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: 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. i figured Id get a jump on all the "balloon boy" comics that will be out on Monday. Your current browser isn't compatible with SoundCloud. Of the two, Windham later went on to become a world champion. Broadcast live on MTV, it gave WWE the opportunity to access the coveted young adult demographic. Albano appeared in the early episodes of the show and appears to be back to make us laugh. 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. His parents Eleanor and Carmen were of Italian ancestry but were born and raised in America. Unique lists featuring pop culture, entertainment and crazy facts. WebAlbano ballooned to well over 300 pounds in later years. Albano made his screen debut in 1952 in CBS The Jackie Gleason Show. WebLouis 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 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! With a wardrobe of colorful Hawaiian shirts, facial piercings finished with rubber bands, and unruly hair with a beard to match Captain Lou Albano was a man you couldnt help but notice. When he first made his way back to WWE after his stint in the NWA, he signed with Capt. When he retired from WWF in 1986, he left behind an unparalleled legacy. Albano, his wife, and a family friend had to be escorted out of the arena, but the crowd followed them. Captain Lou Albano guests on a 1984 segment of Pipers Pit. The original stories involving him referred to him as the pretty boy. Sadly, a second heart attack would claim his life on October 14th. Sadly, this was not the best moment, as they lost their titles to the foreign heel tag team of Iron Sheik and Nikolai Volkoff. RELATED:10 Legends Who Never Won A Title In WWE. [Insert gay plunder reference]. Despite being an average wrestler, it was quite apparent that he was an entertaining speaker. 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. 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 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 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. Please download one of our supported browsers. Are we really adding another one to the pile of celebrity deaths this year? This comic was so funny, it made me spit water all over. WebCaptain Lou Albano dead at 76. photo: wwe.com 1933-2009 (age 76) With a wardrobe of colorful Hawaiian shirts, facial piercings finished with rubber bands, and unruly hair with Blackjack Mulligan and Blackjack Lanza won their first WWE tag team titles in 1975 from Dominic DeNucci and Pat Barrett. https://www.thefamouspeople.com/profiles/lou-albano-12451.php. This was one of the most popular tag teams in WWE during the '80s, and also one that was short-lived. 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. Excellent! He would cut most if not all of the promos for them. He died at home in Westchester County, New York. It was never clear how the cartoons and the live-action show were supposed to be related but 8 year olds typically dont ask those sort of questions. 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. If you enjoy PWInsider.com you can check out the AD-FREE PWInsider Elite section, 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. 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. Be sure to visit PWInsider.com and PWInsiderXtra.com. On the day of the official adjudication the final count was in fact 271. 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. Nice touch. 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. And Im no longer buttoning my shirt. Want more wrestling news, rumors, and results? 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. Later, Valentine moved on to Jimmy Hart as his manager, and Albano soon became a babyface. Louis Vincent "Lou" Albano was born on July 29, 1933, in Rome, Lazio, in what was then the Kingdom of Italy. If you like wrestling, you should try online games. A second Intercontinental Champion that Captain Lou Albano managed was Greg "The Hammer" Valentine. With his open Hawaiian shirts, outrageous facial hair and trademark rubber bands hanging 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. So, rest easy Captain Lou. He said that he would wear these things in his cheeks until (MS) was cured.. WebPaul E Dangerously and Captain Lou Albano face to face. He had a heart attack in May 2005. It all culminated in a match where they agreed to compete by proxy on July 23, 1984. Later in the '80s, Albano once again managed Blackjack Mulligan, but he wore a mask and went by the name Big Machine. You actually have to pull the face-rubber bands while theyre on your face to properly (and respectfully) launch them. The Grand Wizard would manage up-and-comers, guys who could talk and finish the promo after he set it up. I'd do the google search, but I value my sanity. RELATED:The 10 Best Intercontinental Champions From The PG Era. Louis Vincent Albano was born in Rome, Lazio, Kingdom of Italy on July 29, 1933. Here are some highlights. 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. 