He performed with the American Wrestling Association (AWA), the World Wrestling Federation (WWF, now WWE) and World Championship Wrestling (WCW) under the ring name Bobby "The Brain" Heenan. Part parody show, part absurdist comedy, part Heenan's playground, the show's major flaw may be that it was just ahead of its time. Bobby "The Brain" Heenan managed Nick Bockwinkel to win the AWA World Heavyweight Championship on November 8, 1975. For what it's worth, Heenan still makes occasional appearances at wrestling conventions. [7] He also occasionally wrestled with a storyline "brother" Guy Heenan, portrayed by Guy Mitchell, from the Assassins. Bobby Heenan managed Andre the Giant in WWE, but that wasnt the only time they spent working together. Also in 2001, Heenan worked briefly as a "sports agent" in the Xcitement Wrestling Federation with Curt Hennig under his tutelage. Bobby Heenan performed in WWE from 1984-1993 as a manager and commentator. [12] He also had two grandchildren. He really didnt know his own strength and Bobby just hated being slung around by the neck and what have you.". He was previously married to Cynthia Jean Perrett. Where is Bobby The Brain Heenan? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bA9QVTEUDdQ. [4][5][1] His father Robert Heenan was a railroad worker, and his mother Mildred Bernadette Kambrz was a hotel manager. Bobby "The Brains" Heenan. Bobby Heenan was lovingly dubbed "The Brain" and "The Weasel." WWE photo As a constant foil to Hogan, Heenan also was an important ingredient in the early success of the transformation of. 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. Best Brain line: "Oh no, they're going to repossess my teeth.". But the memories of Bobby "The Brain" Heenan still live on, proving that even the darkest clouds have silver linings. according to WWE. American professional wrestling commentator and manager (19442017), American Wrestling Association (19691979). Heenan's speech at the 2004 WWE Hall of Fame was perfect Bobby. 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. In February 2001, Heenan did color commentary for the WOW Unleashed pay-per-view. He expertly played a character, a snide weasel of a man we hated and loved just the same. That's like reading the walls at a bus station.". Bobby Heenan 6'0 245 lbs Beverly Hills, CA Bobby Heenan Promo The Brain is a legendary figure known for managing some of the top talent of all time. 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) Fellow WWE commentator Jim Ross tweeted out the news first Sunday, saying. Perfect to Intercontinental Championship success. We got to know each other and love each other. Im just happy the last words I said to him were, "I love you Bobby. [34] In his last WWE appearance, he was one of the speakers for "Mr McMahon appreciation night" on the June 11, 2007 episode of Raw. After relocating to Indianapolis as a youth, he started in the business while still in his early teens, selling refreshments at live events and helping the wrestlers by carrying their jackets and bags. [13], On the January 23, 1996 episode of Clash of the Champions XXXII, during a match between Eddie Guerrero and Brian Pillman, Pillman left the ring and grabbed Heenan, (who had a history of neck problems,) by the collar, causing him to blurt out: "What the fuck are you doing?" For brief moment in between stints with the AWA and WWE, Heenan took his considerable talents down south to Georgia Championship Wrestling. When WCW Monday Nitro premiered in September 1995, Heenan left Saturday Night to work on the new show full-time and joined former Chicago Bears defensive lineman Steve McMichael as an analyst alongside play-by-play man Eric Bischoff. Bobby Heenan was the greatest wrestling manager of all time and the funniest guy to sit at an announce table. A loving couple walked over and asked him to take their picture. He passed away in 2017 following an extended battle with throat cancer. His comedic ability was praised by Dave Meltzer of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter, who wrote that Heenan could have been a successful television actor. 