freddie blassie wife

As a result, fans may be aware of Classy Freddie Blassie for his appearances during WWEs Golden Era and beyond but that only scratches the surface of his career. In one memorable instance, Blassie, playing up the heel character, would berate Brunos followers backstage with promos, calling them derogatory names such as "grease ball" and "spaghetti bender." The Legends of Wrestling - "Classy" Freddie Blassie: Listen, You Pencil Neck Geeks (Wwe S) Paperback - February 1, 2004 by Keith Elliot Greenberg (Author) 115 ratings See all formats and editions Kindle $13.99 Read with Our Free App Hardcover $18.99 13 Used from $4.06 2 New from $38.98 1 Collectible from $15.00 Paperback According to Walton, Blassies biggest achievement came Aug. 27, 1971, when he met and defeated Canadian wrestler Golden Greek John Tolos at the Coliseum before 25,000 wrestling fans. Discover today's celebrity birthdays and explore famous people who share your birthday. Fred Blassie was born and raised in the St. Louis, Missouri, area. But for nearly 40 years, Fred Blassie was an in-ring talent who ruled the West Coast, a multi-time World Champion, and one of the most feared villains in pro wrestling history. Blassie held various regional titles, Walton said, including the WWA World Title on five separate occasions, the Americas Heavyweight Title nine times and tag team belts with various partners over the years. Between matches, he gave loud and boastful interviews, making him a favorite of talk shows and reportedly influencing a fellow egomaniac then known as Cassius Clay. The two of them had a great relationship off-camera, but because kayfabe was well and truly protected during this time in the business unless you were on the inside, you never were to know that a heel and face got along in real life. For a brief period of time after World War Two, he was billed as "Sailor" Freddie Blassie in matches, a gimmick that did not prove successful. [3][8][9], In 1960, Blassie returned to Strongbow's promotion in Los Angeles, where he was a big star for Worldwide Wrestling Associates (WWA) of southern California, drawing many fans to the Olympic Auditorium in Los Angeles. In the summer of 1986, Blassie started to slowly phase himself out of the WWF and into retirement. His ex-manager would turn out to be an enemy, representing The Iron Sheik in the match where Hulk Hogan won the WWE Championship and held it for a shade over four years. [8], In 1975, Blassie recorded voiceovers for the songs "Blassie, King of Men" and "Pencil Neck Geek", which were performed by Johnny Legend, featuring Billy Zoom on guitar, Jay Phillips on guitar, Lon Osgood on bass and Steve Clark on drums. ", to a monstrous applause. In 1960, he became a regular with World Wrestling Associates (WWA) in Los Angeles, a move that would cement his legacy in pro wrestling, long before he became a manager. Blassie wrestled as a dark-haired good guy until he found out that the "heels" (bad guys) got better pay. He came up with it back in his carnival days, when describing a literal carnival geek -- as in, a performer who bites the heads off of chickens -- who had a slender neck. That year, Blassie was forced to retire from in-ring competition, as a California by-law forbade wrestling licenses for anyone upon reaching 55 years old. Blassie was inducted into the WWF Hall of Fame in 1994 by Shane McMahon. Poffo, at first, played it small and declined. They had no connecting hallways, so he was stuck with a bunch of these people, kayfabing his gimmick as Bruno was being hauled in on a stretcher. Because of his close relationship with Vince McMahon, Sr. and his family, Blassie remained on the WWF payroll until the day he died. [3] As an adult, Frederick was a teetotaler. In March of 1962, Blassie lost the WWA World title to Rikidozan, and for the next four months, Blassie competed in Japan, determined to regain his title from the Japanese wrestling innovator. [9] While recuperating in 1966, he worked as a car salesman and married a second time to a woman whose name Blassie later claimed not to remember. Most recently, he co-authored the 2016 edition of the WWE Encyclopedia of Sports Entertainment. One poll ranked him as the most hated wrestler in the United States. Greenbergs memoir on Freddie Blassie was released just three weeks before he died in 2003. . Bruno had gotten so famous that he couldnt always pick the boneheads from the rest. My Breakfast with Blassie was conceived of by Linda Lautrec and Johnny Legend as a