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. Trying to figure out what to do next, Albano harboured boxing aspirations for a short while. Actually I have the DVDs. Albanomanaged numerous top name competitors. by Justin-Finkelstein Limited Time Offer: Get 50% off the first year of our best annual plan for artists with In 1986, Captain Lou Albano left the World Wrestling Federation to pursue other interests, but he still occasionally made appearances at ringside. It's too bad. Wolff orchestrated a legit wrestling feud, which could only be settled by Laupers charge, Wendi Richter, wrestling Captain Lous girl, the Fabulous Moolah. interviews and more by clicking here! I distinctly remember getting a little too excited every time SMB came on television. (vitag.Init = window.vitag.Init || []).push(function(){viAPItag.display("vi_937032466")}). He is also remembered for his appearances in Cyndi Laupers music videos, particularly Girls Just Want to Have Fun. 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. Like many pro wrestlers, Lou Albano came from an athletic background, having played track and field in high school as well as football. 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. Lou Albano agreed with the change in career path, especially because football injuries were taking a toll on his body. He wasn't wrong. What was on Lou Albano face? He was Instead, he initially pursued a career in boxing, but his size wasnt right for a successful boxer. 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. 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! Pro Wrestling Illustrated hailed him as the Manager of the Year three times (1974, 1981, and 1986). In 1969, he began the second phase of his professional wrestling career as a manager. Amazingly, he received scholarship offers from 32 colleges as a senior. No BS. He said that he would wear these 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. Awesome pins and charms to express your authentic self! Ah.. the Mario, an often misunderstood and overlooked dance. News on all your favorite celebs, reality TV, and movies. Leguizamo is awesome in everything he does. Albano led them to only one tag team title reign before Dynamite had to retire. Ok I gotta ask What's the deal with Josh's face hoop? 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. Captain Lou Albano was one of WWE's most iconic managers of the '70s & '80s. In his later years, Albino became a successful actor, playing numerous memorable roles in both films and television shows. The match established professional wrestling as a mainstream entertainment mode, and heralded its 1980s boom. This angle led to the MTV special The Brawl to End It All, wherein Wendi Richter (representing Lauper) defeated The Fabulous Moolah (representing Albano) for the WWE Womens Championship. It was impressive. Through collaborations with pop star Cyndi Lauper, he helpedbring mainstream attention towrestling during the 1980s. 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. 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. Playlists containing Why Did Captain Lou Albano Have The Rubberbands In His Face? 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. Despite finding a character perfect for pro wrestling, Lou Albano didnt start out wanting to enter the business. His last name is slightly easier to pronounce than it looks. On October 14, 2009, at 76 years of age, he passed away due to heart failure. Muraco went on to feud with former Albano wrestler Superfly Jimmy Snuka. Captain Lou Albano dead at 76. photo: wwe.com. Lou Albano and beat Tito Santana for the IC Title. He had managed 15 different tag team championship winning teams and four singles gold winners. 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). 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. Spouse/Ex-: Geraldine Albano (m. 19532009), siblings: Carl Albano, Eleanor Albano, George Albano, Vincent Albano, place of death: Carmel Hamlet, New York, United States, See the events in life of Lou Albano in Chronological Order. 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. Third Party Advertising: We use third-party advertising companies to serve ads when you visit our Web site. But Lous mark would be made as a leader of men. He was kind of a wild and crazy guy. 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. After spending several decades as a heel, Captain Lou Albano turned face in 1984 in a memorable segment. Click here for our privacy policy. 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. RELATED:10 Best Submission Finishers In TNA History, Ranked. Web 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 Google image search Captain Lou Albano. Even though Captain Lou Albanos health had been rocky for years, the wrestling community was shocked by his passing. Hilariously, however, Albano proved a heel in college, and behavior issues as well as cheating in class got him expelled from the school. He soon moved with his parents back to the U.S. A buccaneer before he changed his gimmick, Albano wasn't a great wrestler, but had a couple of high visibility runs in the northeast. 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. Regarded as one of the earliest superstars of the industry, he had a moderately successful career as a professional wrestler before becoming a manager. Unique lists featuring pop culture, entertainment and crazy facts. 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. 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. Working 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. Albano, ever the heel, decided to feud with Lauper on WWE television by claiming ownership over the song on Pipers Pit. 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. One of his first clients was Crusher Verdu, a wrestler from Spain whose English abilities werent all that great. photo: wwe.com. Fair well paisano. 