Wrestling Icon 'Macho Man' Randy Savage Dies in Florida Car Accident

By Marc Schneider Posted May 20th 2011 12:49PM

Wrestling legend, snack pitchman and actor "Macho Man" Randy Savage died Friday in Seminole, Florida after losing control of his car while suffering a heart attack, his brother tells TMZ. Lanny Poffo says his brother was behind the wheel around 10 AM when the accident occurred. He was 58.

The Florida Highway Patrol later told the website that Savage and his wife, Lynn, were driving their Jeep Wrangler when the car veered across a concrete median, rushed through oncoming traffic and "collided head-on with a tree."

Savage was taken to Largo Medical Center where he died, and Lynn was rushed to a different hospital, but survived with minor injuries. According to officials, both were wearing their seat belts and alcohol is not suspected. An investigation is underway.

The couple had just celebrated their 1-year anniversary on May 10.

TRIPLE THREAT: Wrestler, Actor, Pitchman

Savage and Steamboat, 1987

As Bonesaw in 'Spider-Man'

Snap Into a Slim Jim, Ooooh Yeeeeeah

News Report on Savage's Death:

His former colleagues and admirers in the wrestling business have already begun pouring out their grief, including tag team partner Hulk Hogan who took to Twitter to reveal he had just reconnected with his old friend.

"I'm completely devastated, after over 10 years of not talking with Randy, we've finally started to talk and communicate," Hogan said. "I just pray that Randy's happy and in a better place and we miss him."

Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson posted on Twitter: "You were one of my childhood inspirations and heros. Strength, love and prayers to the Savage/Poffo family."

Shaun Michaels chimed in, saying "We've lost one of the greats!"

The man known to millions of fans for his flashy outfits, his "Oooooo Yeaahhhh" catchphrase and his feuds with countless rivals, Savage broke into wrestling in the early 1970s while at the same time playing minor league baseball under his born name Randall Poffo. After injuring his throwing arm he put the focus on pro wrestling.

"I traded my field of dreams for a ring of screams. Ooooh yeah!" Savage told the Chicago Tribune.

He picked the name 'Randy Savage' because a booker said his nickname at the time -- 'The Spider Friend' -- didn't him suit since he "wrestled like a savage." In 1985 he signed up with Vince McMahon's World Wrestling Federation and quickly became one of the league's more popular figures. His match with Ricky Steamboat in 1987's WrestleMania III is still considered one of the greatest ever.

Some of Savage's signature moves over the years included the Atomic drop, the hair-pull hangman, jumping knee drop, piledriver and the vertical suplex.

Some of Savage's most memorable moments involved his manager and real-life wife, "Miss Elizabeth" Ann Hulette. Though they were officially married in 1984, the WWF staged an elaborate "wedding" for the pair at Madison Square Garden in 1991. A year later they divorced and she died of a drug overdose in 2003 at the home of her boyfriend, Lex Luger.

Savage left the WWF for the World Championship Wrestling in 1994.

Savage also tried his hand in other forms of entertainment throughout the years, most notably as the celebrity spokesman for Slim Jim beef snacks dating back to the mid-1990s. "Snap into a Slim Jim, oooooh yeah!"

His acting career included the role of wrestler Bonesaw McGraw in the 2002's 'Spider-Man' and most recently he was the voices of "the thug" in Disney's 2008 animated film, 'Bolt.' Savage also showed up in several TV shows as himself, in 'Mad About You,' 'Baywatch' and 'The Jeff Foxworthy Show.'

http://xml.channel.aol.com/xmlpublisher/fetch.v2.xml?option=expand_relative_urls&dataUrlNodes=uiConfig,feedConfig,entry&id=1000386&pid=1000385&uts=1305915540

http://www.popeater.com/mm_track/popeater/movies/?s_channel=us.moviespop&s_account=aolpopeater,aolsvc&omni=1&ke=1

http://cdn.channel.aol.com/cs_feed_v1_6/csfeedwrapper.swf

Macho Man Randy Savage

HOLLYWOOD - FILE: Randy 'Macho Man' Savage (L) and guest arrives at the premiere of Walt Disney Animation Studios' "Bolt" held at the El Capitan Theatre on November 17, 2008 in Hollywood, California. According to reports on May 20, 2011, Savage, real name Randy Poffo, died in a car accident this morning in Tampa, Florida. (Photo by Michael Buckner/Getty Images)

Getty Images

Getty Images North America

Remembering Randy Savage

LOS ANGELES - FILE: Actor Randy Savage attends the 31st Annual American Music Awards at The Shrine Auditorium November 16, 2003 in Los Angeles, California. According to reports on May 20, 2011, Savage, real name Randy Poffo, died in a car accident this morning in Tampa, Florida. (Photo by Frank Micelotta/Getty Images)

