[22] In the demonstration of the dance, Blassie picked up Rob Petrie and twirled him over his head. His heels were always a bit more exotic and meaner than most. Frederick was an only child. As a wrestling manager, wore shirts and trousers of the exact same color, sometimes with a matching jacket. Most recently, he co-authored the 2016 edition of the WWE Encyclopedia of Sports Entertainment. News on all your favorite celebs, reality TV, and movies. By the 1970s, Blassie had relocated to the East Coast where he successfully pursued his mat career. Credited with bringing a young Hulk Hogan into the World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) in late 1979. He is a member of famous Actor with the age 85 years old group. He joined the Navy at the start of World War II and started wrestling under the name of Sailor Fred Blassie while stationed at Port Hueneme in California. 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. 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). 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 During this time, he went to New York City to work for promoter Jess McMahon. It was in the latter that he decided to embrace his villainous side, bleaching his hair blonde like Gorgeous George. 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. Take Linda McMahon, for instance. RELATED: 10 Performers Who Were Great As Both A Wrestler & Manager. The Genius Cast with Lanny Poffo (2018-19), HOMAGE.com Our favorite in retro wrestling attire! Backstage, Jilly Rizzo club owner, Frank Sinatra's bodyguard, and . Blassie. According to Greenberg, Gorgeous George, towards the end of his career, wanted to form a tag team with Blassie. "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. [2][14] Blassie also managed Muhammad Ali in his boxer vs. wrestler match in 1976 against Antonio Inoki. 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. [8] He married a girl in California while on shore leave. switched to professional wrestling. His parents, Anna (ne Sind) and Jacob Blassman, were German immigrants who arrived in the United States prior to World War I.[3]. By doing this, he saved Freddie Blassies life. mainly in the Southeast and West Coast, winning many titles in both. [21] His book, Listen You Pencil Neck Geeks, was released on May 13, 2003. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. A nice man, with a lovely wife and it was great having him there to cut a wonderful promo during my show. Freddie accomplished that goal and did so in grand style, as only he could. Zach Eflin And Wife On Yacht Wallpaper. [3][8] In 1983, Rhino Records released a 14-track album by Blassie, titled I Bite the Songs. Still claiming to be the West Coast Champion, entered into a feud with Bruno Sammartino to unify the titles. [6] Blassie described this performer as "having a neck like a stack of dimes and a real pencil-neck geek". Blassie wrestled as a dark-haired good guy until he found out that the "heels" (bad guys) got better pay. Blassie retired from wrestling in 1986, turning over his stable of heels to another manager called Slick. *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! Freddie Blassie, 85, died of heart failure on June 2, 2003. The nastier he was in the ring, the more popular he became to fans. Let me take care of him in the ring.". Unique lists featuring pop culture, entertainment and crazy facts. 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. Real Name: Fred Blassie. [2] He sporadically returned to make brief appearances following his retirement in 1986, mostly in produced video packages hyping the "new generation" of wrestling. When meeting someone, he would ask where they were from, and no matter their response, he would reply with, "Oh, that's God's country!". He started a second career as a manager in the WWWF. He is a writer and editor-in-chief here on the site, a podcast producer, the chief graphic designer of the cover art for the sites articles, the former host of The Genius Cast with Lanny Poffo, and an elementary school teacher and assistant principal who enjoys playing guitar and spending time with his lively daughters! 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. his service in the United States Navy during World War II. [7] Later, he received regular work wrestling at local carnivals. 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. His first match with Blassie had actually. Accounts about his early athletic career do not quite agree, but he Blassie was more than willing to let the talented Bearcat Wright take the gold and make history. "I want you to get four Orange Juliuses for me, the girls, and you.". Blassie unsuccessfully campaigned along with the other managers to manage "Macho Man" Randy Savage when Savage first entered the WWF in June 1985. [4] Patrick Stewart In A Checkered Coat Wallpaper. The evocative turn of phrase stuck and became Blassies catchphrase to the point where it inspired the name of his autobiography and a novelty single (see below). Hogan would return in late 1983, turning face almost immediately after and thus separating from Freddie Blassie. in their 1992 song about Kaufman, "Man on the Moon". Learn how and when to remove this template message, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=My_Breakfast_with_Blassie&oldid=1107033235, Articles needing additional references from June 2021, All articles needing additional references, Short description is different from Wikidata, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, This page was last edited on 27 August 2022, at 19:43. 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. A gifted gabber and a splashy dresser, Blassie guided The Iron Shiek to the WWF World Heavyweight title in 1983, Iron Sheik and Nikolai Volkoff to the WWF World Tag Team titles, as well as managing such clients as Adrian Adonis, Jesse The Body Ventura, Kamala, Hercules Hernandez, and even Hulk Hogan during his first stint in the WWF. Fred Blassie was born and raised in the St. Louis, Missouri, area. Originally from Chicago, he has called London home since 2008. [3], In 1952, Blassie moved to Los Angeles to work for Jules Strongbow. Sportswriter Jim Murray called him the worst villain since Hitler in a 1961 column in The Times. [9] During this stint with the company, Blassie was managed by his future nemesis, "Captain" Lou Albano.