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…

Known for

Acting

Born

1937-06-04 · Rochester, New York, USA

Died

1999-10-06