On October 14, 2009, at 76 years of age, he passed away due to heart failure. Despite being an average wrestler, it was quite apparent that he was an entertaining speaker. Captain Lou Albano, who became one of the most recognized professional wrestlers of the 1980s after appearing in Cyndi Laupers Girls Just Want to Have Fun music video, died Wednesday. The World's Most Entertaining Car Website. Is your network connection unstable or browser outdated? Everyone thought I was Ron Jeremy. The idea that all of my favorite wrestlers were driving around in giant Cadillacs and monster trucks and having adventures and doing good deeds appealed to my gullibility. In his later years, Albino became a successful actor, playing numerous memorable roles in both films and television shows. His collaboration with Lauper extended beyond the professional wrestling circuit. Unique lists featuring pop culture, entertainment and crazy facts. In 1989, he was cast as the voice of Mario in The Super Mario Bros. Super Show! He would later reprise the character in The Adventures of Super Mario Bros. 3 (1990). WebRightfully so, because the legendary Captain Lou Albano will always be one of a kind. All Rights Reserved. He had eight siblings, four of whom survived childhood. Later, a masked man who looked just like Andre showed up wearing a mask and calling himself the Giant Machine. Carmen was an obstetrician while Eleanor was a pianist who later became a registered nurse. You need to enable JavaScript to use SoundCloud. WebLou Albano - Professional Wrestling Career - Face Turn Face Turn Albano continued managing as a heel until December 1984, when he was attacked by his former allies WebPaul E Dangerously and Captain Lou Albano face to face. Albano spent the rest of his professional career with the promotion and while as a solo wrestler he was quite unimpressive, his work with tag-team partner Tony Altomare did garner him some success, including the WWF Tag Team Championship in 1967. When he first made his way back to WWE after his stint in the NWA, he signed with Capt. Here's a look back at the 13 best wrestlers managed by Albano, ranked! by Justin-Finkelstein Limited Time Offer: Get 50% off the first year of our best annual plan for artists with Why Did Captain Lou Albano Have The Rubberbands In His Face? I actually liked the Super Mario Brothers movie. Basically, WrestleMania would never have happened were it not for Rock n' Wrestling Connection. Lauper was represented by Wendi Richter, while Albano picked The Fabulous Moolah. They had four children together, including a son named Carl, who has been serving as a member of the Putnam County Legislature since 2011. He turned increasingly towards the bad guy side, particularly as a member of the tag-team duo The Sicilians, and on his own, even against the great Bruno Sammartino. Hence the title of the comic. His parents Eleanor and Carmen were of Italian ancestry but were born and raised in America. Are we really adding another one to the pile of celebrity deaths this year? Below are some highlights: Resnick on King Curtis career in WWF managing Kamala: He would kind of come in and do his interviews. Lou Albano managed Andre the Giant for a short time. RELATED:The 10 Best Intercontinental Champions From The PG Era. Sadly, this was not the best moment, as they lost their titles to the foreign heel tag team of Iron Sheik and Nikolai Volkoff. He was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 1996. In 1984, Albano was on a flight to Puerto Rico. WebCaptain Lou was a big, fat reason wrestling blew up to become the pop culture crossover phenom of the mid-80s, back when pile-driving was a fad. I distinctly remember getting a little too excited every time SMB came on television. Louis Vincent Albano was born in Rome, Lazio, Kingdom of Italy on July 29, 1933. The Grand Wizard would manage up-and-comers, guys who could talk and finish the promo after he set it up. He rattles off his list of accolades, including 14 tag team champions, two intercontinental, and one world wide federation champion. Visionaries that they are, NRBQ saw Lous wrestling managerial skills and realized he could easily take that same kind of hustle and bravado to the record game. Singer Cyndi Lauper was there as well. The have the live-action, the cartoon, the commercial for the next Legend of Zelda episode in some, and of course, the credits featuring Lou doing the Mario. In remembering how Captain Lou affected my childhood, I would be remiss to leave out Hulk Hogans Rock N Wrestling cartoon. Wolff had grown up a lifelong pro wrestling fan, following the WWWF where Albano was part of a triumvirate who terrorized the New York territory for a decade. They are essentially the same dude except for the porn. It all culminated in a match where they agreed to compete by proxy on July 23, 1984. Fair well paisano. Today, people dont just remember Captain Lou Albano for his work in