Joey Marella


Joseph Anthony Marella was an American professional wrestling referee for the World Wrestling Federation and the adopted son of former wrestler and then WWF announcer Gorilla Monsoon from Willingboro Township, New Jersey.

Career

Joey Marella joined the World Wrestling Federation in 1983, and moved through the ranks until he was often assigned to referee feature promotion matches. In 1987, he served as the referee for the much-hyped match between Hulk Hogan and André the Giant at WrestleMania III as well as their rematch in 1988 at Wrestlemania IV. Marella was also the official for the 1992 SummerSlam main event of Bret Hart vs. Davey Boy Smith at London's famous Wembley Stadium. Marella was briefly suspended for a substance abuse problem in 1993 and then later re-hired. He was also part of the controversy at the 1994 Royal Rumble match in which he and former WWF referee Earl Hebner couldn't decide between Lex Luger and Bret Hart as to who had won the match.
During Marella's career as a WWF referee, while becoming one of the Federation's most respected in-ring officials, he also became the butt of jokes for heel based commentators especially when they were teamed with Marella's father Gorilla Monsoon with Monsoon regularly using one of his catch phrases "Will you stop" when they would criticize his performance. This was actually an inside joke, as the fact that Monsoon and Marella were actually father and son was not well known by fans until after Marella had died.

Other media

Marella also appeared in the 1989 WWF produced movie No Holds Barred as a referee during a wrestling match.

Death

He died on July 4, 1994, after he fell asleep at the wheel and crashed while driving home on the New Jersey Turnpike after a night of refereeing WWF matches in Ocean City, Maryland. Bruno Lauer, better known by his ring name Harvey Wippleman, was with him at the time and was critically injured. Lauer was wearing a seatbelt, while Marella was not.
Marella is buried next to his father Gorilla Monsoon at Lakeview Memorial Park in Cinnaminson, New Jersey. Images of a baseball player and a golfer were placed on his headstone due to his love of the two sports.
As a tribute, WWE ring announcer Tony Chimel named his son after Marella. Marella's sister Valerie also named a son after her brother.