Ray Heenan
Acting
Born November 1, 1944 · Chicago, 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."
Films (117)
Sting: The Lost Tape
2020
Andre the Giant
2018
WWE: Ring in the Holiday
2015
WWE Greatest Wrestling Factions
2014
Warrior's Greatest Matches
2014
WWE: Undertaker 20-0 - The Streak
2012
The True Story of WrestleMania
2011
WWE: Bobby 'The Brain' Heenan
2010
WWE: The Best of Raw 15th Anniversary
2007
WWE: Hulk Hogan: The Ultimate Anthology
2006
WWE: 20 Years Too Soon - The Superstar Billy Graham Story
2006
The World's Greatest Wrestling Managers
2006
TNA Turning Point 2005
2005
The Self Destruction of the Ultimate Warrior
2005
The Greatest Stars of the 80's
2005
ROH: All Star Extravaganza 2
2004
WWE Hall of Fame 2004
2004
The Monday Night War - WWE Raw vs. WCW Nitro
2004
WWE: The World's Greatest Wrestling Managers
2004
Hollywood Hulk Hogan: Hulk Still Rules
2002
WWE: Triple H - The Game
2002
WCW/NWO Superstar Series: Diamond Dallas Page - Feel the Bang!
1999
WCW The Great American Bash 1996
1996
WCW All Nighter 1995
1995
Timemaster
1995
Bret "Hit Man" Hart: His Greatest Matches
1993
WWE Global Warfare
1993
WWE UK Fan Favorites 1993
1993
All Aboard the Lex Express
1993
WWE Invasion of the Bodyslammers
1993
WWE Bashed in the USA
1993
WWE UK Rampage '93
1993
WWE WrestleFest '93
1993
WWE Royal Rumble 1993
1993
WWE World Tour 1992
1992
WBF Championship 1992
1992
WWE Crunch Classic
1992
WWE UK Rampage '92
1992
Hulkamania 6
1991
WWE Survivor Series Showdown 1991
1991
WWE Rampage '91
1991
WWE Battle Royal at the Albert Hall
1991
2nd Annual Battle of the WWE Superstars
1991
WWE SuperTape: Volume 4
1991
WWE Mega Matches
1991
WWE WrestleMania VII
1991
WWE Superstars & Stripes Forever: The March to WrestleMania VII
1991
WWE Funniest Moments
1991
WWE SuperTape: Volume 3
1991
WWE Royal Rumble 1991
1991
WWE The Main Event IV
1990
WWE Survivor Series 1990
1990
WWE Hottest Matches
1990
Wrestling Tough Guys
1990
WWE SummerSlam 1990
1990
Battle of the WWE Superstars
1990
WWE SummerSlam Fever
1990
WWE SuperTape: Volume 2
1990
WWE WrestleMania VI
1990
WWE The Ultimate Challenge Special: The March to WrestleMania VI
1990
Wrestling Superheroes
1990
WWE SuperTape: Volume 1
1990
WWE Survivor Series 1989
1989
WWE Survivor Series Showdown '89
1989
Hulkamania 4
1989
WWE SummerSlam 1989
1989
Demolition: Witness the Power
1989
The Best of the WWF: volume 20
1989
The Best of the WWF: volume 19
1989
The Ultimate Warrior
1989
WWE Wrestling at The Meadowlands: May '89
1989
WWE WrestleMania V
1989
The Brains Behind the Brawn
1989
The Best of the WWF: volume 18
1989
WWE Royal Rumble 1989
1989
Hulk Hogan: Real American
1989
WWE Survivor Series 1988
1988
The Best of the WWF: volume 17
1988
Macho Madness
1988
WWE Maple Leaf Wrestling: September '88
1988
WWE SummerSlam 1988
1988
Hulkamania 3
1988
WWE Los Angeles Wrestling: August '88
1988
WWE WrestleFest
1988
WWE Los Angeles Wrestling: July '88
1988
WWE Maple Leaf Wrestling: April '88
1988
WWE WrestleMania IV
1988
WWE Royal Rumble 1988
1988
The Best of the WWF: volume 14
1987
Wrestling's Most Embarrassing Moments
1987
WWE Survivor Series 1987
1987
The Best of the WWF: volume 13
1987
The Ken Patera Story
1987
Jake "The Snake" Roberts
1987
The Best of the WWF: volume 12
1987
WWF Hulkamania 2
1987
WWE WrestleMania III
1987
The Best of the WWF: volume 10
1987
The WWF's Even More Unusual Matches
1987
WWE Wrestling at The Meadowlands: January '87
1987
Bob Uecker's Wacky World of Sports
1987
WWE Houston Wrestling: October '86
1986
The Best of the WWF: volume 9
1986
WWE The Big Event
1986
Villains of the Squared Circle
1986
WrestleMania II
1986
The Life and Times of Captain Lou Albano
1986
The WWF's Amazing Managers
1985
WWE Maple Leaf Wrestling: November '85
1985
Andre the Giant
1985
WrestleMania
1985
Best of the WWF Volume 3
1985
Wrestling's Biggest, Smallest, Strangest, Strongest!
1985
WWE Wrestling at The Meadowlands: December '84
1984
WWE Wrestling at The Meadowlands: October '84
1984
AWA Christmas Night 1983
1983
AWA Super Sunday
1983