Irwin "Ernie" Roth (August 30, 1926 – October 12, 1983) was an American Professional Wrestling manager known for his work for the then-WWWF as The Grand Wizard. He started as Abdullah Farouk, the manager of The Sheik and pioneered "manager interference." As The Grand Wizard, he managed Mr. Fuji and Professor Toru Tanaka to two reigns as WWWF World Tag Team Champions
, Stan Stasiak and "Superstar" Billy Graham to the WWWF World Heavyweight Title, and Pat Patterson, Ken Patera and Don Muraco to the WWE Intercontinental Heavyweight Title. He died of a heart attack on October 12, 1983. He would be posthumously inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 1995.
"Tropes of Champions":
- Awesome Moment of Crowning: His induction into the WWE Hall of Fame in 1995.
- Costume Porn: Well, just look at him.
- I Have Many Names: The Grand Wizard (of Wrestling), J. Wellington Radcliffe, Mr. Clean, Abdullah Farouk and Armstrong K.
- Non-Action Guy: The first manager in WWE history who had not previously been a wrestler, paving the way for Slick, Paul Bearer, Jim Cornette, Paul Heyman and others.
- Power Trio: Alongside "Classy" Freddie Blassie and Captain Lou Albano.
- Smug Straight Edge: From an interview Vince was conducting with him and "Crazy" Luke Graham:"We think it is the booze in the fans that is causing them to boo us, because everyone who's not imbibing knows greatness when they see it!"
- Sunglasses at Night: Always wore sunglasses indoors.
- Take That!: A "Grand Wizard" was the title given to the leader figures of the original incarnation of the Ku Klux Klan during the Reconstruction Era. Roth, who was gay and Jewish, took the name for exactly that reason and this purpose.
- Wrestling Family: He was the godfather to Don Muraco's daughter.
