Template:Short description Template:Use mdy dates Template:Good article Template:Infobox professional wrestler Debra Gale Marshall (formerly McMichael and Williams; born March 2, 1960)<ref name=marriage/> is an American retired professional wrestling valet, professional wrestler, and actress. She is best known for her time with World Championship Wrestling (WCW) between 1995 and 1998 as Queen Debra<ref name="Tuscaloosa Magazine. August 2013">Tuscaloosa Magazine. August 2013</ref> and with the World Wrestling Federation (WWF) between 1998 and 2002 as simply Debra.

Marshall began her career in professional wrestling in 1995, accompanying her husband Steve "Mongo" McMichael to the ring in WCW. She joined the WWF in 1998, where she managed the tag team of Jeff Jarrett and Owen Hart until Hart's in-ring death in May 1999. Later that year, she won the WWF Women's Championship from Sable in an evening gown match. She later appeared on-screen with her second husband Stone Cold Steve Austin until 2002, when the duo left the company.

Early lifeEdit

Raised in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, Marshall became a track-runner, cheerleader, and Homecoming Queen in high school before attending the Lee Strasberg Theatre Institute in New York City.<ref name="Tuscaloosa Magazine. August 2013"/> She then became a flight attendant. Before her involvement in wrestling, she competed and won the title of 1987 Mrs. Illinois America in Elgin, Illinois<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> and went on to compete in the Mrs. America pageant that same year in Las Vegas, Nevada. She later competed and won in the 1992 Mrs. Texas USA pageant held in Houston, Texas<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> and went on to compete in the National Mrs. USA pageant. Marshall also attended the University of Alabama.

Professional wrestling careerEdit

World Championship Wrestling (1995–1997)Edit

Template:See also Marshall first appeared in WCW in late-1995 and early-1996, making occasional unnamed appearances as an audience plant, and as part of a group of valets for the team of Hulk Hogan and "Macho Man" Randy Savage. In April 1996, she began appearing regularly as a valet for her husband, Steve "Mongo" McMichael as he transitioned from commentator to wrestler. Based on her real-life participation in beauty pageants,<ref name=proud/><ref>Dumas, Amy. Lita: A Less Traveled R.O.A.D., p.75.</ref> Debra took on the role of a beauty-pageant queen character, giving herself the nickname "The Queen of WCW" and often making remarks about other wrestlers and valets in kayfabe interviews.

At The Great American Bash 1996, Steve McMichael and his partner Kevin Greene competed against two of the Four Horsemen (Ric Flair and Arn Anderson).<ref>Template:Cite video</ref> Flair won the match after Mongo and Debra turned on Greene by hitting him with a steel briefcase, joining the 4 Horsemen.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> She managed the stable with Miss Elizabeth and Woman. The briefcase later became one of Debra's signature objects.<ref name=digest/> At Bash at the Beach in July 1997, Debra turned on Mongo during his WCW United States Heavyweight Championship match against Jeff Jarrett by handing Jarrett the steel briefcase, which he then used to knock Mongo out and thus to win the match.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> Next, Debra briefly managed Goldberg and Alex Wright.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> On the November 24, 1997 edition of Nitro, Wright fired Debra after she accidentally distracted him, causing a loss to Prince Iaukea. After her divorce from McMichael, Debra left WCW.<ref name=proud/>

World Wrestling Federation/Entertainment (1998–2002)Edit

Manager of Jeff Jarrett; WWF Women's Champion (1998–1999)Edit

In October 1998, Marshall rejoined Jarrett in the WWF.<ref name=digest/> At the beginning of her WWF career, known as Debra McMichael and later simply as Debra, she played the part of a shrewd businesswoman, wearing business suits.<ref name=encyclopedia/><ref name=proud>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> She also played the part of Jarrett's girlfriend.<ref name=stamp/> In late 1998, Jarrett began a feud with Goldust that culminated in December at Rock Bottom: In Your House in a "Striptease match".<ref name=rock>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> During the match, Debra hit Goldust over the head with Jarrett's trademark guitar, enabling Jarrett to win.<ref name=rock/> WWF Commissioner Shawn Michaels, however, disqualified Jarrett, and Debra had to strip due to the match's stipulations.<ref name=rock/> As she stripped, The Blue Blazer (Owen Hart) and Jarrett covered her up.<ref name=rock/> Debra, however, began utilizing a new strategy during matches, distracting Jarrett's opponents by unbuttoning her blouse.<ref name=proud/><ref name=stamp>Template:Cite book</ref> She would willingly take off her blouse to show the crowd her "puppies", a nickname originally bestowed upon her chest by wrestler Road Dogg and later utilized by commentator Jerry Lawler.<ref>Lawler, Jerry. It's Good to Be the King ... Sometimes, p. 261.</ref>

