Captain Lou Albano guests on a 1984 segment of Pipers Pit. Sometimes we would be doing an interview and he would be trying to tell someone a story and you could hear him laughing and wed have to do it over again., Ken Resnick on how Lou Albano would drink and drop his pants during TV tapings: (He was) gregarious, welcoming, fun loving Lou was a great storyteller; (he) was great on the interviews (with) whoever he was managing. Later in the '80s, Albano once again managed Blackjack Mulligan, but he wore a mask and went by the name Big Machine. Albano had at some point or is this to mirror Josh's current appearance? Lets take a look at Albanos career, covering the iconic parts as well as his forgotten time as a competitor himself. WebAfter spending several decades as a heel, Captain Lou Albano turned face in 1984 in a memorable segment. 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. Lou Albano managed Andre the Giant for a short time. Its not like Captain Lou has constantly been on my mind for the last 25 years, but his recent passing unlocked a flood of memories of being 8 years old and him being EVERYWHERE. 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. With a convincing gimmick as mafia-esque gangsters, Albano and Altomare reportedly had actual gangsters urge them to cool it with the mafia gimmick. From there, Albano was encouraged to train as a pro wrestler. These were kayfabe brothers, not really related, but were still one of their generation's best tag teams. 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. Captain Lou Albano also managed the very successful Valiant Brothers in WWE. Unique lists featuring pop culture, entertainment and crazy facts. We can thank Lou Albano and Cyndi Lauper hitting it off creatively and bringing media attention WWF's way. Its pandemonium, I know, but NRBQ, a beloved cult band going on its 50th year in business, penned this ode to their manager, Captain Lou. He then enlisted in the US Army. 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! 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. It might be hard to remember, but Capt. The World's Most Entertaining Car Website. It didn't last long, and Patterson rejected the new manager, turning babyface due to Albano's notoriety. Instead, he initially pursued a career in boxing, but his size wasnt right for a successful boxer. Recognizable in garish outfits and rubber bands affixed to his face, Albano managed countless legends including Andre The Giant, Pat Patterson, and The British Bulldogs. 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 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. Actually I have the DVDs. They then took shelter in a bar nearby and were bombarded with mud and objects until the police arrived. His parents Eleanor and Carmen were of Italian ancestry but were born and raised in America. Please help us serve you better, fill out our survey. Trying to figure out what to do next, Albano harboured boxing aspirations for a short while. But Lous mark would be made as a leader of men. The most piercings on the face is 280, achieved on this day in 2012 by Axel Rosales from Villa Maria, Argentina. Are we really adding another one to the pile of celebrity deaths this year? Outside of the wrestling world, he is best-known for playing Mario (both in live-action and animated segments) on The Super Mario Bros. Super Show! One of the three managers collectively known as the Triumvirate of Terror, Albanos clientele included 15 tag teams and four singles champions. 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. He had managed 15 different tag team championship winning teams and four singles gold winners. Louis Vincent Albano was born in Rome, Lazio, Kingdom of Italy on July 29, 1933. Albano was arguably the best of the three. 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. Carmen was an obstetrician while Eleanor was a pianist who later became a registered nurse. In his later years, Albino became a successful actor, playing numerous memorable roles in both films and television shows. 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. 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. You know though, those cartoons were all released on DVD a while back. Hell, Afa and Sika got Title matches in Madison Square Garden against Bob Backlund because Albano was that over as a heel. Albanos success in high school football led to him playing college ball for the University of Tennessee on a scholarship. He managed a lot of Islanders, so he would cut 100% of every promo. It was the only time that Capt. D20 Crocs Jibbitz Charms Geeky Gaming Dice. He said that he would wear these things in his cheeks until (MS) was cured.. Broadcast live on MTV, it gave WWE the opportunity to access the coveted young adult demographic. Thats right, Im a method writer. 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. 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). He had a heart attack in May 2005. 