Dream Machine blows a gasket on Lance Russell (1981) Classic Memphis Wrestling Promo

Lance Russell and the Memphis Wrestling fans in the studio are amused, having just watched Dream Machine's "Ally Oop" video. However, Dream Machine doesn't think it's funny and, in fact, believes Lance is trying to make him look like a fool. Warning: Some viewers may be shocked to see Lance Russell being man-handled and intimidated like this.
Date: 1981
Location: WMC TV5 Studio, Memphis
Interview: Lance Russell
Related video...
"Dream Machine 'Ally Oop' Music Video"
• Video
From Playlist: "Memphis Wrestling (1981)"
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Dream Machine: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Troy_Graham
Lance Russell: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lance_Ru...
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[@aeromedical6776]

Memphis wrestling was absolute must watch TV on Saturday morning when I was a youngster. It’s a shame that Vince McMahon killed off the regional wrestling venues like this with his “world domination” attitude. This was some of the best wrestling in the market in its heyday and Lance Russell amongst the best announcers to ever take up a mic.

[@ronaldshank7589]

Vince McMahon Jr. was unbelievably greedy...and look at where it got him, in the long run. Now, he's allegedly no longer involved with WWE, or any of that. He's gotten himself in more trouble than you can shake a stick at! Triple H has taken over, though, and the Ratings are starting to climb back out of the proverbial cellar. Stephanie, his Wife, is rumored to have come back to WWE. Let's see how it goes from here...

[@JepMasta]

Jim Cornett told a story about this on his podcast. Allegedly the plan was for the dream machine to run out, grab the microphone out of lance Russell‘s hand, and cut a promo. Unfortunately when he ran he slipped on the floor and ran into Lance, and so essentially to break his fall he grabbed lances lapels and the two went down together. It’s one of those great happy accidents that happened in the world of wrestling from time to time.

[@tleatherland]

Like the Shockmaster? "You wanna piece of me?"

[@danmount9462]

I like how Jimmy Hart improvised and told Dream Machine to back off Lance. Touching him was too far.

[@ronaldshank7589]

Only Corny would come up with a story like that!😉🙃🙂😂

[@timothyburns2768]

What I heard is Dream Machine,Jimmy Hart, and Eddie Marlin were going to do as a inside joke and not let Lance Russell know what was going to happen ,so his reaction was real.

[@smithjohn4679]

link?

[@JerGer918]

RIP Dream, Lance & Eddie

[@DoubleAgents]

YOU CAN'T ATTACK LANCE RUSSELL!!!!!

[@ronaldshank7589]

I think that the Dream Machine just proved that Lance Russell CAN be attacked! However, what caught me by surprise was when Jimmy Hart actually tried to help Lance Russell, by attempting to get the Dream Machine off of Lance Russell! As bad as he was, even at this point in his career, Jimmy Hart actually showed some decency here! Dream Machine was totally unhinged! He was nobody to mess with, that's for sure!!!

[@stevemtc1]

@@ronaldshank7589 the thing was Dream Machine was threatening Jimi Harts well being it wasn’t so much helping Lance it was not taking ships in uncharted waters with Eddie Marlin. The Dream Machine was a master promo

[@ronaldshank7589]

@@stevemtc1 I see what you're saying. In later years, though, we actually began to see a bit more decency and good-guy mannerisms out of Jimmy Hart. Yes, mostly he was a Heel Manager, but at times, he could actually serve as a Face Manager, although it was seldom seen. Bless his little ole Heart, "The Mouth of the South" Jimmy Hart will not only be one of the top Managers of all time, but he'll always be a TRUE LEGEND in my humble opinion. One other thing: What really gets me, is that, even though Jimmy Hart actually tried to help Lance Russell here, Lance didn't even have one word of thanks for Jimmy Hart, but instead, just pushed him away, and basically gave Jimmy Hart the "Go on, Get outta here" treatment. No thanks...not even for a moment! If you think about it, Lance Russell shouldn't have been running his mouth, and laughing at, The Dream Machine, in the first place! Lance Russell nearly became the victim of a permanent nightmare!!!

[@DolFan316]

@@ronaldshank7589 IKR? You KNOW somebody's crossed the moral event horizon when even the vile villainous Jimmy Hart feels the need to apologize!

[@InTheKnow2011]

0:40 - "Lawler, you will be tarred and feat-THARRED" LOL

[@MrNYCman530]

Lance never had the makings of a varsity athlete

[@JerrySowders-os3dr]

I really thank you for posting these wonderful memories.

