WWE’s run, during the Golden Era, was unlike any other in history. The company went from a regional success to a global juggernaut. There larger-than-life wrestlers led charge as they broke into the mainstream and created an entity that would dwarf every other promotion.
The wrestlers get most of the credit for the era’s success but an oft-overlooked group was the managers. The Golden Era was stuffed with some of the greatest managers that have ever graced a wrestling ring.
Amazing characters that added that extra dimension to whichever charge was in their care. Below are the best of these managers.
Slick
Slick was a Golden Era mainstay, but he does not get the credit he deserves. During his time, he was always entertaining. He had a great look that was different from every other manager’s.
His flashy clothes and cool swagger made him instantly recognizable. It set him aside from the giants that he was used to having in his stable.
As a heel manager, Slick had a knack for getting a great reaction. He knew exactly how to work the crowd and pile as much heat on himself and his wrestler.
His talent went a long way to getting men like Akeem, Butch Reed and Hercules over. He was the perfect mouthpiece for the men who didn’t have to talk as one of their strong points.
Miss Elizabeth
In an era where excess was the theme, it would have been hard for a more refined person to get lost in the shuffle. Luckily, Miss Elizabeth was such a class act that she began to get noticed by the audience.
She was easy on the eyes and always held herself with a certain degree of decorum. Against the big sweaty men, of the era, she stood out and became an overnight sensation.
Elizabeth was not a one-dimensional valet either. She would routinely help The Macho Man during his matches.
Her talents were just not in her looks. Elizabeth was a multi-dimensional talent that helped to convey the emotions of the match. She was a valuable piece of The Macho Man puzzle.
The Genius
Leaping Lanny Poffo floundered when he first entered the Golden Era. He was more-or-less a jobber that didn’t get any response from the audience. Then he morphed into his Genius persona and became one of the most unlikeable managers of an era.
The Genius epitomized every quality that the fans hated. His entrance, with his graduation gown. The way that he used his intelligence to belittle everyone within earshot and let’s not forget the obnoxious poem readings before every contest.
He was the man that you loved to hate and the one you couldn’t wait to see get their comeuppance. The Genius was the perfect heel manager.
Jimmy Hart
Is there anyone who wasn’t instantly annoyed when The Mouth of the South started on his frantic tirades? Jimmy Hart was the energetic heel manager whose annoying behavior got under the skin of just about everyone.
His high-pitched voice bore into the minds of everyone and drew the type of heat that some managers would only dream of.
Hart’s influence on the Golden Era cannot be understated. The wrestlers in his stable read a who’s who of WWE greats.
Men such as Bret Hart, Jim Neidhart, The Honky Tonk Man, and Greg Valentine all had the privilege of having The Mouth of the South escort them to the ring. His outlandish clothes and obnoxious megaphones were perfect for his character and for those in his charge.
Sensational Sherri
Sherri Martel was a great wrestler. In WWE she was part of a women’s division that didn’t get any traction, and therefore she didn’t get much attention from the audience.
That is until she became a valet and adopted her Sensational persona. A persona that would make her one of the most hated heels in company history.
As a former wrestler, Martel was someone who could pose a physical threat during a match. This was not something a lot of the managers of the era could do. It was a quality that gave her people a massive advantage.
Add to that audacious attire and mic skills to back it up and you have the most well-rounded manager on the roster.
Mr. Fuji
WWE’s storytelling has heavily leaned on the character of the foreign menace. It’s an often-used trope that gets an immediate reaction from the crowd. When it works it can produce gold, such as the man known as Fuji.
As a wrestler, but more importantly, as a manager, Mr. Fuji was superb in his role. He had the foreign heel character down. He dressed the part, had the perfect sneer and his promos were awesome. Fuji would usually be given a wrestler who was not great on the stick.
Men such as The Barbarian, The Warlord, and The Berserker were weak in those areas and would benefit greatly from Fuji’s influence. His stable would have been nothing if he were not there to raise his talents.
Bobby Heenan
Bobby Heenan was not only the best manager of his era, but he could also be on the short list of the greatest managers of all time. There was not a time when Heenan was performing that he was not at the top of the card.
His underhanded tactics were legendary, and no one could draw heat like Heenan.
Heenan’s greatness extended to everything that he was involved in. Countless main event programs would be nothing without him. He added so much to everything and everyone that was around him.
Heels drew that much more heat and faces got that much more of a reaction when they finally got their hands on him. Heenan is the measuring stick for all other managers in WWE.
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