Download 100+ Free Freddie Blassie Wallpaper Images & 500,000+ Wallpapers for Free. 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. (bad guys) got better pay. Who Is Freddie Blassie's Wife? He won the WWA World Heavyweight Wrestling Championship from French star Edouard Carpentier at the L.A. Sports Arena in 1961. 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. For example, in the 1970s, he took on Cowboy Bill Watts, whod become a promoter and booker for Mid-South Wrestling and WCW. After a move to the West Coast, he tried a different promotional scheme -- that of a villain. Why FREDDIE BLASSIE Was So Great f/ WRESTLINGBIOS - YouTube This film article about a 1980s comedy is a stub. As a result he has wrought something of a revolution in the unmanly art of exhibition wrestling.. In 1964, Dick the Bruiser defeated Blassie to become champion, and Blassie headed east to work for the World Wide Wrestling Federation (WWWF). , money, salary, income, and assets. His penchant for biting opponents earned him the nickname "The Vampire". Blassie originally wrestled mainly in the Southeast and West Coast, winning many titles in both. One of the 100 Greatest Wrestlers of the 20th Century (Inside Wrestling Presents, Summer 2000). The series began at Roosevelt Stadium, Jersey City, New Jersey in 1964, with Blassie winning on a technicality, but not a pin. He graduated from McKinley High School and began work at a meatpacking plant. Inducted into the Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame in 2004. After managing Sheik through a brief feud with Andre the Giant, he also became the manager of Nikolai Volkoff, with Sheik and Volkoff later becoming a tag team. My Breakfast with Blassie (1983) - IMDb Blassie would turn heel during this period, developing a lot of the characteristics that hed become known for. She . By doing this, he saved Freddie Blassies life. [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. Blassie is survived by his wife, Miyako, and three children. Lanny approached Blassie, who always had three girls with him, saying he "needed some relief. 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. After regaining the WWA Championship from Rikidzan on July 25, 1962, Blassie lost the title two days later to the "Masked Destroyer" Dick Beyer. Andy Kaufman on Letterman w/ "Classy" Freddie Blassie 02/23/1983 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). After Sheik lost the belt to Blassie's former managed wrestler Hulk Hogan, Blassie managed Sheik in various rematches around the country throughout the first half of 1984, culminating into another major televised rematch on December 28, 1984, once again in Madison Square Garden. Credited with bringing a young Hulk Hogan into the World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) in late 1979. The rematches were held at Madison Square Garden in New York, with Sammartino winning out. In that storyline, he is menaced by Eric Bischoff and his henchmen, before calling on the Dudley Brothers to "Get the tables!" "Everything had to be the best with him," Miyako told WWE.com. As a subscriber, you have 10 gift articles to give each month. 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. [20] Because of this, Blassie is one of, if not the only man to have worked with all four generations of the McMahon family. PWSTees.com Your favorite Pro Wrestling Stories, on a tee! Lanny would state that Jerry Graham "had no business living the last 15 years of his life" due to his drinking problems. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. It was also during this period of his career when he dropped his babyface gimmick and became a full-fledged heel. His penchant for biting opponents earned him the nickname "The Blassie began portraying himself as a villain, and it worked. He would become a frequent foe of Morales throughout the rest of his in-ring career in WWWF. WWE Confidential presents a feature on the life and times of the fashion plate of professional wrestling, "Classy" Freddie Blassie. World Wrestling Entertainment WWE)). 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. In order to impress a girl, he entered a carnival show match in a shoot fight and won. Discover today's celebrity birthdays and explore famous people who share your birthday. The Life and Times of Classy Freddie Blassie Quiz Between matches, he gave loud and boastful interviews, making After four decades, trainer Ed Moger gets his first Triple Crown starter, An exclusive look at details of Chip Kellys two-year contract extension from UCLA, His shoe game is pretty tight. Why Dodgers hope Miguel Rojas play matches his swag, Rats in the laundry? Stats: 6' 0" 220 lbs. He's also written for Pro Wrestling Illustrated, WrestleZone, The Windsor Star, and other publications. Keith Elliot Greenberg has been doing his part to preserve professional wrestling history for the past few decades. [21] His final words on WWE television were "D-Von, get the table! Backstage, Jilly Rizzo club owner, Frank Sinatra's bodyguard, and . He heard Blassie say that and whipped out a gun saying, "Ill kill that sonuvabitch! 