30 Facts About Lance Russell

Lance Russell was an American sports broadcaster and ring announcer, primarily serving as a professional wrestling announcer and commentator in the Memphis region from 1959 to 1997.

Lance Russell's career began at a television station in Jackson, Tennessee.

Lance Russell was asked to work as an announcer for a match promoted by Nick Gulas and Roy Welch.

Lance Russell had previous experience calling other sports such as basketball, boxing, football, and baseball.

Lance Russell decided to air wrestling at 11am, against Gulas' wishes, and his move paid off with Saturday morning wrestling.

Lance Russell worked as an announcer in Memphis beginning in 1959.

Lance Russell called matches primarily for NWA Mid-America and its descendant promotion, the Continental Wrestling Association.

Lance Russell's long-term announcing partner was radio disc jockey Dave Brown; their partnership began in 1967.

Lance Russell had a great personality and a great sense of humor.

Lance Russell helped Brown become the local weatherman, a career he continued for decades.

Lance Russell did his best to sell angles, show his disdain for heels' reprehensible deeds, and wrest good promos from wrestlers with limited skills on the microphone.

Lance Russell called the "Tupelo Concession Stand Brawl" between The Blonde Bombers and Jerry Lawler and Bill Dundee.

Lance Russell called the 1981 "Empty Arena match" between Lawler and Terry Funk.

An infamous interview Lance Russell was involved in saw Jos LeDuc take an ax and legitimately cut into his own flesh as he said he was taking a blood oath to destroy his opponent, as well as to get Jerry Lawler in the Memphis Coliseum.

Lance Russell, who served as an executive for the TV station's owner was shocked and justifiably concerned about what had just taken place.

An episode from 1981 found Lance Russell being physically attacked by the Dream Machine and footage of the angle was included in the 2011 documentary Memphis Heat.

Lance Russell was involved in angles where Jimmy Hart dumped flour on his head and was physically attacked by The Road Warriors.

Lance Russell called the match where Jerry Lawler won the AWA World Heavyweight Championship from Curt Hennig.

Lance Russell's popularity grew as a new fanbase embraced his distinctive style.

Lance Russell benefited from the national exposure Memphis enjoyed during Jerry Lawler's feud with entertainer Andy Kaufman thanks to I'm From Hollywood, a documentary chronicling Kaufman's foray into Memphis.

Lance Russell made his debut in World Championship Wrestling on the March 11,1989 edition of NWA World Wide Wrestling alongside Jim Ross.

Lance Russell left WCW in 1993, but still occasionally called matches for the company.

Lance Russell worked as an announcer for Smoky Mountain Wrestling toward the end of their existence.

Lance Russell has been called "one of the greatest wrestling announcers of all time" by SLAM Wrestling and "integral" to Memphis Wrestling.

Lance Russell was well-respected in his community, both by his co-workers, his family, and the members of his church.

Lance Russell's achievements earned him various industry awards including inductions into the Pro Wrestling Observer Newsletter Hall of Fame and NWA Hall of Fame.

Lance Russell is interviewed in regards to the film's primary subject, Andy Kaufman.

Lance Russell appears in the 1999 Kaufman biographical film Man on the Moon as the Memphis ring announcer.

Lance Russell was married for 67 years to his wife Audrey until her death in 2014.

On October 3,2017, Lance Russell died in Memphis while visiting his family of complications from a broken hip sustained after a fall, at the age of 91, just days after his daughter Valerie died from cancer on September 29.