10 great wrestlers who have passed on and their legacies

#2 Lance Russell

Lance Russel and unknown indy talent

In the bombastic world of wrestling announcers, you can have flash like Jesse Ventura, you can have comedic skills like Bobby Heenan, or you can have substance, like Lance Russel.

Russell started his career at the end of the 50s, when wrestling was making great headway on television. He was widely praised for his simple, earnest, and smoothly-spoken announce style.

When asked how he approached an announcing gig, Russell replied that he took it seriously. He believed that wrestling fans appreciated him treating the business like a genuine sport, and brought a quiet dignity to the announce team even when confronted by a giant with apoplexy.

While he spent most of his career working for Lawler on the Memphis wrestling scene, Russell would wind up in Turner's WCW promotion for several years. Often teaming with fellow announce team legend Gordon Solie, Russell's everyman approach and "What in Samhill?" catchphrase still resonate with fans today.

Legacy

While not as famous as Jim Ross or Jerry Lawler, Lance Russell continues to be the gold standard for wrestling announce teams. The WWE encourages their neophyte announcers to watch footage of Rusell's days in the announce booth. Many modern-day announcers, such as Kevin Kelly, directly take their inspiration from Russell.

We remember Russell with this interview, in which he spoke at length about his life and career.