However, Blassie said he would toss his drink in the sand if he didnt drink it, so Lanny took the offer. 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. After Blassie lost the WWA World Heavyweight Championship to Rikidzan in Los Angeles, the two had a rematch on live Japanese television. Because of his close relationship with Vince McMahon, Sr. and his family, Blassie remained on the WWF payroll until the day he died. After a move to the West Coast, he tried a different promotional scheme -- that of a villain. After being pounded by a longer-limbed opponent, he switched to professional wrestling. 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). [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. 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. It made Japanese wrestling a commodity on the West Coast and had given Rikidozan the credibility of conquering America. 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. 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 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. It was in the latter that he decided to embrace his villainous side, bleaching his hair blonde like Gorgeous George. Sportswriter Jim Murray called him the worst villain since Hitler in a 1961 column in The Times. 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. Worldwide star. 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. 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. The World's Most Entertaining Car Website. Lanny stated that though Freddie Blassie never knew how to save his money well, he always had enough since he was never a drinker and saved a lot of money in that regard. Inducted into the Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame in 2004. 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. 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. Recommended:The Time WWE Hall of Famer DR. JERRY GRAHAM Kidnapped His Mothers Dead Body. View popular celebrities life details, birth signs and real ages. )[8] The movies title and premise are parodies of the 1981 art-house classic My Dinner with Andre.[23]. 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.". Had some great matches with Rikidozan & even back in the late 60s he was over bigtime as a heel. Freddie Blassie, Pro Wrestler Popular as Villain, Dies at 85, https://www.nytimes.com/2003/06/08/sports/freddie-blassie-pro-wrestler-popular-as-villain-dies-at-85.html. . . Pro Wrestling Stories - Your daily source of nostalgia and a peek behind the curtain wall of wrestlings past! 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. 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. Looking to talk wrestling, pro football, or any number of sports? You can check out an almost unlimited array of WWE content on theWWE NetworkandPeacock. Blassie died in Hartsdale, N.Y., Jeff Walton, a former wrestling publicist, told The Los Angeles Times. Blassie originally wrestled mainly in the Southeast and West Coast, winning many titles in both. 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. is 6'(1.83m) . 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 "Classy" Freddie Blassie with Keith Elliot Greenberg, NWA Georgia Southern Heavyweight Championship, WWWF United States Heavyweight Championship, NWA North American Heavyweight Championship, NWA World Junior Heavyweight Championship, North American Wrestling Alliance/Worldwide Wrestling Associates/ NWA Hollywood Wrestling, WWA International Television Tag Team Championship, NWA Southern Junior Heavyweight Championship, Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame and Museum, Wrestling Observer Newsletter Hall of Fame, "Classy Freddie Blassie was pro wrestling's 'Fashion Plate', "Before The Client List: "Classy" Freddie Blassie", "Blassie toast of Cauliflower Alley Club", "WWF WrestleMania XV Results - 3/28/99 (Stone Cold vs. Had some great matches with Rikidozan & even back in the late 60s he was over bigtime as a heel. ", to a monstrous applause. Unique lists featuring pop culture, entertainment and crazy facts. Between matches, he gave loud and boastful interviews, making After handing over ME duties to Alex Richards, he remains a frequent contributor to the site. [15] Blassie led Shiek to the WWF World Heavyweight Championship over Bob Backlund on December 26, 1983, in Madison Square Garden. 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". 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. 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. book. 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.. My Breakfast with Blassie was conceived of by Linda Lautrec and Johnny Legend as a satire on My Dinner with Andre. Freddie Blassie's net worth During this time, he went to New York City to work for promoter Jess McMahon. Blassie also resented "Superstar" Billy Graham, at first, due to his association with Dr. Jerry Graham, who in kayfabe was Billys older brother. 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. His matches with Freddie Blassie were legendary. Blassie died of heart failure Monday 3 Saving Freddie Blassie Thanks To Kayfabe. 