Ray Heenan
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."
Known For
Credits
- 2021 · Biography: Ultimate Warrior as (archive footage)
- 2021 · Biography: WWE Legends as Bobby "The Brain" Heenan (archive footage)
- 2020 · Sting: The Lost Tape as
- 2018 · Andre the Giant as Self (archive footage)
- 2015 · WWE: Ring in the Holiday as
- 2014 · WWE Greatest Wrestling Factions as Bobby "The Brain" Heenan
- 2012 · WWE: Undertaker 20-0 - The Streak as Bobby 'The Brain' Heenan (archive footage)
- 2011 · The True Story of WrestleMania as Bobby Heenan
- 2010 · WWE: Bobby 'The Brain' Heenan as
- 2007 · WWE: The Best of Raw 15th Anniversary as Himself
- 2006 · WWE: Hulk Hogan: The Ultimate Anthology as Bobby Heenan
- 2006 · WWE: 20 Years Too Soon - The Superstar Billy Graham Story as
- 2006 · The World's Greatest Wrestling Managers as Himself
- 2005 · TNA Turning Point 2005 as Bobby Heenan (Commentary)
- 2005 · The Self Destruction of the Ultimate Warrior as Himself
- 2004 · ROH: All Star Extravaganza 2 as Himself
- 2004 · WWE Hall of Fame 2004 as
- 2004 · WWE: The World's Greatest Wrestling Managers as Bobby Heenan
- 2002 · Hollywood Hulk Hogan: Hulk Still Rules as Himself
- 2002 · WWE: Triple H - The Game as Himself
- 2000 · Women of Wrestling as
- 1999 · WCW/NWO Superstar Series: Diamond Dallas Page - Feel the Bang! as Bobby 'The Brain' Heenan
- 1998 · WCW Thunder as Bobby "The Brain" Heenan
- 1996 · WCW The Great American Bash 1996 as Bobby "The Brain" Heenan (Coach)
- 1995 · WCW Monday Nitro as
- 1995 · WCW Monday Nitro as Bobby Heenan
- 1995 · WCW All Nighter 1995 as
- 1995 · Timemaster as Howard
- 1993 · WWF: WrestleFest '93 as Bobby "The Brain" Heenan (Host)
- 1993 · WWE Royal Rumble 1993 as Bobby "The Brain" Heenan (Appearance)
- 1993 · WWE Raw as
- 1993 · WWE Raw as Bobby 'The Brain' Heenan (archive footage)
- 1993 · WWE Raw as Bobby 'The Brain' Heenan
- 1992 · WBF Championship 1992 as Himself
- 1992 · WWE Crunch Classic as Bobby Heenan
- 1991 · WWE Rampage '91 as Bobby "The Brain" Heenan
- 1991 · 2nd Annual Battle of the WWE Superstars as Bobby "The Brain" Heenan
- 1991 · WWE SuperTape vol. 4 as Bobby "The Brain" Heenan
- 1991 · WWE Mega Matches as Bobby "The Brain" Heenan
- 1991 · WWE WrestleMania VII as Bobby "The Brain" Heenan (Manager)
- 1991 · WWE Superstars & Stripes Forever: The March to WrestleMania VII as Bobby "The Brain" Heenan (Manager)
- 1991 · WWE SuperTape vol. 3 as Bobby "The Brain" Heenan (Manager)
- 1991 · WWE Royal Rumble 1991 as Bobby "The Brain" Heenan
- 1990 · WWE The Main Event IV as Bobby "The Brain" Heenan (Manager)
- 1990 · WWE Survivor Series 1990 as Bobby "The Brain" Heenan (Manager)
- 1990 · WWF Hottest Matches as Bobby "The Brain" Heenan (Manager)
- 1990 · WWE SummerSlam 1990 as Bobby "The Brain" Heenan (Manager)
- 1990 · Battle of the WWE Superstars as Bobby "The Brain" Heenan (Manager)
- 1990 · WWE SummerSlam Fever as Bobby "The Brain" Heenan (Manager)
- 1990 · WWF SuperTape vol. 2 as Bobby "The Brain" Heenan (Manager)
- 1990 · WWE WrestleMania VI as Bobby "The Brain" Heenan (Manager)
- 1990 · WWE The Ultimate Challenge Special: The March to WrestleMania VI as Bobby "The Brain" Heenan
- 1989 · WWE Survivor Series 1989 as Bobby "The Brain" Heenan
- 1989 · WWE Survivor Series Showdown '89 as Bobby "The Brain" Heenan (Manager)
