JAMES DUDLEY BIO

Although he was rarely seen by the fans, James Dudley is one of the most important and influential men in sports-entertainment history. In the 1950s and ‘60s, when fans tuned into WWE's weekly TV show, few realized the enormous role Dudley was playing behind the scenes. Dudley began working in sports-entertainment for Jess McMahon, grandfather of current WWE Chairman, Vincent K. McMahon. Later, Dudley became a close confidant of Vincent J. McMahon -- known as Vince, Sr. to his associates. When Vince Sr. asked Dudley to manage the site of WWE's television broadcasts, Washington, D.C.'s Turner Arena, history was made as Dudley became the first African-American to run a major arena in the United States. In 1994, Dudley became a member of the first full WWE Hall of Fame class, with WWE Chairman, Vincent K. McMahon personally inducting him.