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. 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. JP Zarka created Pro Wrestling Stories in May 2015. Blassie, Murray wrote, has dedicated his life to wrapping up as much hate as one man can safely carry in a lifetime. *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! "Typical Italian stunt! [8] He married a girl in California while on shore leave. He claimed to file his teeth to draw blood from opponents, and among his nicknames was the Vampire. Poffo, at first, played it small and declined. Blassie originally wrestled mainly in the Southeast and West Coast, winning many titles in both. the late 1960s, he moved to the East Coast and the World-Wide Wrestling His father was an abusive alcoholic, prompting Frederick to stay with his grandparents whenever Jacob beat Anna. In the summer of 1986, Blassie started to slowly phase himself out of the WWF and into retirement. From there, he moved on to become a regular writer, contributor, and reporter for WWE. However, sadly, Freddie passed away before he could ever speak to his son again. Learn How rich is He in this year and how He spends money? [7] As the wrestlers became familiar with him, they began teaching him holds. [8] Blassie also appeared in a segment at the Vengeance pay-per-view event in December 2001, where an "undisputed" champion would be crowned. Back in the dressing room, Blassie realized he was in the wrong one. (Use code PWS for a nice surprise). . . 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. 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. 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. "Classy" Freddie Blassie also made a cameo appearance as himself, along with "Wrestling's Living Legend" Bruno Sammartino, and Ric Flair in the 1986 film Body Slam starring Dirk Benedict, "Captain" Lou Albano, and "Rowdy" Roddy Piper. [6] In later years, Blassie also appeared on The Mike Douglas Show when Philbin was a guest host. [8] He worked for Jack Pfefer, who he claimed would only employ people who looked like sideshow freaks at his shows, and whose wrestlers included Tor Johnson, who made movies with director Ed Wood, and Lillian Ellison, the Fabulous Moolah. [3], In 1964, Blassie feuded with Bruno Sammartino and Bobo Brazil. Blassie, who became a cult figure outside the ring and starred with comedian Andy Kaufman in My Breakfast With Blassie, died of heart failure June 2 in Hartsdale, N.Y., according to Jeff Walton, a onetime wrestling publicist in Los Angeles who knew Blassie well. [6] He performed for that promotion until his full retirement from professional wrestling in 1986. View popular celebrities life details, birth signs and real ages. [6] One of his most famous feuds took place in southern California in 1971, against Tolos. 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. After being pounded by a longer-limbed opponent, he switched to professional wrestling. He finally defeated Rikidozan and won back his title at a WWA event in Los Angeles but it had served his purpose. Blassie Take Linda McMahon, for instance. [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. is 6'(1.83m) . 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. ", to a monstrous applause. Those colorful interviews helped make him a celebrity in the newly expanding medium of television. [10] He had main event-level feuds against stars such as The Destroyer. Freddie Blassie Wrestlers Database CAGEMATCH - The Internet Freddie Blassie's net worth . Listen, You Pencil Neck Geeks by Classy Freddie Blassie - Goodreads Freddie Blassie - Online World of Wrestling 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.). 2018 Remaster of Andy Kaufman on The Late Show w/ David Letterman w/ "Classy" Fred Blassie on February 23rd, 1983.More remastered Andy Kaufman - https://goo.. Vince McMahon interviews "Classy" Freddie Blassie & Nikolai Volkoff | WWE News on all your favorite celebs, reality TV, and movies. He did an advice segment on the ''Tuesday Night Titans'' TV program, made personal appearances and did radio interviews. "Classy" Freddie Blassie WWE Hall of Fame Induction Speech [1994] 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". 