satire on My Dinner with Andre. Blassie June 8, 2003 The professional wrestler Freddie Blassie, who became a cult figure to fans by playing the villain inside the ring during the 1950's and 1960's, died Monday. While there, he feuded with Soulman Rocky Johnson, The Sheik, and "The Golden Greek" John Tolos. Blassie is survived by his wife, Miyako, and three children. But while his US in-ring career ended (while still working for WWWF), he remained employed by WWWF and became a manager instead. PWSTees.com Your favorite Pro Wrestling Stories, on a tee! Managed by "Loud" Lou Albano, Blassie continued his winning ways, but never won the WWWF's championship. wrestled as a dark-haired good guy until he found out that the "heels" One poll ranked him as the most hated wrestler in the United States. In it, Blassie is picked up at the Washington, D.C., airport by a limo full of young women, escorted around the nation's capital, gives his opinions and confronts tourists. Frederick Kenneth Blassman[2] (February 8, 1918 June 2, 2003) was an American professional wrestler and manager, known by the ring name "Classy" Freddie Blassie. In this match Hogan was once again victorious. Blassie was more than willing to let the talented Bearcat Wright take the gold and make history. Fred Blassie was born and raised in the St. Louis, Missouri, area. Miyako Blassie, 68, says in court papers that she was shopping for groceries. KyleEnjoysWrestling wrote on 30.07.2019: [ 9.0] "People mostly know Blassie for his manager roles, but he was also a pro in the ring. He graduated from McKinley High School and began work at a meatpacking plant. He has written several wrestling biographies including Freddie Blassies The Legends of Wrestling, Ric Flairs To Be The Man, "Superstar" Billy Grahams Tangled Ropes,and the unreleased biography of The Iron Sheik which, despite being chockful of stories that would be sure to make your jaw drop, will never see the light of day. I think Dick Lane was as good as Gordon Solie in his day. Blassie appeared alongside Slick to co-manage Sheik and Volkoff for a few television appearances before finally bowing out in November 1986, with Albano, the final member of the Three Wise Men, retiring a few weeks later. is 6'(1.83m) . As a result he has wrought something of a revolution in the unmanly art of exhibition wrestling.. "When hed go to a town, the most powerful Italians would latch themselves onto him and decided they were his protectors, whether Bruno liked it or not. By using this site, you agree to the legal terms set out in ourDisclaimer, Terms of Service, Privacy Policy, and Disclosure. In the early 1970s, Blassie "turned face", or became a good guy, since so many fans were cheering his famous antics. Gross tubs? He joined the Navy at the start of World War II and started wrestling initially under the name of Sailor Fred Blassie while stationed at Port Hueneme. He worked for Vince McMahon and the World Wrestling Federation, now known as World Wrestling Entertainment. By doing this, he saved Freddie Blassies life. [16] In 1999, he was shown making the opening narration of WrestleMania XV. Hed also regularly tag with Gorilla Monsoon, another wrestler better known for his non-wrestling roles. At Freddie Blassies wake, a family member came up to Keith Elliot Greenberg, saying that Freddies son had read the book and was ready to make peace with his father. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. RELATED: 10 Managers With The Best Claim To Be On A Wrestling Mount Rushmore. [8], Blassie appeared in an episode of The Dick Van Dyke Show that featured a new dance craze called The Twizzle. We've received your submission. Even more important than that, Blassie would make a change that would make him an icon. [7] Later, he received regular work wrestling at local carnivals. [8] His death was announced by Jim Ross, 20 minutes into that same day's episode of Raw. He was now hooked, and he decided that pro wrestling was his destiny and not his backbreaking work in the meatpacking plant. Lynne Margulies, who would later become Kaufman's girlfriend, plays a role; in fact, she and Kaufman met for the first time on camera. [6] In later years, Blassie also appeared on The Mike Douglas Show when Philbin was a guest host. However, he became increasingly interested in wrestling. Freddie Blassie. Given that Hogan was the top babyface in the 1980s, this iteration of The Hulkster was actually a heel and would depart in 1981 after a dispute with Vince McMahon Sr. over Hogans taking a role in Rocky III. In 1972, ten years after his last match in Japan with Rikidozans JWA, he returned to Japan and began working for Giant Babas All Japan Pro Wrestling (AJPW). 