Lanny Mark Poffo alias Leaping Lanny Poffo and the Genius, was a Canadian-American professional wrestler, motivational speaker, poet and actor.
Poffo was a second generation professional wrestler, his father being Angelo Poffo. His brother Randy Savage was also a professional wrestler.
Poffo debuted in the World Wrestling Federation (WWF) on June 21, 1985 at Madison Square Garden defeating Terry Gibbs.
Although both Poffo brothers joined the WWF at the same point, their relationship was never acknowledged by the promotion.
While Lanny was not a headlining WWF star like his brother, he initially built a niche for himself wrestling as a babyface.
In his first role as Leaping Lanny Poffo, he would bring frisbees to the ring, read a short poem written on one of them that he himself had penned and then throw the frisbees into the crowd.
In 1989, Poffo turned heel and adopted the persona of “The Genius”, a conceited, self-proclaimed poet and scholar.
He would often recite his own limericks and poems before and after his matches.
The Genius was a successful heel character, and Poffo feuded with several top WWF stars of the era, including Hulk Hogan, Ultimate Warrior and Bret Hart.
Poffo left the WWF in 1994 and wrestled for several other promotions, including World Championship Wrestling (WCW) and Extreme Championship Wrestling (ECW).
He retired from professional wrestling in 2003.
In addition to his career in professional wrestling, Poffo was also a motivational speaker and poet.
He wrote several books of poetry, including The Genius: The Poetry of Lanny Poffo and The Genius: Limericks from the Heart and Lungs!.
He also appeared in several films and television shows, including The Simpsons and WWE Raw.
Lanny Poffo cause of death
Lanny Poffo, the professional wrestler and brother of Randy Savage, died on February 2, 2023, at the age of 68. The cause of death was heart failure.
Poffo’s friend and fellow wrestler Jim Duggan announced his death on Twitter.
“I am very sad to announce that my good friend Lanny Poffo passed away this morning,” Duggan wrote. “He was a great wrestler, a great entertainer, and a great friend. I will miss him very much.”
He began his wrestling career in the early 1970s and quickly became known for his flamboyant personality and his in-ring skills.
He wrestled for several different promotions throughout his career, including the National Wrestling Alliance, the World Wrestling Federation, and World Championship Wrestling.
Poffo retired from professional wrestling in 1994.
He later worked as a color commentator for several different wrestling promotions, and he also appeared in several films and television shows.
