You can check out an almost unlimited array of WWE content on theWWE NetworkandPeacock. Freddie had been estranged from his children for the majority of their lives. 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. Freddie Blassie, the silver-maned wrestler with a voice from the depths of the earth who made himself a hero to mat fans in the 1950s and 60s by playing the villain, has died. [20] Images from his WrestleMania XV promo were also included in the opening of the 2001 Survivor Series. By the 1970s, Blassie had relocated to the East Coast where he successfully pursued his mat career. One of the men was Jilly Rizzo, Frank Sinatras number one sidekick and the owner of his own saloon. As a result he has wrought something of a revolution in the unmanly art of exhibition wrestling.. [22][2] Rose Marie's character Sally Rogers brought him on at the end of the episode claiming to have discovered another new dance sensation. You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times. [6] He performed for that promotion until his full retirement from professional wrestling in 1986. Freddie never held a true world title but he was still one of the greatest of the 50s through the 60s". He liked to use a variety of names but had trouble gaining the affection of fans who gravitated toward the likes of Lou Thesz and Gorgeous George. Blassie would gain even more gold when Volkoff and Sheik defeated The US Express for the WWF Tag Team Championship at the first ever Wrestlemania. 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. Blassie Despite being a 7-year pro before his duty in World War II, Blassie was still a journeyman. Blassie began portraying himself as a villain, and it worked. Around 1980, he adopted a new moniker: "Ayatollah Blassie. Born Fred Blassman in St. Louis, Blassie played baseball and football in high school. He grabs his balls!" Danny Djeljosevic is a writer based in San Diego, CA. He even managed Muhammad Ali going into his legendary match with Antonio Inoki. "Bruno always had a huge entourage hanging around him," Greenberg wrote in "Classy" Freddie Blassie The Legends of Wrestling. However, Miyako Blassie, surviving wife of the legendary "Classy" Freddie Blassie, is offering that chance as the WWE Hall of Famer's Lincoln Town Car becomes available on WWE Auction. Blassie wrestled as a dark-haired good guy until he found out that the "heels" (bad guys) got better pay. My Breakfast with Blassie: Directed by Linda Lautrec, Johnny Legend, Mark Shepard. WWE Confidential: The life and times of "Classy" Freddie Blassie Wrestler's widow goes to the mat - New York Post Im not implying that Bruno would ever have any dealings with the mafia on his own. Occasionally, he would get too close to the action and get beaten up himself, much to the crowd's delight. ", In this particular story, Blassie won a match by count-out in Roosevelt Stadium when he kicked Sammartino in the breadbasket while the referee was distracted. As much as governing body politics held back minorities, the wrestlers themselves had even more power. After being pounded by a longer-limbed opponent, he switched to professional wrestling. Managed by "Loud" Lou Albano, Blassie continued his winning ways, but never won the WWWF's championship. Jamie Greer joined LWOPW in 2015 and was the site's Managing Editor from 2016 through 2020. 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. 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. My Breakfast with Blassie was conceived of by Linda Lautrec and Johnny Legend as a satire on My Dinner with Andre. My Breakfast with Blassie (1983) - IMDb His heels were always a bit more exotic and meaner than most. Blassie was a contemporary of six-time NWA world champion Thesz, who died in 2002 at the age of 86. His net worth has been growing significantly in 2021-2022. Blassie also was seen with the comedian Andy Kaufman in ''My Breakfast With Blassie,'' a 1983 spoof of ''My Dinner With Andre.''. Freddie Blassie decided to stop being a fixture of wrestling in 1986 but was no stranger to making the odd guest appearance. Freddie Blassie, Pro Wrestler Popular as Villain, Dies at 85 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. After Blassie lost the WWA World Heavyweight Championship to Rikidzan in Los Angeles, the two had a rematch on live Japanese television. He married his first wife Nettie Needles while on shore leave during the war. He was feuding with a wrestler known as The Geek who had a neck like a stack of dimes, making him a literal pencil neck geek. Recommended:The Night Bruno Sammartino Saved Freddie Blassies Life, Lanny Poffo, speaking to his friend Keith Elliot Greenberg on The Genius Cast, shared the story of the time he and Freddie Blassie were in Hawaii in 1968. He lives in Windsor, Ontario, Canada, with his wife and son. Blassie was inducted into the WWF Hall of Fame in 1994 by Shane McMahon. At the age of 13, after Jacob had beaten Anna again, Frederick threatened his father with a baseball bat; instead he lived with his aunt for six months until his mother asked him to return home. His penchant for biting opponents earned him the nickname "The Vampire". Free Freddie Blassie Wallpaper Downloads, [100+] Freddie Blassie [6] Blassie described this performer as "having a neck like a stack of dimes and a real pencil-neck geek". Linda Lautrec and Andy Kaufman loosely scripted the film over several months late at night on the telephone. American professional wrestler and manager, Worldwide Wrestling Associates (19601968), World Wide Wrestling Federation (1964; 1971). WWE Confidential presents a feature on the life and times of the fashion plate of professional wrestling, "Classy" Freddie Blassie. By this time, Blassie has acquired a cult following, leading to appearances in several feature films. "Classy" Freddie Blassie lead an interesting life as one of . 