Lanny Mark Poffo (December 28, 1954-February 2, 2023) was a Canadiannote -American Professional Wrestler and manager best known for his time in WWE in the 1980s and early 1990s. He debuted in 1973 and worked for various National Wrestling Alliance territories as well as his father Angelo's outlaw promotion International Championship Wrestling, which ran in direct opposition to Jerry Lawler's CWA promotion in Memphis. His older brother was the legendary "Macho Man" Randy Savage.
He was usually a Jobber in WWE, until he turned heel and became The Genius, where he became a manager for Mr. Perfect and The Beverly Brothers. He would be signed to WCW in 1995, being paid $150,000 a year to just sit at home and do nothing after plans to give him the name "Gorgeous George" fell through. This arrangement apparently lasted until WCW closed its doors in 2001.
Among his in-ring achievements, he was a former 3x ICW World Heavyweight Champion
, a former 4x ICW World Tag Team Champion (3x w/George Weingeroff and 1x w/Mike Doggendorf), a former 2x NWA (Detroit) World Tag Team Champion (1x w/Angelo Poffo and 1x w/Chris Colt), a former NWA Mid-America Heavyweight Champion, a former NWA Mid-America Tag-Team Champion (w/Bobby Eaton) and a former Gulf Coast Tag Team Champion (w/ Randy Savage).
"Genius Tropes":
- Autobiography: 1988's Wrestling With Rhyme
-
The Cast Showoff: He wrote all his own poetry. - Cultured Badass: Would read poetry to the audience on the back of frisbees as "Leaping" Lanny and on a scroll as The Genius.
- Defeating the Undefeatable: While it was only a count-out win, The Genius does hold a win over Hulk Hogan on an episode of Saturday Night's Main Event.
- Demoted to Extra: After becoming The Genius he spent more time as a manager than as a wrestler.
- Finishing Move: Moonsault, Honor Roll
- Genius Bruiser: Was this as The Genius.
- Overshadowed by Awesome: When your brother is Randy Savage...
- Power Stable: The First Family, led by Jimmy Hart in Memphis.
- Red Baron: "Leaping" and "The Genius."
- Sibling Yin-Yang: Macho Man was a wild, colorful alpha male, while The Genius was a poetic know-it-all with theatrical mannerisms.
- Underwear of Power
- Ur-Example: One of the first North American wrestlers to use the Senton Bomb and the moonsault on a regular basis.
- Wrestling Family: His brother was "Macho Man" Randy Savage, and his father, Angelo Poffo, was a famous wrestler in the 1950s and 60s.
