40 Fun Facts About Bobby Heenan

Which fan favorite turned villain under Bobby Heenan to headline WrestleMania III in 1987?

André the Giant lost the title match before a reported 93,173 fans at the Pontiac Silverdome, and Heenan earned a six-figure payoff for promoting it.

Which commentary partner threw Bobby Heenan out of the arena in his 1993 Raw farewell?

Gorilla Monsoon was a close friend off screen, and Heenan said the pair embraced and wept for over an hour at their hotel afterwards.

Losing matches to the Ultimate Warrior forced Bobby Heenan into which animal's costume?

A weasel suit was the forfeit because rivals had taunted Heenan with that nickname for most of his career.

Which longtime on-screen enemy of Bobby Heenan wrote the foreword to his 2002 memoir?

Hulk Hogan was a friend away from the cameras, and Heenan had urged his AWA boss to hire the young wrestler after meeting him in Georgia.

Bobby Heenan joined the WWF in 1984 to manage which wrestler, who retired with blood clots instead?

Jesse Ventura moved to the announce desk and was later elected governor of Minnesota, while Heenan twice inherited his commentary jobs.

Which late-night host became a Bobby Heenan fan after watching him in the Indianapolis-based WWA?

David Letterman was born in Indianapolis, where Heenan broke into wrestling by carrying wrestlers' bags and selling refreshments.

Which Heenan Family member fought for the WWF title in a steel cage at WrestleMania 2?

King Kong Bundy had joined the group in 1985, when Heenan traded two of his wrestlers to a rival manager to get him.

Which illness did Bobby Heenan announce in January 2002, later limiting his public appearances?

Throat cancer went into remission by 2004, but the treatment dramatically changed the voice and appearance of wrestling's great talker.

Which wrestler's 1992 Royal Rumble win did Bobby Heenan cheer with famously biased commentary?

Ric Flair lasted about an hour to win the vacant WWF title, and Heenan's call has been praised as one of the greatest commentary performances on pay-per-view.

Bobby Heenan was born in which Midwestern city before spending part of his youth in Indianapolis?

Chicago was his birthplace, and he left school in the eighth grade to support his mother and grandmother.

Who became Bobby Heenan's first WWF champion by winning the Intercontinental title at WrestleMania V?

Rick Rude upset the Ultimate Warrior after Heenan held the champion's leg down from ringside, ending years of jokes that he never managed a titleholder.

Bobby Heenan quit managing in 1991 by selling which champion's contract to 'Coach' John Tolos?

Mr. Perfect lost the Intercontinental title to Bret Hart at SummerSlam that August, while his old manager became a full-time commentator.

Which original WWF Heenan Family member lost a $15,000 bodyslam match at the first WrestleMania?

Big John Studd watched the winner start throwing the prize money to the crowd until Heenan snatched the bag back.

Which former NWA world champion did Bobby Heenan present as a 'King' after the 1986 King of the Ring?

Harley Race came to the ring in a crown and cape, and Heenan helped force beaten opponents to bow and kneel before him.

Which Heenan Family member took over the WWF's 'King' crown in 1988 after its holder was injured?

Haku received the crown and robe at a coronation ceremony, then kept them by beating the former king at the 1989 Royal Rumble.

Under which team name did Arn Anderson and Tully Blanchard join the Heenan Family in 1988?

The Brain Busters ended a then-record 478-day tag title reign in 1989 and became the first team to win both the WWF and NWA world tag titles.

Which former client, played by Terry Taylor, beat Bobby Heenan in about 30 seconds at WrestleMania V?

The Red Rooster had been portrayed as a novice who needed constant coaching, then turned on Heenan after his manager slapped him.

Bobby Heenan reinvented longtime enhancement wrestler Steve Lombardi under which ring name in 1989?

The Brooklyn Brawler wore battered jeans and a torn Yankees T-shirt, a character launched after Lombardi ambushed one of Heenan's former clients.

Bobby Heenan placed a $25,000 bounty on which former client, who had publicly fired him in 1985?

Paul Orndorff, known as Mr. Wonderful, later returned to the Heenan Family, and Heenan inducted him into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2005.

Which champions lost the WWF tag team titles to two different Heenan Family duos during 1989?

Demolition won the belts back both times, the second at WrestleMania VI in Toronto, after which Heenan slapped one of his own wrestlers.