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. Bobby "The Brain" Heenan, legendary professional wrestling manager and commentator, has died at the age of 73, according to multiple news sources. The respect held for Harley was real since he was the ultimate professional. [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. WWE would try to recreate the moment years later with Heenan and the Ultimate Warrior, but the AWA version did it better. Making fun of everybody from Reba McEntire to Tatanka to his broadcast parter,Heenan had great line after great line. Bobby the Brain unleashes the life story of Bobby Heenan, better known as "The Brain" in wrestling circles. Perfect. No official cause of death has been confirmed, though Heenan had previously been. [3] Heenan met a young Hulk Hogan while in Georgia and later told AWA promoter Verne Gagne that he should hire him. WWE.com. Andr the Giant and Haku were both members of Bobby Heenan's stable of wrestlers known as the Heenan Family, and had teamed occasionally at house shows during the summer and fall of 1989, but were formally joined as a team in the latter half of 1989 to form the Colossal Connection. You would think after Jerry Lawler and Andy Kaufman created a moment on Letterman that the late night talk show host would have learned his lesson. Heenan helped usher in a fresh perspective on storytelling that . It was never just a joke fest with Heenan's commentary either. Heenan criticized WCW on multiple occasions for doing things that harmed Goldbergs magic as the most unstoppable wrestler. Heenan's maniacal laughter at his own jokes and the amount of fun he's having cement this segment as a classic. Best Brain line: "You sit like this on the little leather thing and these are called hoof holders.". The wrestling manager has historically . That's fun.". During a time when idealistic hero worship was the norm, Heenan viewed things in a way that would shape the industry decades later. WWE.com 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 Heenan screams "Yes" a hundred times, claims he told us so a dozen more, then leaves his broadcast position to celebrate with Flair. Like many WWE stars of the '80s, Bobby Heenan started out in Verne Gagne's AWA. He took up managing the team of Nick Bockwinkel and Ray "The Crippler" Stevens, a duo which won a third AWA World Tag Team Championship under his leadership. Known for his quick wit and comedic ability, Heenan also served as a color commentator and is remembered for his on-screen repartee with Gorilla Monsoon. 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. 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. 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!". When the news broke on Sunday that Bobby Heenan had passed away at 73 after a long struggle with throat cancer, I immediately did what many in my industry do, and attempted to find the proper angle in which to contextualize a life so richly lived and experienced. Another moment between the pair often occurred when Heenan would go on a long rant supporting the villainous wrestlers, until an exasperated Monsoon would say either: "Will you stop? During his time with WWA, Heenan also appeared in a number of other promotions in the Midwest, one of them being Verne Gagnes American Wrestling Association (AWA) in Minnesota, which is where he first used The Brain nickname in 1969. [3][12] Heenan said he was uninspired in WCW due to the negative work environment and due to conflicts with Schiavone. Hearing Heenan berate McGuirk makes me curious to the material he could have come up with for Lilian Garcia or Justin Roberts. To have cancer is already horrible enough. Heenan had praised Race numerous times for having great memories together when managing the legend. Wrestling legend Bobby "The Brain" Heenan died at the age of 72 on Sunday. Bobby "The Brain" Heenan is widely considered the best manager in the history of professional wrestling. The history of Heenan sees the following wrestlers loved or hated by him. 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. Bobby "The Brain" Heenan's life and career left an indelible mark on the world of professional wrestling. In addition to memorializing Monsoon, Heenan cracked jokes and told numerous stories about those superstars he managed and worked with over they years. [18] Immediately after the loss, Heenan began blaming the loss on Andr the Giant going as far as slapping him. He was survived by his wife of 40 years, Cindy, his daughter, Jessica, and two grandchildren. I don't know if McMahon told him before the show to just let loose or if he got carried away. Bruce Prichard, Jimmy Hart share their favorite Bobby 'The Brain' Heenan memories. Most times, he would just intentionally keep their heads out of the frame. Outside of wrestling, Heenan authored two books, appeared on numerous television shows, and briefly hosted a parody talk show titled The Bobby Heenan Show on WWF Prime Time Wrestling. 