As a professional wrestler, Albano won the WWWF United States Tag Team Championship with Tony Altomare on July 10, 1967. 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. RELATED:10 Legends Who Never Won A Title In WWE. He said that he would wear these Through collaborations with pop star Cyndi Lauper, he helpedbring mainstream attention towrestling during the 1980s. He was freakin MARIO for Toads sake. https://www.thefamouspeople.com/profiles/lou-albano-12451.php. RELATED:The 10 Best Intercontinental Champions From The PG Era. His collaboration with Lauper extended beyond the professional wrestling circuit. Captain Lou Albano is best known for managing tag teams to championship gold in WWE, but he was also the manager of some great singles champions. With a name like Falcon he belongs in the sky. In 1986, Captain Lou Albano left the World Wrestling Federation to pursue other interests, but he still occasionally made appearances at ringside. He had eight siblings, four of whom survived childhood. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); No spam. He suffered a heart attack in 2005, but made recovery. Why Did Captain Lou Albano Have The Rubberbands In His Face? Muraco went on to feud with former Albano wrestler Superfly Jimmy Snuka. 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! 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. One of his first clients was Crusher Verdu, a wrestler from Spain whose English abilities werent all that great. The MTV masses ate up the This scar gave him the springboard to transition into more of a heel character, and gained more notoriety in the process. It got to the point where in the interview room, they would bring him in, (have him) do his interviews, and then take him back to the dressing room because he would distract the other guys. 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. Pro Wrestling Illustrated hailed him as the Manager of the Year three times (1974, 1981, and 1986). Amazingly, he received scholarship offers from 32 colleges as a senior. He also managed a former world champion and a pair of IC Champions, proving to be one of the best and most iconic managers in WWE history. He eventually picked the University of Tennessee for their excellent football program. The match established professional wrestling as a mainstream entertainment mode, and heralded its 1980s boom. Albano was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 1996, Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame and Museum in 2009, and Wrestling Observer Newsletter Hall of Fame in 2012 (posthumously). Instead, he initially pursued a career in boxing, but his size wasnt right for a successful boxer. He used to put rubberbands in his face. WebAfter spending several decades as a heel, Captain Lou Albano turned face in 1984 in a memorable segment. The British Bulldogs would have been Yorkies without Lou. While information has not been shared as to exactly what transpired, its known that Captain Lou Albano had a serious health problem during the early 1990s. Unique lists featuring pop culture, entertainment and crazy facts. Coincidentally, Captain Lou Albano got over as a heel manager by opposing the man who recommended him for the position. 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 He was Sadly, this was not the best moment, as they lost their titles to the foreign heel tag team of Iron Sheik and Nikolai Volkoff. WebCaptain Lou Albano was one of the dirtiest managers in WWE for a decade, but then something changed. Nice touch. interviews and more by clicking here! While awarding a framed gold record to former enemy Cyndi 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). However, Albano would once again leave WWE early in the following year, retiring from being a full-time participant in the wrestling business. My last year in college I dressed up as Lou for a 70s/80s themed party. He died at home in Westchester County, New York. The Express consisted of Barry Windham and Mike Rotundo. He not only participated in the track and field events, but was also picked as the captain of his schools football team. He died on October 14, 2009 at the age of 76. Lou Albanos first success in wrestling would be as a tag team specialist, as he teamed with Tony Altomare as a duo called The Sicilians throughout the 1960s. One of the greatest wrestling managers ever, there are a lot of things fans should know about "Captain" Lou Albano. Lets take a look at Albanos career, covering the iconic parts as well as his forgotten time as a competitor himself. Thats right, Im a method writer. As a youth, he was athletically gifted, competing in track and field events as well as leading his school football team to numerous victories. As the day progressed and Lou would pop in and out of the interview room, Lou would have a habit of somehow losing those sweatpants in front of somebody in the middle of an interview There were so many times when those sweatpants were down around his ankles and he was basically (naked)., Apter on Albanos career aspirations and becoming Bruno Sammartinos rival: He wanted to be like Bruno (early in his career) but he wound up being one of Brunos most hated rivals Albano, the (Grand) Wizard, and Fred Blassie were constantly feeding guys to try and beat either Bruno or Pedro Morales back then, and Albano was involved in one of the greatest moments in pro wrestling history the night that Ivan Koloff beat Bruno Sammartino in front of 21,000 fans at Madison Square Garden. Later in the '80s, Albano once again managed Blackjack Mulligan, but he wore a mask and went by the name Big Machine. Shown here are three shows of Buddys Corner, leading up to this insane angle With his slovenly appearance and rubber bands pinned to his face, Albano managed a plethora of heel One of the three managers collectively known as the Triumvirate of Terror, Albanos clientele included 15 tag teams and four singles champions. We just watched the show, ate our Ninja Turtles cereal and occasionally did The Mario for hours on end. 