10 Wrestling Book Must Reads and 5 You Dont Want To Waste Your Time On, Classy" Freddie Blassie The Legends of Wrestling, The Night Bruno Sammartino Saved Freddie Blassies Life, The Time WWE Hall of Famer DR. JERRY GRAHAM Kidnapped His Mothers Dead Body, Freddie Blassie, Lou Albano, and "The Fossil Jostle" Atrocity in 85, Roddy Piper: From The Streets to the Big Time, Bruno Sammartino and Buddy Rogers The 1963 WWWF Title Screwjob, Disclaimer, Terms of Service, Privacy Policy, and Disclosure. "Classy" Freddie Blassie is a legendary wrestling personality, both as a wrestler and a manager. My Breakfast with Blassie is a 1983 film starring Andy Kaufman and professional wrestler "Classy" Freddie Blassie.[1]. In January 1962, Blassie and Mr. Moto defeated Hans Hermann and Jesus Ortega for the California version of the WWA International TV Tag Team title. Freddie accomplished that goal and did so in grand style, as only he could. His heels were always a bit more exotic and meaner than most. If you're not from the midwest you're not allowed to have an opinion on this. The film My Breakfast With Blassie, which came out in 1983, was a spoof of My Dinner With Andre. The camera followed Blassie and Kaufman as they ate and discussed life at a local restaurant that looked like a Dennys. In this series, we will look at some of pro wrestlings greatest and most well-known managers and/or valets, but explore their prior career as an in-ring professional wrestler. Born Fred Blassman in St. Louis, Blassie played baseball and football in high school. My Breakfast with Blassie: Directed by Linda Lautrec, Johnny Legend, Mark Shepard. Download 100+ Free Freddie Blassie Wallpaper Images & 500,000+ Wallpapers for Free. Hear Keith Elliot Greenbergs share stories about "Classy" Freddie Blassie on The Genius Cast below: Over his 22-year wrestling career, Freddie Blassie had many notable feuds. If they refused to drop a title, it didnt matter what the bookers thought. My Breakfast with Blassie is a 1983 film starring Andy Kaufman and professional wrestler "Classy" Freddie Blassie. Frederick Kenneth Blassie (February 8, 1918 - June 2, 2003), better known as "Classy" Freddie Blassie, was an American professional wrestling villain and manager born in St. Louis, Missouri. Of course, these mobsters thought he was putting them down for real. When he asked for her parents' blessing, they were hesitant because of his reputation with Rikidzan and because he was 28 years older than she. [3], One of Blassie's most famous proteges was The Iron Sheik. By 1952, Blassie was getting disillusioned by the East Coast and headed for California, although he did still work for various NWA territories in the South, particularly Georgia Championship Wrestling (GCW). Before The Client List is an extension of our ongoing series, Before They Were Famous, which looks at wrestlers before they became internationally famous. Blassie came into the WWWF with his own world title belt, claiming to be the Pacific World Champion, and was coming to Sammartino's "back yard" to unify the world title. American professional wrestler and manager, Worldwide Wrestling Associates (19601968), World Wide Wrestling Federation (1964; 1971). (bad guys) got better pay. [2] He was given a commentary tryout in 1986 and 1987 for WWF Wrestling Challenge, calling a few matches with Gorilla Monsoon. (and of course, Bubba Ray and D-Von take care of Bischoff and his cronies). World Wrestling Entertainment WWE)). One of Blassie's gimmicks was to file his teeth, and draw blood from his opponents by biting their foreheads. Funeral services will be held at noon Friday at Hitchcock Presbyterian Church in Scarsdale, N.Y. Prep Rally is devoted to the SoCal high school sports experience, bringing you scores, stories and a behind-the-scenes look at what makes prep sports so popular. first tried to make his mark as a boxer, despite warnings that his arms Backstage, Jilly Rizzo club owner, Frank Sinatra's bodyguard, and . [3][8] In 1983, Rhino Records released a 14-track album by Blassie, titled I Bite the Songs. Occasionally, he would get too close to the action and get beaten up himself, much to the crowd's delight. In order to impress a girl, he entered a carnival show match in a shoot fight and won. It made Japanese wrestling a commodity on the West Coast and had given