- 1989 · Hulkamania 4 as Bobby 'The Brain' Heenan
- 1989 · WWE SummerSlam 1989 as Himself
- 1989 · WWE Demolition as Bobby "The Brain" Heenan (Manager)
- 1989 · The Best of the WWF: volume 20 as Bobby "The Brain" Heenan (Manager)
- 1989 · The Best of the WWF: volume 19 as Bobby "The Brain" Heenan (Manager)
- 1989 · The Bobby Heenan Show as
- 1989 · The Ultimate Warrior as Bobby "The Brain" Heenan (Manager)
- 1989 · WWE Wrestling at The Meadowlands: May '89 as Bobby "The Brain" Heenan (Manager)
- 1989 · WWE WrestleMania V as Bobby "The Brain" Heenan (Manager)
- 1989 · The Best of the WWF: volume 18 as Bobby "The Brain" Heenan (Manager)
- 1989 · WWE Royal Rumble 1989 as Bobby "The Brain" Heenan (Manager)
- 1988 · WWE Survivor Series 1988 as Bobby "The Brain" Heenan
- 1988 · WWE Maple Leaf Wrestling: September '88 as Bobby "The Brain" Heenan (Manager)
- 1988 · WWE SummerSlam 1988 as Bobby "The Brain" Heenan (Manager)
- 1988 · Hulkamania 3 as Bobby 'The Brain' Heenan
- 1988 · WWE Los Angeles Wrestling: August '88 as Bobby "The Brain" Heenan (Manager)
- 1988 · WWE WrestleFest as Bobby "The Brain" Heenan
- 1988 · WWE Los Angeles Wrestling: July '88 as Bobby "The Brain" Heenan
- 1988 · WWE Maple Leaf Wrestling: April '88 as Bobby "The Brain" Heenan
- 1988 · WWE WrestleMania IV as Bobby "The Brain" Heenan (Manager)
- 1988 · WWE The Main Event as Color Commentator
- 1988 · WWE Royal Rumble as Bobby "The Brian" Heenan (Manager)
- 1987 · Wrestling's Most Embarrassing Moments as
- 1987 · The Best of the WWF: volume 14 as Bobby "The Brain" Heenan
- 1987 · WWF Survivor Series 1987 as Bobby Heenan
- 1987 · The Best of the WWF: volume 13 as Bobby "The Brain" Heenan (Manager)
- 1987 · The Best of the WWF: volume 12 as Bobby "The Brain" Heenan
- 1987 · WWF Hulkamania 2 as Bobby "The Brain" Heenan
- 1987 · WWE WrestleMania III as Bobby "The Brain" Heenan (Manager)
- 1987 · The Best of the WWF: volume 10 as Bobby "The Brain" Heenan (Manager)
- 1987 · WWE Wrestling at The Meadowlands: January '87 as Bobby "The Brain" Heenan (Manager)
- 1987 · Bob Uecker's Wacky World of Sports as Bobby "The Brain" Heenan
- 1986 · WWE Houston Wrestling: October '86 as Bobby "The Brain" Heenan (Manager)
- 1986 · The Best of the WWF: volume 9 as Bobby "The Brain" Heenan
- 1986 · WWF Wrestling Challenge as Bobby Heenan
- 1986 · WWE The Big Event as Bobby "The Brain" Heenan (Manager)
- 1986 · WWE Villains of The Squared Circle as Bobby "The Brain" Heenan
- 1986 · WrestleMania II as Bobby "The Brain" Heenan (Manager)
- 1985 · Andre the Giant as Bobby 'The Brain' Heenan (archive footage)
- 1985 · WWE Maple Leaf Wrestling: November '85 as Bobby "The Brain" Heenan (Manager)
- 1985 · Saturday Night's Main Event as
- 1985 · WWE Pay Per View as Bobby "The Brain" Heenan
- 1985 · WrestleMania as Bobby "The Brain" Heenan (Manager)
- 1985 · WWF's Biggest, Smallest, Strangest, Strongest as Bobby 'The Brain' Heenan
- 1985 · Best of the WWF Volume 3 as Bobby "The Brain" Heenan
- 1984 · WWE Wrestling at The Meadowlands: December '84 as Bobby "The Brain" Heenan
- 1984 · WWE Wrestling at The Meadowlands: October '84 as Bobby "The Brain" Heenan (Manager)
- 1983 · AWA Christmas Night 1983 as Bobby "The Brain" Heenan (Manager)
- 1983 · AWA Super Sunday as Bobby Heenan (Manager)