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. Im not implying that Bruno would ever have any dealings with the mafia on his own. And more wrestling fans definite need to know about the. He, Albano, and "The Grand Wizard of Wrestling" (Ernie Roth) formed the WWWF's "Evil Trinity" of heel managers. 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. Fred Blassie was born and raised in the St. Louis, Missouri, area. He kept track of all of his matches during his career, including personal anecdotes. Frederick was an only child. Freddie never held a true world title but he was still one of the greatest of the 50s through the 60s". [24], In the early 1990s, the wrestler starred in a documentary directed by Jeff Krulik, titled Mr. Blassie Goes To Washington. In 1950, he had his first challenge for the NWA Worlds Heavyweight Championship, facing championLou Theszin Kentucky. Had some great matches with Rikidozan & even back in the late 60s he was over bigtime as a heel. 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. During his time on the West Coast, he was a frequent guest and/or interruption on a local show hosted by Regis Philben, and Blassies appearances thanks to his massive appeal as a wrestling draw helped push Philben into a national celebrity. 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. We've received your submission. My Breakfast with Blassie is a 1983 film starring Andy Kaufman and professional wrestler "Classy" Freddie Blassie. Blassie originally wrestled (1965 - 1968)( divorced), Nettie Needles (September 1942 - 1964)( divorced)( 3 children). Freddie Blassie Wrestlers Database CAGEMATCH - The Internet Courtesy of the award-winning WWE Network.. Blassie died in Hartsdale, N.Y., Jeff Walton, a former wrestling publicist, told The Los Angeles Times. [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. "That's why he was 'Classy' Freddie Blassie." Fred McDaniel "Ayatollah" Blassie The Vampire The Hollywood Fashion Plate Height 5 ft 10 in (1.78 m) Weight 220 lbs (100 kg) Born February 8, 1918 Birth Place St. Louis, Missouri Died June 2, 2003 (aged 85) Death Place Hartsdale, New York Trainer Billy Longson Everett Marshall Warren Bockwinkle Billy Hanson Debut 1935 Retired 1986 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. By this time, Blassie has acquired a cult following, leading to appearances in several feature films. 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. [6] Afterwards he became a manager in the World Wide Wrestling Federation (WWWF) and its subsequent incarnation the World Wrestling Federation (WWF). 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. Freddie Blassie, 85, died of heart failure on June 2, 2003. for the WWF. Had some great matches with Rikidozan & even back in the late 60s he was over bigtime as a heel. [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. 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. 10 Things Fans Should Know About Classy Freddie Blassie, 10 Managers With The Best Claim To Be On A Wrestling Mount Rushmore, 10 Performers Who Were Great As Both A Wrestler & Manager, 10 All-Time Greats You Forgot Had Managers. He delivered a rousing speech, dramatically standing up from his wheelchair to get the WWE-loyal wrestlers pumped up for the next battle. He lives in Windsor, Ontario, Canada, with his wife and son. [6] He also began boxing at a local community center and won a heavyweight championship title. mainly in the Southeast and West Coast, winning many titles in both. Around 1980, he adopted a new moniker: "Ayatollah Blassie." This resulted in a weak relationship between the two. Replying to. [8], Blassie appeared in an episode of The Dick Van Dyke Show that featured a new dance craze called The Twizzle. 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. 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. States. 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. In this match Hogan was once again victorious. [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. Blassie wrestled as a dark-haired good guy until he found out that the "heels" (bad guys) got better pay. Greenbergs memoir on Freddie Blassie was released just three weeks before he died in 2003. Following a stint in the California wrestling scene, Freddie Blassie headed southeast to the Georgia territories in the 1950s, where he would enjoy a whopping 17 reigns with the big title of the region, the NWA Georgia Southern Heavyweight Championship between 1954 and 1960.