Debra Marshall: Difference between revisions
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==Early life== | ==Early life== | ||
Raised in [[West Blocton, Alabama]], Marshall became a track runner, cheerleader, and homecoming queen at [[Holt High School]] before attending the Lee Strasberg Theatre Institute in New York. She then became a flight attendant | Raised in [[West Blocton, Alabama]], Marshall became a track runner, cheerleader, and homecoming queen at [[Holt High School]] before attending the Lee Strasberg Theatre Institute in New York. She then became a flight attendant and was selected runner-up in the [[1984]] Miss Texas USA pageant. She married Chicago Bears defensive tackle Steve McMichael in [[1985]]. He retired from football after the [[1994]] season and, two years later, joined World Championship Wrestling (WCW) as "Mongo". | ||
==Professional wrestling== | ==Professional wrestling== | ||
Debra | Debra followed her husband into the WCW as one of the many women who would stand on the entrance ramp and cheer as Hulk Hogan and Randy Savage entered the ring. Her role became more that of a manager when she was involved in the storyline framing the re-creation of the "Four Horsemen". Her stable or wrestlers disbanded in [[1998]] when she left WCW and divorced McMichael on [[October 12]], [[1998]]. | ||
Debra started her WWF career | Debra started her WWF career in the role of a shrewd businesswoman, wearing business suits and rarely smiling as she managed wrestler Jeff Jarrett, whom she often helped through cheating and interference. During Jarrett's feud with Goldust and in numerous subsequent matches she would flash Jarrett's opponent or strip to a bra and g-string to cause a distraction. She also used Jarrett's guitar to bash opponents over the head, usually resulting in disqualification. | ||
In February [[1999]] Debra entered the ring as the culmination of a feud with Ivory. She continued to participate in tag-team grudge matches with Nicole Bass. She won the WWF Women's Championship from Sable in a controversial "Evening Gown Match" on [[May 10]]. She lost the title to Ivory in a [[June 14]] match featuring interference from Bass. | In February [[1999]] Debra entered the ring as the culmination of a feud with Ivory. She continued to participate in tag-team grudge matches with Nicole Bass. She won the WWF Women's Championship from Sable in a controversial "Evening Gown Match" on [[May 10]]. She lost the title to Ivory in a [[June 14]] match featuring interference from Bass. | ||
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==Personal life== | ==Personal life== | ||
On September 6, 2000, Debra married [[Stone Cold Steve Austin|Steve Austin]] and changed her name to Debra Williams.<ref name=marriage/> On June 15, 2002, police were called to their residence in [[San Antonio, Texas]]. They found a hysterical Debra with bruises and a bloody nose. Austin had left the house and police asked him not to return. On August 14, Austin was arrested and charged with domestic abuse. He pled no contest on November 25 and was given a year's probation, a $1,000 [[Fine (penalty)|fine]], and ordered to carry out eighty hours of [[community service]]. In addition, he was banned from drinking for a year, as alcohol was believed to be linked to his offense. Austin filed for divorce on July 22, 2002, and the couple were legally divorced in 2003. Debra later auctioned her wedding ring off on [[eBay]]. The money was donated by Debra to "SafePlace", a legal clinic which assists the victims of domestic abuse. The ring went for $34,000. | |||
In June and July 2007, Debra made several appearances in various newspapers and news programs, along with [[Billy Graham (wrestler)|"Superstar" Billy Graham]], to discuss the [[Chris Benoit double murder and suicide]]. Debra described [[steroid]]s and [[drug]]s as the cause of Stone Cold hitting her in June 2002 and suggested links with them to the death of Chris and his family. She said Benoit was a "nice person" but that drugs can change people, as they did Austin. Austin beat her three times, including holding her down on the floor and hitting her in the head and back while on drugs, which was the reason she divorced him. Debra also told ''Fox News'' that WWE had a "code of silence" where she was not allowed to reveal that Stone Cold hit her, as it would cost the company millions of dollars because Stone Cold was one of their biggest stars. Debra said she revealed the information five years later as she was suffering from depression from the whole ordeal. | |||