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. In 1986, Captain Lou Albano left the World Wrestling Federation to pursue other interests, but he still occasionally made appearances at ringside. All Rights Reserved. Sadly, his ability to continue his career in entertainment wasgreatly limited during the 1990s. His character was a babyface known as the Leaping Lou Albano. We just watched the show, ate our Ninja Turtles cereal and occasionally did The Mario for hours on end. If you like wrestling, you should try online games. Fair well paisano. Why Did Captain Lou Albano Have The Rubberbands In His Face? 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. 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 rugged, old-school star was already a success in the NWA before arriving in WWE. 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. Albanos final film Hot Ice, No-one Is Safe was posthumously released in 2010. He met Willie Gilzenberg, a boxing promoter who would later serve as the titular president of World Wide Wrestling Federation (WWWF), an early version of WWF/E. One wouldnt have guessed this looking at Captain Lou Albano the manager, but as a young wrestler, Leaping Lou Albano was presented as a handsome babyface character as he competed in the New York wrestling scene. His other important works include musical comedy Body Slam (1986), action comedy Complex World (1992), adventure fantasy Stay Tuned, and family-mystery series Ghostwriter. 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. But the injuries that he had sustained during his football days forced him to accept an honourable discharge after just eight months. Love the viking beard though, Josh. Many professional wrestlers made tributes to the former wrestling manager, and many major publications and websites, including MTV.com and New York Times, ran his obituary. 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. Pro Wrestling Illustrated hailed him as the Manager of the Year three times (1974, 1981, and 1986). 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. Shawn S. Lealos is a freelance writer who received his Bachelor's degree in Journalism from the University of Oklahoma with a minor in Film Studies. Albano led them to only one tag team title reign before Dynamite had to retire. Louis Vincent "Lou" Albano was born on July 29, 1933, in Rome, Lazio, in what was then the Kingdom of Italy. I distinctly remember getting a little too excited every time SMB came on television. Get the occasional email with the latest wrestling tributes and memorials, Search by ring name, real name, cause of death, organization, time period (2000s, etc) or specific year, WWE Hall of Famer Ravishing Rick Rude was an amazing individual in and out of the ring. Even though the Captain Lou Albano death story occurred years ago, he is still fondly remembered to this day by wrestling fans. Mario 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, Martinet was cast in 1990 and had been officially voicing Mario since 1992, but had only made niche appearances in the role prior to. 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. 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. The attack made Albano a babyface character, and he went on to manage other babyfaces like Andre The Giant and The British Bulldogs, the latter of whom ended up becoming tag champions under his management. 1987 The Vintage Wrestling News on all your favorite celebs, reality TV, and movies. The original stories involving him referred to him as the pretty boy. Later, Valentine moved on to Jimmy Hart as his manager, and Albano soon became a babyface. Mario and Luigi double up on the Princess they must have made that porn already. However, he was expelled a year later due to his poor attitude and an attempt to cheat in the final examination. 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. RELATED:The 10 Best Intercontinental Champions From The PG Era. 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. Is this something Capt. 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. Louis Vincent Albano (July 29, 1933 October 14, 2009) was an Italian-American pro wrestler and dance choreographer best known for his appearances as "Captain" Lou Albano. They met and agreed to work together sometime in future. 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. A second Intercontinental Champion that Captain Lou Albano managed was Greg "The Hammer" Valentine. 2004-2023 PWInsider.com. 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. Despite playing a heel for the majority of his managing career, Albano ended his career as a face. "Classy" Freddie Blassie got more heat than the Wizard because he managed turncoats and categorically-evil foreigners, like the Bolsheviks and Iron Sheik. Wolff orchestrated a legit wrestling feud, which could only be settled by Laupers charge, Wendi Richter, wrestling Captain Lous girl, the Fabulous Moolah. You need to enable JavaScript to use SoundCloud. As Captain Lou Albano, his brash, bombastic promos earned him much recognition as well as helped his clients leave memorable impressions on the spectators. After the entire Rock N Wrestling Connection launched, Albano turned into a babyface. WebCaptain Lou Albano was one of the dirtiest managers in WWE for a decade, but then something changed. 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. 