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. One poll ranked him as the most hated wrestler in the United book. At an early age, Blassie was enamored with pro wrestling, particularly the shooters of the early era of pro wrestling in the 1930s, and would often sneak into a local gym to watch the technical masters stretch and submit their opponents. Bruno Sammartino and Vince McMahons Venomous 25-Year Feud, Bob Backlund Humble Beginnings to Championship Gold, World Wrestling Association: WWA Indianapolis Wrestling Territory, Rise and Sad Demise of The Midnight Express, Greatest Challenge Yet for Pro Wrestling Stories Author Jim Phillips, Adrian Street The British Brawler Who Wore Sequins, Ric Flair and Terry Funk: A Feud to Remember, Lou Thesz The Side Business Hustles of a Champion Wrestler, Velvet McIntyre | WWEs Original Irish Lass Kicker, Big Time Wrestling in San Francisco | Wrestling Territories, Wrestlers Who Shouldnt Have Followed Fathers Footsteps, Jack Donovan Deal One of Wrestlings Most Heinous Attacks. As a result he has wrought something of a revolution in the unmanly art of exhibition wrestling.. Hed also regularly tag with Gorilla Monsoon, another wrestler better known for his non-wrestling roles. comes a time when every man must fight for that he believes in. It was in the latter that he decided to embrace his villainous side, bleaching his hair blonde like Gorgeous George. Blassie originally wrestled mainly in the Southeast and West Coast, winning many titles in both. [10] He was so hated there that uniformed police officers were regularly brought in to protect him as he made his way to and from the ring. In 1964, Blassie once again captured the WWA World title for the third time (again from Carpentier), but upon losing to Dick The Bruiser in April, he headed to the newly minted World Wide Wrestling Federation (WWWF). [7] When Philbin had a late-night weekend talk show in San Diego, Blassie would routinely show up to yell at the audience, throw furniture, and threaten Philbin; the confrontations were wholly kayfabe and both of them were friends when the cameras weren't rolling. Blassies father was a heavy alcoholic and was abusive towards his beloved mother. the time, get up, stand up and fight. After being pounded by a longer-limbed opponent, he switched to professional wrestling. [20] Because of this, Blassie is one of, if not the only man to have worked with all four generations of the McMahon family. Backstage, Jilly Rizzo club owner, Frank Sinatra's bodyguard, and . Originally from Chicago, he has called London home since 2008. But while his US in-ring career ended (while still working for WWWF), he remained employed by WWWF and became a manager instead. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. Blassie In 1964, Dick the Bruiser defeated Blassie to become champion, and Blassie headed east to work for the World Wide Wrestling Federation (WWWF). So, how much is Freddie Blassie worth at the age of 85 years old? He was 85. Unique lists featuring pop culture, entertainment and crazy facts. Blassie also was seen with the comedian Andy Kaufman in ''My Breakfast With Blassie,'' a 1983 spoof of ''My Dinner With Andre.''. Gross tubs? [11], On June 12, 1961, Blassie defeated the "Flying Frenchman" douard Carpentier in a best-of-three-falls match for his first WWA World Heavyweight Championship. 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. him a favorite of talk shows and reportedly influencing a fellow Born Fred Blassman in St. Louis, Blassie played baseball and football in high school. On top of that, hed take on English legend Billy Robinson, WWE Champion Superstar Billy Graham, and legendary masked heel wrestler Destroyer. Using a variety of names, he wrestled the top performers of the day including Lou Thesz and Gorgeous George, but did not reach their level of popularity. Hed adopt a bleach-blond look, start biting his opponents in the ring, and would often be seen filing down his teeth to better sink his teeth in his opponent. Blassie got involved when he threw his cane into the ring, with Sheik and Volkoff using it to their advantage to gain the victory. Lanny would state that Jerry Graham "had no business living the last 15 years of his life" due to his drinking problems. 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. switched to professional wrestling. 