October 18, 2009

R.I.P. Captain Lou Albano, Former Wrestler

(He and Tony Altimore made up the first ever mafioso tag team)

(-- The Sicilians -- in the 60s), manager of champions (the Valiant Brothers, Wild Samoans, Blackjacks and the Masked Executioners, who were Killer Kowalski and Big John Studd) died recently at the age of 76.

Albano was the hated foil for Bruno Sammartino, calling him a "spaghetti bender" (despite the fact that both were obviously Italian) and was the man who managed Ivan Koloff when the Russian Bear took Bruno's title in the early 70s.

Lou also helped spark the wrestling revival in the 80s when he met Cyndi Lauper on a plane, got her involved in the WWF (now WWE) and played her dad in the famous "Girls Just Wanna Have Fun" video. He also had a role in the movie "Wiseguys" with Danny DeVito and played one half of the Mario Bros. on TV's "The Super Mario Bros. Show."



(Lou Albano and Ivan Koloff in the 70s, photo by Bill Kunkel)



Ten bells, Lou.

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