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. For example, in the 1970s, he took on Cowboy Bill Watts, whod become a promoter and booker for Mid-South Wrestling and WCW. He was 85.Mr. Freddie accomplished that goal and did so in grand style, as only he could. egomaniac then known as Cassius Clay. He did an advice segment on the ''Tuesday Night Titans'' TV program, made personal appearances and did radio interviews. It was also during this period of his career when he dropped his babyface gimmick and became a full-fledged heel. 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. 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. Without further ado, lets do an overview of Blassies career for fans who may not know much about him. A nice man, with a lovely wife and it was great having him there to cut a wonderful promo during my show. 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. According to Greenberg, Gorgeous George, towards the end of his career, wanted to form a tag team with Blassie. The rematches were held at Madison Square Garden in New York, with Sammartino winning out. He achieved the rank of Petty Officer (Second Class) before he was discharged. Anyone can read what you share. Discover today's celebrity birthdays and explore famous people who share your birthday. 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. [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. . A fierce competitor in the ring known for unorthodox methods and a penchant for bloodletting, Blassie was verbose and boastful. Despite that, Blassie ended the year by leaving WWWF and returning to Los Angeles and the WWA. After being pounded by a longer-limbed opponent, he switched to professional wrestling. He delivered a rousing speech, dramatically standing up from his wheelchair to get the WWE-loyal wrestlers pumped up for the next battle. 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. Hogan would return in late 1983, turning face almost immediately after and thus separating from Freddie Blassie. 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. [3], In 1964, Blassie feuded with Bruno Sammartino and Bobo Brazil. 500,000+ HD Wallpapers & Freddie Blassie Wallpaper 100% Free to Use High Quality Wallpapers Personalise for all Screen & Devices. Blassie began portraying himself as a villain, and it worked. [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. Freddie Blassies income source is mostly from being a successful Actor. The Genius Cast with Lanny Poffo (2018-19), HOMAGE.com Our favorite in retro wrestling attire! 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. (1965 - 1968)( divorced), Nettie Needles (September 1942 - 1964)( divorced)( 3 children). Patrick Stewart In A Checkered Coat Wallpaper. Freddie never held a true world title but he was still one of the greatest of the 50s through the 60s". If they refused to drop a title, it didnt matter what the bookers thought. As a wrestling manager, wore shirts and trousers of the exact same color, sometimes with a matching jacket. Blassie also mastered the television interview, boasting his superiority over other wrestlers he liked to call ''pencil-neck geeks.'' [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. Blassie later challenged Morales for the WWWF Championship, but came up short. 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? 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. 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. Lanny was only 12 or 13-years-old at the time. This film article about a 1980s comedy is a stub. [6] One of his most famous feuds took place in southern California in 1971, against Tolos. For Freddie Blassie, there was no question why he took on a villian's persona - he loved it. Bruno had gotten so famous that he couldnt always pick the boneheads from the rest. On an episode of WWF Championship Wrestling, Blassie barged into the announcer booth to proclaim that he had sold half of the contracts of Sheik and Volkoff to a mysterious benefactor for a large sum of money. [8] He was often billed as "The Vampire" during this time for biting his opponents and filing his teeth during interviews and promos. He felt this was his chance to tell his life story before moving on. Blassie's interference at Wrestlemania 2 cost Volkoff his match with Kirchner, when the cane was grabbed by Kirchner instead of Volkoff. Freddie Blassie decided to stop being a fixture of wrestling in 1986 but was no stranger to making the odd guest appearance. [20] Because of this, Blassie is one of, if not the only man to have worked with all four generations of the McMahon family. [16] In 1999, he was shown making the opening narration of WrestleMania XV. His heels were always a bit more exotic and meaner than most. This story has been shared 104,709 times. His career began in earnest after his service in the United States Navy during World War II. He lives in Windsor, Ontario, Canada, with his wife and son. 