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Irwin " Ernie " Jacob Roth (August 30, 1926 – October 12, 1983), known by the ring names The Grand Wizard of Wrestling and Abdullah Farouk, was an American professional wrestling manager. 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 ...
May 26, 2022 · Ernie Roth, AKA The Grand Wizard of Wrestling, was a spittle spewing, venom spouting, gaudily attired, smooth-talking heel WWWF manager who fans loathed with every ounce of their being. And although Roth was terrific in his role as the sidekick of the biggest stars of the 1970s and early ’80s, his life outside of the ring places him high on ...
- Evan Ginzburg
Ernie Roth could turn a phrase like no other, and that quality led him to success in all facets of his professional life. At the beginning of his career, Roth was a disc jockey in the Midwest looking for success; but when his career was over, The Grand Wizard was lauded as one of the most nefarious managers in the history of sports-entertainment.
- 10 Wasn’T Originally A Wrestler
- 9 Started as Abdullah Farouk
- 8 Innovated Manager interference
- 7 The Origins of The Grand Wizard Name
- 6 Managed Numerous Champions
- 5 Stood Out as A Manager
- 4 Managed Superstar Billy Graham
- 3 One of “The Three Wise Men of The East”
- 2 Left WWE in The Early 1980s
- 1 Died in 1983
In the old days, every pro wrestling manager was a former wrestler themselves, who either aged out of in-ring competition (Freddie Blassie) or found that they were a better manager than a wrestler (Lou Albano). Neither is the case for The Grand Wizard, who was a DJ and road manager for musicians before entering the wrestling business. A diminutive ...
Ernie Roth got his start in pro wrestling in the 1960s when he was discovered by Detroit area promoter Jim Barnett. Working under names like “J. Wellington Radcliffe” and “Mr. Clean,” Roth found his initial success managing the original Sheik, Ed Farhat, uncle of ECW star Sabu and not to be confused with the more famous Iron Sheik. Working under th...
It can’t be underrated what a game changer Ernie Roth was, especially during his Abdullah Farouk days. His act as a foreign heel was an early, influential entry in the trope, which would be repeated countless times over the years as seen in Mr. Fuji, Skandor Akbar, and others. On top of that, he contributed one of the most important innovations to ...
In the early 1970s, Ernie Roth made his debut in WWE — then known as the World Wide Wrestling Federation — adopting the name The Grand Wizard. For modern fans, this choice in nom de guerremay raise a red flag or two, as the term Grand Wizard is a known leadership position in the Ku Klux Klan. However, this name isn’t just another entry in things fr...
While The Grand Wizard is one of those names that’s sadly forgotten to modern fans, he was actually an extremely successful manager. In addition to managing big names like Ernie Ladd, Killer Kowalski, Ox Baker, and Sgt. Slaughter, The Grand Wizard also led several stars to titles. Champions under The Grand Wizard’s influence include WWE Champion St...
A supremely influential figure and a tremendous heat magnet, it should also be noted that The Grand Wizard stood out among his managerial peers for reasons that had nothing to do with his lack of in-ring background or stature. On top of all that, The Grand Wizard was known for his garish, colorful outfits, with signature elements including an overl...
In 1977, The Grand Wizard gained what might be his biggest client in Superstar Billy Graham, who’d been wrestling in the NWA and AWA. Graham himself would be an influential figure, with his charisma and bodybuilder physique inspiring the following generation of “body guys” like Hulk Hogan. Just as important would be the landmark victory Wiz and Gra...
While these days pro wrestling managers only seem to have one client at a time (with exceptions) back in the day managers were in charge of entire stables of wrestlers to accompany to the ring. In the 1970s, The Grand Wizard, “Classy” Freddie Blassie, and Captain Lou Albano were three top heel managers in WWE, and were often referred to as “The Thr...
One of The Grand Wizard’s last clients in WWE was Don Muraco, a newcomer to the promotion in 1981 who ended up leaving by the end of the year. When Muraco returned in late 1982, his manager was suddenly Captain Lou Albano, with Wiz nowhere to be seen. On his podcast, Don Muraco shed some light on his manager’s departure. Basically, at the time Vinc...
The Grand Wizard stepped away from the business and retired to South Florida with his partner, who was a wrestler. Sadly, this retirement would be cut short as Ernie Roth died of a heart attack in October 1983. Tributes ensued, including Sgt. Slaughter saluting an empty corner of the ring during a match. Over a decade after his death, WWE would off...
- Senior Author
Ernie Roth (June 7, 1929 – 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 camp (style) flamboyant outfit of sequined jackets, wraparound sunglasses, and a brightly-colored turban decorated with jewels and ...
Aug 22, 2022 · The Grand Wizard Shows Up In WWE. Ernie Roth changed things up when he arrived in WWE. It was here that he took on the name The Grand Wizard, which he did as a form of irony. Roth is Jewish, and he took on the title The Grand Wizard as a slam at the Ku Klux Klan, where he was a weaselly manager who talked loud but couldn't back it up without help.
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View The Grand Wizard Bio Information including height, weight, hometown, signature move, championships and more. ... Ernie Roth could turn a phrase like no other, and that quality led him to ...
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