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. The World's Most Entertaining Car Website. Lou Albano (October 14, 1959 - June 7, 1997) Captain Lou Albano (May 22, 1972 - October 29, 1986) Height 5 ft 10 in (178 cm) The MTV masses ate up the He used to put rubberbands in his face. 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 Valiant Brothers, unprincely. Axel wanted a more rounded number for his record and so invited his piercer friend to add nine more to reach 280. His wrestling moniker, Captain Lou Albano, was inspired by his time as the leader of his school football team. While awarding a framed gold record to former enemy Cyndi His health again took a sharp decline in 2009. 44,624 likes. Below are some highlights: Resnick on King Curtis career in WWF managing Kamala: He would kind of come in and do his interviews. 1987 The Vintage Wrestling The World's Most Entertaining Car Website. 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. 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. 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. While awarding a framed gold record to former enemy Cyndi Lauper, Roddy Piper and Bob Orton interrupted, smashing the frame over Albanos head. All rights reserved.Click here for our privacy policy. I was just about to comment on that myself . 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. When he lost significant weight over the past couple of years, he was still solid, said Varriale. 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. This scar gave him the springboard to transition into more of a heel character, and gained more notoriety in the process. WebRightfully so, because the legendary Captain Lou Albano will always be one of a kind. He then enlisted in the US Army. Sadly, his ability to continue his career in entertainment wasgreatly limited during the 1990s. 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. 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. He was a pro himself, who broke into the biz in 1953 as pretty boy, baby face, Leaping Lou Albano. Albano had at some point or is this to mirror Josh's current appearance? Hence the title of the comic. WebWrestler, personality Captain Lou Albano dies at 76 Flashback: Albano and Lauper Engage in Father-Daughter Smackdown in Pipers Pit 6-year-old boy floats away in homemade With a convincing gimmick as mafia-esque gangsters, Albano and Altomare reportedly had actual gangsters urge them to cool it with the mafia gimmick. He adopted a new name, Mount Vernon Mauler, garnering a reputation in the New Yorks professional wrestling scene. Lou Albano managed the Machines, including Blackjack Mulligan as Big Machine and Bill Eadie (Ax of Demolition) as Super Machine. In 1986, Andre took time off from WWE to makePrincess Bride, and a storyline was created that had WWE suspend Andre for no-showing an event. Balloon boy could also be a reference to someone who loves or smuggles heroin. 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. You need to enable JavaScript to use SoundCloud. RELATED: The 10 Greatest Pipers Pit Segments Of All Time. Due to his busy schedule as a WWF employee, it would take him another 37 years to land his first significant credit. Later, a masked man who looked just like Andre showed up wearing a mask and calling himself the Giant Machine. From there, Albano was encouraged to train as a pro wrestler. Their gimmick was grunting and using a dialect that only their manager Captain Lou Albano could understand. Everyone thought I was Ron Jeremy. Lou Albano manageda world heavyweight champion. He said that he would wear these 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. He managed a great many teams to the. http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Wrestling/CaptainLouAlbano. Lauper was represented by Wendi Richter, while Albano picked The Fabulous Moolah. The MTV masses ate up the Captains critically acclaimed turn in Laupers video, just like her manager and boyfriend David Wolff predicted. I actually liked the Super Mario Brothers movie. Lou then managed the team on to three WWE World Tag Team Championship reigns. They met and agreed to work together sometime in future. Need help? Basically, WrestleMania would never have happened were it not for Rock n' Wrestling Connection. While Verdu couldnt get the job done, one of Albanos clients finally did in 1971 - Ivan Koloff, who shocked fans in Madison Square Garden when he ended Sammartinos seven-and-a-half-year run with the belt. Hell, Afa and Sika got Title matches in Madison Square Garden against Bob Backlund because Albano was that over as a heel. if they released those DVD's minus the nonsensical live action scenes its a fucking travesty. After the videos success, Wolff saw dollar signs. TVTropes is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported License. Captain Lou Albano also managed the very successful Valiant Brothers in WWE. Login. These were kayfabe brothers, not really related, but were still one of their generation's best tag teams. Carmen was an obstetrician while Eleanor was a pianist who later became a registered nurse. 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). 1987 - YouTube 0:02 / 1:23 Paul E Dangerously and Captain Lou Albano face to face. Despite playing a heel for the majority of his managing career, Albano ended his career as a face.