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. Raymond Louis Heenan (November 1, 1944 - September 17, 2017) was an American professional wrestling manager, color commentator, wrestler, and comedian. Heenan appeared on TNA several times, once accompanying members of the 2005 World Series Champions, the Chicago White Sox. Heenan felt that they took liberties with him and tried to hurt him. Bobby Heenan is widely regarded as the greatest manager of all time. While no cause of death was announced, the famous loudmouth manager had been in poor health for years, after he was diagnosed with. I think Ole Anderson is a piece of sh**. There are countless examples of Heenan shining on commentary, but one of his best performances was at Survivor Series 1993 during a match between Bret Hart's team and Shawn Michaels' team. He was an actor, known for WrestleMania X-Seven (2001), Saturday Night's Main Event (1985) and WCW Bash at the Beach (1996). Bobby Heenan reminded everyone how entertaining he was by sharing details of his career, including thanking Harley Race for their time working together. As time went on, Heenan also began managing King Kong Bundy, who challenged Hulk Hogan for the WWE Championship in the main event of WrestleMania 2. Family (1) Spouse A fan was trying to protect the beloved Gagne. The legacy of Bobby Heenan sees him as arguably the greatest manager and color commentator in wrestling history. He was also one of the many managers that came out of the woodwork trying to broker a deal with Bobby Roode. The night ultimately belonged to Heenan, whose induction speech stole the show. The latest in the sports world, emailed daily. WWE paired them together and found huge success with Heenans heel character being the perfect foil to Monsoons straight play-by-play. Few people can make getting hurt look so funny. Best Brain line: "I have to go on the road here with Larry Flynt.". Perfect played well off Heenan, even if he was just laughing at Heenan's jokes. The working relationship between Bobby Heenan and Ric Flair existed in both WWE and WCW. [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? [28], Heenan is considered by many to be the greatest wrestling manager of all time,[6][7][42][46] including WWE, who placed him at the top of their 25 greatest managers list in 2011. Vince liked the idea and tweaked it, making Royal Rumble history. [47] The Post and Courier columnist Mike Mooneyham said Heenan became a blueprint for managers and fellow manager Jim Cornette said: "He formed in my mind as a fan and performer what I thought a manager should be. It was there that he formed the first version of the Heenan Family and perfected his verbal artistry. 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. [9] In 1974, he left the WWA. In an interview during WrestleMania V, Mean Gene comes ever so close to saying "balls" on live TV. [6] As a fan of wrestling growing up in Chicago and Indianapolis, he started in the wrestling profession early on, carrying bags and jackets for the wrestlers, and selling refreshments at events. Whether you remember him from his days in the AWA, as the manager of legends like Mr. His presence made any wrestler, any gimmick seem more important. [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. Bobby "The Brain" Heenan, one of the most prolific managers and commentators in wrestling history, died at the age of 73 on Sunday. When Heenan left the company, the friends spent the night shedding tears in a hotel room because it was truly the end of an era. Gorilla Monsoon and Bobby Heenan were so entertaining on Prime Time Wrestling that they didn't even need the wrestling. Feel free to add your own jokes about how much better off he'd be had he been serious about leaving WCW. [45], On September 17, 2017, Heenan died at the age of 72 while surrounded by family at his home in Largo, Florida. But on this instance, he kept asking the couple to back up, until they backed up right into the fountain, and thats when Bobby took the picture. While neither Bundy nor Andr won the title at that time, Andr later bested Hogan for the championship on The Main Event I on February 5, 1988, in a controversial win after he aligned himself with "The Million Dollar Man" Ted DiBiase. Heenan doesn't have his usual amount of witty lines here, but his weaseling is enough to make us laugh. 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. He will go down in the books as someone who mastered the craft". 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. One of the reasons that the 1992 Royal Rumble is considered among the best ever is because of the commentary of Bobby Heenan. Heenan retired in 2001 at WrestleMania X-Seven after a seventeen-year stint as a commentator in professional wrestling but he continued to make sporadic appearances in several promotions. Bobby "The Brain" Heenan with Andre the Giant in 1987. JR on smoking weed with Bobby Heenan: "Heenan [was one of the nicest guys] because he's my partner. This video is from an anniversary show with highlights from various episodes. As an adult, you look back and appreciate just how much of a comedic genius he was. The WCW tenure of Bobby Heenans career doesnt get as much love as WWE since he stopped managing to become a full-time commentator. 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