RELATED: 10 Managers With The Best Claim To Be On A Wrestling Mount Rushmore. My Breakfast with Blassie: Directed by Linda Lautrec, Johnny Legend, Mark Shepard. Because of his close relationship with Vince McMahon, Sr. and his family, Blassie remained on the WWF payroll until the day he died. My Breakfast with Blassie - Wikipedia [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. the late 1960s, he moved to the East Coast and the World-Wide Wrestling The rematches were held at Madison Square Garden in New York, with Sammartino winning out. [4] In 1998, Blassie was the winner at the fourth annual Cauliflower Alley Club East Coast Banquet. One poll ranked him as the most hated wrestler in the United States. The "Shakespeare of WWE" made an appearance on our podcast The Genius Cast in 2018, and he certainly had a few good stories up his sleeves! After being pounded by a longer-limbed opponent, he switched to professional wrestling. [5], Blassie was born Frederick Kenneth Blassman in St. Louis, Missouri, in 1918. Fred Blassie was born and raised in the St. Louis, Missouri, area. His parents, Anna (ne Sind) and Jacob Blassman, were German immigrants who arrived in the United States prior to World War I.[3]. 'The Destroyer' Dick Beyer story archive | Slam Wrestling 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. 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. The nastier he was in the ring, the more popular he became to fans on the other side of the ropes. Many of the viewers were horrified by Blassie's treatment of their hero. Freddie Blassie - Biography - IMDb His career began in earnest after Blassie wrestled as a dark-haired good guy until he found out that the "heels" (bad guys) got better pay. In order to impress a girl, he entered a carnival show match in a shoot fight and won. One poll ranked him as the most hated wrestler in the United States. Blassie got involved when he threw his cane into the ring, with Sheik and Volkoff using it to their advantage to gain the victory. Occasionally, he would get too close to the action and get beaten up himself, much to the crowd's delight. 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. Blassie also wanted to clarify through his final memoir that he was an absentee father as he was on the road for most of his sons life growing up. One of the men was Jilly Rizzo, Frank Sinatras number one sidekick and the owner of his own saloon. Fred Blassie had a shocking heel turn during his stint in Georgia, which led to him becoming an extremely hated wrestler! The Life and Times of Classy Freddie Blassie Quiz Download 100+ Free Freddie Blassie Wallpaper Images & 500,000+ Wallpapers for Free. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Thanks for contacting us. is 6'(1.83m) . After handing over ME duties to Alex Richards, he remains a frequent contributor to the site. All the while, he reveled in his role as being one of professional wrestlings most despised villains. [9] During this stint with the company, Blassie was managed by his future nemesis, "Captain" Lou Albano.[3]. switched to professional wrestling. He started a second career as a manager in the WWWF. 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)). A child of two German immigrants, Freddie Blassie was born in St. Louis, Missouri in 1918. Freddie Blassie - Online World of Wrestling 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. Bruno had gotten so famous that he couldnt always pick the boneheads from the rest. "Classy" Freddie Blassie WWE Hall of Fame Induction Speech [1994]June 9, 1994 Moto-1964 and w/Buddy Austin-1967); NWA America's Heavyweight championships (5); Georgia Heavyweight title; "Beat The Champ" TV Title; NWA America's Brass Knuckles Title. After regaining the WWA Championship from Rikidzan on July 25, 1962, Blassie lost the title two days later to the "Masked Destroyer" Dick Beyer. Linda Lautrec and Andy Kaufman loosely scripted the film over several months late at night on the telephone. 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. Also featured is Bob Zmuda, who plays a nosy fan. 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). The Genius Cast with Lanny Poffo (2018-19), HOMAGE.com Our favorite in retro wrestling attire! Despite being a 7-year pro before his duty in World War II, Blassie was still a journeyman. Deiveson Figueiredo Tattoo Wallpaper. Discover today's celebrity birthdays and explore famous people who share your birthday. The Legends of Wrestling - "Classy" Freddie Blassie: Listen, You Pencil Freddie Blassie - Wikipedia My Breakfast with Blassie (1983) - IMDb His parents repeatedly separated, only to reconcile. 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. Vince McMahon interviews "Classy" Freddie Blassie & Nikolai Volkoff Blassie also mastered the television interview, boasting his superiority over other wrestlers he liked to call ''pencil-neck geeks.'' 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. 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. 