My World with Jeff Jarrett - Lance Russell [Show Notes] (Patreon)

Man oh man let’s keep the Memphis train rolling here on My World Jeff! Today we’re going to be discussing the voice of Memphis Lance Russell.

Lance Russell was born on March 18th in Memphis, Tennessee. The impact of Lance on professional wrestling isn’t as great as his impact on so many people in Tennessee is that correct?

He was a professional wrestling fan from his youngest days. He began broadcasting local wrestling in 1954 in Jackson, Tennessee working for Nick Gulas and Roy Welch. Is that correct?

Lance didn’t do just professional wrestling but he did minor league baseball, boxing, and college football. Was there anything Lance couldn’t do?

He was even featured in the May 5, 1958 issue of Billboard magazine because he was the host of the second adult dance party television show in the country called “Lead Out.” How crazy is that?

He began in Memphis in 1959 calling matches for NWA Mid-America and its eventual descendant promotion, the CWA.

When do you remember the first time hearing Lance Russell’s voice?

Russell was the one who made the decision to stick Memphis wrestling on WHBQ-TV at 12:30 pm on Saturdays is that right?

Putting wrestling in that time slot was a trend setter effect as it gained huge ratings, getting between an 18 and 23 rating and that would equate to between 60 and 72 share. That was at its highest 350,000 viewers. To put that in perspective the area population during that period was less than 1.4 million people. Station managers saw that across the board and many areas began to replicate putting wrestling in that timeslot. Without Lance putting wrestling there…do you think Memphis wrestling has the impact it did?

In my research I found that it was the highest rated wrestling show in the United States for more than two decades, and at its peak it outrated everything locally on prime time television except for shows like “Dallas”, “Three’s Company”, “Happy Days” and “All in the Family” at its peaks. Can you put into perspective for our listeners who aren’t familiar with that…what exactly does that mean?

Lance Russell once told Steve Beverly, who wrote the legendary wrestling newsletter “Matwatch,” that his mentality when announcing a wrestling show is that when you look at the camera, you treat it like there’s only one person on the other end, a friend of yours who you are having a conversation with. Do you think that’s been missing in professional wrestling commentary?

Without Lance Russell we don’t have Jerry “the King” Lawler. In 1965 a 15-year-old kid named Jerry did some drawings of some of the area wrestlers and mailed them to Lance Russell at WHBQ TV in Memphis. Russell was impressed by them and phoned Lawler to let him know how good he was. In those days, they didn’t tape the Monday night matches at the Ellis Auditorium which was the predecessor to the Mid-South Coliseum. So Lance would have to recap it on the Saturday morning show and he started to use Lawler’s drawings of the finishes to show to the viewers. How cool is it that without Lance there’s no Lawler?

In 1967 Lance added Dave Brown to the mix. Lance & Dave was how they were known to Memphis and what a combo they were. There are a ton of people who equate baseball announcers such as Vin Scully, Jack Buck and Harry Karry as their soundtracks to summer. But Lance & Dave were the soundtracks to a lot of people’s lives each and every week in Memphis were they not?

What was it about Lance & Dave that just made them so good together?

Lance Russell was a major part of the biggest power play in Memphis wrestling history. The story goes that Nick Gulas and your father were butting heads over the booking of Nick Gulas’ son George that your father then found out he had been swerved out of all the points he was purchasing from Gulas & Roy Welch. Your father had the rights to the Mid South Coliseum and your grandmother Christine had the Louisville Gardens which were the two best drawing buildings. It’s been said that the three most important people to the deal for your father & grandmother were Jerry Lawler, Lance Russell and Dave Brown. Here you’re talking about the top wrestler…and the announcers. Is this how you were told the story?

Your father approaches WMC-TV with a package deal. They’ll get the market’s highest rated locally produced television show, the biggest star in Memphis wrestling, and the local iconic personality in Russell along with Brown who wasn’t just the color guy…but he was the freaking weather guy! And WMC agrees! Do you know if Lance felt comfortable in the middle of a wrestling war?

WMC debuted the show but Lance & Dave had to finish up their previous deal so the first few weeks were without them. WMC is flooded with complaints until Russell & Brown show up. Lawler even breaks character at the end of their first interview together as he’s the top heel and says, “I have to say it’s great to see that big nose of yours again.” The level of respect Lance had is unmeasured is it not?

Russell wasn’t just an announcer but he also had a role in syndicating the TV show. He also was a co-promoter out of Lexington, Kentucky and he ran out of the Rupp Arena. It turned dicey at times there when the Poffo Family of the outlaw ICW promotion would show up at the shows. There was even an incident between Randy Savage & Bill Dundee outside a gym where Dundee pulled a gun on Savage but Savage took it away from him and broke his jaw with it. This is over professional wrestling Jeff. I get that times were different back then but wow Jeff.