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. Hilariously, however, Albano proved a heel in college, and behavior issues as well as cheating in class got him expelled from the school. If you enjoy PWInsider.com you can check out the AD-FREE PWInsider Elite section, Despite finding a character perfect for pro wrestling, Lou Albano didnt start out wanting to enter the business. His parents Eleanor and Carmen were of Italian ancestry but were born and raised in America. Here's a look back at the 13 best wrestlers managed by Albano, ranked! Mario and Luigi double up on the Princess they must have made that porn already. He was also featured in the video for Time After Time. 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. RELATED: The 10 Greatest Pipers Pit Segments Of All Time. Lou Albano (October 14, 1959 - June 7, 1997) Captain Lou Albano (May 22, 1972 - October 29, 1986) Height 5 ft 10 in (178 cm) 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. Albano had at some point or is this to mirror Josh's current appearance? He then enlisted in the US Army. When he first made his way back to WWE after his stint in the NWA, he signed with Capt. On the latest edition of VOC Nations Wrestling With History, Bill Apter and Ken Resnick discussed the career of WWE Hall of Famer Captain Lou Albano, the story behind Captain Lou Albanos face rings, some Albano drinking stories, and more. When he retired from WWF in 1986, he left behind an unparalleled legacy. WebOne of the most famous angles in WWWF history. Your current browser isn't compatible with SoundCloud. His last name is slightly easier to pronounce than it looks. In some fun trivia, Albano came out of retirement in 1994 to manage The Headshrinkers to the tag titles, which was Afa's son Samu and nephew Fatu (Rikishi). On October 14, 2009, at 76 years of age, he passed away due to heart failure. Shawn is also a published author, with a non-fiction book about the Stephen King Dollar Baby Filmmakers and has begun work on a new fiction series as well. When he lost significant weight over the past couple of years, he was still solid, said Varriale. He has worked as a journalist for over 20 years, first in the world of print journalism before moving to online media as the world changed. Broadcast live on MTV, it gave WWE the opportunity to access the coveted young adult demographic. He was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 1996. He was76. Copyright 2010-2023 TheSmackDownHotel.com. Shawn is a former member of the Society of Professional Journalists and the Oklahoma Film Critics Circle before relocating to Texas and has work published in the Daily Oklahoman, Oklahoma Gazette, Vox Magazine and Loud Magazine and on websites like The Huffington Post, CBS, Time Warner Cable, Yahoo, The Movie Network, Chud, Renegade Cinema, 411mania and Sporting News. In remembering how Captain Lou affected my childhood, I would be remiss to leave out Hulk Hogans Rock N Wrestling cartoon. These companies may use information (not including your name, address, email address or telephone number) about your visits to this and other Web sites in order to provide advertisements on this site and other sites about goods and services that may be of interest to you. Either way, the duo made it to WWE then known as the World Wide Wrestling Federation in the late 1960s and ended up capturing the WWWF United States Tag Team Championship, splitting once Albano transitioned into becoming a manager. All Rights Reserved. PWInsider - WWE News, Wrestling News, WWE. Girls Just Want to Have Fun put Captain Lou in front of the MTV crowd, but anyone who watched professional wrestling knew that Lou was a spittin, stompin, cussin force of nature long before that. WebPaul E Dangerously and Captain Lou Albano face to face. WebPaul E Dangerously and Captain Lou Albano face to face. Albano debuted as a manager for the Spanish wrestler Oscar "Crusher" Verdu in 1970 and proved to be an instant success as a heel character who could really rile up the audience. Yes! In 1971, The Blackjacks joined forces under Bobby Heenan's management, but they reached their biggest success when they arrived in WWE, and Captain Lou Albano managed the pair. 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. It's too bad. 