professional wrestling. Okay, I always get a good chuckle out of these things, but I am on the floor in (good) tears over this one. Even though the Captain Lou Albano death story occurred years ago, he is still fondly remembered to this day by wrestling fans. if they released those DVD's minus the nonsensical live action scenes its a fucking travesty. WebBorn Louis Vincent Albano on July 29, 1933 in Rome, Italy, Lou Albano began his professional wrestling career in 1953 and first rose to national prominence in the late No BS. As a youth, he was athletically gifted, competing in track and field events as well as leading his school football team to numerous victories. He had managed 15 different tag team championship winning teams and four singles gold winners. Lou Albano managing the tag team champion U.S. Express (Mike Rotundo and Barry Windham) at WrestleMania I (1985). Considered to be the forefather of the 1980s Rock 'n' Wrestling Connection for his elongated beard, rubber band facial piercings, and loud outfits, he played a pivotal role in mainstream audiences embracing professional wrestling. Lou Albano agreed with the change in career path, especially because football injuries were taking a toll on his body. Captain Lou Albano used to be a professional wrestler in the WWWF, but he was a tag team wrestler who had limited room to move up the ranks when his tag team ended. He was His wrestling moniker, Captain Lou Albano, was inspired by his time as the leader of his school football team. Want more wrestling news, rumors, and results? 2004-2023 PWInsider.com. Lou Albano was inducted in the WWE Hall of Fame in 1996. A lot of you are too young to remember Captain Lou Albano, but to us children of the late 70s and early 80s he was a pop-culture fixture. 44,624 likes. Davey Boy went on to even bigger success in later years. I was just about to comment on that myself . The Valiant Brothers, unprincely. After spending several decades as a heel, Captain Lou Albano turned face in 1984 in a memorable segment. 1987 The Vintage Wrestling When he lost significant weight over the past couple of years, he was still solid, said Varriale. Permissions beyond the scope of this license may be available from [email protected]. Click here for our privacy policy. On that fateful plane ride, Lauper and Wolff met Captain Lou Albano. Albano must be getting paid double-time today because he is putting over the WebApter on why Albano wore the rubber band earrings on his face: He was very strong into the fight against multiple sclerosis with Cyndi Lauper. One of the greatest wrestling managers ever, there are a lot of things fans should know about "Captain" Lou Albano. The program was unique for having a live action element, with Lou Albano playing a live action version of Mario getting into shenanigans, and then voicing Mario in his animated adventures later on the show. It didn't last long, and Patterson rejected the new manager, turning babyface due to Albano's notoriety. Please download one of our supported browsers. He worked alongside Danny Wells, who portrayed Luigi.In addition to During this period, Gilzenberg introduced him to Vince McMahon Sr, who hired him for his Capitol Wrestling Corporation in Washington, DC, a predecessor of WWF/E. However, his career took a different turn after he sustained a wound on his forehead and intentionally allowed it to form a scar rather than heal seamlessly. The 1980s stood in such stark contrast to the 2000s in that a big, fat, hairy, sweaty dude with rubber bands stuck to his face could be a pop icon. i figured Id get a jump on all the "balloon boy" comics that will be out on Monday. We can thank Lou Albano and Cyndi Lauper hitting it off creatively and bringing media attention WWF's way. Due to his busy schedule as a WWF employee, it would take him another 37 years to land his first significant credit. Over the course of the decade, he would lose more than 150 pounds and by 2000 he did seem to have considerably improved his health. We just watched the show, ate our Ninja Turtles cereal and occasionally did The Mario for hours on end. He was a pro himself, who broke into the biz in 1953 as pretty boy, baby face, Leaping Lou Albano. One of the most infamous moments in WWE history came in the '70s, and it resulted in a riot that caused property damage and had Captain Lou Albano fearing for his life. They moved to Italy in the early 1930s. Very well played, sir. This scar gave him the springboard to transition into more of a heel character, and gained more notoriety in the process. Patterson was involved in a big angle with Captain Lou Albano in 1980 when he was the Intercontinental Champion. Captain Lou Albano dead at 76. photo: wwe.com. He studied at Archbishop Stepinac High School in White Plains, New York where he first demonstrated his athletic abilities. As Captain Lou Albano, his brash, bombastic promos earned him much recognition as well as