Is your network connection unstable or browser outdated? Due to Albanos short stature, Gilzenberg advised him to enter wrestling. At the time, he was living in hospice care. I wonder if Captain Lou's segments are in there with them? 2004-2023 PWInsider.com. It was impressive. 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. Captain Lou Albano was one of the dirtiest managers in WWE for a decade, but then something changed. Instead, he initially pursued a career in boxing, but his size wasnt right for a successful boxer. I distinctly remember getting a little too excited every time SMB came on television. Captain 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. This was one of the most popular tag teams in WWE during the '80s, and also one that was short-lived. 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. He adopted a new name, Mount Vernon Mauler, garnering a reputation in the New Yorks professional wrestling scene. Lou Albano and beat Tito Santana for the IC Title. 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. Captain Lou Albano dead at 76. photo: wwe.com. Love the viking beard though, Josh. WebAlbano ballooned to well over 300 pounds in later years. He wrangled a multi-year storyline that found Captain Lou doing cameos in two more videos Time After Time and She Bop. It also found Lauper working in Captain Lous medium. They first tried to escape in a taxi but people broke its windows. From there, Albano was encouraged to train as a pro wrestler. Web76 Lou Albano Photos and Premium High Res Pictures - Getty Images Images Creative Editorial Video Editorial FILTERS CREATIVE EDITORIAL VIDEO 76 Lou Albano Premium High Res Photos Browse 76 lou albano stock photos and images available, or start a new search to explore more stock photos and images. Later in the '80s, Albano once again managed Blackjack Mulligan, but he wore a mask and went by the name Big Machine. This was due to the mounting injuries to Dynamite Kid, whose back started to give out on him just as the tag team was hitting the highest of highs. Through collaborations with pop star Cyndi Lauper, he helpedbring mainstream attention towrestling during the 1980s. 10 Things Fans Should Know About "Captain" Lou Albano, Encouraged To Be A Manager By Bruno Sammartino, 13 Best Wrestlers Managed By Lou Albano, Ranked, 10 Best Football Players To Ever Wrestle In WWE, Ranked, then known as the World Wide Wrestling Federation, ended Sammartinos seven-and-a-half-year run, The 10 Greatest Pipers Pit Segments Of All Time, 10 WWE PPV Endings That Changed Everything, 10 Former Impact/TNA Wrestlers Who Surprisingly Are Still Wrestling. Lou Albano managed Andre the Giant for a short time. Shortly after Albanos baptism, which was performed in the Vatican itself, Albanos parents returned to the US and began living in the Mount Vernon area. 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. He wasn't wrong. 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! Today, people dont just remember Captain Lou Albano for his work in professional wrestling. 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 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. Lets take a look at Albanos career, covering the iconic parts as well as his forgotten time as a competitor himself. 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. Leguizamo is awesome in everything he does. Broadcast live on MTV, it gave WWE the opportunity to access the coveted young adult demographic. It didn't last long, and Patterson rejected the new manager, turning babyface due to Albano's notoriety. Singer Cyndi Lauper was there as well. 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. 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. "Captain Lou's History Of Music", by Lou Albano & George Steele, 1 WWWF United States Tag Team Championship - with Tony Altimore, WWF Hall of Fame induction (class of 1996), Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame and Museum induction (class of 2009), Cauliflower Alley Club's Other honoree Winner (1995). Excellent! The match established professional wrestling as a mainstream entertainment mode, and heralded its 1980s boom. All Rights Reserved. 44,624 likes. And Im no longer buttoning my shirt. Lou and Wolff both deserve a huge amount of credit for the popularity of professional wrestling, but what did they get for their effort? 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. One of his first clients was Crusher Verdu, a wrestler from Spain whose English abilities werent all that great. Blackjack Mulligan and Blackjack Lanza won their first WWE tag team titles in 1975 from Dominic DeNucci and Pat Barrett. Roman Reigns often talks about his family's history in wrestling, and that includes his father, Sika Anoa'i, who was one-half of The Wild Samoans with his brother Afa. Lou Albano managing the tag team champion U.S. Express (Mike Rotundo and Barry Windham) at WrestleMania I (1985). 