[@volstar8]

Lance was about to put the Dream in a figure 4. Luckily Marlin intervened before Lance got it locked in or Dream would have suffered a severe injury.

[@ronaldshank7589]

Man, the only thing that Lance Russell could hit the Dream Machine with, is a lawsuit! Lance Russell looked legitimately scared for his life! He must've thought:"If nobody helps me, I'm a dead man"! Thankfully, even Jimmy Hart tried to help Lance, which proves that, even at his worst, Ol' Jimmy Hart still had some humanity in him.

[@andrebond678]

Dave Brown had the day off that Saturday and if Lance got hurt or injury and not able to continue doing the show is may had to be stopped taping. And lucky that Marlin intervene Lance will be hurt and I get Jimmy Hart credit he do got a humanity in his heart and tell Lance is not going happen again when Eddie Marlin told Jimmy Hart that Dream Machine will be fine $1000 not go to wrestler today,tomorrow,or any other day.And I think Dream Machine got the message and not go harm Lance again and Lance could file lawsuit against Dream Machine. I also I remember Dave Brown say something about Wrestling many years ago he say "Wrestling is unrealistic but is a danger sports".

[@DolFan316]

@Brandy Baker 11 years old now 😊 And that's exactly the way I see it too!

[@Sargebri]

Doing that to Lance Russell was like someone coming after Gordon Solie in either Florida or Georgia. That' is what made it so shocking.

[@missumenimsatanass]

Gordon would busted a bat over his head later in the day. Gordon LOVED his liquor and could get crazy at times. Haha

[@madbrowniac7871]

Strange how the Bob Armstrong Heel turn in NWA Southeastern against Charlie Pratt is unmentioned. According to Pratt, when Armstrong attacked him in Dothan on TV Pratt was about to become a new Daddy. As if that weren't enough, the Heat gathered was so intense that hostile Marines training at a nearby Base were determined to find Bob Armstrong (a Marine himself) and kick something of his!😂🎤🇺🇸🤼‍♂️B.W.

[@therealevilgenius7482]

The good ole days of wrestling.

[@kenriley2352]

This old school stuff is great love it lmao

[@fblassie]

Hahahahaha! Eddie Marlin: "The Dream Machine fined a thousand dollars"!

[@jaytheinsider8301]

Classic!!! RlP Lance# wrestling commentator/announcer icon.

[@PsychomachineryEBM]

This is why Lance Russel is such great... RIP Troy Graham

[@lindabradshaw-fi2xh]

Growing up this came on at noon on local NBC station some of my best childhood memories are watching "rasslin"

[@TitleTown1000]

Did Marlin say the Dream 'was fired $1000'

[@roadgeek09]

TitleTown1000 sounds like it

[@MaestroDawg65]

And just a year earlier he was Troy T. Tyler. Duh huh!

[@soln4suhreborn]

LOL!! Lance's mic went one way and the papers he had flew the other way. You guys should to a video on all the times Lance Russell got ruffed up because he caught pure-dee HELL!! Memphis wrestling at it's CRAZIEST and we LOVE IT!!

[@robertbishop5357]

lance being manhandled like solid was by muraco.

[@DaveLittleEpic]

Lawler was gonna get tired and feathered!

[@InTheKnow2011]

Never seen Lance Russell get buffaloed like this. Ever. BTW, how do you get 'fired $1,000'?

[@douglaspatrick868]

I wish they would have had a mutli camera set-up and got some crowd shots, the faces would have been wild to see. NOBODY touched Lance!

[@warchildbloodhawk3012]

I lived in Memphis at this time. Where is the beginning of the video? Jerry Lawler made a video with the song Alley Ooop and that us why he is blowing a gasket.

[@michaelconnors7668]

I am on the Dream Machine's side on this one. Lance Russell had it coming.

[@ronaldshank7589]

That's my line of thinking, too. However, I just read through the comments that I came to before yours, and it turns out that the whole thing was used to "Sell" a match between The Dream Machine, and Jerry "The King" Lawler. The whole thing was a huge rib on Lance Russell! Dream wasn't actually going to hurt Lance. However: Everybody that was in on it, was told what was going to go on in this little segment, except Lance Russell. The reason for that was because they wanted a pure, legitimate response from Lance! Well...they got one, all right! Lance was terrified! Not until he went backstage, did he find out that the whole thing was a rib, that had been played on him, and he was told the reason why they'd approved Dream to be able to do that entire thing. Even Eddie Marlin, the guy that told Dream, that he was "Fined $1,000.00", was in on it! Dream wasn't the kind of guy that would actually hurt Lance Russell. They just wanted to see his reaction, that's all. If this had really been real, The Dream Machine would've left Lance Russell in a pool of his own blood! That's how powerful The Dream Machine was! And intensity? Wooooo!!!!! Dream really cranked up the intensity level that day!!!

