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. He studied at Archbishop Stepinac High School in White Plains, New York where he first demonstrated his athletic abilities. These were kayfabe brothers, not really related, but were still one of their generation's best tag teams. 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 dead at 76. photo: wwe.com. He debuted in the professional circuit in 1952 and would be active for the next 17 years. 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. 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A second Intercontinental Champion that Captain Lou Albano managed was Greg "The Hammer" Valentine. He rattles off his list of accolades, including 14 tag team champions, two intercontinental, and one world wide federation champion. 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. Here are some highlights. When he lost significant weight over the past couple of years, he was still solid, said Varriale. He was freakin MARIO for Toads sake. Albanos final film Hot Ice, No-one Is Safe was posthumously released in 2010. Through collaborations with pop star Cyndi Lauper, he helpedbring mainstream attention towrestling during the 1980s. They are essentially the same dude except for the porn. 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. WebOne of the most famous angles in WWWF history. Amazingly, he received scholarship offers from 32 colleges as a senior. Of the two, Windham later went on to become a world champion. https://www.thefamouspeople.com/profiles/lou-albano-12451.php. After the videos success, Wolff saw dollar signs. No BS. RELATED: The 10 Greatest Pipers Pit Segments Of All Time. Singer Cyndi Lauper was there as well. 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 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. Please help us serve you better, fill out our survey. 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). His parents Eleanor and Carmen were of Italian ancestry but were born and raised in America. The Wise Men of the East (sometimes billed as the "Triumvirate of Terror") managed the heels in Vince McMahon Sr.'s WWF. He not only participated in the track and field events, but was also picked as the captain of his schools football team. Nice touch. 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. Instead, he initially pursued a career in boxing, but his size wasnt right for a successful boxer. They had four children together, including a son named Carl, who has been serving as a member of the Putnam County Legislature since 2011. Despite playing a heel for the majority of his managing career, Albano ended his career as a face. Balloon boy could also be a reference to someone who loves or smuggles heroin. Trying to figure out what to do next, Albano harboured boxing aspirations for a short while. He suffered a heart attack in 2005, but made recovery. 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. 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). After the entire Rock N Wrestling Connection launched, Albano turned into a babyface. The MTV masses ate up the Captains critically acclaimed turn in Laupers video, just like her manager and boyfriend David Wolff predicted. 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: We just watched the show, ate our Ninja Turtles cereal and occasionally did The Mario for hours on end. It was impressive. If you enjoy PWInsider.com you can check out the AD-FREE PWInsider Elite section, 1987 - YouTube 0:02 / 1:23 Paul E Dangerously and Captain Lou Albano face to face. 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. 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. 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. 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. 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. Users who reposted Why Did Captain Lou Albano Have The Rubberbands In His Face? His collaboration with Lauper extended beyond the professional wrestling circuit. 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. This was one of the most popular tag teams in WWE during the '80s, and also one that was short-lived. 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. Later, Valentine moved on to Jimmy Hart as his manager, and Albano soon became a babyface. 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 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 1987 - YouTube 0:02 / 1:23 Paul E Dangerously and Captain Lou Albano face to face. Lou Albano managed the Machines, including Blackjack Mulligan as Big Machine and Bill Eadie (Ax of Demolition) as Super Machine. Louis Vincent Albano was born in Rome, Lazio, Kingdom of Italy on July 29, 1933. Albano appeared in the early episodes of the show and appears to be back to make us laugh. 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. His last name is slightly easier to pronounce than it looks. 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. 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. "Classy" Freddie Blassie got more heat than the Wizard because he managed turncoats and categorically-evil foreigners, like the Bolsheviks and Iron Sheik. D20 Crocs Jibbitz Charms Geeky Gaming Dice. Danny Djeljosevic is a writer based in San Diego, CA. He had a heart attack in May 2005. Your current browser isn't compatible with SoundCloud. His character was a babyface known as the Leaping Lou Albano. He also appeared as Lauper's fictional father in the "Girls Just Wanna Have Fun" video. Copyright 2023 411mania.com, LLC. Lou Albano was inducted in the WWE Hall of Fame in 1996. 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. Lou Albano manageda world heavyweight champion. When he first made his way back to WWE after his stint in the NWA, he signed with Capt. I giggled at the kid in the balloon. 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. The original stories involving him referred to him as the pretty boy. He was kind of a wild and crazy guy. if they released those DVD's minus the nonsensical live action scenes its a fucking travesty. Albano, his wife, and a family friend had to be escorted out of the arena, but the crowd followed them. sniff why couldn't it have been John Leguizamo or Bob Hoskins?. 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 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. It didn't last long, and Patterson rejected the new manager, turning babyface due to Albano's notoriety. Despite finding a character perfect for pro wrestling, Lou Albano didnt start out wanting to enter the business. Anyone else loving the sad expression on everyones face as they break out in dance? While awarding a framed gold record to former enemy Cyndi Lauper, Roddy Piper and Bob Orton interrupted, smashing the frame over Albanos head. Please download one of our supported browsers. With his slovenly appearance and rubber bands pinned to his face, Albano managed a plethora of heel (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); No spam. Everyone thought I was Ron Jeremy. 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. I dont know if you were a great man, or even a good one but you entertained me as a child and for that I am grateful. WebReal Name Louis Vincent Albano Ring Names. Please help us serve you better, fill out our survey.Use of this site signifies your agreement to our terms of use. 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. He managed a great many teams to the. Today, people dont just remember Captain Lou Albano for his work in professional wrestling. 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. Google image search Captain Lou Albano. 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. 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. WebWhy Did Captain Lou Albano Have The Rubberbands In His Face? He also received the Editors Award from the magazine in 1994. 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