[3]. Vince McMahon interviews "Classy" Freddie Blassie & Nikolai Volkoff | WWE Inducted into the Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame in 2004. [10] He had main event-level feuds against stars such as The Destroyer. Blassie also resented "Superstar" Billy Graham, at first, due to his association with Dr. Jerry Graham, who in kayfabe was Billys older brother. Blassie is survived by his wife, Miyako, and three children. He bleached his hair and quickly became a heel's heel, outraging crowds by gleefully breaking every rule in the book. 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. [16] In 1999, he was shown making the opening narration of WrestleMania XV. RELATED: 10 All-Time Greats You Forgot Had Managers. [8] His death was announced by Jim Ross, 20 minutes into that same day's episode of Raw. Freddie Blassie decided to stop being a fixture of wrestling in 1986 but was no stranger to making the odd guest appearance. 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 . "Everything had to be the best with him," Miyako told WWE.com. (1965 - 1968)( divorced), Nettie Needles (September 1942 - 1964)( divorced)( 3 children). 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.. [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. We recommend you to check the complete list of Famous People born on 8 February. [9] However, they eventually consented and Miyako returned with Blassie to the United States; they were married on September 30, 1968. Many of the viewers were horrified by Blassie's treatment of their hero. After being pounded by a longer-limbed opponent, he By 1968, WWA rejoined the NWA, becoming NWA Hollywood, but in 1971, Blassie returned to WWWF and challenged new WWWF World Champion Pedro Morales, to no avail. 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. [8] Blassie also appeared in a segment at the Vengeance pay-per-view event in December 2001, where an "undisputed" champion would be crowned. 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. Freddie Blassie Height 5'10" Weight 220 lbs Hometown St. Louis Signature Move Stomach Claw Career Highlights 1994 WWE Hall of Fame Inductee Freddie Blassie: Bio "Classy" Freddie Blassie is one of the most memorable Superstars to ever set foot inside the squared circle. After the war, he continued to wrestle professionally in the Midwest. 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. It was also during this period of his career when he dropped his babyface gimmick and became a full-fledged heel. You hit a guy in the neck. The nastier he was in the ring, the more popular he became to fans on the other side of the ropes. . 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. 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. Head on over to theLWOS Boardsto engage in conversation with fellow fans! 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. 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. is 6'(1.83m) . June 8, 2003 The professional wrestler Freddie Blassie, who became a cult figure to fans by playing the villain inside the ring during the 1950's and 1960's, died Monday. Frederick Kenneth Blassie (Classy Freddy Blassie, The Vampire, Sailor Fred Blassie, The Hollywood Fashion Plate, The Fashion Plate of Professional Wrestling), Miyako Morozumi (30 September1968 - 2 June2003)( his death), ? A wildly popular villain in the 1950s, 60s and 70s, he later managed other wrestlers, including then-bad guy Hulk Hogan and the ever-evil Iron Sheik. 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)). 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. 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. [6] He performed for that promotion until his full retirement from professional wrestling in 1986. [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. [7], His career continued as he was hired by more established promoters, including Tom Packs in St. Louis and George Simpson in Kansas City. In 1960, he became a regular with World Wrestling Associates (WWA) in Los Angeles, a move that would cement his legacy in pro wrestling, long before he became a manager. [7], After the US entered World War II, Blassie enlisted in the Navy and served in the Pacific Theater for 42 months. Blassie originally wrestled mainly in the Southeast and West Coast, winning many titles in both. After handing over ME duties to Alex Richards, he remains a frequent contributor to the site. [9] The sight of the Japanese legend covered in his own blood gave several viewers heart attacks, and some reportedly died. He did an advice segment on the Tuesday Night Titans TV program, made personal appearances and did radio interviews. [12], In 1962, Blassie had a feud with Japanese wrestling icon Rikidzan that established his reputation in Japan. [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. Also learn how He earned most of Freddie Blassie networth? [3], One of Blassie's most famous proteges was The Iron Sheik. 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. WWE Confidential presents a feature on the life and times of the fashion plate of professional wrestling, "Classy" Freddie Blassie. Hed continue being a heel, managing a number of bad guys like George The Animal Steele, Hercules, and Blackjack Mulligan. His father was an abusive alcoholic, prompting Frederick to stay with his grandparents whenever Jacob beat Anna. So, how much is Freddie Blassie worth at the age of 85 years old? 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. After regaining the WWA Championship from Rikidzan on July 25, 1962, Blassie lost the title two days later to the "Masked Destroyer" Dick Beyer. Blassies father was a heavy alcoholic and was abusive towards his beloved mother. It made Japanese wrestling a commodity on the West Coast and had given Rikidozan the credibility of conquering America. Had some great matches with Rikidozan & even back in the late 60s he was over bigtime as a heel. 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. 1 One of the great legends of pro wrestling albeit one whose in-ring career predated the 1980s Golden Era wrestling boom Classy Freddie Blassie was a successful heel who wrestled all over. With Andy Kaufman, Freddie Blassie, Laurie Burton, Linda Hirsch. This is in reference . Blassie worked for the World Wrestling Federation, now known as World Wrestling Entertainment, which presented him with its lifetime achievement award in 1996. 