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. His wrestling moniker, Captain Lou Albano, was inspired by his time as the leader of his school football team. Carmen was an obstetrician while Eleanor was a pianist who later became a registered nurse. http://www.profightdb.com/wrestlers/captain-lou-albano-945.html, http://ecwfrenchtribute.free.fr/HTLM/Photos/L/Lou_Albano.htm. WebRightfully so, because the legendary Captain Lou Albano will always be one of a kind. Lou Albano managed the Machines, including Blackjack Mulligan as Big Machine and Bill Eadie (Ax of Demolition) as Super Machine. Hed put [safety] pins on his face and on his nose the rubber bands. 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: I giggled at the kid in the balloon. With a name like Falcon he belongs in the sky. It might be hard to remember, but Capt. 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. The British Bulldogs would have been Yorkies without Lou. News on all your favorite celebs, reality TV, and movies. If you enjoy PWInsider.com you can check out the AD-FREE PWInsider Elite section, 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. Albano, his wife, and a family friend had to be escorted out of the arena, but the crowd followed them. Despite playing a heel for the majority of his managing career, Albano ended his career as a face. [Insert gay plunder reference]. Very well played, sir. He had eight siblings, four of whom survived childhood. Sadly, this was not the best moment, as they lost their titles to the foreign heel tag team of Iron Sheik and Nikolai Volkoff. In 1994, however, Albano made an official return to the company, managing the Headshrinkers tag team in order to help solidify their face turn. I never knew when it was on (I found out later that's because it was in syndication after only having one season), but I always enjoyed it, despite supporting the losing side in the console wars (Sega). But Lous mark would be made as a leader of men. Albano was so convincing on the microphone that in January 1971, after his client Ivan Koloff defeated Sammartino, ending his seven-year reign as the WWWF Heavyweight Champion, a riot broke out in Madison Square Garden. On that fateful plane ride, Lauper and Wolff met Captain Lou Albano. One of the three managers collectively known as the Triumvirate of Terror, Albanos clientele included 15 tag teams and four singles champions. Louis Vincent "Lou" Albano was born on July 29, 1933, in Rome, Lazio, in what was then the Kingdom of Italy. Albano was the manager (of Ivan Koloff)., Apter on Albano being an unofficial part of Vince McMahon Sr.s office staff: He was actually not an official part of Vince Srs office, but he was an unofficial part (of the office). Pro Wrestling Illustrated hailed him as the Manager of the Year three times (1974, 1981, and 1986). After the videos success, Wolff saw dollar signs. WebOne of the most famous angles in WWWF history. He rattles off his list of accolades, including 14 tag team champions, two intercontinental, and one world wide federation champion. Lauper was represented by Wendi Richter, while Albano picked The Fabulous Moolah. Albanos success in high school football led to him playing college ball for the University of Tennessee on a scholarship. He also appeared as Lauper's fictional father in the "Girls Just Wanna Have Fun" video. Later, a masked man who looked just like Andre showed up wearing a mask and calling himself the Giant Machine. 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 said that he would wear these My last year in college I dressed up as Lou for a 70s/80s themed party. Later, Valentine moved on to Jimmy Hart as his manager, and Albano soon became a babyface. Lou Albano manageda world heavyweight champion. Here's a look back at the 13 best wrestlers managed by Albano, ranked! Albano had at some point or is this to mirror Josh's current appearance? 