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. mainly in the Southeast and West Coast, winning many titles in both. [6] In later years, Blassie also appeared on The Mike Douglas Show when Philbin was a guest host. Frederick Kenneth Blassie (Classy Freddy Blassie, The Vampire, Sailor Fred Blassie, The Hollywood Fashion Plate, The Fashion Plate of Professional Wrestling) was born on 8 February, 1918 in St. Louis, Missouri, USA, is an Actor. This post may contain affiliate links, which means we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. 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. The widow of pro-wrestling villain "Classy" Freddie Blassie got thrown for a fall by a supermarket floor mat. 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". 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. If you're not from the midwest you're not allowed to have an opinion on this. In 1964, Dick the Bruiser defeated Blassie to become champion, and Blassie headed east to work for the World Wide Wrestling Federation (WWWF). 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. He felt this was his chance to tell his life story before moving on. 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 While there, he feuded with Soulman Rocky Johnson, The Sheik, and "The Golden Greek" John Tolos. Comedian Andy Kaufman & professional wrestler Classy Freddie Blassie eat breakfast & discuss life. [8] His death was announced by Jim Ross, 20 minutes into that same day's episode of Raw. Blassie would continue to make his titles make history in 1963, he lost to Bearcat Wright, making Wright the first African-American to hold a World title in the United States. Blassie was more than willing to let the talented Bearcat Wright take the gold and make history. Unique lists featuring pop culture, entertainment and crazy facts. Blassie is survived by his wife, Miyako, and three children. Head on over to theLWOS Boardsto engage in conversation with fellow fans! [9], In 1968, Blassie returned to Japan and was reunited with Miyako. Blassie died in Hartsdale, N.Y., Jeff Walton, a former wrestling publicist, told The Los Angeles Times. "That's why he was 'Classy' Freddie Blassie." Professional Wrestling Online Museum - Spotlight on Freddie Blassie WWE Confidential presents a feature on the life and times of the fashion plate of professional wrestling, "Classy" Freddie Blassie. [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. Occasionally, he would get too close to the action and get beaten up himself, much to the crowd's delight. We have estimated ", "Heres some money," Blassie would say. in their 1992 song about Kaufman, "Man on the Moon". 10 Wrestlers Managed By Classy Freddie Blassie Fans Should Know About 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). For example, in the 1970s, he took on Cowboy Bill Watts, whod become a promoter and booker for Mid-South Wrestling and WCW. So when I saw this book I had to get it and read it. Miyako Blassie, 68, says in court papers that she was shopping for groceries when she tripped near the entrance to a Pathmark in Westchester. 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. 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. So, how much is Freddie Blassie worth at the age of 85 years old? Blassie did not just fade away after he left the ring. [22], Filmed in 1982, My Breakfast with Blassie featured Andy Kaufman and Freddie Blassie eating at a Sambo's in Los Angeles. "Classy" Freddie Blassie appeared in a live-action segment of the cartoon "Hulk Hogan's Rock 'n' Wrestling." Blassie, Murray wrote, has dedicated his life to wrapping up as much hate as one man can safely carry in a lifetime. 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. 10 Backstage Stories About Bruno Sammartino WWE Fans Should Know 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. Recommended:10 Wrestling Book Must Reads and 5 You Dont Want To Waste Your Time On. WWE Confidential: The life and times of "Classy" Freddie Blassie 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. We recommend you to check the complete list of Famous People born on 8 February. His net worth has been growing significantly in 2021-2022. He hated his father for it. Let me take care of him in the ring.". His matches with Freddie Blassie were legendary. Matches Freddie Blassie Wrestlers Database - CAGEMATCH He was popular in Japan as well. G&K did not respond to calls for comment. Professional wrestler Freddie Blassie, who became a cult figure for fans by playing the villain inside the ring during the 1950s and 1960s, has died. Blassie's interference at Wrestlemania 2 cost Volkoff his match with Kirchner, when the cane was grabbed by Kirchner instead of Volkoff. From there, he moved on to become a regular writer, contributor, and reporter for WWE. 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. Blassie died of heart failure Monday On a mid-July 2001 episode of Raw, the Invasion storyline was in full swing, and Blassie was brought in to motivate the WWE in the face of their ongoing war with the WCW/ECW Alliance. Anyone can read what you share. 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.. However, sadly, Freddie passed away before he could ever speak to his son again. 