There was a kind of fallout between your dad & Lance when Lawler pulled another power play. Lawler attempted to pull Lance from the company when he saw how much your father was making compared to himself. Your dad ended up giving Lawler 50% of the promotion but the story always was your dad was very offended by Russell’s role in what Lawler was doing. The story always was that your dad cut his pay but Lance has always denied it. Do you know what happened here?

Did that create a serious distrust between your dad & Lance?

When did you first meet Lance?

What were your first impressions of him?

What his role in your career when you were first starting?

Did you feel like he held anything against you being Jerry’s son?

There were so many infamous angles and moments in Lance’s career. As we discussed in the Moondogs episode he was a part of every single Concession Stand brawl. Probably the most infamous moment in the 80s for Lance was the “empty arena” match between Lawler & Terry Funk. What exactly did Lance add to these matches that few others could?

There’s many promos that Lance was a part of and if you check the My World Social media page we’ll post a link to a youtube video that is legitimately 1 hour and 36 minutes of some of Lance’s greatest moments.

LANCE RUSSELL TRIBUTE  RIP

In 1981 one of the biggest angles Lance was a part of was Dream Machine. What can you tell us about Troy Graham - the Dream Machine?

Dream Machine blows a gasket on Lance Russell (1981) Classic Memphis Wrestling Promo

Lance being such a stoic announcer made him such easy fodder for heels but his credibility was never compromised. Is that something that is vastly important for a lead announcer?

In one infamous angle - Jimmy Hart’s last before he leaves for the WWF - sees Jimmy pour flour on Lance.

Jimmy Hart leaves Memphis dumping on Lance Russell(BEST VERSION)

Could anyone besides Lance pull this off?

Did Lance take anyone leaving Memphis tough?

Also Lance is the soundtrack to one of the most infamous angles in Memphis wrestling. And it’s you and Tojo Yamamoto…

Memphis Wrestling: The most HEATED TV angle in history! 1

Memphis Wrestling: The most HEATED TV angle in history! 2

Can you imagine this with anyone else being the soundtrack?

Every big Memphis moment is with Lance Russell in your ear. Did you ever see Lance get hot or blow up over something?

Could anyone imagine anyone else doing commentary over Lawler & Kauffman’s feud and angle? You can’t hear anything from the Mid South Coliseum and not hear Lance’s voice am I right?

Did anyone dare play any ribs on Lance?

Was it a privilege to have Lance call your early matches?

What was Lance like as someone who liked to be prepared? Now guys go up to people like JR and give them their move names but what was Lance like to prep for? Did he ask questions or just go out there and talk?

What was your relationship like with him?

He actually leaves Memphis in 1989 for a job with WCW. At 63 years old he takes a leap to the “national” stage. Do you know why he did this?

Is he one of the greatest announcers in your mind…or the greatest?

A lot of people put Lance, JR and Gordon Solie as the top 3 of all-time? Would you agree with that?

In a funny irony JR was Lance in Man on the Moon with Jim Carrey … the movie about Andy Kauffman and Lance was the ring announcer.

Lance did return to Memphis eventually. Was the relationship with your dad ever the same after he left?

Was there ever talk of bringing Lance to TNA?

Do you think Mike Tenay is the only person to come after Lance to be the closest to him?

Did you speak to Lance at any point after TNA started? Did you have any relationship with him towards the end of his life?

Lance passed away on October 3rd just a few days sadly after his daughter passed away from cancer. Were you able to pay your respects to him?

What is Lance’s legacy in the professional wrestling business?

How many talents and acts got over because of him in your estimation?

Do you think Memphis reaches it height if Lance Russell doesn’t bring Jerry Lawler around which in turn leads to Jackie Fargo training Lawler and so on and so forth?

AdFreeShows.com Top Guy Brad Stanton asks, “Lance Russell became more popular because of VHS tape trading.  Was he surprised by that?”

AdFreeShows.com My Push member Gavin asks, “Assuming Dave Brown as Lance’s best partner, who was your “other” favorite when Lance went national with NWA? JR? Caudle? Solie? And as a follow up, what did Lance think of working with those guys as opposed to Brown?”

Next week Jeff we’ll be discussing when you returned to USWA in 1995 during your hiatus from the World Wrestling Federation. Your big feud with Jesse James Armstrong and the Armstrong family … defending the Jarrett family … defending the USWA against Smoky Mountain Wrestling … the end of Smoky Mountain. What more do you think we’ll be talking about?