Ray Heenan
Born: 1944-11-01 in Chicago, Illinois, USA
Died: 2017-09-17
Known For: Acting
Biography
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."
Filmography
2021
- Biography: WWE Legends as Bobby "The Brain" Heenan (archive footage)
2020
2018
- Andre the Giant as Self (archive footage)
2014
- WWE Greatest Wrestling Factions as Bobby "The Brain" Heenan
- Warrior's Greatest Matches as Bobby "The Brain" Heenan (Archive Footage)
2012
- WWE: Undertaker 20-0 - The Streak as Bobby 'The Brain' Heenan (archive footage)
2011
- The True Story of WrestleMania as Bobby Heenan
2007
- WWE: The Best of Raw 15th Anniversary as Himself
2006
2005
- The Greatest Stars of the 80's as Self
- TNA Turning Point 2005 as Bobby Heenan (Commentary)
- The Self Destruction of the Ultimate Warrior as Himself
- WWE Hall of Fame as Bobby "The Brain" Heenan (Presenter)
2004
- ROH: All Star Extravaganza 2 as Himself
- WWE Hall of Fame 2004 as Self
- WWE: The World's Greatest Wrestling Managers as Bobby Heenan
- The Monday Night War - WWE Raw vs. WCW Nitro as Himself
2002
- Hollywood Hulk Hogan: Hulk Still Rules as Himself
- WWE: Triple H - The Game as Himself
2000
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
- Timemaster as Howard
- WCW Monday Nitro
- WCW All Nighter 1995
1993
- Raw
- WWE UK Rampage '93 as Bobby "The Brain" Heenan (Commentator) / Bobby "The Brain" Heenan (Interviewer)
- WWE Royal Rumble 1993 as Bobby "The Brain" Heenan (Appearance)
- Bret "Hit Man" Hart: His Greatest Matches as Bobby "The Brain" Heenan
- All Aboard the Lex Express as Bobby Heenan
- WWE Global Warfare as Bobby "The Brain" Heenan
- WWE WrestleFest '93 as Bobby "The Brain" Heenan (Host)
- Invasion of the Bodyslammers as Bobby "The Brain" Heenan
- WWE Bashed in the USA as Bobby "The Brain" Heenan (Commentator)
- WWE UK Fan Favorites 1993 as Bobby "The Brain" Heenan
1992
- WWE World Tour 1992 as Bobby "The Brain" Heenan
- WWE Crunch Classic as Bobby Heenan
- WWE UK Rampage '92 as Bobby "The Brain" Heenan
- WBF Championship 1992 as Himself
1991
- WWE Battle Royal at the Albert Hall as Bobby "The Brain" Heenan (Commentator)
- WWE Survivor Series Showdown 1991 as Bobby "The Brain" Heenan
- WWE SuperTape: Volume 4 as Bobby "The Brain" Heenan
- WWE Funniest Moments as Bobby "The Brain" Heenan
- Hulkamania 6 as Bobby "The Brain" Heenan
- WWE Royal Rumble 1991 as Bobby "The Brain" Heenan
- 2nd Annual Battle of the WWE Superstars as Bobby "The Brain" Heenan
- WWE WrestleMania VII as Bobby "The Brain" Heenan (Manager)
- WWE Superstars & Stripes Forever: The March to WrestleMania VII as Bobby "The Brain" Heenan (Manager)
- WWE Rampage '91 as Bobby "The Brain" Heenan
- WWE SuperTape: Volume 3 as Bobby "The Brain" Heenan (Manager)
- WWE Mega Matches as Bobby "The Brain" Heenan
1990
- WWE WrestleMania VI as Bobby 'The Brain' Heenan (Manager)
- WWE SuperTape: Volume 2 as Bobby "The Brain" Heenan (Manager)
- WWE Hottest Matches as Bobby "The Brain" Heenan (Manager)
- Battle of the WWE Superstars as Bobby "The Brain" Heenan (Manager)
- WWE The Main Event IV as Bobby "The Brain" Heenan (Manager)
- WWE SummerSlam 1990 as Bobby "The Brain" Heenan (Manager)
- WWE SuperTape: Volume 1 as Bobby "The Brain" Heenan
- WWE Survivor Series 1990 as Bobby "The Brain" Heenan (Manager)
- WWE The Ultimate Challenge Special: The March to WrestleMania VI as Bobby "The Brain" Heenan
- WWE SummerSlam Fever as Bobby "The Brain" Heenan (Manager)
- Wrestling Tough Guys as Bobby "The Brain" Heenan
- Wrestling Superheroes as Bobby "The Brain" Heenan
1989
- Demolition: Witness the Power as Bobby "The Brain" Heenan (Manager)
- WWE WrestleMania V as Bobby "The Brain" Heenan (Manager)
- WWE Survivor Series 1989 as Bobby "The Brain" Heenan