Remembering Randy Savage

LOS ANGELES, CA - FILE: Pro wrestler Randy "Macho Man" Savage arrives at the premiere of the film "Spider-Man" April 29, 2002 in Los Angeles, California. According to reports on May 20, 2011, Savage, real name Randy Poffo, died in a car accident this morning in Tampa, Florida. (Photo by Vince Bucci/Getty Images)

Remembering Randy Savage

Tags: Macho Man Randy Savage

Comments

(184)

Friday 20 May

By Frmbul

Highest Rank Vote down Vote up Report this

Rip my brother you brought joy and anger to many but love to all

By PANTYsniffer

truely one of the greats in his field. right up there with all the legends. sorry to hear this. if you hated him, it means he did his job well.

By metallic1981

R.I.P Randy

By GreekPrincess80

Truely sad! My husband is a hude wrestling fan and always does the "Ooooooo yeahhh". I always thought it was so funny. What a shame! You will be missed.

By steven reynaga

HE WILL BE MISSED!!! OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH YYYYYYYYYEEEEEEEEEEEAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!

By joanjmak05

Wow that is really sad news. He was a real cool Guy and Loved his fans. R.I.P. Randy Savage. He will definetly be missed.

By LongDuckDong

R.I.P dude. Snap into a couple slim jims in heaven. OHHHHH YEAHHHHH!

By Jay

I am simply stunned...I hate losing someone that gave me great memories from my childhood. Bless the family.

By Mike DeCaro

Vote down Vote up Report this

I met Randy several times. My next door neighbor was Hulk Hogan Or Terry Hogan. We shopped at the same little country store and partied on are harleys at the same little park with a watefall in north stamford. Anyway Randy had that heart attack because he as all the others would pop steroids like candy the Hulkster will tell ya. Anyway it makes your heart muscle thick walled & it usually cause a heart attack or a blot clot in your lungs Like Jesse The Body ventura.Everyone who uses steroids dies early alway's from one thing or another But the biggest is a enlarged heart & there is nothing for it. And don't get me wrong! I'm not trashing Randy steroids were a way of life whenb he wrestled It was like if you were not wrestling for like 3-5 months and you were getting right back into it well you would hit the gym running & the steroids would get you big fast. Everyone did it and still does. Hopefully some have learned Hulk has a hard time walking his backs messed up he used to take zanax he called them todam polls the long purple sticks. Anyway it's sad that that profession takes many so young if you look back at how many died Big John Studd from steroids it cause Hodgkins The Britich Bulldogs Fat heart tissue these guys were all young. Randy was one of the greats But it was payup time for the steroid use. Will Miss you Buddy! I remember when elizabeth died from methadone and coke overdose awfully sad! We will miss you brother Ride on Ride on!

By nmxportep

Lowest Rank Vote down Vote up Report this

A little known fact is that his brother is the famous radio talk show host- Michael Savage.

By dandmclark

Wasn't his brother also "Leaping Lanny Poffo"?

By peter

that would be a falsehood--since Michael Savage's name is Michael Weiner--and Randy Savage is Randall Poffo, brother of Leaping Lanny Poffo--

By usmaels1

Is that true? I listen to Michael Savage all the time and like the fire he has...I can see him being Randy's brother...but is it true?

By Robert

No he's not. Randy Savage was born Randall Poffo.

By Larry

I just looked up that relationship with Michael Savage and that is not the case. Professionally both used the last name of Savage but that is not their birth names and are of no relation. Not that it is a big thing considering that Randy died today, I just wanted to set the record straight on that one. I just wondered how bad his heart attack was. If he had not been driving at that particular moment in time, would he have survived the heart attack on it's own? What an awful thing for his new wife.

By Tim

Randy Poffo went to high school in Downers Grove, Illinois, and was a very good athlete; particularly, in baseball. He was drafted as a catcher by the St. Louis Cardinals, but turned to wrestling when arm problems prevented him from pursuing a baseball career.

He is not related to that nutcase Michael Savage. Macho Man's brother was the poet laureat, Leaping Lanny Poffo.

By carey stock

His brother was Lanny Paffo,another wrestler. Salvage wasn't even his real name. He was Randell Paffo,soi don'tmthink so!(Mickeal Savage!

By platehead1

Michael Savage is no relation whatsoever to the Poffo family.

By frances

no he isn't........

By Mary

RIP, Randy, thoughts and prayers go out to your family. Sad

Page 1 of 10