Person Details

Birthday: 1937-06-04 11:51:50

Death: 1999-10-06 11:51:50

Aliases: Gino Marella , Gorilla Monsoon

Gender: Male

Place of birth: Rochester, New York, USA

Homepage:

Movie Involvements: 35

TV Involvements: 2


Most Famous Work

Biography

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 the World Wrestling Federation, as commentator and backstage manager during the 1980s and 1990s. He also portrayed the on-screen role of WWF 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 WWF 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 the WWF 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 WWF 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 WWF 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".

Most Famous Work

WWE Raw
Average
7

WWE Raw

(1993) Gorilla Monsoon
WWF Wrestling Challenge
Average
7

WWF Wrestling Challenge

(1986) Gorilla Monsoon
Andre the Giant
Average
7

Andre the Giant

(2018) Self (voice) (archive footage)
WrestleMania
Average
7

WrestleMania

(1985) Gorilla Monsoon
WWE: Undertaker 20-0 - The Streak
Average
9

WWE: Undertaker 20-0 - The Streak

(2012) Gorilla Monsoon (archive footage)
The True Story of WrestleMania
Average
8

The True Story of WrestleMania

(2011) Gorilla Monsoon (archive footage)
WWE: The Best of Raw 15th Anniversary
Average
10

WWE: The Best of Raw 15th Anniversary

(2007) Gorilla Monsoon
Hitman Hart: Wrestling With Shadows
Average
8

Hitman Hart: Wrestling With Shadows

(1998) Gorilla Monsoon (archive footage)

Acting

Year Character Movie/Tv
2022 Self (archival footage)
2018 Self (voice) (archive footage)
2012 Gorilla Monsoon (archive footage)
2011 Gorilla Monsoon (archive footage)
2010 Gorilla Monsoon
2007 Gorilla Monsoon
2006 Gorilla Monsoon
2004 Gorilla Monsoon
1998 Gorilla Monsoon (archive footage)
1997 Gorilla Monsoon (WWE President)
1996 N/A
1994 Gorilla Monsoon
Gorilla Monsoon
Gorilla Monsoon (Host)
Gorilla Monsoon
1993 Gorilla Monsoon
1992 Gorilla Monsoon
1990 Gorilla Monsoon
1987 Gorilla Monsoon
1986 Gorilla Monsoon
Gorilla Monsoon
Gorilla Monsoon
Gorilla Monsoon
Gorilla Monsoon
1985 Gorilla Monsoon
Gorilla Monsoon
Gorilla Monsoon
Gorilla Monsoon
Gorilla Monsoon
Gorilla Monsoon
1978 Gorilla Monsoon
Year Character Movie/Tv

Writing

Production

Year Role Movie/Tv
1987 Executive Co-Producer
1986 Executive Producer
Year Role Movie/Tv

Join the discussion

Please Log in to comment