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. Jamie Greer joined LWOPW in 2015 and was the site's Managing Editor from 2016 through 2020. In that storyline, he is menaced by Eric Bischoff and his henchmen, before calling on the Dudley Brothers to "Get the tables!" 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. Federation (WWWF, later the World Wresting Federation (WWF) and now were too short. 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. 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. Looking to talk wrestling, pro football, or any number of sports? 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 85. Despite being a 7-year pro before his duty in World War II, Blassie was still a journeyman. [3][23] (The film was referenced by American rock band R.E.M. 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. Blassie continued to manage Sheik and Volkoff even after they lost the tag team titles. (bad guys) got better pay. Blassie died in Hartsdale, N.Y., Jeff Walton, a former wrestling publicist, told The Los Angeles Times. Blassie died of heart failure Monday 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: Directed by Linda Lautrec, Johnny Legend, Mark Shepard. [8] He teamed with Billy McDaniel as the McDaniel Brothers, but when they went east, they were known as the Blassie Brothers. 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: 1921. Blassie retired from active wrestling in 1974, due to a California law that prohibited anyone over 55 from getting a wrestling license. Those colorful interviews helped make him a celebrity in the newly expanding medium of television. He bleached his hair and quickly became a A child of two German immigrants, Freddie Blassie was born in St. Louis, Missouri in 1918. Towards the end of Freddie Blassies life, he began to realize that it all may be coming to an end soon. After a move to the West Coast, he tried a different promotional scheme -- that of a villain. His last name is slightly easier to pronounce than it looks. Anyone can read what you share. "Classy" Freddie Blassie appeared in a live-action segment of the cartoon "Hulk Hogan's Rock 'n' Wrestling." Freddie had been estranged from his children for the majority of their lives. He also bleached his hair at this time, as many of the other stars of the era did, such as Gorgeous George, Johnny Valentine, and "Nature Boy" Buddy Rogers. One of the men was Jilly Rizzo, Frank Sinatras number one sidekick and the owner of his own saloon. [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. Stay tuned to theLast Word on Pro Wrestlingfor more on this and other stories from around the world of wrestling, as they develop. After being pounded by a longer-limbed opponent, he switched to professional wrestling. In the 1950s, Fred Blassie was hands down the most hated wrestler in the southeastern territory. His net worth has been growing significantly in 2021-2022. He became less the focal point of WWA, and soon began working more NWA territories, as he spread his wings into enemy territory. 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. 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. In the summer of 1986, Blassie started to slowly phase himself out of the WWF and into retirement. 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. 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. Blassie also was seen with the comedian Andy Kaufman in ''My Breakfast With Blassie,'' a 1983 spoof of ''My Dinner With Andre.''. After Blassie lost the WWA World Heavyweight Championship to Rikidzan in Los Angeles, the two had a rematch on live Japanese television. He retired from competition in the late 1970s to manage a new generation of gladiators such as Hulk Hogan. [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. Fred Blassie would meet his wife, a Japanese actress.. November 15, 1968: Fred Blassie defeated Buddy Austin in a "Stretcher" match in the Olympic Stadium.. [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. Tolos moved first to Vancouver, where he married his wife Ingrid in 1967 (they later divorced), then worked his way south until he reached Los Angeles. Recommended:10 Wrestling Book Must Reads and 5 You Dont Want To Waste Your Time On. Stats: 6' 0" 220 lbs. [8], Blassie appeared in an episode of The Dick Van Dyke Show that featured a new dance craze called The Twizzle. The defendants had a duty to provide reasonably safe conditions for its customers, the suit charges. "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. On top of that, hed take on English legend Billy Robinson, WWE Champion Superstar Billy Graham, and legendary masked heel wrestler Destroyer. But for nearly 40 years, Fred Blassie was an in-ring talent who ruled the West Coast, a multi-time World Champion, and one of the most feared villains in pro wrestling history. Freddie never held a true world title but he was still one of the greatest of the 50s through the 60s". [7] When Philbin had a late-night weekend talk show in San Diego, Blassie would routinely show up to yell at the audience, throw furniture, and threaten Philbin; the confrontations were wholly kayfabe and both of them were friends when the cameras weren't rolling. While there, he won the NWA Georgia Southern Heavyweight Championship, the holder of which was generally first in line to challenge the NWA World Heavyweight Champion whenever he passed through the territory. 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. You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times. 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.". Replying to. Blassie was a contemporary of six-time NWA world champion Thesz, who died in 2002 at the age of 86. His wife is Miyako Morozumi (30 September 1968 - 2 June 2003) ( his death), ? He achieved the rank of Petty Officer (Second Class) before he was discharged. @megantheevalium. As a result he has wrought something of a revolution in the unmanly art of exhibition wrestling.. [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.
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