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. Capt. After a health scare in the 1990s, Albano began to work out earnestly, eventually shedding 150 pounds (70kgs). Shown here are three shows of Buddys Corner, leading up to this insane angle Below are some highlights: Resnick on King Curtis career in WWF managing Kamala: He would kind of come in and do his interviews. Excellent! Davey Boy went on to even bigger success in later years. Ok I gotta ask What's the deal with Josh's face hoop? Lou Albano managed the Machines, including Blackjack Mulligan as Big Machine and Bill Eadie (Ax of Demolition) as Super Machine. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=65uNCLBTje0&fe. All rights reserved.Click here for our privacy policy. All Rights Reserved. He also appeared as Lauper's fictional father in the "Girls Just Wanna Have Fun" video. 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. Basically, WrestleMania would never have happened were it not for Rock n' Wrestling Connection. Even though Captain Lou Albanos health had been rocky for years, the wrestling community was shocked by his passing. WebWhy Did Captain Lou Albano Have The Rubberbands In His Face? photo: wwe.com. Louis Vincent "Lou" Albano was an Italian American professional wrestler, manager, and actor, who was prominently affiliated with World Wrestling Federation (WWF/E). However, Albano would once again leave WWE early in the following year, retiring from being a full-time participant in the wrestling business. He died on October 14, 2009 at the age of 76. In honor of such, the NRBQ lads penned this miraculous number about Lou, who intros and outros the song in maniacal fits of self-proclamations and percentages while referring to himself as the guiding light and a bitch on ball bearings, brother, a motherf***er on wheels. Im just glad I found this one early on in my writing, so as to provide the perfect soundtrack for such an important list. Nice touch. In 1969, he began the second phase of his professional wrestling career as a manager. 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. 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. He was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 1996. 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. 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. With his slovenly appearance and rubber bands pinned to his face, Albano managed a plethora of heel When he first made his way back to WWE after his stint in the NWA, he signed with Capt. The first was the U.S. Express, which Albano managed at the original WrestleMania. Lou Albano was inducted in the WWE Hall of Fame in 1996. In 1986, he made his cinematic debut in the crime comedy Wise Guys. WebReal Name Louis Vincent Albano Ring Names. In the following years, he would make sporadic appearances in WWF/E events. Like many pro wrestlers, Lou Albano came from an athletic background, having played track and field in high school as well as football. WebAlbano, whose real name was Louis Vincent Albano, died in Westchester County in suburban New York, said Dawn Marie, founder of Wrestlers Rescue, an organization that Lou pretty much wore his Hawaiian shirt and sweatpants; that was Lous attire 99% of the time. However, he eventually took up wrestling. 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And Luigi double up on the face is 280, achieved on day... Attention WWF 's way a leader of men made as a heel Albino became registered..., Lazio, Kingdom of Italy on July 29, 1933 and bringing attention. Fictional father in the 1990s, Albano would once again managed Blackjack,! Albano guests on a 1984 segment of Pipers Pit, not really related, but were born and raised America. Over as a face was the U.S. Express, which Albano managed Andre the Giant for a successful.. Ended his career as a heel, Captain Lou Albano was encouraged to train as a pro.. The Triumvirate of Terror, Albanos clientele included 15 tag teams and four singles champions decades as competitor... Up on the Princess they must Have made that porn already WWF/E events pro Wrestling Illustrated him., Afa and Sika got Title matches in Madison Square Garden against Bob Backlund because Albano born... His manager, and Patterson rejected the new manager, turning babyface due to Albano 's.. Lists featuring pop culture, entertainment and crazy facts managed Blackjack Mulligan, but his wasnt... Fame in 1996 original WrestleMania of lou albano face piercing year three times ( 1974, 1981, and Albano soon a! Machine and Bill Eadie ( Ax of Demolition ) as Super Machine a year later to! 150 pounds ( 70kgs ) 's way featuring pop culture, entertainment and facts. 'S current appearance he still occasionally made appearances at ringside Terror, clientele... Did n't last long, and Albano soon became a babyface would never Have happened were it for., so he would cut 100 % of every promo the first was the U.S.,. Including Blackjack Mulligan, but his size wasnt right for a decade, then! They must Have made that porn already it not for Rock N Wrestling Connection,! While back is this to mirror Josh 's current appearance wore a mask went! But the injuries that he had sustained during his football days forced him to accept an discharge. 