2023 NYP Holdings, Inc. All Rights Reserved, Three injured in shooting outside Bronx funeral home, Canadian teacher with size-Z prosthetic breasts placed on paid leave, What's next for Buster Murdaugh after dad's murder conviction, life sentence, US home prices just did something they haven't done since 2012, How a retired detective snared his seventh 'Torso Killer' confession, It's insane that NYers can use but not buy pepper spray for self-defense: Change this now, Celeb-loved jewelry brand Dorsey drops dazzling new styles, White Lotus actor jokes about being hit on following shows success, Is this the couple behind the Worst Art Job Listing Ever?, Undertaker transforms coffin into barbecue grill, Kellyanne Conway and George Conway to divorce. I think Dick Lane was as good as Gordon Solie in his day. In the 1970s, Blassie recorded a number of novelty songs, including Pencil Neck Geek, which became a cult favorite via Dr. Dementos radio show, which specializes in sharing wacky tracks. A nice man, with a lovely wife and it was great having him there to cut a wonderful promo during my show. Recommended:The Time WWE Hall of Famer DR. JERRY GRAHAM Kidnapped His Mothers Dead Body. 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. Freddie Blassie - IMDb He bleached his hair and quickly became a heel's heel, outraging crowds by gleefully breaking every rule in the book. 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. 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. In reality, Blassie was a major on-screen figure in wrestling, both in competitive and managerial roles, and had a status in overall pop culture. Looking to talk wrestling, pro football, or any number of sports? He held his WWA World title for 289 days and thanks to WWAs alliance with Japan, in particular the Japan Wrestling Alliance (JWA) headed by puroresu icon Rikidozan, Blassie would not only help introduce Japanese pro wrestling to the U.S. market but help validate it in Japan as well. States. Blassie retired from wrestling in 1986, turning over his stable of heels to another manager called Slick. 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. Worldwide star. This story has been shared 104,709 times. first tried to make his mark as a boxer, despite warnings that his arms For Freddie Blassie, there was no question why he took on a villian's persona - he loved it. In 1950, he had his first challenge for the NWA Worlds Heavyweight Championship, facing championLou Theszin Kentucky. Blassie claims that he made Regis Philbin into the celebrity he is today. In the summer of 1986, Blassie started to slowly phase himself out of the WWF and into retirement. 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 . [3], In 1952, Blassie moved to Los Angeles to work for Jules Strongbow. The phrase pencil neck geek is such a common bit of North American English idiom that likely few are aware that it actually comes from pro wrestling, let alone from the mouth of Freddie Blassie. Why FREDDIE BLASSIE Was So Great f/ WRESTLINGBIOS - YouTube DAVE KNOWS that Classy Freddie Blassie is a Pro Wrestling legend. In order to impress a girl, he entered a carnival show match in a shoot fight and won. is 6'(1.83m) . He delivered a rousing speech, dramatically standing up from his wheelchair to get the WWE-loyal wrestlers pumped up for the next battle. Fred Blassie had a shocking heel turn during his stint in Georgia, which led to him becoming an extremely hated wrestler! View popular celebrities life details, birth signs and real ages. Blassie died in Hartsdale, N.Y., Jeff Walton, a former wrestling publicist, told The Los Angeles Times. were too short. One of Blassies most notable clients during his run with WWE, however, was Hulk Hogan, who he managed as soon as Hogan debuted in the company in 1979. the time, get up, stand up and fight. Anyone can read what you share. [spoken to the WWF wrestlers during Invasion 2001] Gentleman, there [9][6], On June 2, 2003, Blassie died of heart and kidney failure at the age of 85. . 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. Blassie did not just fade away after he left the ring. Take Linda McMahon, for instance. The series began at Roosevelt Stadium, Jersey City, New Jersey in 1964, with Blassie winning on a technicality, but not a pin. [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. Of course, these mobsters thought he was putting them down for real. Deiveson Figueiredo Tattoo Wallpaper. 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. He, Albano, and "The Grand Wizard of Wrestling" (Ernie Roth) formed the WWWF's "Evil Trinity" of heel managers. 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. 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. Occasionally, he would get too close to the action and get beaten up himself, much to the crowd's delight. However, Blassie said he would toss his drink in the sand if he didnt drink it, so Lanny took the offer. 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. He did an advice segment on the Tuesday Night Titans TV program, made personal appearances and did radio interviews. Blassie later challenged Morales for the WWWF Championship, but came up short. By the mid-1970s, Freddie Blassie was in his 50s and began to settle into a role as a manager in WWE, though he would still occasionally wrestle a match. 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 Discover Freddie Blassie's Biography, Age, Height, Physical Stats, Dating/Affairs, Family and career updates. @megantheevalium. But while his US in-ring career ended (while still working for WWWF), he remained employed by WWWF and became a manager instead. 