helped his clients leave memorable impressions on the spectators. In 1986, Captain Lou Albano left the World Wrestling Federation to pursue other interests, but he still occasionally made appearances at ringside. In the following years, he would make sporadic appearances in WWF/E events. Anyone else loving the sad expression on everyones face as they break out in dance? Through collaborations with pop star Cyndi Lauper, he helpedbring mainstream attention towrestling during the 1980s. This was the tag team of Johnny Valiant and Jerry Valiant. Fair well paisano. Captain Lou didnt actually voice himself in this short-lived animated ridiculousness (neither did any of the other WWF wrestlers for that matter) but I absolutely LOVED this show. After the videos success, Wolff saw dollar signs. http://www.profightdb.com/wrestlers/captain-lou-albano-945.html, http://ecwfrenchtribute.free.fr/HTLM/Photos/L/Lou_Albano.htm. The MTV masses ate up the Captains critically acclaimed turn in Laupers video, just like her manager and boyfriend David Wolff predicted. After a health scare in the 1990s, Albano began to work out earnestly, eventually shedding 150 pounds (70kgs). Albano managed Verdu against Sammartino in several challenges for the WWE Championship in the 1970s, and the result was a financial success. Fanscontinue to watch Captain Lou in the movies that he appeared in during his lifetime, includingBody Slam and in reruns of Miami Vice and The Super Mario Bros Super Show. Login. Capt. Shown here are three shows of Buddys Corner, leading up to this insane angle Known to friends and family as Louis Albano, during the 1970s and 80s, the larger-than-life personality brought drama and fun to the world of professional wrestling. The match established professional wrestling as a mainstream entertainment mode, and heralded its 1980s boom. WebOne of the most famous angles in WWWF history. You actually have to pull the face-rubber bands while theyre on your face to properly (and respectfully) launch them. The rugged, old-school star was already a success in the NWA before arriving in WWE. So, rest easy Captain Lou. He died at home in Westchester County, New York. He died on October 14, 2009 at the age of 76. However, following a non-wrestling injury that left a gash on his forehead, he purposefully did not let the mark heal completely and turned heel. Lou Albano is the first guest. Yes! WebNick Name: Lou Albano, The Captain Also Known As: Louis Vincent Albano Died At Age: 76 Family: Spouse/Ex-: Geraldine Albano (m. 19532009) father: Carmen Louis mother: WebApter on why Albano wore the rubber band earrings on his face: He was very strong into the fight against multiple sclerosis with Cyndi Lauper. A second Intercontinental Champion that Captain Lou Albano managed was Greg "The Hammer" Valentine. He also received the Editors Award from the magazine in 1994. On the latest edition of Wrestling with History, Bill Apter and Ken Resnick talked about their time with WWE Hall of Famer Captain Lou Albano. However, he eventually took up wrestling. It was impressive. While Captain Lou Albano was able to lose weight and get on the path to a healthier life, he wasnt able to completely avoid health problems. By 1986, Lou Albano was gone from WWE, save for one-off appearances here and there. Pat Patterson was the first-ever WWE Intercontinental Champion, and he went on to enjoy a WWE Hall of Fame career before taking a role backstage as one of the top producers. Lou Albanos success as an in-ring performer was fairly minor, as he was never considered a particularly great wrestler, especially when it came to singles competition. In the course of serving advertisements to this site, our third-party advertiser may place or recognize a unique cookie on your browser. The Super Mario Super Show seemed less like a scripted childrens show and more like a late night public access affair (but with a MUCH lower budget). "Classy" Freddie Blassie got more heat than the Wizard because he managed turncoats and categorically-evil foreigners, like the Bolsheviks and Iron Sheik. Lou Albano and beat Tito Santana for the IC Title. photo: wwe.com. WebLouis Vincent Albano (July 29, 1933 October 14, 2009), often referred by his ring name, "Captain" Lou Albano, was an Italian-American professional wrestler, manager and actor who portrayed Mario in both the live action and cartoon segments of the The Super Mario Bros. Super Show! He managed a great many teams to the. Made appearances at ringside managing the tag team of Johnny Valiant and Jerry Valiant federation pursue! 70Kgs ) was represented by Wendi Richter, while Albano picked the Fabulous Moolah managed Verdu against Sammartino several... Was represented by Wendi Richter, while Albano picked the Fabulous Moolah babyface due to Albano 's notoriety wrestling... The same dude except for the IC Title on that fateful plane,. 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