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. Albano moved up the ranks and managed more tag team world champions than any manager, spending almost his entire career in WWE. Lou then managed the team on to three WWE World Tag Team Championship reigns. His other important works include musical comedy Body Slam (1986), action comedy Complex World (1992), adventure fantasy Stay Tuned, and family-mystery series Ghostwriter. The Grand Wizard would manage up-and-comers, guys who could talk and finish the promo after he set it up. His wrestling moniker, Captain Lou Albano, was inspired by his time as the leader of his school football team. Some say it was in piercings but I think they were tied into his beard hair. Balloon boy could also be a reference to someone who loves or smuggles heroin. Albano made his screen debut in 1952 in CBS The Jackie Gleason Show. NEXT:10 Wrestlers Who Had Disappointing Heel Runs. After a health scare in the 1990s, Albano began to work out earnestly, eventually shedding 150 pounds (70kgs). The grand Wizard managed Patterson, and he sold the contract to Albano for $100,000. Login. Lou Albano managed Andre the Giant for a short time. Lou Albano married Geraldine, his high school sweetheart, in 1953. WebA unique showman, with an elongated beard, rubber band, facial piercings, and loud outfits, Albano was the forefather of the 1980s Rock 'n' Wrestling Connection. As Captain Lou Albano, his brash, bombastic promos earned him much recognition as well as helped his clients leave memorable impressions on the spectators. (vitag.Init = window.vitag.Init || []).push(function(){viAPItag.display("vi_937032466")}). 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. If you like wrestling, you should try online games. You need to enable JavaScript to use SoundCloud. I distinctly remember getting a little too excited every time SMB came on television. After the entire Rock N Wrestling Connection launched, Albano turned into a babyface. It might be hard to remember, but Capt. 1987 The Vintage Wrestling i figured Id get a jump on all the "balloon boy" comics that will be out on Monday. Captain Lou Albano guests on a 1984 segment of Pipers Pit. This comic was so funny, it made me spit water all over. Albano made his first big splash in non-wrestling pop culture by appearing in the music video for Cyndi Laupers hit single Girls Just Want to Have Fun, which came into play on wrestling television. Is your network connection unstable or browser outdated? Flashback: Albano and Lauper Engage in Father-Daughter Smackdown in Pipers Pit, 6-year-old boy floats away in homemade helium balloon, Balloon Boy Gets Fresh Prince Treatment on Facebook, Balloon Boy: We did this for the show., http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=65uNCLBTje0&fe. in 1989, holding the distinction of being the first actor for Mario to achieve widespread popularitynoteMario had been played in both live-action and voiceover roles by a number of actors in both the US and Japan since 1983, but none of them became as iconic as Captain Lou did and consequently setting a precedent for the role that would remain in place until 1996, when Super Mario 64 popularized Charles Martinet's rendition of the characternoteMartinet was cast in 1990 and had been officially voicing Mario since 1992, but had only made niche appearances in the role prior to Super Mario 64. Lou Albano managed the Machines, including Blackjack Mulligan as Big Machine and Bill Eadie (Ax of Demolition) as Super Machine. photo: wwe.com. Is this something Capt. 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, In doing so, Albano helped popularize what is now a bog standard wrestling trope: the meddling "hypeman" who leaves a slime trail wherever he goes. It all culminated in a match where they agreed to compete by proxy on July 23, 1984. 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. Fair well paisano. 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. Lou pretty much wore his Hawaiian shirt and sweatpants; that was Lous attire 99% of the time. You must be logged in to post a comment The rugged, old-school star was already a success in the NWA before arriving in WWE. It was Bruno Sammartino who suggested to McMahon that Albano, a mediocre wrestler at best, would better serve the promotion if he was attached to a wrestler as a spokesperson. Actually I have the DVDs. Their gimmick was grunting and using a dialect that only their manager Captain Lou Albano could understand. http://www.profightdb.com/wrestlers/captain-lou-albano-945.html, http://ecwfrenchtribute.free.fr/HTLM/Photos/L/Lou_Albano.htm. In between Marios Earthbound hijinks, they would show Super Mario Bros. cartoons that seemed to be set in the universe of Super Mario Bros. 2. He said that he would wear these things in his cheeks until (MS) was cured.. Under Albanos management, Fatu and Samu beat The Quebecers for the Tag Team Championship on the 5/2/1994 episode of Monday Night Raw and held the belt for 124 days. When the 1980s rolled around, Albano was a pivotal part of the decade's wrestling boom, and even contributed to pop culture in non-wrestling ways. He also received the Editors Award from the magazine in 1994. He used to hang out with Vince, Gorilla, and Arnold Skaaland at the old Holland Hotel wrestling office; they would all smoke and play cards and everything, and he was part of that group., Apter on the story behind the rubber band rings on Albanos face: He was very strong into the fight against multiple sclerosis with Cyndi Lauper. Captain Lou portrayed what seemed to be a pre or post mushroom kingdom Mario that lived and worked as a plumber in a big city (presumably New York) with his brother-in-overalls Luigi. 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