Remembering Gorilla Monsoon
On October 6, 1999 Robert James "Gino" Marella, better known by his ring name, Gorilla Monsoon died of heart failure brought on by complications of diabetes, at his home in Willingboro Township, New Jersey. He was 62 years old.
Born on June 4, 1937, the legendary Gorilla Monsoon was truly one of the great all-around personalities in professional wrestling history.
Marella debuted in 1958, originally billing himself as Gino Marella, a proud Italian American babyface who would sing in Italian prior to his matches. He also became one of the wrestling’s top heels, feuding with popular babyface champion Bruno Sammartino in sellout arenas across the country. Despite his huge size, billed at 6’ 7” and 401lbs, Monsoon had great agility and stamina, often wrestling Sammartino to one-hour time-limit draws.
After an outstanding career as a feared heavyweight inside the ring, he became even more beloved to a generation of WWF fans as the unforgettable voice of countless matches alongside Bobby “The Brain” Heenan and Jesse “The Body” Ventura. Whether he was calling the action, trading hilarious insults with Heenan, serving as WWF President, or simply bringing credibility to everything he was involved in, Gorilla Monsoon was one of a kind.
Longtime wrestling fans can remember that unmistakable voice and classic expressions like “Will you stop!” whenever they think about the golden era of the WWF.
In a tribute that aired on October 7, 1999, on an episode of WWF SmackDown!, Vince McMahon described Marella as "one of the greatest men I have ever known."
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.