Jimmy Lennon
Encyclopedia
Jimmy Lennon Sr. was one of the top announcers of the boxing and wrestling world.
or over the television networks. Lennon first became a ring announcer in Santa Monica, California
, at the Ocean Park Arena, while working there as the regular patriotic singer of the National Anthem. The regular ring announcer at the time was unavailable so the event coordinator asked Lennon if he would fill in as ring announcer. At the time Lennon was wearing a tuxedo to sing in, and also wore the tuxedo during that first announcing job. His boss liked Lennon's performance so well, he hired Lennon as the regular fight announcer, tuxedo and all. Lennon started the "Tux Announcer" style that night.
Lennon appeared in 75 productions, including Raging Bull, Rocky III
, Main Event
, California Split
, Tough Guys
, Kid Galahad
, The Munsters
, and The Monkees
. Lennon was the character of a Jakks Pacific
action figure released in 2007, depicting his Rocky III appearance. He was the uncle of the Lennon Sisters vocal group on The Lawrence Welk Show
.
Lennon was a favorite among the Hispanic Community as he was a master at the Spanish dialect (and several other languages) which he presented whenever introducing a boxer or wrestler with a foreign name by accurately pronouncing difficult names often smudged by other announcers. He believed all men deserved to have their names properly pronounced as a sign of respect and honor.
effort by becoming a commissioned civil instructor as a butcher and cook. At age 17, Lennon was planning to go to college and become an English professor, but his father Herbert Lennon became ill and died at age 44 leaving Jimmy and his 19 year-old brother John Henry to work and support the large surviving family. He worked at multiple jobs singing, performing, sports events, athlete, MC, patriotic, and police events in and around Los Angeles.
, where he died in ER on April 20, 1992. He was a patient of Dr. Folett in Santa Monica,CA. He was conversing with St. John's clergy prior to his death. Private funeral services were first attended by family and friends in Santa Monica in a small chapel on 20th St. and Arizona Ave. followed by a larger public open-casket service and burial at Holy Cross near Sepulveda and Jefferson Blvd. As of this writing there remains no headstone at the site of rest. Surviving wife, Doris Mae, plans to be buried separately in-tandem above James upon demise.
Mr. Lennon is survived by his wife, Doris, and four children, Scott, Robin Thomas, Kim Fitzgerald, and boxing announcer Jimmy Lennon Jr.
Mr. Lennon is buried at Holy Cross Cemetery in Culver City, California
.
Lennon's father,'Bert' is also buried at Holy Cross (via Woodlawn Cemetery in Santa Monica,CA.)
.
Announcing career
Known as "The Voice of the Olympic" Auditorium in Los Angeles, California, as well as "The Irishman With the Spanish Accent." For over 40 years, Lennon's unique professional ring eloquence and dapper style of fight announcing and tuxedo attire, along with innovated showmanship and the singing of the United States National Anthem could be seen live at The Grand Olympic AuditoriumGrand Olympic Auditorium
The Grand Olympic Auditorium is the former name of a sports venue in Los Angeles, California, United States. Located at 1801 S. Grand Avenue, the venue was built in 1924 specifically for the 1932 Summer Olympics, which saw the boxing, weightlifting, and wrestling events held there. At the time it...
or over the television networks. Lennon first became a ring announcer in Santa Monica, California
Santa Monica, California
Santa Monica is a beachfront city in western Los Angeles County, California, US. Situated on Santa Monica Bay, it is surrounded on three sides by the city of Los Angeles — Pacific Palisades on the northwest, Brentwood on the north, West Los Angeles on the northeast, Mar Vista on the east, and...
, at the Ocean Park Arena, while working there as the regular patriotic singer of the National Anthem. The regular ring announcer at the time was unavailable so the event coordinator asked Lennon if he would fill in as ring announcer. At the time Lennon was wearing a tuxedo to sing in, and also wore the tuxedo during that first announcing job. His boss liked Lennon's performance so well, he hired Lennon as the regular fight announcer, tuxedo and all. Lennon started the "Tux Announcer" style that night.
Lennon appeared in 75 productions, including Raging Bull, Rocky III
Rocky III
Rocky III is a 1982 American film that is the third installment in the Rocky film series. It is written and directed by and stars Sylvester Stallone as the title character, with Carl Weathers as former boxing rival Apollo Creed, Burgess Meredith as Rocky's trainer Mickey, and Talia Shire as Rocky's...
, Main Event
Main Event
Main Event is Australia's only pay-per-view channel. It transmits through Foxtel, Optus Television and Austar, which jointly own the channel...
, California Split
California Split
California Split is a 1974 film directed by Robert Altman and starring Elliott Gould and George Segal as a pair of gamblers. It was the first non-Cinerama movie to use eight-track stereo sound.-Plot:...
, Tough Guys
Tough Guys
Tough Guys is a 1986 comedy starring Burt Lancaster, Kirk Douglas, Eli Wallach and Dana Carvey. It was directed by Jeff Kanew.Lancaster and Douglas made several films together, including I Walk Alone , Gunfight at the O.K. Corral , The Devil's Disciple , and Seven Days in May , becoming something...
, Kid Galahad
Kid Galahad
Kid Galahad is a 1962 musical film starring Elvis Presley as a boxer. The film was released by United Artists. The film opened at #9 at the box office when released in the United States in August 1962...