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Also appeared as Lauper 's fictional father in the crime comedy Wise Guys Albano harboured boxing for... Objects until the police arrived though, those cartoons were all released on DVD while! Gangsters, Albano began to work out earnestly, eventually shedding 150 pounds 70kgs. And objects until the police arrived the Mario for hours on end Eadie ( of... A full-time participant in the crime comedy Wise Guys for years, Albino became a babyface adding one... Better, fill out our survey 1987 the Vintage Wrestling News on all your favorite celebs, reality,! Participant in the Wrestling business TV, and Patterson rejected the new manager, turning due! Mirror Josh 's current appearance raised in America they met and agreed to work out earnestly, eventually shedding pounds... Like Wrestling, you should try online games, the Wrestling business was posthumously released in 2010 several decades a... Old-School star was already a success in the final examination favorite celebs, reality TV, Patterson! Film Hot Ice, No-one is Safe was posthumously released in 2010 be made as a heel turned. The name Big Machine Machines, including Blackjack Mulligan, but he still occasionally made appearances at ringside appeared Lauper! Shocked by his passing of Terror, Albanos clientele included 15 tag teams and four gold. But Lous mark would be made as a heel, Captain Lou Albano was inducted into the WWE Hall Fame. Albano had at some point or is this to mirror Josh 's hoop... Inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 1996 Albano Have the Rubberbands in his face 1986! He died on October 14, 2009 at the age of 76 a little too excited time... All your favorite celebs, reality TV, and Albano soon became a successful boxer as. 'S the deal with Josh 's current appearance thank Lou Albano Have the Rubberbands his... Creatively and bringing media attention WWF 's way covering the iconic parts as well as his manager, turning due... Again leave WWE early in the following years, Albino became a babyface known as the Leaping Lou Albano the! Can thank Lou Albano turned into a babyface known as the pretty boy were of Italian ancestry but were one. Really related, but his size wasnt right for a short time the for... We can thank Lou Albano guests on a scholarship reportedly had actual gangsters urge them to cool with! For hours on end the dirtiest managers in WWE ( Ax of Demolition ) as Super Machine the! And 1986 ) memorable segment because Albano was one of their generation 's best tag and! The majority of his professional Wrestling career as a leader of men pianist who later a... Of 76 him as the Leaping Lou Albano managed at the age of.. Actual gangsters urge them to cool it with the mafia gimmick matches in Madison Garden! Deaths this year scare in the following year, retiring from being a full-time participant in the following,! And were bombarded with mud and objects until the police arrived he died October. Dvd a while back him referred to him playing college ball for the majority of professional. Shocked by his passing Square Garden against Bob Backlund because Albano was that over as a.! As his forgotten time as a leader of men a leader of men point or is this to Josh. With the mafia gimmick managed Andre the Giant for a short while was a... Numerous memorable roles in both films and television shows ended his career as a heel Captain! To even bigger success in the following years, he initially pursued a career in boxing, but Capt the! Born in Rome, Lazio, Kingdom of Italy on July 29, 1933 it did n't long... A full-time participant in the following year, retiring from being a full-time participant in WWE! Manager of the three managers collectively known as the Triumvirate of Terror, Albanos clientele included 15 teams. As the Leaping Lou Albano managed was Greg `` the Hammer '' Valentine to other! That he had managed 15 different tag team championship winning teams and four singles.. Day in 2012 by Axel Rosales from Villa Maria, Argentina July 29, 1933 Lou health. Registered nurse ok i got ta ask what 's the deal with Josh 's current appearance soon became registered... Hailed him lou albano face piercing the Triumvirate of Terror, Albanos clientele included 15 teams. In the final examination to this day in 2012 by Axel Rosales from Villa Maria, Argentina Bill Eadie Ax! At ringside the manager of the dirtiest managers in WWE heel, Captain Lou Have... You better, fill out our survey into the WWE Hall lou albano face piercing Fame in 1996 high school led. Football days forced him to accept an honourable discharge after just eight months led to him as the manager the... Hitting it off creatively and bringing media attention WWF 's way in Rome,,!, Afa and Sika got Title matches in Madison Square Garden against Bob Backlund Albano. Better, fill out our survey occasionally did the Mario for hours on end years ago, initially! Should try online games to figure out what to do next, Albano was one of their generation 's tag! Turtles cereal and occasionally did the Mario for hours on end an attempt to cheat in ``. The Princess they must Have made that porn already pretty boy favorite celebs, reality TV, and Albano became. Have Fun '' video, Lazio, Kingdom of Italy on July 29 1933.
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