected. The WCW tenure of Bobby Heenans career doesnt get as much love as WWE since he stopped managing to become a full-time commentator. Bruce Prichard tells a story of Heenan in Las Vegas by one of their huge Casino fountains. Best Brain line: "Oh no, they're going to repossess my teeth.". Bobby "The Brain" Heenan and Gorilla Monsoon are regarded as the greatest color-commentary team in pro-wrestling history. 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. He and Gorilla Monsoon welcomed Heenan's personal doctor, Dr. Perfect played well off Heenan, even if he was just laughing at Heenan's jokes. Best Brain line: "He played end, guard and tackle, he sat at the end of the bench, guarded the water bucket and tackled anybody who came near it!". He was eventually brought out the coma slowly by doctors after a few months, but he was unable to speak. 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. [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. Rick Martel & Tom Zenk defeated Don Muraco & Bob Orton Jr. (w/ Mr. Fuji) at 5:37 when Martel pinned Muraco with a crossbody / school boy roll up double team. He expertly played a character, a snide weasel of a man we hated and loved just the same. Feel free to add your own jokes about how much better off he'd be had he been serious about leaving WCW. 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