Lance Russell

Lance Russell is a former professional wrestling announcer in the Memphis region from the 1970s through the early 1990s, particularly in Continental Wrestling Association. Partnered with co-anchor Dave Brown, Russell was in a very real sense the central figure of Championship Wrestling for several decades. Russell also used the mike to chastise and exhort wrestlers as matches occurred. Particularly brutal attacks elicited dismay and disgust from Russell; he often encouraged other wrestlers to run in from the locker room and offer assistance.

Russell's banter with Jerry Lawler, Bill Dundee, Jimmy Hart, and Dutch Mantel extended many years, and covered these individual's frequent turns between heel and babyface. Russell would get up from his chair to conduct interviews, walking around the front of the desk, standing shoulder-to-shoulder with the wrestlers, and using exaggerated facial expressions during the conversation. These interviews were often the highlight of Saturday morning television tapings. Russell also literally rang a bell to begin matches, in addition to pounding it loudly in futile attempts to halt out-of-control melees in the ring. Russell has also been nicknamed "Banana nose" by many of Memphis' heel wrestlers over the years.

Much of Russell's work in Memphis wrestling is shown in the 1989 documentary, "I'm from Hollywood". He is also interviewed in regards to the film's primary subject, Andy Kaufman. Russell appears in the 1999 Kaufman biographical film "Man on the Moon" as the Memphis ring announcer. The play-by-play announcer role was given to Jim Ross, the longtime WCW/WWE announcer.

Championships and accomplishments

*Wrestling Observer Newsletter awards
**Best Television Announcer (1984-1987)
**Wrestling Observer Newsletter Hall of Fame (Class of 1996)

External links

* [http://www.memphiswrestlinghistory.com/ Memphis Wrestling History]