The strategy helped Jarrett and partner Hart defeat The Big Boss Man and Ken Shamrock to become World Tag Team Champions in January 1999.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> In the same month, she also attempted to cause distraction in a tag match between Jarrett and Hart against Road Dogg and Billy Gunn, but was attacked by Chyna, who was also at ringside. In February, Debra feuded with female professional wrestler Ivory, making her in-ring debut in a mixed tag match on Monday Night Raw, which ended in a no contest. Immediately after the bell rang, she attacked Ivory and hit her with Jarrett's guitar.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}Template:Cbignore</ref> The same month, Jarrett and Hart retained the tag title in a tag match against Ivory's associates Mark Henry and D'Lo Brown at St. Valentine's Day Massacre with Debra's assistance.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> In March, the team lost their tag title to the team of Kane and X-Pac.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> She also competed in her first singles match, against Ivory but lost via disqualification after Jacqueline and Terri Runnels attacked Ivory during the match.<ref name="profightdb.com">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> As Debra continued to manage Jarrett and Hart, a potential storyline developed where Hart and Debra would have an affair, but the creative team or Owen himself more likely vetoed the idea before it played out on-screen.<ref name=stamp/> A team name was also in the works—Debra favoring "Talent and Attitude" (T&A)—but Hart died in May 1999 at Over the Edge.<ref name=digest/> Later in the event, Debra and Jarrett lost a mixed tag team match against Nicole Bass and Val Venis. Debra and Jarrett were interviewed moments after Hart's fall from the rafters at Kemper Arena, where Debra was noticeably shaken and fighting back tears of concern for her friend and was unable to stay in her persona.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

On May 2, 1999, Debra was scheduled to take on Sable in a 'Nightgown' match, but was made to compete against Nicole Bass, against whom she lost.<ref name="profightdb.com"/> On May 10, 1999, Debra won the WWF Women's Championship from Sable in an evening gown match.<ref name=champ>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> Usually, in an Evening Gown match, the woman who forcibly removes her opponent's dress wins.<ref name=gown>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> Because Sable removed Debra's dress, she therefore should have been the winner.<ref name=gown/> Commissioner Shawn Michaels, however, ruled that he considered the woman who had lost her dress the winner, crowning Debra the new Women's Champion.<ref name=gown/> She held the Women's title for a month and eventually lost it to Ivory on June 14, due to interference from Nicole Bass.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

At SummerSlam in 1999 Jarrett faced D'Lo Brown.<ref name=ss99>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> During the match, Debra and Brown's former tag-team partner Mark Henry interfered on Jarrett's behalf, allowing him to win both the European Championship and the Intercontinental Championship.<ref name=ss99/> The following night, Jarrett awarded Henry the European title and gave Debra an assistant, Miss Kitty.<ref>Lawler, Jerry. It's Good to Be the King ... Sometimes, p. 337.</ref> Following an attack by Jarrett after losing a mixed tag match against Stephanie McMahon and Test,<ref name="profightdb.com"/> on September 26, Debra turned on Jarrett at Unforgiven and hit him over the head with a guitar in the middle of his match against Chyna for the Intercontinental Championship.<ref name=unf>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> Chyna pinned Jarrett, but referee Tom Prichard overturned the decision due to Debra's involvement.<ref name=unf/> On the following episode of RAW, Debra participated in an intergender tag match with Chyna against the team of Jarrett and Prichard, in a winning effort.<ref name="profightdb.com"/>

Sporadic appearances (1999–2002)Edit

Template:See also In November 1999, Debra participated in an eight-women Sudden Death match at Survivor Series where she teamed with The Fabulous Moolah, Mae Young, and Tori in a winning effort against Ivory, Jacqueline, Luna Vachon and Terri Runnels<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> which also served as her last appearance as an in-ring performer, despite being trained at the time to compete. Debra subsequently stayed off television while her husband Stone Cold Steve Austin recovered from neck surgery.<ref name=digest/> She reappeared in April 2000, acting as a guest ring announcer at Backlash for the opening match.<ref name=digest/><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> In the fall of that year she played the role of Lieutenant Commissioner, the assistant of Commissioner Mick Foley.<ref name=encyclopedia/><ref name=digest/>

Debra resigned as Lieutenant Commissioner on the March 5, 2001 episode of Raw to pursue managing again, while it was revealed on-screen that she was the wife of Stone Cold. Vince McMahon subsequently gave her the duty of managing The Rock, who at the time was feuding with Stone Cold.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> During the feud, she appeared on an episode of RAW and slapped Vince McMahon. Although she was advertised to be involved in the Wrestlemania 17 main event match between The Rock and Stone Cold Steve Austin, she was later pulled due to both competitors lobbying not to have her out at ringside.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> After Wrestlemania, she returned on an episode of RAW, questioning Vince McMahon for his role in Stone Cold's villainous persona, and subsequently slapping him after he insulted her. During an episode of Smackdown, she appeared in a backstage segment and slapped The Undertaker, who was feuding with Austin at the time. By the second half of 2001, Debra accompanied Austin, as he defected to the Alliance, with a running gag about her famous chocolate chip cookies being repulsive (although Debra herself remained oblivious to this). On an episode of RAW, Debra was subject to a bucket of milk accidentally falling on her, which was a miscommunication by Stacy Keibler and Shawn Stasiak who meant to play the prank on Kurt Angle. The following week, Debra beat up Keibler with a tray of cookies in a backstage segment.<ref name="onlineworldofwrestling.com">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> In August, during an episode of Smackdown!, Debra also clocked Stone Cold in frustration with a cookie tray in the middle of the ring.<ref name="onlineworldofwrestling.com"/> The next week on RAW, she accompanied her husband to the ring for a match against Matt Hardy, and was involved in a physical altercation with Lita during the match.<ref name="onlineworldofwrestling.com"/>