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. He won the World Wrestling Association world heavyweight championship from the Frenchman douard Carpentier at the Los Angeles Sports Arena in 1961. Back in the dressing room, Blassie realized he was in the wrong one. Despite Blassie not actually holding any titles to unify, his feud with Sammartino saw Bruno become a national hero, but in the process, Blassie became lifelong friends with another WWWF employee, Gorilla Monsoon. 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. Freddie Blassie's net worth [4] He is regarded as one of the greatest wrestling heels, or villains, of all time. In 1976 he managed Muhammad Ali during his shoot match. (1965 - 1968)( divorced), Nettie Needles (September 1942 - 1964)( divorced)( 3 children). Blassie claims that he made Regis Philbin into the celebrity he is today. By doing this, he saved Freddie Blassies life. The series began at Roosevelt Stadium, Jersey City, New Jersey in 1964, with Blassie winning on a technicality, but not a pin. [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. 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. Ironically, during his WWWF stint, he was managed by another former wrestler who had recently become a manager, in the form of Captain Lou Albano. Towards the end of Freddie Blassies life, he began to realize that it all may be coming to an end soon. Fred Blassie was born and raised in the St. Louis, Missouri, area. Blassie, well-known for exaggerating a story or two, stated that when he was wrestling Rikidozan in Japan, 100 Japanese wrestling fans dropped dead of heart attacks because the matches were so gory. His wife is Miyako Morozumi (30 September1968 - 2 June2003)( his death), ? egomaniac then known as Cassius Clay. Recommended:The Time WWE Hall of Famer DR. JERRY GRAHAM Kidnapped His Mothers Dead Body. He delivered a rousing speech, dramatically standing up from his wheelchair to get the WWE-loyal wrestlers pumped up for the next battle. Stats: 6' 0" 220 lbs. He also starred in a 1983 movie called My Breakfast With Blassie, where he sat down for a meal with Andy Kaufman as a parody of the 1981 critically acclaimed film My Dinner With Andre. 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!". PWSTees.com Your favorite Pro Wrestling Stories, on a tee! Learn How rich is He in this year and how He spends money? Blassie was inducted into the WWF Hall of Fame in 1994 by Shane McMahon. Blassie retired from wrestling in 1986, turning over his stable of heels to another manager called Slick. [3], Blassie returned to WWA in 1968 just as promoter Mike LeBell decided to rejoin the NWA. [spoken to the WWF wrestlers during Invasion 2001] Gentleman, there [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. [6] Afterwards he became a manager in the World Wide Wrestling Federation (WWWF) and its subsequent incarnation the World Wrestling Federation (WWF). Greenbergs memoir on Freddie Blassie was released just three weeks before he died in 2003. Blassie later challenged Morales for the WWWF Championship, but came up short. As a subscriber, you have 10 gift articles to give each month. It was also during this period of his career when he dropped his babyface gimmick and became a full-fledged heel. [6] Blassie lost the title to Rikidzan on March 28, 1962.[9]. 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. [8] His death was announced by Jim Ross, 20 minutes into that same day's episode of Raw. 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. However, later that year Blassie suffered from kidney stones and had surgery to remove them. News on all your favorite celebs, reality TV, and movies. Some NFL teams dont make the grade, players say, New era of football begins at Mater Dei under coach Frank McManus. World Wrestling Entertainment WWE)). Following his 1986 on-camera retirement (he remained an executive for the WWE), still made occasional on-camera appearances since then, and his last came on "WWE Raw" in May, just a few weeks before his death (to promote his newly-released biography, "Listen, You Pencil Neck Geeks"). He heard Blassie say that and whipped out a gun saying, "Ill kill that sonuvabitch! his service in the United States Navy during World War II. 