Rikidozan the credibility of conquering America. Over the course of his in-ring career, Classy Freddie Blassie would wrestle a number of legends, many of whom have either become legendary wrestlers or became famous in the following decades for non-competitive roles. Accounts about his early athletic career do not quite agree, but he first tried to make his mark as a boxer, despite warnings that his arms were too short. However, later that year Blassie suffered from kidney stones and had surgery to remove them. By the 1970s, Blassie had relocated to the East Coast where he successfully pursued his mat career. A fierce competitor in the ring known for unorthodox methods and a penchant for bloodletting, Blassie was verbose and boastful. [1] It is a mostly improvised parody of the art film My Dinner with Andre and is set in a Sambo's restaurant where Kaufman and Blassie have a discussion over breakfast. His net worth has been growing significantly in 2021-2022. Still a motormouth, he gave interviews in which he bragged about himself and his protgs and denounced anybody he didn't like as a "pencil necked geek". When the wife of WWEs Chairman and CEOhad heard about this, she accosted Blassie saying, "I didnt even realize you had any kids!". In the segment he is interviewed by "Mean" Gene Okerlund when the two are interrupted by a little old lady in a housekeeper outfit that Blassie claims to be his own mother. mainly in the Southeast and West Coast, winning many titles in both. When meeting someone, he would ask where they were from, and no matter their response, he would reply with, "Oh, that's God's country!". You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times. During this time, he went to New York City to work for promoter Jess McMahon. His penchant for biting opponents earned him the nickname "The Vampire". He bleached his hair and quickly became a Many people close to him actually had no idea that he had children in the first place. Returning to the WWA, Blassie began feuding with the likes of Bobo Brazil, Mil Mascaras, and others, as well as teaming with another known violent savage, Mad Dog Vachon. "Bruno always had a huge entourage hanging around him," Greenberg wrote in "Classy" Freddie Blassie The Legends of Wrestling. The professional wrestler Freddie Blassie, who became a cult figure to fans by playing the villain inside the ring during the 1950's and 1960's, died Monday. Keith Elliot Greenberg has been doing his part to preserve professional wrestling history for the past few decades. According to Greenberg, Gorgeous George, towards the end of his career, wanted to form a tag team with Blassie. [8] In 2001, Blassie appeared in a special July 16, 2001 Raw is War segment for the Invasion storyline, wherein he exhorted a gathering of WWF wrestlers to stand tall against The Alliance and later got mocked by Alliance leaders Shane and Stephanie McMahon. He delivered a rousing speech, dramatically standing up from his wheelchair to get the WWE-loyal wrestlers pumped up for the next battle. According to Dave Meltzer, "legitimately there were three [deaths] in Japan from elderly men watching a match with Togo in Japan, and it became this myth that [Freddie Blassie] exaggerated.". His penchant for biting opponents earned him the nickname "The Comedian Andy Kaufman & professional wrestler Classy Freddie Blassie eat breakfast & discuss life. This movie got together because the man who produced wrestling manager and former wrestling champion Fred Blassie's novelty song, "Pencil-Neck Geek", Johnny Legend, wanted to film a very cheap parody of the awful art movie My Dinner with Andre, and decided that Blassie's young friend and protege, the eccentric comedian Andy Kaufman would be the . egomaniac then known as Cassius Clay. He hated his father for it. You can always count on LWOPW to be on top of the major news in the wrestling world, as well as to provide you with analysis, previews, videos, interviews, and editorials on the wrestling world. That revolution -- making the villain the hero -- put fans in the seats and money in Blassies pocket. Blassie. Hed also engage in big title feuds with serious GOATs like Japans Rikidozan and Americas Lou Thesz, both of whom are considered among the most influential wrestlers of all time. In He returned again in 1990 briefly to do color commentary for Prime Time in April with Vince McMahon, as an emergency fill-in after Tony Schiavone quit, playing a heel once again. Stay tuned to theLast Word on Pro Wrestlingfor more on this