- WWE SummerSlam 1989 as Himself
- The Ultimate Warrior as Bobby "The Brain" Heenan (Manager)
- The Best of the WWF: volume 19 as Bobby "The Brain" Heenan (Manager)
- The Best of the WWF: volume 20 as Bobby "The Brain" Heenan (Manager)
- The Brains Behind the Brawn as Bobby "The Brain" Heenan
- Hulk Hogan: Real American as Bobby "The Brain" Heenan (Manager)
- The Best of the WWF: volume 18 as Bobby "The Brain" Heenan (Manager)
- Hulkamania 4 as Bobby 'The Brain' Heenan
- WWE Survivor Series Showdown '89 as Bobby "The Brain" Heenan (Manager)
- WWE Royal Rumble 1989 as Bobby "The Brain" Heenan (Manager)
- The Bobby Heenan Show
- WWE Wrestling at The Meadowlands: May '89 as Bobby "The Brain" Heenan (Manager)
1988
- Macho Madness as Bobby "The Brain" Heenan (Manager)
- WWE WrestleMania IV as Bobby "The Brain" Heenan (Manager)
- WWE Royal Rumble 1988 as Bobby "The Brian" Heenan (Manager)
- WWE Los Angeles Wrestling: August '88 as Bobby "The Brain" Heenan (Manager)
- WWE Maple Leaf Wrestling: April '88 as Bobby "The Brain" Heenan
- WWE Los Angeles Wrestling: July '88 as Bobby "The Brain" Heenan
- WWE The Main Event as Color Commentator
- WWE SummerSlam 1988 as Bobby "The Brain" Heenan (Manager)
- WWE Survivor Series 1988 as Bobby "The Brain" Heenan
- WWE WrestleFest as Bobby "The Brain" Heenan
- Hulkamania 3 as Bobby 'The Brain' Heenan
- WWE Maple Leaf Wrestling: September '88 as Bobby "The Brain" Heenan (Manager)
- WrestleMania IV as Bobby 'The Brain' Heenan
1987
- Jake "The Snake" Roberts as Bobby "The Brain" Heenan
- The Ken Patera Story as Bobby "The Brain" Heenan
- WWE Wrestling at The Meadowlands: January '87 as Bobby "The Brain" Heenan (Manager)
- The Best of the WWF: volume 14 as Bobby "The Brain" Heenan
- The Best of the WWF: volume 13 as Bobby "The Brain" Heenan (Manager)
- WWF Hulkamania 2 as Bobby "The Brain" Heenan
- The WWF's Even More Unusual Matches as Bobby "The Brain" Heenan (Manager)
- The Best of the WWF: volume 10 as Bobby "The Brain" Heenan (Manager)
- Wrestling's Most Embarrassing Moments as Bobby "The Brain" Heenan
- WrestleMania III as Bobby Heenan
- Bob Uecker's Wacky World of Sports as Bobby "The Brain" Heenan
- WWE Survivor Series 1987 as Bobby Heenan
- WWE WrestleMania III as Bobby "The Brain" Heenan (Manager)
- The Best of the WWF: volume 12 as Bobby "The Brain" Heenan
1986
- WWF Wrestling Challenge as Bobby Heenan
- WWE The Big Event as Bobby "The Brain" Heenan (Manager)
- The Best of the WWF: volume 9 as Bobby "The Brain" Heenan
- The Life and Times of Captain Lou Albano as Bobby "The Brain" Heenan
- WrestleMania II as Bobby "The Brain" Heenan (Manager)
- WrestleMania 2 as Bobby 'The Brain' Heenan
- Villains of the Squared Circle as Bobby "The Brain" Heenan
- WWE Houston Wrestling: October '86 as Bobby "The Brain" Heenan (Manager)
1985
- Saturday Night's Main Event
- WWE Maple Leaf Wrestling: November '85 as Bobby "The Brain" Heenan (Manager)
- WrestleMania as Bobby "The Brain" Heenan (Manager)
- WWF Prime Time Wrestling as Bobby Heenan (Color Commentator)
- Wrestling's Biggest, Smallest, Strangest, Strongest! as Bobby "The Brain" Heenan
- Andre the Giant as Bobby 'The Brain' Heenan (archive footage)
- Best of the WWF Volume 3 as Bobby "The Brain" Heenan
- The WWF's Amazing Managers as Bobby "The Brain" Heenan
1984
- Tuesday Night Titans as Bobby Heenan
- WWE Wrestling at The Meadowlands: October '84 as Bobby "The Brain" Heenan (Manager)
- WWE Wrestling at The Meadowlands: December '84 as Bobby "The Brain" Heenan
1983
- AWA Christmas Night 1983 as Bobby "The Brain" Heenan (Manager)
- AWA Super Sunday as Bobby Heenan (Manager)
1981
- AWA Arena Shows as Bobby "The Brain" Heenan (Manager)
1973
- WWE Old School as Bobby Heenan (Manager)