Bob Caudle (August 2, 1930 - November 16, 2025) was an American professional wrestling announcer most notable for his time with The National Wrestling Alliance (NWA) and World Championship Wrestling (WCW).
Career[]
Caudle was born in Charlotte, North Carolina. His television broadcasting career began in Wilmington, North Carolina. He then moved to another broadcasting position in Savannah, GA. While in Savannah in the late 1950s, Caudle hosted a televised studio wrestling show. He worked for Jim Crockett Sr. who was a long-time Promoter in the National Wrestling Alliance (NWA). The territory was then known as NWA Atlantic Coast Wrestling and in 1973, changed to NWA Mid-Atlantic Championship Wrestling after the death of Jim Crockett Sr. when his son Jim Crockett Jr. then took over as the promoter for a very successful run. Caudle had worked as a weatherman and an anchorman for the late news for Raleigh, North Carolina's WRAL-TV (Channel 5) in the 1950s. Jim Crockett Promotions' weekly tapings for their televised wrestling shows took place at the WRAL studios. Jim Crockett Promotions tapped Caudle to be their play-by-play announcer. Caudle worked for WRAL until 1981 when Jim Crockett Promotions moved the television tapings to Charlotte, North Carolina at WPCQ. Caudle commuted weekly from Raleigh to Charlotte to continue his role as lead announcer. In 1983, Jim Crockett Promotions began utilizing mobile production and started taping matches at different arenas, typically in Shelby, NC, Raleigh, NC, Greensboro, NC, Greenville, SC and Spartanburg, SC. In the late 1980s the promotion began taping at arenas outside of the Carolinas. Caudle hosted the syndicated All-Star Wrestling, Wide World Wrestling, Mid-Atlantic Championship Wrestling, and World Wide Wrestling for Jim Crockett Promotions and WCW World Wide Wrestling after Jim Crockett Promotions was purchased by Ted Turner and renamed World Championship Wrestling (WCW). Caudle was also the lead announcer for the closed circuit events known as Starrcade in the 1980s. Caudle was also an announcer for most of the early NWA/WCW pay per views and Clash of the Champions shows.
After leaving WCW, Caudle went to work for Jim Cornette's Smoky Mountain Wrestling in Morristown, TN, acting as that promotion's lead announcer.
Style[]
Caudle was a traditional type of wrestling announcer, meaning that he did not advocate for faces or heels (although he often showed his disgust for cheating). Caudle was not a personality in and of himself, but he let the wrestlers be the stars of the show. As such, he wasn't involved in angles where heels would attack him. Over the years Caudle was teamed with Bill Ward, David Crockett, Johnny Weaver, Gordon Solie, Les Thatcher, Tony Schiavone, Dutch Mantel and Jim Ross among others.
Personal life[]
Caudle, an avowed Republican, contributed to the campaigns of Senator Jesse Helms. He became a legislative assistant for Senator Jesse Helms after he left WRAL in 1980, working in Helms' office in Raleigh. He remained in that position until 1996. Caudle and Helms worked together at WRAL before Helms ran for the United States Senate in 1972. He remained close with Helms and his family.
He and his wife have been married for over 50 years, have 3 children and 7 grandchildren.