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. Please help us serve you better, fill out our survey.Use of this site signifies your agreement to our terms of use. This was the tag team of Johnny Valiant and Jerry Valiant. Want more wrestling news, rumors, and results? He debuted in the professional circuit in 1952 and would be active for the next 17 years. Lou Albano (October 14, 1959 - June 7, 1997) Captain Lou Albano (May 22, 1972 - October 29, 1986) Height 5 ft 10 in (178 cm) Hence the title of the comic. Drives a giant gun that launches chezburgers at a frightening velocity, Ah.. the Mario, an often misunderstood and overlooked dance. His last name is slightly easier to pronounce than it looks. Due to his busy schedule as a WWF employee, it would take him another 37 years to land his first significant credit. He was left on hospice care. After spending several decades as a heel, Captain Lou Albano turned face in 1984 in a memorable segment. Below are some highlights: Resnick on King Curtis career in WWF managing Kamala: He would kind of come in and do his interviews. Captain Lou Albano also managed the very successful Valiant Brothers in WWE. Instead, a distant relative, boxing promoter Lou Duva whod later appear at WrestleMania 2 introduced him to Willie Gilzenberg, another promoter who was active in the wrestling business. 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. He died on October 14, 2009 at the age of 76. But the injuries that he had sustained during his football days forced him to accept an honourable discharge after just eight months. Davey Boy went on to even bigger success in later years. Actually I have the DVDs. 13 Best Wrestlers Managed By Lou Albano, Ranked, 10 Best Submission Finishers In TNA History, Ranked, The 10 Best Intercontinental Champions From The PG Era, 10 Wrestlers Who Had Disappointing Heel Runs, 10 Feel-Good WCW Stories That Made Fans Emotional, 10 Worst WWE Wrestlers To Compete For A World Championship At WrestleMania, Ric Flair's Body Transformation Over The Years, Shown In Photos. Even though Captain Lou Albanos health had been rocky for years, the wrestling community was shocked by his passing. He was76. When he retired from WWF in 1986, he left behind an unparalleled legacy. Your current browser isn't compatible with SoundCloud. News on all your favorite celebs, reality TV, and movies. He is also remembered for his appearances in Cyndi Laupers music videos, particularly Girls Just Want to Have Fun. Nice touch. http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Wrestling/CaptainLouAlbano. Be sure to visit PWInsider.com and PWInsiderXtra.com. Is this something Capt. Trying to figure out what to do next, Albano harboured boxing aspirations for a short while. Louis Vincent "Lou" Albano was an Italian American professional wrestler, manager, and actor, who was prominently affiliated with World Wrestling Federation (WWF/E). No BS. 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. 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. Anyone else loving the sad expression on everyones face as they break out in dance? 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. 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. 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. The original stories involving him referred to him as the pretty boy. which features exclusive audio updates, news, our critically acclaimed podcasts, They then took shelter in a bar nearby and were bombarded with mud and objects until the police arrived. I'd do the google search, but I value my sanity. However, he eventually took up wrestling. He had a heart attack in May 2005. He trained with Soldier Barry, one of his childhood idols, and they started doing house shows together in New York in 1952. However, there was , Weve profiled 40 wrestlers who sadly, didnt make it to see age 40, including many enhancement talent names of the , Heart Attack / Heart Failure / Heart Disease, Comprehensive Deceased Wrestlers List (text-only), Comprehensive Deceased Managers List (text-only), 8 Things You May Not Have Known About Rick Rude. 1987 - YouTube 0:02 / 1:23 Paul E Dangerously and Captain Lou Albano face to face. In 1983, Albano was the manager for Don "Magnificent" Muraco when the strongman beat Pedro Morales for the WWE Intercontinental Championship. Lou Albano was inducted in the WWE Hall of Fame in 1996. 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. Google image search Captain Lou Albano. Find out how to play and win at top paying online casino NZ from our guide. You actually have to pull the face-rubber bands while theyre on your face to properly (and respectfully) launch them. Bruno Sammartino mentioned to Vince McMahon that Albano wasn't a great wrestler, but he was a great talker and could become a top manager. All Rights Reserved. For anybody that knew and spent any time around Lou, you generally had to do his interviews early before he was able to get time with whatever flask he had in his bag. 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. Top paying online casino NZ from our guide one that was short-lived encouraged train... Sad expression on everyones face as they break out in dance 14 tag team of Valiant. 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