Which Bobby Heenan client ended a seven-year reign to win the AWA World Heavyweight title in 1975?

Nick Bockwinkel beat the promotion's own owner for the belt, and a year later Heenan was managing the AWA's singles and tag team champions at once.

A fan fired a gun at Bobby Heenan in 1975 after he interfered in a match against which AWA champion?

Verne Gagne was the opponent that night; Heenan was unharmed, but several people sitting at ringside were injured.

Which wrestler-promoter ran the Indianapolis-based WWA where Bobby Heenan became a regular in 1965?

Dick the Bruiser, real name William Afflis, lost Heenan in 1974 after a dispute over pay for the first wrestling show at Market Square Arena.

To which WWF villain did Bobby Heenan sell the contracts of two Heenan Family members during 1988?

Ted DiBiase, the Million Dollar Man, wanted one of them as his personal slave, a demand that turned the wrestler into a fan favorite.

Bobby Heenan traded Adrian Adonis and the Missing Link to which rival manager in September 1985?

Jimmy Hart gave up a future WrestleMania main-eventer in the swap, then managed Adonis as he became 'Adorable Adrian'.

Which Heenan Family strongman turned fan favorite in 1988 after refusing to become another wrestler's 'slave'?

Hercules had joined two years earlier, when Heenan bought his contract from fellow manager Slick.

Which former Powers of Pain member joined the Heenan Family in 1990 and adopted an antlered helmet?

The Barbarian traded his face paint for a fur cloak and a skull after Heenan acquired his contract from Mr. Fuji.

Which former Olympic weightlifter belonged to the Heenan Family in both the AWA and the WWF?

Ken Patera lifted for the United States at the 1972 Munich Olympics, and in the WWF he helped a fellow member cut a famous rival's hair.

Which Heenan Family tag team 'dog-napped' the British Bulldogs' mascot Matilda before WrestleMania IV?

The Islanders taunted their rivals by bringing a leash to the ring and miming petting a dog, and Heenan joined them to win a six-man match at WrestleMania IV.

Which newly formed Heenan Family duo captured the WWF tag team titles in December 1989?

The Colossal Connection lost the belts at WrestleMania VI, where one partner wrestled the whole match without ever tagging out.

Which muscular newcomer, soon billed as 'The Narcissist', did Bobby Heenan unveil at the 1993 Royal Rumble?

Lex Luger posed before full-length mirrors ahead of every match, with Heenan acting as his adviser rather than a ringside manager.

Which longtime client from a cowboy tag team inducted Bobby Heenan into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2004?

Blackjack Lanza was the villain Heenan was credited with making a national star, and Heenan inducted The Blackjacks in return two years later.

Which wrestler nicknamed 'The Crippler' was a founding Heenan Family member and AWA tag team champion?

Ray Stevens was earlier billed as the Blond Bomber, and Heenan began managing his championship team in 1974.

Which interviewer filmed golf and tennis skits with Bobby Heenan and co-hosted All American Wrestling?

Gene Okerlund and Heenan visited American landmarks as the show's hosts in 1993, and the two were close friends off camera.

Which Monday Nitro colleague did Bobby Heenan accuse in 2002 of hiding match finishes from him?

Tony Schiavone was his frequent commentary partner, and Heenan blamed their conflicts for leaving him uninspired at the company.

Which former NFL lineman sat beside Bobby Heenan as an analyst on the first Monday Nitro?

Steve McMichael cheered for the heroes, bickered with Heenan on air and brought his dog Pepe to the announce booth.

Which fellow manager feuded with Bobby Heenan in Ring of Honor in 2004?

Jim Cornette has said Heenan shaped his idea of what a manager should be, and credited Heenan's 1993 on-air welcome to the WWF for instant crowd heat.

Which promotion lured Bobby Heenan out of planned retirement in 1994 with a lighter schedule and health insurance?

World Championship Wrestling was also based in Atlanta, a short drive from his daughter's school in Alabama.

Which injury on a tour of Japan pushed Bobby Heenan from managing into commentary?

A broken neck made the falls and travel of ringside work too punishing, so Heenan retired as a manager in 1991.

Commentator Bobby Heenan cheered the villains and referred to wrestling fans by which mocking term?

Humanoids was his word for the paying audience, while ham-and-eggers was his put-down for the fan favorites he ran down on air.