and other stories from around the world of wrestling, as they develop. [6] Afterwards he became a manager in the World Wide Wrestling Federation (WWWF) and its subsequent incarnation the World Wrestling Federation (WWF). With Andy Kaufman, Freddie Blassie, Laurie Burton, Linda Hirsch. As Greenberg shares it, Bruno used to have many people follow him around in the back, many of which were purported to be in the mob. Freddie Blassie Height 5'10" Weight 220 lbs Hometown St. Louis Signature Move Stomach Claw Career Highlights 1994 WWE Hall of Fame Inductee Freddie Blassie: Bio "Classy" Freddie Blassie is one of the most memorable Superstars to ever set foot inside the squared circle. [21] His book, Listen You Pencil Neck Geeks, was released on May 13, 2003. [3], In 1964, Blassie feuded with Bruno Sammartino and Bobo Brazil. Lanny said that if a wrestler had a bottle of cologne in their bag, or even rubbing alcohol, Jerry Graham would take it out and drink it. [2] In 1963, Bearcat Wright defeated him to become champion, and it was quite a statement during the fight for civil rights that an African-American had won such a title. [24], In the early 1990s, the wrestler starred in a documentary directed by Jeff Krulik, titled Mr. Blassie Goes To Washington. [9], In 1968, Blassie returned to Japan and was reunited with Miyako. Fred Blassie was born and raised in the St. Louis, Missouri, area. (Use code PWS for a nice surprise). He grabs his balls!" He also began filing his teeth, transitioning from Sailor to The Vampire, as his spiked teeth became effective tools in biting his opponents, creating a macabre presentation and early influence on the hardcore side of pro-wrestling. Fred Blassie would meet his wife, a Japanese actress.. November 15, 1968: Fred Blassie defeated Buddy Austin in a "Stretcher" match in the Olympic Stadium.. A nice man, with a lovely wife and it was great having him there to cut a wonderful promo during my show. As a wrestling manager, wore shirts and trousers of the exact same color, sometimes with a matching jacket. Professional wrestler Freddie Blassie, who became a cult figure for fans by playing the villain inside the ring during the 1950s and 1960s, has died. Fred Blassie had a shocking heel turn during his stint in Georgia, which led to him becoming an extremely hated wrestler! He joined the Navy at the start of World War II and started wrestling under the name of Sailor Fred Blassie while stationed at Port Hueneme in California. He's also written for Pro Wrestling Illustrated, WrestleZone, The Windsor Star, and other publications. 500,000+ HD Wallpapers & Freddie Blassie Wallpaper 100% Free to Use High Quality Wallpapers Personalise for all Screen & Devices. After a move to the West Coast, he tried a different promotional scheme -- that of a villain. Still claiming to be the West Coast Champion, entered into a feud with Bruno Sammartino to unify the titles. He did an advice segment on the ''Tuesday Night Titans'' TV program, made personal appearances and did radio interviews. Also featured is Bob Zmuda, who plays a nosy fan. Outside of being an award-winning television producer, the New York Times best-selling author began writing about professional wrestling for several newspapers and magazines in the 90s. [3][23] (The film was referenced by American rock band R.E.M. Around 1980, he adopted a new moniker: "Ayatollah Blassie." His heels were always a bit more exotic and meaner than most. Freddie Blassies origins are worth knowing about, especially because they involve much earlier days of the pro wrestling world -- as in, within the first half of the 20th century. It was in the latter that he decided to embrace his villainous side, bleaching his hair blonde like Gorgeous George. He retired from competition in the late 1970's to manage a new generation of wrestlers, including Hulk Hogan and Jesse Ventura, the future governor of Minnesota. *The 100 deaths claim was an exaggerated myth that Blassie used. Credited with bringing a young Hulk Hogan into the World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) in late 1979. . Without further ado, lets do an overview of Blassies career for fans who may not know much about him. After a 39-year in-ring career in the sport, Blassie retired as a wrestler as a 4x WWA World Heavyweight Champion, a 17x NWA Georgia Southern Heavyweight Champion, NWA Junior Heavyweight Champion, as well as dozens more regional titles in multiple NWA territories.

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