Bob Marella

Bob Marella

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".

  • Igoa: Bob Marella
  • Lauiloa: 0.691
  • Lauiloa mo: Acting
  • Aso fanau: 1937-06-04
  • Nofoaga fanau ai: Rochester, New York, USA
  • Homepage:
  • Faʻailoa foi O: Gino Marella, Gorilla Monsoon
img

Bob Marella Tifaga

  • 1998
    imgTifaga

    Hitman Hart: Wrestling With Shadows

    Hitman Hart: Wrestling With Shadows

    7.5 1998 HD

    img
  • 1994
    imgTifaga

    WWE Bloopers Bleeps and Bodyslams

    WWE Bloopers Bleeps and Bodyslams

    10 1994 HD

    img
  • 1994
    imgTifaga

    German Fan Favorites 2

    German Fan Favorites 2

    1 1994 HD

    img
  • 1986
    imgTifaga

    WWE Villains of The Squared Circle

    WWE Villains of The Squared Circle

    1 1986 HD

    img
  • 2006
    imgTifaga

    WWE: Hulk Hogan: The Ultimate Anthology

    WWE: Hulk Hogan: The Ultimate Anthology

    7.4 2006 HD

    img
  • 2004
    imgTifaga

    WWE: Shawn Michaels - Boyhood Dream

    WWE: Shawn Michaels - Boyhood Dream

    1 2004 HD

    img
  • 1994
    imgTifaga

    WWF Sunday Night Slam • November 20th, 1994

    WWF Sunday Night Slam • November 20th, 1994

    1 1994 HD

    img
  • 1997
    imgTifaga

    WWE In Your House 15: A Cold Day in Hell

    WWE In Your House 15: A Cold Day in Hell

    5 1997 HD

    img
  • 1985
    imgTifaga

    Wrestling's Bloopers, Bleeps and Bodyslams!

    Wrestling's Bloopers, Bleeps and Bodyslams!

    10 1985 HD

    img
  • 2022
    imgTifaga

    Biography: Wrestlemania I

    Biography: Wrestlemania I

    6 2022 HD

    img
  • 1986
    imgTifaga

    WWE's Inside the Steel Cage

    WWE's Inside the Steel Cage

    1 1986 HD

    img
  • 1987
    imgTifaga

    WWF Hulkamania 2

    WWF Hulkamania 2

    1 1987 HD

    img
  • 1987
    imgTifaga

    The Best of the WWF: volume 12

    The Best of the WWF: volume 12

    1 1987 HD

    img
  • 1990
    imgTifaga

    WWE Survivor Series 1990

    WWE Survivor Series 1990

    8.2 1990 HD

    img
  • 1985
    imgTifaga

    WWF's Biggest, Smallest, Strangest, Strongest

    WWF's Biggest, Smallest, Strangest, Strongest

    1 1985 HD

    img
  • 1985
    imgTifaga

    Rowdy Roddy Piper's Greatest Hits

    Rowdy Roddy Piper's Greatest Hits

    1 1985 HD

    img
  • 1992
    imgTifaga

    WWE Crunch Classic

    WWE Crunch Classic

    1 1992 HD

    img
  • 2010
    imgTifaga

    WWE: Top 50 Superstars of All Time

    WWE: Top 50 Superstars of All Time

    8.3 2010 HD

    img
  • 2018
    imgTifaga

    Andre the Giant

    Andre the Giant

    7.331 2018 HD

    img
  • 2007
    imgTifaga

    WWE: The Best of Raw 15th Anniversary

    WWE: The Best of Raw 15th Anniversary

    9.5 2007 HD

    img
  • 2012
    imgTifaga

    WWE: Undertaker 20-0 - The Streak

    WWE: Undertaker 20-0 - The Streak

    8.8 2012 HD

    img
  • 2011
    imgTifaga

    The True Story of WrestleMania

    The True Story of WrestleMania

    8.3 2011 HD

    img
  • 1996
    imgTifaga

    WWE Hall Of Fame 1996

    WWE Hall Of Fame 1996

    1 1996 HD

    img
  • 1994
    imgTifaga

    WWE Hall Of Fame 1994

    WWE Hall Of Fame 1994

    1 1994 HD

    img
  • 1986
    imgTifaga

    Wrestling's Living Legend Bruno Sammartino

    Wrestling's Living Legend Bruno Sammartino

    1 1986 HD

    img
  • 1986
    imgTifaga

    Tag Team Champions

    Tag Team Champions

    1 1986 HD

    img
  • 1978
    imgTifaga

    The Super Bowl of Wrestling

    The Super Bowl of Wrestling

    1 1978 HD

    img
  • 2022
    imgTifaga

    Biography: D-Generation X

    Biography: D-Generation X

    7.5 2022 HD

    img
  • 1987
    imgTifaga

    WWE Wrestling at The Meadowlands: January '87

    WWE Wrestling at The Meadowlands: January '87

    1 1987 HD

    img
  • 1992
    imgTifaga

    WWE U.K. Rampage 1992

    WWE U.K. Rampage 1992

    5 1992 HD

    img
  • 1992
    imgTifaga

    WWE U.K. Rampage Tour '92: Munich

    WWE U.K. Rampage Tour '92: Munich

    1 1992 HD

    img
  • 1992
    imgTifaga

    WWE SummerSlam Spectacular 1992

    WWE SummerSlam Spectacular 1992

    1 1992 HD

    img
  • 1986
    imgTifaga

    WWE The Big Event

    WWE The Big Event

    8 1986 HD

    img
  • 1987
    imgTifaga

    WWE WrestleMania III

    WWE WrestleMania III

    7.5 1987 HD

    img
  • 1992
    imgTifaga

    WWE March to WrestleMania VIII

    WWE March to WrestleMania VIII

    1 1992 HD

    img
  • 1992
    imgTifaga

    WWE WrestleMania VIII

    WWE WrestleMania VIII

    8.1 1992 HD

    img
  • 1986
    imgS10 E35

    WWF Wrestling Challenge

    WWF Wrestling Challenge

    6.8 1986 HD

    img
  • 1993
    imgS32 E47

    WWE Raw

    WWE Raw

    6.7 1993 HD

    img
  • 2024
    imgS1 E6

    Mr. McMahon

    Mr. McMahon

    8.1 2024 HD

    img