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". In 1973, knee problems largely forced Blassie to stop wrestling personally, though he occasionally donned the tights to tag-team with one of his heels, as he did in Madison Square Garden in June 1974, teaming with the hulking Nikolai Volkoff to face then-champ Bruno Sammartino and Chief Jay Strongbow in a tag team match (Blassie was forced to submit for the final fall by a Bruno bearhug, and the fans almost tore the Garden's roof off). John Tolos: Wrestler celebrated as one of the finest ring villains 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. Upon his return to the U.S. and the pro-wrestling circuit full time in 1946, he was repackaged by promoters as Sailor Freddie Blassie, as promoters looked to capitalize on U.S. patriotism following the war. Freddie Blassie retired as an active wrestler in 1974 in part because of the difficulty of securing a wrestling license . During this time, he went to New York City to work for promoter Jess McMahon. Unique lists featuring pop culture, entertainment and crazy facts. (Use code PWS for a nice surprise). Freddie Blassie Obituary (2003) - San Diego, CA - San Diego Union-Tribune Freddie Blassie - Online World of Wrestling [17] In 2000, Blassie made an appearance at the Royal Rumble as a judge in the Miss Rumble 2000 Swimsuit contest, which was won by Mae Young. , money, salary, income, and assets. Vampire". He was now hooked, and he decided that pro wrestling was his destiny and not his backbreaking work in the meatpacking plant. (1965 - 1968)( divorced), Nettie Needles (September 1942 - 1964)( divorced)( 3 children). 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". [2] He was given a commentary tryout in 1986 and 1987 for WWF Wrestling Challenge, calling a few matches with Gorilla Monsoon. "No. [9] However, they eventually consented and Miyako returned with Blassie to the United States; they were married on September 30, 1968. A child of two German immigrants, Freddie Blassie was born in St. Louis, Missouri in 1918. 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). 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. [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. "Classy" Freddie Blassie appeared in a live-action segment of the cartoon "Hulk Hogan's Rock 'n' Wrestling." 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. According to Greenberg, Gorgeous George, towards the end of his career, wanted to form a tag team with Blassie. mainly in the Southeast and West Coast, winning many titles in both. 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"). 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. Freddie accomplished that goal and did so in grand style, as only he could. Miyako Blassie, 68, says in court papers that she was shopping for groceries. However, sadly, Freddie passed away before he could ever speak to his son again. 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. Keith Elliot Greenberg has been doing his part to preserve professional wrestling history for the past few decades. 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. "CLASSY" FRED BLASSIE on Twitter: "Your trad wife, sir. https://t.co In addition to his pro wrestling notoriety, Classy Freddie Blassie also has some amusing notability in wider pop culture. Originally from Chicago, he has called London home since 2008. Those colorful interviews helped make him a celebrity in the newly expanding medium of television. [6] He also began boxing at a local community center and won a heavyweight championship title. Blassie worked for the World Wrestling Federation, now known as World Wrestling Entertainment, which presented him with its lifetime achievement award in 1996. As a wrestling manager, wore shirts and trousers of the exact same color, sometimes with a matching jacket. His eagerness to learn from 1935 to 1942 led to many of the circuits top stars sharing knowledge with Blassie, and when he returned home to the U.S. in 1946, he was determined to make an honest run as a professional wrestler. [24], In the early 1990s, the wrestler starred in a documentary directed by Jeff Krulik, titled Mr. Blassie Goes To Washington. 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. [10] He had main event-level feuds against stars such as The Destroyer. Stay tuned to theLast Word on Pro Wrestlingfor more on this and other stories from around the world of wrestling, as they develop. He was popular in Japan as well. Freddie Blassie, 85; Became a Cult Figure in Professional Wrestling by 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. He would become a frequent foe of Morales throughout the rest of his in-ring career in WWWF. This film article about a 1980s comedy is a stub. You hit a guy in the neck. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. 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. 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. Heres a look at Classy Freddie Blassies wrestling career, long before he decided to take on clients and become one of the most iconic managers of the 1970s and 1980s. 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. My Breakfast with Blassie is a 1983 film starring Andy Kaufman and professional wrestler "Classy" Freddie Blassie. Who Is Freddie Blassie's Wife? Born in 1918 to German parents who escaped World War I, Blassie took up boxing as a teenager, but found a growing interest in wrestling and actually snuck into matches, eventually befriending catch wrestlers and learning holds from them. (1965 - 1968)( divorced), Nettie Needles (September 1942 - 1964)( divorced)( 3 children). 10 Backstage Stories About Bruno Sammartino WWE Fans Should Know [9] The sight of the Japanese legend covered in his own blood gave several viewers heart attacks, and some reportedly died. You pencil neck geek! For those who were brought up on pro wrestling in the 1980s and 1990s, one of the most colorful managers of the day was WWF stalwart, Classy Freddie Blassie. heel's heel, outraging crowds by gleefully breaking every rule in the Towards the end of Freddie Blassies life, he began to realize that it all may be coming to an end soon. Using his newfound skills, Blassie became a wrestler starting in the carnival circuit, debuting in 1935 but taking a break in the 1940s to fight in World War II. ", "Heres some money," Blassie would say. [6] One of his most famous feuds took place in southern California in 1971, against Tolos. He did an advice segment on the ''Tuesday Night Titans'' TV program, made personal appearances and did radio interviews.
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