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. [9] However, they eventually consented and Miyako returned with Blassie to the United States; they were married on September 30, 1968. ", to a monstrous applause. Discover Freddie Blassie's Biography, Age, Height, Physical Stats, Dating/Affairs, Family and career updates. 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. Pro Wrestling Stories - Your daily source of nostalgia and a peek behind the curtain wall of wrestlings past! Managed by "Loud" Lou Albano, Blassie continued his winning ways, but never won the WWWF's championship. Also learn how He earned most of Freddie Blassie networth? Blassie claims that he made Regis Philbin into the celebrity he is today. News on all your favorite celebs, reality TV, and movies. [3][8] In 1983, Rhino Records released a 14-track album by Blassie, titled I Bite the Songs. He was now hooked, and he decided that pro wrestling was his destiny and not his backbreaking work in the meatpacking plant. Stats: 6' 0" 220 lbs. She . Hell, the article is entitled "Freddie Blassie - The Truth (and Somewhere In-Between)" for crying out loud. 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. . In that storyline, he is menaced by Eric Bischoff and his henchmen, before calling on the Dudley Brothers to "Get the tables!" He spent his time in the Missouri territory, working mainly in St. Louis and Kansas City, but when the U.S. entered the Second World War, he enlisted in 1942 and joined the U.S. Navy, where he spent four years (42 months) in combat in the U.S. battles in the Pacific. During these runs, hed take part in a couple of title feuds for the WWE Championship, challenging Bruno Sammartino in the 1960s and Pedro Morales in the 1970s, not to mention coming after Bobo Brazils US Heavyweight Title. He had been in poor health for quite a while, and it was as if he wanted to wait to get his story out before he passed on. At 85 years old, Freddie Blassie height My Breakfast with Blassie (1983) - IMDb Freddie Blassie, the silver-maned . Blassie later challenged Morales for the WWWF Championship, but came up short. In the early 1970s, Blassie "turned face", or became a good guy, since so many fans were cheering his famous antics. Had some great matches with Rikidozan & even back in the late 60s he was over bigtime as a heel. [6] On July 7, Blassie successfully defended his title against the former NWA World Heavyweight Champion Lou Thesz. A nice man, with a lovely wife and it was great having him there to cut a wonderful promo during my show. 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.). Freddie never held a true world title but he was still one of the greatest of the 50s through the 60s". Backstage, Jilly Rizzo club owner, Frank Sinatra's bodyguard, and . [6] His knees were also in terrible condition, which also contributed to his retirement. After the war, Blassie returned to the Midwest and continued wrestling professionally. Of course, these mobsters thought he was putting them down for real. [2] During that same title reign, in a match against Lord James Blears a fan threw acid on his back, and he had to return immediately to the locker room to wash it off; over the course of his career, he was also stabbed 21 times and lost vision in his right eye after being struck by a thrown hard-boiled egg. 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. Jamie Greer joined LWOPW in 2015 and was the site's Managing Editor from 2016 through 2020. [3], Upon Blassie's return from the war, he was billed as "Sailor" Fred Blassie to capitalize on the wave of war-time patriotism sweeping the country, but that gimmick was unsuccessful. [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. His penchant for biting opponents earned him the nickname "The A fierce competitor in the ring known for unorthodox methods and a penchant for bloodletting, Blassie was verbose and boastful. [6] His cousin John Frank Holaus often refereed his matches. Keith Elliot Greenberg has been doing his part to preserve professional wrestling history for the past few decades. He started a second career as a manager in the WWWF. It was in the latter that he decided to embrace his villainous side, bleaching his hair blonde like Gorgeous George. [3], Blassie returned to WWA in 1968 just as promoter Mike LeBell decided to rejoin the NWA. We've received your submission. 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). 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. 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. Blassie unsuccessfully campaigned along with the other managers to manage "Macho Man" Randy Savage when Savage first entered the WWF in June 1985. It was also during this period of his career when he dropped his babyface gimmick and became a full-fledged 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. The Dudleyz get the tables with "Classy" Freddie Blassie's help: Raw Blassie, whose late hubby [inset] was known for his gravel-voiced put-down pencil-neck geek, claims to have suffered excruciating pain in the January 2011 tumble, which broke her right wrist, and permanent scarring from a cut eyebrow.