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".
Movies (82)
Biography: Wrestlemania I
2022 · Self (archival footage)
Andre the Giant
2018 · Self (voice) (archive footage)
WWE: Undertaker 20-0 - The Streak
2012 · Gorilla Monsoon (archive footage)
WWE: Top 50 Superstars of All Time
2010 · Gorilla Monsoon
WWE: The Best of Raw 15th Anniversary
2007 · Gorilla Monsoon
WWE: Hulk Hogan: The Ultimate Anthology
2006 · Gorilla Monsoon
WWE: Shawn Michaels - Boyhood Dream
2004 · Gorilla Monsoon
Hitman Hart: Wrestling with Shadows
1998 · Gorilla Monsoon (archive footage)
WWE SummerSlam 1997
1997 · Gorilla Monsoon
WWE In Your House 15: A Cold Day in Hell
1997 · Gorilla Monsoon (WWE President)
WWE Hall Of Fame 1996
1996 · Self
WWF 1995: The Year In Review
1995 · Gorilla Monsoon
WWE Hall Of Fame 1995
1995 · Self
WWE Paul Bearer's Hits From the Crypt
1994 · Gorilla Monsoon
WWF Sunday Night Slam • November 20th, 1994
1994 · Gorilla Monsoon
German Fan Favorites
1994 · Gorilla Monsoon
Razor Ramon
1994 · Gorilla Monsoon
Bret "Hit Man" Hart
1994 · Gorilla Monsoon
The Undertaker
1994 · Gorilla Monsoon
WWE Bloopers Bleeps and Bodyslams
1994 · Gorilla Monsoon (Host)
WWE Hall Of Fame 1994
1994 · Gorilla Monsoon
WWE March to WrestleMania X
1994 · Gorilla Monsoon
WWE SummerSlam Spectacular 1993
1993 · Gorilla Monsoon
WWE UK Fan Favorites 1993
1993 · Gorilla Monsoon
WWE Bashed in the USA
1993 · Gorilla Monsoon (Commentator)
WWE Smack 'Em Whack 'Em
1993 · Gorilla Monsoon
WWE WrestleFest '93
1993 · Gorilla Monsoon - Commentator
The Ultimate Warrior
1992 · Gorilla Monsoon
WWE World Tour 1992
1992 · Gorilla Monsoon
WWE SummerSlam Spectacular 1992
1992 · Writer
WWE Crunch Classic
1992 · Gorilla Monsoon
WWE UK Rampage
1992 · Writer
WWE UK Rampage '92
1992 · Gorilla Monsoon, Writer
WWE WrestleMania VIII
1992 · Writer
WWE March to WrestleMania VIII
1992 · Gorilla Monsoon, Writer
Hulkamania 6
1991 · Gorilla Monsoon - Commentator
WWE Battle Royal at the Albert Hall
1991 · Gorila Monsoon (Commentator)
WWE SuperTape: Volume 4
1991 · Gorilla Monsoon
WWE Funniest Moments
1991 · Gorilla Monsoon
WWE Survivor Series 1990
1990 · Gorilla Monsoon
Hulkamania Forever
1990 · Gorilla Monsoon
Wrestling Tough Guys
1990 · Gorilla Monsoon
Wrestling Superheroes
1990 · Gorilla Monsoon
WWE SuperTape: Volume 1
1990 · Gorilla Monsoon
Demolition: Witness the Power
1989 · Gorilla Monsoon - Commentator
The Best of the WWF: volume 20
1989 · Gorilla Monsoon
The Ultimate Warrior
1989 · Gorilla Monsoon (Commentator)
The Brains Behind the Brawn
1989 · Gorilla Monsoon
The Best of the WWF: volume 18
1989 · Gorilla Monsoon
The Best of the WWF: volume 17
1988 · Gorilla Monsoon
Women of the WWF
1988 · Gorilla Monsoon - Commentator
The Best of the WWF: volume 14
1987 · Gorilla Monsoon
George "The Animal" Steele
1987 · Gorilla Monsoon
Wrestling's Most Embarrassing Moments
1987 · Gorilla Monsoon
The Best of the WWF: volume 13
1987 · Gorilla Monsoon - Commentator
Jake "The Snake" Roberts
1987 · Gorilla Monsoon
The Best of the WWF: volume 12
1987 · Gorilla Monsoon
Hulkamania 2
1987 · Gorilla Monsoon
WWE WrestleMania III
1987 · Executive Co-Producer
The WWF's Even More Unusual Matches
1987 · Gorilla Monsoon - Commentator
WWE Wrestling at The Meadowlands: January '87
1987 · Writers' Assistant
Inside the Steel Cage
1986 · Gorila Monsoon
The British Bulldogs
1986 · Gorilla Monsoon
WWE The Big Event
1986 · Executive Producer
Villains of the Squared Circle
1986 · Gorilla Monsoon
Wrestling's Living Legend Bruno Sammartino
1986 · Gorilla Monsoon
The Best of the WWF: volume 7
1986 · Gorilla Monsoon
Ricky "The Dragon" Steamboat
1986 · Gorilla Monsoon
The Best of the WWF: volume 6
1986 · Gorilla Monsoon
WWE Grudge Match
1986 · Gorilla Monsoon
The Life and Times of Captain Lou Albano
1986 · Gorilla Monsoon
Tag Team Champions
1986 · Gorilla Monsoon
The Best of the WWF: volume 5
1986 · Gorilla Monsoon
The WWF's Amazing Managers
1985 · Gorilla Monsoon - Commentator
Rowdy Roddy Piper's Greatest Hits
1985 · Gorilla Monsoon
Andre the Giant
1985 · Thanks
Wrestling's Bloopers, Bleeps, & Bodyslams
1985 · Gorilla Monsoon
Wrestling's Biggest, Smallest, Strangest, Strongest!
1985 · Gorilla Monsoon
The Hulkster Hulk Hogan
1985 · Gorilla Monsoon
WWE at Madison Square Garden: October 17, 1983
1983 · Gorilla Monsoon (Commentary)
The Super Bowl of Wrestling
1978 · Gorilla Monsoon
WWE at Madison Square Garden: June 30, 1973
1973 · Gorilla Monsoon
TV shows (8)
Vince McMahon: El titán de la WWE
2024 · Self (archive footage)
WWE Sunday Night Slam
1994 · Gorilla Monsoon
Raw
1993 · Gorilla Monsoon
WWF Wrestling Challenge
1986 · Gorilla Monsoon
WWF Superstars
1986 · Gorilla Monsoon
WWF Prime Time Wrestling
1985 · Gorilla Monsoon (Color Commentator)
Tuesday Night Titans
1984 · Gorilla Monsoon
WWE Old School
1973 · Gorilla Monsoon, Gorilla Monsoon (Commentary)