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Bob Marella‌

Gender

Male

Birthday

calendar1937-06-04

Popularity

star2.1

Bob Marella

Rochester, New York, USA

Bob Marella

Rochester, New York, USA

Gender

Male

Birthday

calendar1937-06-04

Popularity

star2.1

Biography

Robert James Marella better known by his ring name of Gorilla Monsoon, was an American professional wrestler, play-by-play commentator, and booker. Monsoon is famous for his run as a super-heavyweight main eventer, and later as the voice of WWE, as commentator and backstage manager during the 1980s and 1990s. He also portrayed the on-screen role of WWE President from 1995 to 1997. In professional wrestling, the staging area just behind the entrance curtain at an event, a position which Marella established and where he could often be found during WWE shows late in his career, is named the "Gorilla Position" in his honor. Although remembered fondly by many viewers, Monsoon was voted Worst Television Announcer a record six times by readers of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter in the publication's annual awards poll. Marella was married to his wife, Maureen, for more than 40 years and had three children: Sharon (born 1960), Joey (adopted, 1963–1994), and Valerie (born 1966). Victor Quinones (1959-2006) was listed in Gorilla's obituary as his son as well. This was never confirmed officially by Gorilla but the Marella family has acknowledged this after Gorilla's death. Along with Linda McMahon, Marella was considered as a possible replacement for Vince McMahon as the owner of WWE if McMahon had been found guilty during his 1994 legal trial for illegal steroid use in the company. On July 4, 1994, his adopted son, Joey Marella, fell asleep at the wheel and died in a car accident on the New Jersey Turnpike, while returning from refereeing a WWE event in Ocean City, Maryland. He was not wearing a seatbelt at the time of the crash. For years, Marella had a custom New Jersey license plate which read "kayfabe Death and legacy Marella died on October 6, 1999, of heart failure brought on by complications of diabetes, at his home in Willingboro Township, New Jersey. He was 62 years old. In a tribute that aired on October 11, 1999, on an episode of Raw Is War from the Georgia Dome, McMahon described Marella as "one of the greatest men I have ever known." He is interred next to his son, Joey Marella, at Lakeview Memorial Park in Cinnaminson, New Jersey. WCW commentator Tony Schiavone acknowledged Marella's death on the October 11, 1999, episode of WCW Monday Nitro. Bobby Heenan insisted on doing a tribute to Marella, even though Marella never worked for WCW. Heenan said on-air: "Gorilla will be sadly missed. Now he was one big tough man. He was a decent honest man. And we're all gonna miss him very much. And you know the pearly gates in heaven? It's now gonna be called 'the Gorilla position.' Goodbye, my friend." Robert Marella was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame, class of 1994, on June 9. When Heenan was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2004, he ended his acceptance speech with a very emotional, "There's only one thing missing, I wish Monsoon was here." In 2007, when Anthony Carelli made his debut with WWE, as a tribute to Marella, he was given the ring name "Santino Marella".

Movie Credits

Hitman Hart: Wrestling With Shadows

Hitman Hart: Wrestling With Shadows‌
star7.5
calendar 1998

WWE Bloopers Bleeps and Bodyslams

WWE Bloopers Bleeps and Bodyslams‌
star10.0
calendar 1994

German Fan Favorites 2

German Fan Favorites 2‌
star0.0
calendar 1994

WWE Villains of The Squared Circle

WWE Villains of The Squared Circle‌
star0.0
calendar 1986

WWE: Hulk Hogan: The Ultimate Anthology

WWE: Hulk Hogan: The Ultimate Anthology‌
star8.5
calendar 2006

WWE: Shawn Michaels - Boyhood Dream

WWE: Shawn Michaels - Boyhood Dream‌
star0.0
calendar 2004

WWF Sunday Night Slam • November 20th, 1994

WWF Sunday Night Slam • November 20th, 1994‌
star0.0
calendar 1994

WWE In Your House 15: A Cold Day in Hell

WWE In Your House 15: A Cold Day in Hell‌
star5.0
calendar 1997

Wrestling's Bloopers, Bleeps and Bodyslams!

Wrestling's Bloopers, Bleeps and Bodyslams!‌
star10.0
calendar 1985

Biography: Wrestlemania I

Biography: Wrestlemania I‌
star6.0
calendar 2022

WWE's Inside the Steel Cage

WWE's Inside the Steel Cage‌
star0.0
calendar 1986

WWF Hulkamania 2

WWF Hulkamania 2‌
star0.0
calendar 1987

The Best of the WWF: volume 12

The Best of the WWF: volume 12‌
star0.0
calendar 1987

WWE Survivor Series 1990

WWE Survivor Series 1990‌
star8.2
calendar 1990

WWF's Biggest, Smallest, Strangest, Strongest

WWF's Biggest, Smallest, Strangest, Strongest‌
star0.0
calendar 1985

Rowdy Roddy Piper's Greatest Hits

Rowdy Roddy Piper's Greatest Hits‌
star0.0
calendar 1985

WWE Crunch Classic

WWE Crunch Classic‌
star0.0
calendar 1992

WWE: Top 50 Superstars of All Time

WWE: Top 50 Superstars of All Time‌
star8.3
calendar 2010

Andre the Giant

Andre the Giant‌
star7.4
calendar 2018

WWE: The Best of Raw 15th Anniversary

WWE: The Best of Raw 15th Anniversary‌
star9.5
calendar 2007

WWE: Undertaker 20-0 - The Streak

WWE: Undertaker 20-0 - The Streak‌
star8.8
calendar 2012

The True Story of WrestleMania

The True Story of WrestleMania‌
star8.3
calendar 2011

WWE Hall Of Fame 1996

WWE Hall Of Fame 1996‌
star0.0
calendar 1996

WWE Hall Of Fame 1994

WWE Hall Of Fame 1994‌
star0.0
calendar 1994

Wrestling's Living Legend Bruno Sammartino

Wrestling's Living Legend Bruno Sammartino‌
star0.0
calendar 1986

Tag Team Champions

Tag Team Champions‌
star0.0
calendar 1986

The Super Bowl of Wrestling

The Super Bowl of Wrestling‌
star0.0
calendar 1978

Biography: D-Generation X

Biography: D-Generation X‌
star7.5
calendar 2022

Tv Credits

WWF Wrestling Challenge

WWF Wrestling Challenge‌
star6.8
calendar 1986

WWE Raw

WWE Raw‌
star6.7
calendar 1993

Mr. McMahon

Mr. McMahon‌
star8.1
calendar 2024