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. Notable Title Wins Include: NWA Southern Heavyweight title (14); WWA (Los Angeles) World Heavyweight title (4); WWA World Tag Team title (2 times w/Mr. A nice man, with a lovely wife and it was great having him there to cut a wonderful promo during my show. Take Linda McMahon, for instance. The Real Housewives of Atlanta The Bachelor Sister Wives 90 Day Fiance Wife Swap The Amazing Race Australia Married at First Sight The Real Housewives of Dallas My 600-lb Life Last Week Tonight with John Oliver. The suit, filed in federal court in White Plains, accuses the supermarket chain of negligence and recklessness and seeks more than $1 million in damages from corporate parent A&P and mat supplier G&K Services. Blassie was more than willing to let the talented Bearcat Wright take the gold and make history. Freddie Blassie, the silver-maned . Among the men he managed were Nikolai Volkoff,[2] The Iron Sheik,[2] Blackjack Mulligan,[2] High Chief Peter Maivia,[2] "The Crippler" Ray Stevens,[2] Adrian Adonis,[2] Jesse Ventura,[2] Dick Murdoch,[2] Swede Hanson,[2] Killer Khan,[2] George 'The Animal' Steele,[2] Professor Tanaka,[2] Mr. Fuji,[2] Ivan Koloff,[2] Tor Kamata,[2] Masa Saito,[2] Lou Albano,[2] Victor Rivera,[2] Kamala,[2] Hercules Hernandez,[2] and Hulk Hogan. [18][19] Blassie also appeared in the SummerSlam opening video. 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. Miyako Blassie, 68, says in court papers that she was shopping for groceries. Real Name: Fred Blassie. 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. [6] The final match of their series took place in the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, and set new California records for both attendance and gate. [4] In 1998, Blassie was the winner at the fourth annual Cauliflower Alley Club East Coast Banquet. [8] The fans consistently booed him because he was considered a "Yankee". If you're not from the midwest you're not allowed to have an opinion on this. [21] His final words on WWE television were "D-Von, get the table! He also reportedly excelled as a boxer. Sportswriter Jim Murray called him the worst villain since Hitler in a 1961 column in The Times. 3 Saving Freddie Blassie Thanks To Kayfabe. mainly in the Southeast and West Coast, winning many titles in both. wrestled as a dark-haired good guy until he found out that the "heels" One of the 100 Greatest Wrestlers of the 20th Century (Inside Wrestling Presents, Summer 2000). , money, salary, income, and assets. 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. (1965 - 1968)( divorced), Nettie Needles (September 1942 - 1964)( divorced)( 3 children). Head on over to theLWOS Boardsto engage in conversation with fellow fans! This film article about a 1980s comedy is a stub. ROH Best in the World (7/11/21) Preview and Predictions, Preview: Ice Ribbon 1133 in 176Box (7/11/21), first African-American to hold a World title. "Typical Italian stunt! [3][23] (The film was referenced by American rock band R.E.M. Recommended:10 Wrestling Book Must Reads and 5 You Dont Want To Waste Your Time On. His penchant for biting opponents earned him the nickname "The Vampire". @megantheevalium. Managed by "Loud" Lou Albano, Blassie continued his winning ways, but never won the WWWF's championship. Accounts about his early athletic career do not quite agree, but he He bleached his hair and quickly became a heel's heel, outraging crowds by gleefully breaking every rule in the book. If they refused to drop a title, it didnt matter what the bookers thought. As time goes on, many older wrestlers begin to fade out of the collective memory of wrestling, especially if their primary in-ring work happened before WWE began its takeover of the sport in the 1980s. The nastier he was in the ring, the more popular he became to fans on the other side of the ropes. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. Blassie continued to interfere from ringside in matches, especially during Volkoff's feud with Corporal Kirchner. [8] They received acclaim on the Dr. Demento Radio Show, and the latter song was featured on several albums, including Dr. Demento's 20th anniversary collection, The Very Best of Dr. Demento, and Dr. Demento Presents the Greatest Novelty CDs of All Time. Vampire". He continued to outrage crowds by distracting referees so that his men could cheat and by getting in his own cheap shots when the refs weren't looking. Freddie Blassie Also known as Fred Blassie, Fred McDaniel Overview Career Career highlights Titles Matches Match Statistics Matchguide Feuds Promos Tournaments Tag Teams & Stables Entourage Awards Books Wrestling Games Movies Commentary Career Ratings Comments Matches Displaying items 1 to 100 of total 1631 items that match the search parameters. 