Ernie Roth

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Ernie Roth (born June 7, 1929 in Florida, died October 12, 1983), best known as The Grand Wizard of Wrestling, also well known as Abdullah Farouk, was a professional wrestling manager of many infamous heels. Not a wrestler himself due to his small stature, he was noted for his flamboyant outfit of sequined jackets, wraparound sunglasses, and a brightly-colored turban decorated with jewels and feathers.

Career

Ernie Roth got his start in the entertainment business as a disc jockey, and became involved in professional wrestling as a manager in the 1960s in Detroit-based territories. Roth first worked under the names "Mr. Clean" and "J. Wellington Radcliffe", but more famously, he also portrayed "Abdullah Farouk", a man from the Middle East who was sent by the late Original Sheik (Ed Farhat)'s wealthy "family" to handle their son's affairs in the US.

Sporting a turban, Farouk took great pains in trying to control his madman protege. But he also carved a niche for himself as a deceitful, underhanded character who insulted US fans whenever he had a chance, laying a template for heels for years to come. Farouk was a pioneer of "manager interference", as he physically would attempt to alter a match's outcome in the Shiek's favor whenever he could (inciting a full-scale riot on one occasion). By the early 1970s, after establishing himself as one of the most hated managers in the wrestling business, Ernie Roth parted with the "Abdullah Farouk" character and began a stint with the World Wide Wrestling Federation (now known today as the WWE), where he became The Grand Wizard of Wrestling.

The Grand Wizard of Wrestling, playing the "heel manager" role to the absolute hilt, had an instant impact in the WWWF. Almost immediately after arrival, the Wizard managed the late Stan Stasiak to defeat Pedro Morales for the WWWF Championship in Philadelphia on December 1, 1973. Stasiak lost the title just nine days later to the "Living Legend" Bruno Sammartino, but the Wizard's reputation was still pristine. In fact, the Wizard guided a second protege, the flamboyant and chiselled Superstar Billy Graham, to the very same Championship on April 30, 1977, when Graham overcame Sammartino in Baltimore. Graham is now seen as the virtual prototype for later Superstars like Hulk Hogan, Jesse Ventura and "HBK" Shawn Michaels, and with the Wizard as his manager was seemingly unstoppable. Graham and the Wizard were arguably the first performers to be cheered without requiring a "push" as a babyface, once again laying a template for superstars to come.

However, on February 20, 1978, former amateur wrestling standout Bob Backlund took on Superstar Billy Graham for the WWWF Championship at Madison Square Garden, and in one of wrestling's biggest shocks, managed to dethrone the champion. The Wizard made it his duty to gain revenge on Backlund, sending charges such as Don Muraco, Ken Patera and Greg Valentine after the champion. The Wizard never managed a world champion again, however he did manage the very first Intercontinental Champion Pat Patterson, and later Patera (who defeated Patterson for the title in April 1980 after the Wizard and Patterson parted ways) and Muraco to the same championship.

Other proteges of the Wizard included Killer Kowalski, "Crazy" Luke Graham, Sgt. Slaughter, "Big Cat" Ernie Ladd, Ox Baker, and Cowboy Bob Orton (father of current WWE SmackDown! superstar Randy Orton). In the '70s, the Wizard was also known as one third of WWE's "Evil Trinity" of managers, the other two-thirds being Capt. Lou Albano and "Classy" Freddie Blassie. They were a loose conglomerate of heel managers that conspired to make life for babyfaces difficult.

Sadly, on October 12, 1983 Ernie Roth died of a heart attack at the age of 54. The (by then) World Wrestling Federation, and the rest of the wrestling world, was understandably stunned by this sudden tragedy. The Federation honored The Grand Wizard on several broadcasts after the announcement of his passing. Tributes were rife from fans, performers and promoters alike, as Ernie Roth had made many cherished friends and had entertained millions of fans during 25 years in the industry. In 1995, the Federation honored Roth's life and career by inducting him into their World Wrestling Federation Hall of Fame.

Accomplishments/Awards

• Member of WWE Hall of Fame (inducted in 1995)
• Roth won the Pro Wrestling Illustrated (PWI) Manager of the Year Award in 1973 & 1977. He also was awarded the 1983 PWI Editor's Award after his death.

Famous Grand Wizard quotes

• (after Superstar Graham beat Bruno Sammartino to become WWWF Champion): "The flags at Mama Leone's are flying at half-staff today!"

• "I should not only be Manager of the Year, but I should also be the Manager of the Generation!"

• (after losing the 1977 Manager of the Year honors): "That's the greatest robbery since the Brinks job! You'll hear from my attorneys on this!"

• (when asked by Vince McMahon why he and protege Luke Graham hear boos whenever they appear in an arena): "I think it's the BOOZE in the fans that make them BOO us!"

• (in an interview conducted by former protege Pat Patterson): "Oh, I didn't recgonize you, Patterson! Usually you're laid out (on your back), while the referee counts one, two, three!"

• "It's hard to be humble when you're great!"

• "The fans of the Long Island area will be treated to a visual feast, when they witness the man with a million and one muscles: Superstar Billy Graham!"