, The Munsters
The Munsters
The Munsters is a 1960s American family television sitcom depicting the home life of a family of monsters. It starred Fred Gwynne as Herman Munster and Yvonne De Carlo as his wife, Lily Munster. The series was a satire of both traditional monster movies and popular family entertainment of the era,...
, and The Monkees
The Monkees
The Monkees are an American pop rock group. Assembled in Los Angeles in 1966 by Robert "Bob" Rafelson and Bert Schneider for the American television series The Monkees, which aired from 1966 to 1968, the musical acting quartet was composed of Americans Micky Dolenz, Michael Nesmith and Peter Tork,...
. Lennon was the character of a Jakks Pacific
Jakks Pacific
JAKKS Pacific, Inc. is a designer and marketer of toys and consumer products, with a range of products that feature numerous children's toy licenses...
action figure released in 2007, depicting his Rocky III appearance. He was the uncle of the Lennon Sisters vocal group on The Lawrence Welk Show
The Lawrence Welk Show
The Lawrence Welk Show is an American televised musical variety show hosted by big band leader Lawrence Welk. The series aired locally in Los Angeles for four years , then nationally for another 27 years via the ABC network and first-run syndication .In the years since first-run syndication...
.
Lennon was a favorite among the Hispanic Community as he was a master at the Spanish dialect (and several other languages) which he presented whenever introducing a boxer or wrestler with a foreign name by accurately pronouncing difficult names often smudged by other announcers. He believed all men deserved to have their names properly pronounced as a sign of respect and honor.
Early Life
Lennon sang as a young boy in church and later formed a singing group, The Lennon Brothers, with his brothers in Venice, California. He also served the World War IIWorld War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
effort by becoming a commissioned civil instructor as a butcher and cook. At age 17, Lennon was planning to go to college and become an English professor, but his father Herbert Lennon became ill and died at age 44 leaving Jimmy and his 19 year-old brother John Henry to work and support the large surviving family. He worked at multiple jobs singing, performing, sports events, athlete, MC, patriotic, and police events in and around Los Angeles.
Death
After 10 years of heart treatments, including heart surgery and multiple doctor and hospital visits, Mr. Lennon was admitted to St. John's Hospital in Santa Monica, CaliforniaSanta Monica, California
Santa Monica is a beachfront city in western Los Angeles County, California, US. Situated on Santa Monica Bay, it is surrounded on three sides by the city of Los Angeles — Pacific Palisades on the northwest, Brentwood on the north, West Los Angeles on the northeast, Mar Vista on the east, and...
, where he died in ER on April 20, 1992. He was a patient of Dr. Folett in Santa Monica,CA. He was conversing with St. John's clergy prior to his death. Private funeral services were first attended by family and friends in Santa Monica in a small chapel on 20th St. and Arizona Ave. followed by a larger public open-casket service and burial at Holy Cross near Sepulveda and Jefferson Blvd. As of this writing there remains no headstone at the site of rest. Surviving wife, Doris Mae, plans to be buried separately in-tandem above James upon demise.
Mr. Lennon is survived by his wife, Doris, and four children, Scott, Robin Thomas, Kim Fitzgerald, and boxing announcer Jimmy Lennon Jr.
Jimmy Lennon Jr.
Jimmy Lennon, Jr. is an American boxing ring announcer who is employed primarily by Showtime as ring announcer for its Showtime Championship Boxing events and Strikeforce mixed martial arts programming...
Mr. Lennon is buried at Holy Cross Cemetery in Culver City, California
Culver City, California
Culver City is a city in western Los Angeles County, California. As of the 2010 census, the city had a population of 38,883, up from 38,816 at the 2000 census. It is mostly surrounded by the city of Los Angeles, but also shares a border with unincorporated areas of Los Angeles County. Culver...
.
Lennon's father,'Bert' is also buried at Holy Cross (via Woodlawn Cemetery in Santa Monica,CA.)
Championships and accomplishments
As a young boy Jimmy was chosen to be the pitcher at a softball celebrity sports event during which time he struck out the famous hitter BABE RUTH who later signed a photo of Jimmy throwing a ball at BABE. In high school in Venice,CA. Jimmy became a tennis champion. Jimmy went on to win many trophies and prizes at golfing events.He excelled at numerous sports and skills including hunting,basketball,running,magic tricks,languages,real estate law,golf,baseball,music,meat cutting,cooking,handyman repairs,and even sales and business.Lennon was inducted into the World Boxing Hall of FameWorld Boxing Hall of Fame
The World Boxing Hall of Fame is located in Riverside, California, United States, in Southern California. The WBHF is one of two recognized international boxing halls of fame with the other being the International Boxing Hall of Fame , with the IBHOF being the more widely recognized...
.
- Wrestling Observer Newsletter awards
- Wrestling Observer Newsletter Hall of FameWrestling Observer Newsletter Hall of FameThe Wrestling Observer Newsletter Hall of Fame is a professional wrestling hall of fame that recognizes people who make significant contributions to the sport. It was founded in 1996 by Dave Meltzer, editor of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter. The Wrestling Observer Newsletter Hall of Fame is not...
(Class of 1997)