Bobby “The Brain” Heenan passed away this afternoon, Sunday, September 17th, 2017. He is survived by his wife Cynthia Jean and daughter Jessica Ida Solt.
The news because public via an announce from Jim Ross’s twitter account.
The news of Bobby "The Brain" Heenan's passing today gutted me.
I loved our time together.
No one ever did it better than the Wease.
— Jim Ross (@JRsBBQ) September 17, 2017
Bobby “The Brain” Heenan got his start as a wrestler and manager in the Midwest during the 1960s. Eventually, he took on the “The Brain” gimmick some time in the 70s, making a name for himself with fantastic heel work throughout regional promotions. When Heenan joined the WWE in the mid-1980s, he began his run as the most consistently hated manager in the promotion. He was possibly the best heel manager of all time.
Heenan famously snatched a bag of $15,000 away from Andre the Giant during the first Wrestlemania. Andre had won the $15K in a body slam match, and began throwing his winnings into the crowd. In a genius stroke of heel work, Heenan stole back the people’s money and hid backstage. He would later manage Andre the Giant and King Kong Bundy in their rivalries against Hulk Hogan, at the zenith of Hulkamania. He would manage “Ravaging” Rick Rude and Mr. Perfect to Intercontinental Championships, always a major part of the WWF’s story lines.
In 1986, Bobby “The Brain” Heenan began announcing for the promotion. His partnership with Gorilla Monson would come to personify the WWF in the late 80s/early 90s. That iconic duo would be memorialized in countless video games, VHS tapes, and black box PPVs for an entire generation of wrestling fans. A post-retirement stint with WCW completed Heenan’s time working full time in wrestling.
In 2004, Bobby Heenan was elected into the WWE Hall of Fame. Listen to some wrestling legends discuss his impact in the squared circle from that ceremony.
So whatever Gods exist in this crazy universe, I hope they all bless the soul of Bobby “The Brain” Heenan. A man who wanted the world to hate him so much, that we couldn’t help but love him. Happy trails, Weasel.
