Today we take a look back at the interview we believe took place between WWF ("E") Chairman Vince McMahon and Mark Callaway, the man who would soon morph into the Undertaker at the Survivor Series in November of 1990. Callaway saw his contract at World Championship Wrestling expire earlier in the year, where he wrestled for 2 years as "Mean Mark Callous". He moved north to Stamford, CT, with the hopes of becoming a key wrestling-cog for the Dubya, Dubya Eff.
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WWF Headquarters, October 1990
McMahon: Mark, have a seat. It's good to finally meet with you.
Taker: Well I'm excited to hear you're excited. So just what, exactly, do you guys have in mind for me?
McMahon: Let me ask you a question: do you want to be a star?
Taker: Well, yeah.
McMahon: I don't mean just a star, I mean a superstar. I'm talking about a guy who is indestructible, a guy who, when you walk down that aisle, people know you're going to destroy everyone in sight.
Taker: Sounds great! So am I going to be "Mean Mark Callous" again, only better? Or like the Ultimate Warrior or dare I say it, Hulk Hogan?
McMahon: No. We want you to be INDESTRUCTIBLE like never before. We want you to be impervious to pain. We want you, ... are you ready for this?
Taker: YEAH. Please. Tell me!
McMahon: You can't be stopped because you... are DEAD!
Taker: Dead?
McMahon: (Excited, eyes getting big) You like it? You're DEAD. DEAD!!! DEAD, DEAD, DEAD!!!
Taker: Um, sure, I, I guess. You really think people will buy into me being "already dead", though? What, am I supposed to be an angel or Satan or something?
McMahon: Nope. You, Mark Callaway, are going to be ...wait for it...
…THE UNDERTAKER!
Taker: (stunned silence/disbelief).... the Undertaker?
McMahon: You're going to dress up like the morticians in the old Westerns and you'll methodically stroll down the aisle as "the dead man". And the best part? You don't feel a thing when you’re in the ring because you, my friend, are ALREADY DEAD!!! DEAD, DEAD, DEAD!!!
Taker: I, uh, I don't know, Vince. With all due respect, I don't know if people will buy into this. It's 1990 after all.
McMahon: Just consider this, since you're "already dead", you'll never lose. Eventually you'll get a world title run. It'll be great. Plus, plus, plus... we can introduce new matches. You can wrestle in Casket Matches, maybe bury people alive and best part is, whenever you need time off to heal injuries, we kill you off only to see you return as part of the superhuman, paranormal entity you have always hinted to be.
Taker: I thought I was already dead though?
McMahon: You were.
Taker: So... how can I "die" when I'm already dead?
McMahon: Don't question me, Mark. If we say you die, that means you die… only you come back when healthy in some type of resurrection --- but you’re still dead, though. We'll have it be a standard thing where a wrestler and 18 of his henchmen knock you out and either bury or burn you alive, and then…
Taker: You mean dead? Bury or burn me dead?
McMahon: Whatever... just listen to me, alright? Then you return from your “death” only to be more powerful and determined than ever before. We’ll do the same thing over and over and over for 17 years. You’ll die and close to your return, we’ll have “druids” appear, the lights flickering on and off, lighting bolts crashing down and fire to tease your return. And we’ll put you with a scrub wrestler whose only attribute is being very, very large. But because he killed you and you managed to resurrect, the feud will seem super important!

Taker: Sure, Vince. Whatever you guys want. Well, uh, I'm going to head on out. Nice chatting with you, Vince. Thanks a bunch.
McMahon: So you like it?!?!?!
Taker: Uh, yeah, Vince; I like it. Yep; I like it. Uh huh.
McMahon: GREAT!!!
Oh, and uh, before I forget, we're going to give you a manager. He’ll be holding an urn and you're going to look to him for strength and power whenever you start to tire.
Taker: Ooohhhkay. Um, who is going to manage me, Bobby Heenan? Jimmy Hart? Sensational Sherri?
McMahon: Don't worry about that. We've got a guy in mind already.
And we're going to call him -- GET THIS -- Paul Bearer. He's like the pallbearer leading the casket down the aisle of a funeral procession, only he's "Paul Bearer" leading the "dead man wrestler named the Undertaker" down the aisle!
Taker: Oh, uh, great. Sounds uh, sounds good.
(Leaves Office talking to himself) I should have stayed in WCW.
As the four fans in Section 312 found out the day this picture was taken, you do not want to heckle Al Cowens during a photo shoot.