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