Ray Heenan

Known for ActingBorn 1944-11-01Died 2017-09-17Chicago, Illinois, USA

Raymond Louis Heenan was an American professional wrestling manager, color commentator, wrestler, and comedian. He performed with the American Wrestling Association (AWA), WWE and World Championship Wrestling (WCW) under the ring name Bobby "The Brain" Heenan. Heenan was known for his skill in elevating villainous on-screen talent by drawing negative reactions for himself and his wrestlers from the crowd. He was paired with numerous wrestlers, including Nick Bockwinkel, whom he led to win the AWA World Heavyweight Championship, and he became an integral figure in the 1980s professional wrestling boom by managing King Kong Bundy and André the Giant in WWE main event matches with Hulk Hogan at WrestleMania 2 and WrestleMania III respectively. The wrestlers under his tutelage were collectively known as "The Heenan Family" at various times throughout his career. 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. 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 WWE Prime Time Wrestling. 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. In 2002, he was diagnosed with throat cancer, which limited his appearances in later years, and died from complications of the disease in 2017. Among other honors, he has been inducted into the Professional Wrestling, WWE, and Wrestling Observer halls of fame. After his death, multiple wrestling commentators described his manager persona as the "greatest professional wrestling manager of all time."Read more

Movies & web series

WWE Greatest Wrestling Factions

WWE: The World's Greatest Wrestling Managers

2nd Annual Battle of the WWE Superstars

WWE SuperTape: Volume 3

Hulkamania 6

Wrestling's Most Embarrassing Moments

The Life and Times of Captain Lou Albano

WWE: The Best of Raw 15th Anniversary

WWE: Ring in the Holiday

WWE: Undertaker 20-0 - The Streak

Hulkamania 4

Tuesday Night Titans

WWF Prime Time Wrestling

The True Story of WrestleMania

WCW Monday Nitro

WWE WrestleMania VI

WWE Hall of Fame 2004

WWE Survivor Series 1987

WWE Saturday Night's Main Event

WWE Survivor Series 1988

WWE: 20 Years Too Soon - The Superstar Billy Graham Story

The Monday Night War - WWE Raw vs. WCW Nitro

WWE: Hulk Hogan: The Ultimate Anthology

WWE The Big Event

WWF Superstars

The Greatest Wrestling Stars of the '80s

Hollywood Hulk Hogan: Hulk Still Rules

WWE Survivor Series 1989

WCW Thunder

WWE Survivor Series 1990

Andre the Giant

Biography: WWE Legends

WWE Hall of Fame

AWA Super Sunday

WWE WrestleMania VII

WWE WrestleMania III

WWE WrestleMania V

WWE WrestleMania IV

WWE SummerSlam 1988

WWE Royal Rumble 1991

WCW/NWO Superstar Series: Diamond Dallas Page - Feel the Bang!

Andre the Giant

WWE SummerSlam 1990

WWE: Bobby 'The Brain' Heenan

Raw

WWF Wrestling Challenge

WWE SummerSlam 1989

WrestleMania