In June and July 2007, Debra made several appearances in various newspapers and news programs, along with [[Billy Graham (wrestler)|"Superstar" Billy Graham]], to discuss the [[Chris Benoit double murder and suicide]]. Debra described [[steroid]]s and [[drug]]s as the cause of Stone Cold hitting her in June 2002 and suggested links with them to the death of Chris and his family. | |||
==Filmography== | ==Filmography== | ||
*'' | *''Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Next Generation'' (1994) as "Cop At Bud's Pizza" | ||
*'' | *''Beyond the Mat'' (1999) as "Herself" | ||
*'' | *''Biography'' (1999) in the episode "The Life and Death of [[Owen Hart]]" | ||
*'' | *''Teen Choice Awards'' (1999) as "Presenter" | ||
*''Stone Cold Steve Austin: What?'' (2002) | *''Stone Cold Steve Austin: What?'' (2002) | ||
*'' | *''Mad TV]'' (2002) in episode 7.15 | ||
*'' | *''Weakest Link'' (2002) in the episode "WWF Superstars Edition 2" | ||
*''Hard Knocks: The Chris Benoit Story'' (2004) as "Herself" | *''Hard Knocks: The Chris Benoit Story'' (2004) as "Herself" | ||
*'' | *''Just Another Romantic Wrestling Comedy'' (2006) as "Jennie/Dancer" | ||
*'' | *''Inside Edition'' (2007) as "Herself" | ||
*'' | *''Gathering of Heroes: Legend of the Seven Swords'' (2009) as "Reina" | ||
==References== | ==References== | ||
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[[Category:Living people]] | [[Category:Living people]] | ||
[[Category:Actors]] | [[Category:Actors]] | ||
[[Category: | [[Category:Wrestlers]] | ||
Revision as of 11:08, 7 April 2009
Debra Gale Marshall (born March 2, 1960) is an actress and former professional wrestler and manager. She was a star for World Wrestling Federation (WWF) from 1998 to 2002.
Early life
Raised in West Blocton, Alabama, Marshall became a track runner, cheerleader, and homecoming queen at Holt High School before attending the Lee Strasberg Theatre Institute in New York. She then became a flight attendant and was selected runner-up in the 1984 Miss Texas USA pageant. She married Chicago Bears defensive tackle Steve McMichael in 1985. He retired from football after the 1994 season and, two years later, joined World Championship Wrestling (WCW) as "Mongo".
Professional wrestling
Debra followed her husband into the WCW as one of the many women who would stand on the entrance ramp and cheer as Hulk Hogan and Randy Savage entered the ring. Her role became more that of a manager when she was involved in the storyline framing the re-creation of the "Four Horsemen". Her stable or wrestlers disbanded in 1998 when she left WCW and divorced McMichael on October 12, 1998.
Debra started her WWF career in the role of a shrewd businesswoman, wearing business suits and rarely smiling as she managed wrestler Jeff Jarrett, whom she often helped through cheating and interference. During Jarrett's feud with Goldust and in numerous subsequent matches she would flash Jarrett's opponent or strip to a bra and g-string to cause a distraction. She also used Jarrett's guitar to bash opponents over the head, usually resulting in disqualification.
In February 1999 Debra entered the ring as the culmination of a feud with Ivory. She continued to participate in tag-team grudge matches with Nicole Bass. She won the WWF Women's Championship from Sable in a controversial "Evening Gown Match" on May 10. She lost the title to Ivory in a June 14 match featuring interference from Bass.
That summer Jarrett began blaming Debra for his losses even as he climbed to European and Intercontinental WWF championships. He favored her "assistant" Miss Kitty. Debra turned on him in a September 26 match against Chyna, smashing his guitar over his own head and causing him to win the match by disqualification. She and Chyna continued their feud with Jarrett and Kitty for the rest of the year, but made only a few appearances, including an 8-woman Sudden Death match. Marshall turned down an offer to pose for Playboy at the end of that year.