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. Blassie would eventually come to be known as a manager (see below) in WWE, but in the 1960s and 1970s, he actually wrestled for the promotion, back then known as the World Wide Wrestling Federation. This resulted in a weak relationship between the two. After being pounded by a longer-limbed opponent, he switched to professional wrestling. His first public wrestling match was a shoot fight which he accepted hoping to impress a girl he brought to the show. 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. The widow of pro-wrestling villain Classy Freddie Blassie got thrown for a fall by a supermarket floor mat. He married his first wife Nettie Needles while on shore leave during the war. [16] In 1999, he was shown making the opening narration of WrestleMania XV. According to Greenberg, Gorgeous George, towards the end of his career, wanted to form a tag team with Blassie. Pro Wrestling Stories - Your daily source of nostalgia and a peek behind the curtain wall of wrestlings past! However, Blassie wanted nothing to do with him because he too had a massive drinking problem and felt that it would "hit too close to home." He bleached his hair and quickly became a After Blassie lost the WWA World Heavyweight Championship to Rikidzan in Los Angeles, the two had a rematch on live Japanese television. [6] His cousin John Frank Holaus often refereed his matches. By the 1970s, Blassie had relocated to the East Coast where he successfully pursued his mat career. Zach Eflin And Wife On Yacht Wallpaper. Blassie is survived by his wife, Miyako, and three children. He, Albano, and "The Grand Wizard of Wrestling" (Ernie Roth) formed the WWWF's "Evil Trinity" of heel managers. Occasionally, he would get too close to the action and get beaten up himself, much to the crowd's delight. A gifted gabber and a splashy dresser, Blassie guided The Iron Shiek to the WWF World Heavyweight title in 1983, Iron Sheik and Nikolai Volkoff to the WWF World Tag Team titles, as well as managing such clients as Adrian Adonis, Jesse The Body Ventura, Kamala, Hercules Hernandez, and even Hulk Hogan during his first stint in the WWF. Lanny approached Blassie, who always had three girls with him, saying he "needed some relief. His parents repeatedly separated, only to reconcile. We've received your submission. Those colorful interviews helped make him a celebrity in the newly expanding medium of television. Lynne Margulies, who would later become Kaufman's girlfriend, plays a role; in fact, she and Kaufman met for the first time on camera. )[8] The movies title and premise are parodies of the 1981 art-house classic My Dinner with Andre.[23]. He's also written for Pro Wrestling Illustrated, WrestleZone, The Windsor Star, and other publications. One of Blassie's gimmicks was to file his teeth, and draw blood from his opponents by biting their foreheads. The closest I ever saw him to loosing the mask was against Cowboy Bob Ellis, I believe in the mid 60's. I can still remember old Dick Lane calling the action. [6] His knees were also in terrible condition, which also contributed to his retirement. Sadly, the gimmick was a bomb, and Blassie jumped around territories, including working in New York City for Jess McMahon (grandfather of Vince McMahon Jr.). Why FREDDIE BLASSIE Was So Great f/ WRESTLINGBIOS - YouTube DAVE KNOWS that Classy Freddie Blassie is a Pro Wrestling legend. Some wrestlers choose to play a villain as a way of promoting their career, while others are forced to by their promoters. [3], In 1964, Blassie feuded with Bruno Sammartino and Bobo Brazil. in their 1992 song about Kaufman, "Man on the Moon". Bruno had gotten so famous that he couldnt always pick the boneheads from the rest. It was a wonderful look back at "old-school" wrestling as told by one of the masters, both as a wrestler and as a talker. Inducted into the Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame in 2004. Blassie is survived by his wife, Miyako, and three children. It made Japanese wrestling a commodity on the West Coast and had given Rikidozan the credibility of conquering America. Renowned as "The Hollywood Fashion Plate",[3] he was a one-time NWA World Junior Heavyweight Champion, and was inducted into the WWF Hall of Fame