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. (1965 - 1968)( divorced), Nettie Needles (September 1942 - 1964)( divorced)( 3 children). The defendants had a duty to provide reasonably safe conditions for its customers, the suit charges. Hell, the article is entitled "Freddie Blassie - The Truth (and Somewhere In-Between)" for crying out loud. Since his retirement, he has occasionally worked as a "goodwill ambassador" (!) He won the WWA World Heavyweight Wrestling Championship from French star Edouard Carpentier at the L.A. Sports Arena in 1961. Blassie worked for the World Wrestling Federation, now known as World Wrestling Entertainment, which presented him with its lifetime achievement award in 1996. His first public wrestling match was a shoot fight which he accepted hoping to impress a girl he brought to the show. Blassie was a regular on the WWWF's "All-Star Wrestling" and "Championship Wrestling" weekly TV shows that were videotaped at small arenas in Pennsylvania and aired throughout the Northeast. He was now hooked, and he decided that pro wrestling was his destiny and not his backbreaking work in the meatpacking plant. [21] The segment featured Blassie, his wife, and Raw co-General Manager Eric Bischoff, who was about to allow 3 Minute Warning to attack him, until Stone Cold Steve Austin and The Dudley Boyz stepped in. 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). He briefly turned face in 1989, making an appearance on Prime Time Wrestling angry with Bobby Heenan over money Heenan hadn't paid him back. In the 1950s, Fred Blassie was hands down the most hated wrestler in the southeastern territory. After being pounded by a longer-limbed opponent, he With Andy Kaufman, Freddie Blassie, Laurie Burton, Linda Hirsch. Back in the dressing room, Blassie realized he was in the wrong one. As a German descent American, he was often faced with questions of loyalty, despite marrying a Jewish woman. A child of two German immigrants, Freddie Blassie was born in St. Louis, Missouri in 1918. He bleached his hair and quickly became a heel's heel, outraging crowds by gleefully breaking every rule in the book. His penchant for biting opponents earned him the nickname "The After the war, Blassie returned to the Midwest and continued wrestling professionally. His career began in earnest after [21] His final words on WWE television were "D-Von, get the table! He was 85. 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. "No. 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 was popular in Japan as well. G&K did not respond to calls for comment. his service in the United States Navy during World War II. While writingThe Legends of Wrestling, Greenberg got to know Freddie Blassie quite well and mentioned in his appearance on The Genius Cast that Blassie really opened up to him. In addition to his pro wrestling notoriety, Classy Freddie Blassie also has some amusing notability in wider pop culture. So when I saw this book I had to get it and read it. Many of the viewers were horrified by Blassie's treatment of their hero. 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. 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. "Classy" Freddie Blassie appeared in a live-action segment of the cartoon "Hulk Hogan's Rock 'n' Wrestling." [7] As the wrestlers became familiar with him, they began teaching him holds. We have estimated Frederick was an only child. On top of that, hed take on English legend Billy Robinson, WWE Champion Superstar Billy Graham, and legendary masked heel wrestler Destroyer. 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). Let's learn more about this classic heel! Also featured is Bob Zmuda, who plays a nosy fan. Also learn how He earned most of Freddie Blassie networth? 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. [22] In the demonstration of the dance, Blassie picked up Rob Petrie and twirled him over his head. His penchant for biting opponents earned him the nickname "The Vampire". He also reportedly excelled as a boxer. He did an advice segment on the Tuesday Night Titans TV program, made personal appearances and did radio interviews. In the late 1960s, he moved to the East Coast and the World-Wide Wrestling Federation (WWWF, later the World Wresting Federation (WWF) and now World Wrestling Entertainment WWE)). "The Fashion Plate of Wrestling" Freddie Blassie calls his interviewer and the fans "pencil neck geeks" and shows why he will always be remembered as one of the greatest managers in WWE history. Born: 1921. [3] Blassie also publicly represented Ali for media events and interviews for a period in the mid-1970s. Danny Djeljosevic is a writer based in San Diego, CA. Towards the end of Freddie Blassies life, he began to realize that it all may be coming to an end soon. Even more important than that, Blassie would make a change that would make him an icon. Occasionally, he would get too close to the action and get beaten up himself, much to the crowd's delight. [2][14] Blassie also managed Muhammad Ali in his boxer vs. wrestler match in 1976 against Antonio Inoki. As much as governing body politics held back minorities, the wrestlers themselves had even more power. 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. One of Blassie's gimmicks was to file his teeth, and draw blood from his opponents by biting their foreheads. Freddie Blassie managed many heels to success, including the team of The Iron Sheik and Nikolai Volkoff, who would win the World Tag Team Titles from US Express thanks to Blassies delivering a strategic shot with his cane.

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