[@cheerwhiner7829]

I have watched a lot of Memphis wrestling, and I have NEVER seen this. 😳

[@johnoman6617]

Lance Russell taking a bump.

[@ronaldshank7589]

While The Dream Machine roughed Lance up quite convincingly, you notice that he never hit Lance. Probably wanted to, but didn't.

[@kevinpayton2664]

I was scared for Lance that day.

[@ronaldshank7589]

Well, if Mr. Lance Russell wouldn't have been making fun of The Dream Machine like that, Dream would've never turned Lance Russell's World into a Nightmare for him!

[@timburns1499]

I heard that everyone knew what was going to happen except Lance Russell so his reaction would be real and they laughed about it backstage.

[@soln4suhreborn]

Terry Funk was about to get him on one occasion during that empty arena match situation. He wanted to drag Lance Russell because Jerry Lawler was late making it to the arena. Randy Savage got all up in his and Eddie Marlin's face one time looking for Jerry Lawler.

[@missumenimsatanass]

Jerry hogged all the wrestlers TV Time back then and they would travel a long way to get to the TV taping and was promised tv time but ad always Jerry would go waaaaay over on his time then come out 50 times during the show to get on the mic. Jerry Lawler was one lucky SOB. He did favors and got the push of a lifetime. I still find him scummy after hearing about the 13 yr old! 😡

[@GregoryWeagle]

Nah; it was fined $1000. That is certainly harsh compared to Ron Wright getting only a $100 and 15 day suspension for his part in knocking a referee out.

[@garyrasberryjr.552]

But to be fair, Dream Machine didn't have to worry about fans setting his airplane on fire like fans did to Ron Wright.

[@stanbrekston]

that was when everybody was getting 'tarred & feathered'.

[@gl6996]

Lance shouldn't have made fun of Dream. And old "High Pockets" Eddie Marlin came out to save Lance. Love it!!! 🤣😂😆

[@zzremington]

Those were the best, and in a Baxter suit to boot!

[@davidlayne4147]

There's a man in the funny papers we all know. ALLEY OOP, OOP, BOOP BOOP.

[@soln4suhreborn]

@EccentricCinema LOL "Whuss wrong with yeu may'annn!!! What the hell's a-matter wit yeu, haaahh??!!"

[@ronaldshank7589]

Definitely! It really didn't pay for Lance to make fun of The Dream Machine. He could make ya go from having great dreams, to having dark and scary nightmares, real quick!!!

[@jamesmarcus612]

Oh my God! You did NOT touch Lance Russell at all. Real talk . Jesus

[@CKO92]

Wow...and they call Dean Ambrose unstable?

[@friedchickenicedtea]

Ambrose is about as unstable as a warm summer breeze.

[@jonathanturbide2232]

Bobby Daniels Ah give me a break. Give Ambrose all the freedom these guys had back then and he would be much more "unstable" and entertaining than Dream Machine.

[@XxXxTwofirstnames69420xXxXx]

Jesus, that was heavy.

[@yardlet6]

@jmcampbell78 Especially the brown stain in the pants seat.

[@alanunseld4942]

Dam lance bout broke a hip there

[@ronaldshank7589]

The Dream Machine literally looked like he wanted to rip Lance's head off of his shoulders, right then and there! I ain't never seen The Dream Machine so mad in my life! Somebody shoulda checked the back of Lance's pants, to see if he pooped 'em!

[@cloudywon]

Lance Catamaran

[@maraviyoso8473]

I saw him in Utica, NY

[@litehouse6]

"Lance you trying to make me look like a fooooo!?" Great stuff and the WWE is garbage.

[@No1BRC]

This is so fucking hilarious 😂 good ol'times

[@thegreaseboys3263]

Lance Russell, the Bill Lumberhg of proffesional wraslin baby.

[@GregoryWeagle]

"Just remember it's a work, okay?" DAMMIT!! I was hoping that this was a all huge rib by Jerry Lawler on poor Troy Graham. I mean it's obvious that the music video should have Dreamweaver as the music instead of Alley Ooop. Come on; that had to be a huge rib.