In 2000, Debra acted as ring announcer for a WWF Tag Team Championship match, but was not seen for most of the summer. She made a full-time return in the fall of that year, playing the role of Lieutenant Commissioner under Mick Foley. By this time, Debra had married Stone Cold Steve Austin, and the marriage was incorporated into on-screen storylines.
Debra stood by him throughout his reign as WWF Champion during which he became a villain. She began wearing leather pants and tight black t-shirts with Stone Cold written on them for backstage segments and interviews. She also started baking cookies, which she served to the other Alliance members. The cookies supposedly tasted terrible, but no one told her, except a somewhat tactless Austin.
In early 2002, Austin feuded with Triple H, which led into an argument between Debra and Stephanie McMahon on January 14. The argument escalated into a catfight when Debra slapped Stephanie and pulled her down by her hair. They fought for about two minutes until WWF officials separated them.
For the rest of the year she made only a few incidental appearances backstage. Her final appearance was as a guest on "Excess", which aired two days after her last "Raw" appearance. She followed Austin in his departure from the then-renamed WWE in June 2002.
Marshall resurfaced in wrestling during 2009's WrestleMania weekend, participating in charity events and autograph sessions.
Acting
Before becoming involved in wrestling, Debra had a small role in the 1994 film Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Next Generation as a policewoman.
In 1999, Debra presented two awards at the Teen Choice Awards. On February 16, 2002, she and Steve Austin appeared on an episode of Mad TV. On March 10, 2002, Debra appeared on an episode of The Weakest Link alongside several other members of the WWE roster. She also appeared in Just Another Romantic Wrestling Comedy as "Jenny". Debra will be in the upcoming film Gathering of Heroes due for release in 2009.
Personal life
On September 6, 2000, Debra married Steve Austin and changed her name to Debra Williams.<ref name=marriage/> On June 15, 2002, police were called to their residence in San Antonio, Texas. They found a hysterical Debra with bruises and a bloody nose. Austin had left the house and police asked him not to return. On August 14, Austin was arrested and charged with domestic abuse. He pled no contest on November 25 and was given a year's probation, a $1,000 fine, and ordered to carry out eighty hours of community service. In addition, he was banned from drinking for a year, as alcohol was believed to be linked to his offense. Austin filed for divorce on July 22, 2002, and the couple were legally divorced in 2003. Debra later auctioned her wedding ring off on eBay. The money was donated by Debra to "SafePlace", a legal clinic which assists the victims of domestic abuse. The ring went for $34,000.
In June and July 2007, Debra made several appearances in various newspapers and news programs, along with "Superstar" Billy Graham, to discuss the Chris Benoit double murder and suicide. Debra described steroids and drugs as the cause of Stone Cold hitting her in June 2002 and suggested links with them to the death of Chris and his family. She said Benoit was a "nice person" but that drugs can change people, as they did Austin. Austin beat her three times, including holding her down on the floor and hitting her in the head and back while on drugs, which was the reason she divorced him. Debra also told Fox News that WWE had a "code of silence" where she was not allowed to reveal that Stone Cold hit her, as it would cost the company millions of dollars because Stone Cold was one of their biggest stars. Debra said she revealed the information five years later as she was suffering from depression from the whole ordeal.
Filmography
- Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Next Generation (1994) as "Cop At Bud's Pizza"
- Beyond the Mat (1999) as "Herself"
- Biography (1999) in the episode "The Life and Death of Owen Hart"
- Teen Choice Awards (1999) as "Presenter"
- Stone Cold Steve Austin: What? (2002)
- Mad TV] (2002) in episode 7.15
- Weakest Link (2002) in the episode "WWF Superstars Edition 2"
- Hard Knocks: The Chris Benoit Story (2004) as "Herself"
- Just Another Romantic Wrestling Comedy (2006) as "Jennie/Dancer"
- Inside Edition (2007) as "Herself"
- Gathering of Heroes: Legend of the Seven Swords (2009) as "Reina"