In 2002, Debra was involved in a major backstage brawl with Stephanie McMahon after arguing over their respective husbands.<ref name="onlineworldofwrestling.com"/> Debra appeared sporadically thereafter in backstage segments, notably slapping Ric Flair in a backstage segment in April on an episode of RAW. She left the company in June 2002 after her last RAW appearance with Austin, fanning the flames of their well-publicized marital fallout.<ref>Stone Cold Steve Austin. The Stone Cold Truth (p.259)</ref>

Following domestic abuse charges against Austin and arrest, Austin eventually returned to WWE in 2003. Debra, however, was never invited back. References of Debra were subsequently dropped from WWE programming and media altogether, although, in 2021, she was acknowledged by WWE.com in a list of female performers who made an impact outside the ring.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Other mediaEdit

Before becoming involved in wrestling, Marshall studied acting in Texas.<ref name=proud/> Her first acting jobs involved commercials and two music videos for country musician George Strait.<ref name=digest/> She also had a small role in the 1995 film The Return of the Texas Chainsaw Massacre as a police officer.<ref name=proud/> The producers originally offered her the lead in the film, but when the director's first choice changed her mind and accepted the role, Marshall was given the small role instead.<ref name=digest/>

On March 10, 2002, Marshall appeared on an episode of The Weakest Link alongside several other members of the WWE roster.<ref>Template:Cite episode</ref> In addition, she has a role in the 2010 film Gathering of Heroes.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Personal lifeEdit

Marshall's marriage to National Football League alumnus and professional wrestler Steve McMichael lasted thirteen years.<ref name=proud/> McMichael's mother, whom Marshall met on an airplane, set up their first meeting as a blind date.<ref name=digest/> They divorced on October 12, 1998.<ref name=marriage>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Debra met Steven Williams, known on-screen as Stone Cold Steve Austin, in 1998; they moved in together in 2000.<ref name=stone186/> On September 13 of that year, they married at The Little White Wedding Chapel in Las Vegas, and she changed her name to Debra Williams.<ref name=marriage/><ref name=stone186/> On June 15, 2002, police responded to a call to the couple's residence in San Antonio, Texas, and found Debra with bruises and a bloody nose.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> On August 14, the authorities arrested Austin and charged him with misdemeanor assault.<ref name=plea/> He pleaded no contest on November 25 and received a year's probation, a $1,000 fine, and an order to carry out eighty hours of community service.<ref name=plea>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> Austin filed for divorce from Marshall on July 22, 2002, and the divorce was finalized on February 5, 2003.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> Marshall later auctioned her wedding ring off on eBay for $27,100 and donated a portion of the proceeds to "Safe Place", an organization which assists the victims of domestic abuse.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

In June and July 2007, Marshall made several appearances to discuss the Chris Benoit double-murder and suicide. She described steroids and drugs as the cause of Austin hitting her in June 2002 and suggested links between such substances and the death of Benoit and his family.<ref name=fox>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> She also alleged that Austin beat her three times.<ref name=fox/><ref name=fox2>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Marshall graduated cum laude from the University of Alabama with an undergraduate interdisciplinary degree in 2013. In December 2017, she was awarded a Master of Science degree in criminal justice from the University of Alabama. While working on her master's of science degree, Marshall was awarded the University of Alabama College of Arts and Science's Mary Avis Todd Award for "outstanding work in community studies".<ref name="Tuscaloosa Magazine. August 2013"/><ref name=Miller>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Championships and accomplishmentsEdit

FilmographyEdit

FilmEdit

Year Title Role Notes
1995 The Return of the Texas Chainsaw Massacre Cop at Bud's Pizza Cameo
1999 Beyond the Mat Herself Documentary
2012 Tengu: The Immortal Blade Captain Lang
2018 Gathering of Heroes: Legend of the Seven Swords Reina

TelevisionEdit

Year Title Role Notes
1999 Biography Herself Episode: "The Life and Death of Owen Hart"
1999 Teen Choice Awards Presenter
2002 Mad TV Herself Episode 7.15
2002 Weakest Link Herself Episode: "WWF Superstars Edition 2"
2007 Inside Edition Herself

ReferencesEdit

Template:Reflist

Further readingEdit

External linksEdit

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