[@alanunseld4942]

Wow that escalated quickly

[@madbrowniac7871]

Speaking of old school Alan nice to have the name Unseld known here. I've always known it by Wes.B.W.

[@Deonteashe]

Is that Eddie marlin ?

[@davecody4326]

Channel 5 wrestling on Saturday mornings

[@GetBenched2010]

YOU CAN'T ATTACK LANCE RUSSELL!!!

[@DolFan316]

Even modern day SJWs wouldn't try to cancel Lance if he was still alive.

[@szczesciejestkoloruczarneg749]

_Classic Memphis Wrestling Promo_

[@MrIndeeply]

LOL this was as real as it get DAMN i forgot about that episode gotta Love Memphis Wrestling back then

[@glennrobbins2372]

This is classic! Today's wrestling pales in comparison. I used to live in Philly back in the 80's and as wrestling was gaining in popularity the TV and cable stations were getting wrestling shows from all over. Not only did I get to see the WWE, CWF, NWA(later WCW), WCCW, AWA, and the UWF. I loved how Lance was not afraid of calling a wrestler out on any wrongdoing they did. I am surprised as the territories got bought up, the WWE or WCW didn't pick him up as a commentator. I hope he's in the hall of fame.

[@MrHmg55]

I don't think he wanted to move away from Memphis, especially not to the NYC/Connecticut area. He did work with Gordon Solie briefly (a pairing that should have been a lot better than it turned out to be), but otherwise Lance Russell was rooted in Memphis.

[@madbrowniac7871]

He did a stint with WCW for awhile in the very early Nineties. Memphis was pretty much Lance Russell's base of operations. According to Jim Cornette, Lance Russell is said to have hosted the very first Studio Wrestling show way back in 1953 in Phil Hickerson's Tennessee hometown of Jackson.B.W.

[@jmcampbell78]

That Baxter suit probably needed to be cleaned after this.

[@t.c.8299]

Corny brought me here.

[@friedchickenicedtea]

Well we know about Dream Machine and there's another video where Curt Hennig was about to kill him, who else did Lancer draw the ire of?

[@ronaldshank7589]

Probably plenty of other Wrestlers. He sure seemed to favor Jerry "The King" Lawler a lot, though. Putting up with being called "Banana Nose", and having to put up with lines from The King like "I'm glad to see you're back! It's better than seeing your front"! Jerry Lawler and Lance Russell were very close friends, though, even after all the humiliation that Jerry put Lance through from time to time. I even remember a skit that these two did, where Jerry dressed up like Lance Russell, and even topped his costume off with one of the biggest plastic noses that I ever saw in my life! Lance came out in Wrestling Tights (Imagine that one for a moment, folks!!!), and what looked like an Army Helmet! That made me laugh-hard!!! Man, that was not only classic, it was one for the ages!

[@kevinpayton2664]

Bill Dundee slapped him, Jimmy Hart poured flour on him, and if I'm not mistaken, Jerry Lawler put his hands on Lance.

[@Parlimant_Strifey]

Memphis so corrupt at the time with that Lawler and Lance Russel. The Funkster was right about this no good wrasslin territory.

[@blockaderunner]

Lance probably sued the heck outta tha Dream Machine after that

[@ronaldshank7589]

Couldn't have blamed him, if he did. This was literally scary to watch!

[@bloodlegion4874]

This was when it was fun watching wrestling. It was more believable and storylines were better.Today is only fun watching the Divas because they're hot. Otherwise it sucks

[@thedarkchild86]

BOY ...LANCE BEEN ASKING FOR THAT FOR A VERY LONG TIME

[@ronaldshank7589]

As great as Lance Russell was, there were definitely times when he seemed to be kinda smarmy. Then, at times, when Wrestlers would go at it against each other, Lance would try to use his voice to get them to stop. That, of course, was about as useful as somebody trying to hold the Ocean back with a broom!

[@karlkolshak9989]

have any if you besides me noticed lance Russel was the Peter Cushing of professional wrestling and I love it when he gets assaulted especially struck he not only sells it better than the wrestlers but carries out the "beat up a gentle old man "bit better than amyonenin Hollywood I only could ever endure lance Russel dave Brown him rods tony SHIVANI and jim.cornette and Gordon sole and most others made it sound drab and boring amd.lance russel.could even parlay drab and boring into appeal

[@RealArtfulDodger]

LMAO "Peter Cushing of pro wrestling".