in 1994. In order to impress a girl, he entered a carnival show match in a shoot fight and won. For the first installment, we look at one of the most iconic villains in pro wrestling history as both a wrestler and a manager in Classy Freddie Blassie. The evocative turn of phrase stuck and became Blassies catchphrase to the point where it inspired the name of his autobiography and a novelty single (see below). Let's learn more about this classic heel! Freddie Blassie decided to stop being a fixture of wrestling in 1986 but was no stranger to making the odd guest appearance. Freddie had been estranged from his children for the majority of their lives. [7] As the wrestlers became familiar with him, they began teaching him holds. Blassie died in Hartsdale, N.Y., Jeff Walton, a former wrestling publicist, told The Los Angeles Times. Freddie accomplished that goal and did so in grand style, as only he could. [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. [3], In 1953, he worked in the Atlanta, territory for Paul Jones (the wrestler of the 1930s, not the wrestler/manager of the 1980s). Replying to. "Everything had to be the best with him," Miyako told WWE.com. He claimed to file his teeth to draw blood from opponents, and among his nicknames was the Vampire. (bad guys) got better pay. 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. His first match with Blassie had actually. After being pounded by a longer-limbed opponent, he switched to professional wrestling. 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. [8] He teamed with Billy McDaniel as the McDaniel Brothers, but when they went east, they were known as the Blassie Brothers. heel's heel, outraging crowds by gleefully breaking every rule in the Because of his close relationship with Vince McMahon, Sr. and his family, Blassie remained on the WWF payroll until the day he died. Feb 27. Also learn how He earned most of Freddie Blassie networth? 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. 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.. His career began in earnest after his service in the United States Navy during World War II. He returned to AJPW again in 1973, but the following year in 1974, he jumped to New Japan Pro Wrestling (NJPW) for his final tour of Japan. Frederick was an only child. He hated his father for it. 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. 304K views 6 years ago The Dudley Boyz put Rico through a table after getting the call from WWE Hall of Famer "Classy" Freddie Blassie at ringside. (1965 - 1968) ( divorced), Nettie Needles (September 1942 - 1964) ( divorced) ( 3 children) Freddie Blassie Net Worth His net worth has been growing significantly in 2021-2022. His penchant for biting opponents earned him the nickname "The Vampire". Vince McMahon interviews "Classy" Freddie Blassie & Nikolai Volkoff | WWE Despite that, Blassie ended the year by leaving WWWF and returning to Los Angeles and the WWA. One poll ranked him as the most hated wrestler in the United States. [9] However, they eventually consented and Miyako returned with Blassie to the United States; they were married on September 30, 1968. He is a writer and editor-in-chief here on the site, a podcast producer, the chief graphic designer of the cover art for the sites articles, the former host of The Genius Cast with Lanny Poffo, and an elementary school teacher and assistant principal who enjoys playing guitar and spending time with his lively daughters! *Blassie also told Greenberg that women used to come up to him on the street and gawk at him because he was Gods gift to women! This helps us provide free content for you to enjoy! He is a member of famous Actor with the age 85 years old group. Im not implying that Bruno would ever have any dealings with the mafia on his own. His heels were always a bit more exotic and meaner than most. In 1964, the legendary "Classy" Freddie Blassie was still an in-ring competitor when he took on local hero Bruno Sammartino in front of a hostile New Jersey crowd, where he cheated for a cheap countout victory over the champ. In 1961, he defeated Eduoard Carpentier for the WWA World Heavyweight Championship, a title that held prominence in the pro-wrestling world, since WWA was an outlaw territory outside the realm of the National Wrestling Alliance (NWA). 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.
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