Gene Okerlund facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Gene Okerlund |
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| Birth name | Eugene Arthur Okerlund |
| Born | December 19, 1942 Brookings, South Dakota, U.S. |
| Died | January 2, 2019 (aged 76) Sarasota, Florida, U.S. |
| Alma mater | University of Nebraska |
| Spouse(s) |
Jeanne Okerlund
(m. 1964) |
| Children | 2; including Todd Okerlund |
| Professional wrestling career | |
| Ring name(s) | Gene Okerlund |
| Billed height | 5 ft 9 in (1.75 m) |
| Billed weight | 212 lb (96 kg) |
| Billed from | Robbinsdale, Minnesota |
| Debut | 1970 |
| Retired | 2018 |
Eugene Arthur Okerlund (born December 19, 1942 – died January 2, 2019) was a famous American professional wrestling interviewer and announcer. He was also a television host. People knew him best for his work in the World Wrestling Federation (WWF), which is now called WWE, and World Championship Wrestling (WCW).
Many journalists have said he was the best interviewer in wrestling history. Hulk Hogan inducted him into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2006. Gene Okerlund had a special lifetime contract with WWE and continued to work on their shows.
Contents
Professional career
Early life and beginnings
Eugene Arthur Okerlund was born on December 19, 1942. His hometown was Brookings, South Dakota. He grew up in Sisseton and lived on an Indian reservation. He finished high school in 1960.
Gene was a great athlete in school. He played basketball, baseball, football, and ran track. After studying broadcasting at the University of Nebraska, he became a disc jockey. He worked at popular radio stations like KOIL and WDGY. He even used the name "Gene Leader" for a while.
Joining the AWA (1970–1984)
In 1970, Gene Okerlund left radio to join the American Wrestling Association (AWA). He started by filling in for the ring announcer and interviewer, Marty O'Neill. Soon, he became the main interviewer.
It was during his time in the AWA that Jesse "The Body" Ventura gave him his famous nickname, "Mean" Gene. Jesse Ventura said he jokingly called him "the Mean Gene Hot Air Machine," and "Mean Gene" stuck forever. His very first interview was with Nick Bockwinkel and Bobby Heenan.
Moving to the WWF (1984–1993)
Gene Okerlund stayed with the AWA until the end of 1983. Then, he joined the World Wrestling Federation (WWF), which was growing very fast. He worked for the WWF for nine years. He was their top interviewer and hosted shows like All-American Wrestling.
Gene sang the national anthem at the very first WrestleMania event. He also sang "Tutti Frutti" on The Wrestling Album. His interviews were very memorable, especially those with Hulk Hogan. Hogan often started his interviews by saying, "Well, you know, Mean Gene …"
At SummerSlam 1989, a funny moment happened. A backdrop for an interview with Rick Rude fell over, causing a bit of chaos. At Survivor Series 1990, Gene was next to a giant egg. The egg hatched, and out came the Gobbledy Gooker! Fans booed, but Gene and the Gooker danced in the ring.
Working for WCW (1993–2001)
Gene Okerlund made his last WWF appearance in September 1993. His contract ended, and he decided to join World Championship Wrestling (WCW). He debuted on WCW Saturday Night in November 1993.
In WCW, he mostly helped guide younger talent. His contract with WCW ended in 1996, and he was off TV for two months. He talked with the WWF again but signed a new contract with WCW. He returned to WCW Monday Nitro in November 1996. Gene even wrestled twice in WCW. He won both matches, one with help from Pamela Paulshock. He stayed with WCW until January 2001, when the WWF bought the company.
Back to WWE (2001–2018)
Before the WWF bought WCW, Gene Okerlund rejoined his old company. The WWF later changed its name to WWE in 2002. His first job back was at WrestleMania X-Seven in 2001. He hosted WWE Confidential for two years.
Gene also hosted WWE Madison Square Garden Classics. This weekly show on the MSG Network featured old WWE matches from Madison Square Garden. He also hosted the Hall of Fame section on WWE Classics On Demand.
Gene Okerlund was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame on April 1, 2006. Hulk Hogan inducted him. In 2008, Gene started hosting WWE Vintage Collection. This show featured old wrestling footage from WWE's huge video library.
On November 15, 2010, Gene did interviews on an "Old School" episode of Raw. He interviewed stars like John Cena and Randy Orton. He did them in the classic style from the 1980s. From 2016 until his death, Gene narrated the animated series WWE Story Time.
His very last WWE appearance was on January 22, 2018. It was at Raw 25 Years, where he interviewed AJ Styles.
Other media appearances
Gene Okerlund appeared in many other places besides wrestling shows. On November 12, 1985, he was on the TV show The A-Team. He was with other wrestling stars like Hulk Hogan. That same year, he even interviewed the famous entertainer Liberace.
He appeared as himself in the 1989 action movie No Holds Barred. He was also in the comedy films Repossessed (1990) and Ready to Rumble (2000). In Repossessed, he was a commentator for an exorcism scene.
Gene lent his voice to the 2000 snowboarding game SSX. He was the announcer for one of the levels. He was also one of the wrestling legends on the WWE Network show Legends' House.
In 2018, Gene Okerlund appeared in a Mountain Dew Kickstart commercial. He was with comedian Kevin Hart. He also made an appearance at the WrestleCade 2018 event in November 2018.
Personal life
In high school, Gene Okerlund had a band called "Gene Carroll & The Shades." They recorded a song in 1959. The band played at parties across the Midwest. In 2009, they were inducted into the South Dakota Rock and Roll Music Association's Hall of Fame.
His nickname "Mean Gene" was given to him by Jesse Ventura. It was ironic because many wrestlers and staff thought Gene was one of the friendliest people in wrestling. He was very close friends with Hulk Hogan and Bobby Heenan.
Gene Okerlund was married to his wife, Jeanne, since March 27, 1964. They had two sons, Todd and Tor. Todd played ice hockey for the University of Minnesota and was on the U.S. Olympic team in 1988.
In his later years, Gene faced some health challenges. He enjoyed boating, golfing, and spending time at his cabin in Big Sandy Lake during the summer.
Death
Gene Okerlund passed away on January 2, 2019, at age 76. He died in a hospital in Sarasota, Florida. His son, Todd, shared that Gene had suffered a fall. This made his health worse in the weeks before he died. Many WWE superstars and wrestling legends shared their sadness and condolences on social media. These included Ric Flair, Hulk Hogan, and Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson.
Awards and accomplishments
- New England Pro Wrestling Hall of Fame
- Class of 2005
- Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame
- Class of 2016
- World Wrestling Federation/Entertainment
- WWE Hall of Fame (Class of 2006)
- Slammy Award (2 times)
- Best Commentator (1986)
- Best Head (1987) with Bam Bam Bigelow
- Wrestling Observer Newsletter
- Most Disgusting Promotional Tactic (1995) 900 hotline advertisements promo
- Wrestling Observer Newsletter Hall of Fame (Class of 2016)
- Nebraska Pro Wrestling Hall of Fame inductee (2019)
See also
In Spanish: Gene Okerlund para niños
