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. . So when I saw this book I had to get it and read it. egomaniac then known as Cassius Clay. For Freddie Blassie, there was no question why he took on a villian's persona - he loved it. 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. "When hed go to a town, the most powerful Italians would latch themselves onto him and decided they were his protectors, whether Bruno liked it or not. "That's why he was 'Classy' Freddie Blassie." Let's learn more about this classic heel! If they refused to drop a title, it didnt matter what the bookers thought. He, Albano, and "The Grand Wizard of Wrestling" (Ernie Roth) formed the WWWF's "Evil Trinity" of heel managers. 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.). In this match Hogan was once again victorious. By 1952, Blassie was getting disillusioned by the East Coast and headed for California, although he did still work for various NWA territories in the South, particularly Georgia Championship Wrestling (GCW). He triggered heart attack-related deaths in Japan, was stabbed by angry fans 21 times and was once doused with acid! 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.". Patrick Stewart In A Checkered Coat Wallpaper. [8], Blassie appeared in an episode of The Dick Van Dyke Show that featured a new dance craze called The Twizzle. Greenbergs memoir on Freddie Blassie was released just three weeks before he died in 2003. 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. Greenberg would add that Jerry Grahams drinking issues may have been combined with mental illness. Managed by "Loud" Lou Albano, Blassie continued his winning ways, but never won the WWWF's championship. Still claiming to be the West Coast Champion, entered into a feud with Bruno Sammartino to unify the titles. [6] One of his most famous feuds took place in southern California in 1971, against Tolos. Originally from Chicago, he has called London home since 2008. My Breakfast with Blassie is a 1983 film starring Andy Kaufman and professional wrestler "Classy" Freddie Blassie. Zach Eflin And Wife On Yacht Wallpaper. 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. Back in the dressing room, Blassie realized he was in the wrong one. 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. Around 1980, he adopted a new moniker: "Ayatollah Blassie." Blassie originally wrestled mainly in the Southeast and West Coast, winning many titles in both. Download 100+ Free Freddie Blassie Wallpaper Images & 500,000+ Wallpapers for Free. [6] His cousin John Frank Holaus often refereed his matches. 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. [9][6], On June 2, 2003, Blassie died of heart and kidney failure at the age of 85. 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. My Breakfast with Blassie (1983) - IMDb On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. During this time, he went to New York City to work for promoter Jess McMahon. [6] He also began boxing at a local community center and won a heavyweight championship title. He finally defeated Rikidozan and won back his title at a WWA event in Los Angeles but it had served his purpose. 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.. He bleached his hair and quickly became a heel's heel, outraging crowds by gleefully breaking every rule in the book. 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. 10 Things Fans Should Know About Classy Freddie Blassie - TheSportster "Bruno always had a huge entourage hanging around him," Greenberg wrote in "Classy" Freddie Blassie The Legends of Wrestling. My Breakfast with Blassie is a 1983 film starring Andy Kaufman and professional wrestler "Classy" Freddie Blassie.[1]. Professional Wrestling Online Museum - Spotlight on Freddie Blassie In March of 1962, Blassie lost the WWA World title to Rikidozan, and for the next four months, Blassie competed in Japan, determined to regain his title from the Japanese wrestling innovator. Classy car for a class act | WWE He would become a frequent foe of Morales throughout the rest of his in-ring career in WWWF. After being pounded by a longer-limbed opponent, he switched to professional wrestling. Freddie Blassie | WWE 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. [3], In 1952, Blassie moved to Los Angeles to work for Jules Strongbow. Replying to. Many people close to him actually had no idea that he had children in the first place. [9] However, they eventually consented and Miyako returned with Blassie to the United States; they were married on September 30, 1968. 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 . Occasionally, he would get too close to the action and get beaten up himself, much to the crowd's delight. Freddie Blassie - Wikipedia 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. Linda Lautrec and Andy Kaufman loosely scripted the film over several months late at night on the telephone. Who Is Freddie Blassie's Wife? 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. He joined the Navy at the start of World War II and started wrestling initially under the name of Sailor Fred Blassie while stationed at Port Hueneme. After a move to the West Coast, he tried a different promotional scheme -- that of a villain. Without further ado, lets do an overview of Blassies career for fans who may not know much about him. After the war, he continued to wrestle professionally in the Midwest. Real Name: Fred Blassie. Freddie Blassies income source is mostly from being a successful Actor. However, sadly, Freddie passed away before he could ever speak to his son again. 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)). 500,000+ HD Wallpapers & Freddie Blassie Wallpaper 100% Free to Use High Quality Wallpapers Personalise for all Screen & Devices. "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. He, Albano, and "The Grand Wizard of Wrestling" (Ernie Roth) formed the WWWF's "Evil Trinity" of heel managers. [7] As the wrestlers became familiar with him, they began teaching him holds. [spoken to the WWF wrestlers during Invasion 2001] Gentleman, there [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. Blassie continued to interfere from ringside in matches, especially during Volkoff's feud with Corporal Kirchner. As a result he has wrought something of a revolution in the unmanly art of exhibition wrestling.. 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. 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!". 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. His career began in earnest after his service in the United States Navy during World War II. He did an advice segment on the ''Tuesday Night Titans'' TV program, made personal appearances and did radio interviews. 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. [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. were too short. He delivered a rousing speech, dramatically standing up from his wheelchair to get the WWE-loyal wrestlers pumped up for the next battle. Classy Freddie Blassie was pro wrestling's 'Fashion Plate' Over the course of his in-ring career, Classy Freddie Blassie would wrestle a number of legends, many of whom have either become legendary wrestlers or became famous in the following decades for non-competitive roles. So, how much is Freddie Blassie worth at the age of 85 years old? Of course, these mobsters thought he was putting them down for real. Blassie got involved when he threw his cane into the ring, with Sheik and Volkoff using it to their advantage to gain the victory. Freddie Blassie - IMDb RELATED: 10 Managers With The Best Claim To Be On A Wrestling Mount Rushmore. The nastier he was in the ring, the more popular he became to fans. He was now hooked, and he decided that pro wrestling was his destiny and not his backbreaking work in the meatpacking plant. Hed also engage in big title feuds with serious GOATs like Japans Rikidozan and Americas Lou Thesz, both of whom are considered among the most influential wrestlers of all time. Blassie's interference at Wrestlemania 2 cost Volkoff his match with Kirchner, when the cane was grabbed by Kirchner instead of Volkoff. Because of his close relationship with Vince McMahon, Sr. and his family, Blassie remained on the WWF payroll until the day he died. Funeral services will be held at noon Friday at Hitchcock Presbyterian Church in Scarsdale, N.Y. [3][8] In 1983, Rhino Records released a 14-track album by Blassie, titled I Bite the Songs. (and of course, Bubba Ray and D-Von take care of Bischoff and his cronies). 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! Those colorful interviews helped make him a celebrity in the newly expanding medium of television. (Use code PWS for a nice surprise). 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. *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! Stay tuned to theLast Word on Pro Wrestlingfor more on this and other stories from around the world of wrestling, as they develop. 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. Hed continue being a heel, managing a number of bad guys like George The Animal Steele, Hercules, and Blackjack Mulligan. his service in the United States Navy during World War II. Stats: 6' 0" 220 lbs. 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. Poffo, at first, played it small and declined. 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. Managed by "Loud", Countless World Wrestling Federation TV and Pay Per View Ads. 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.. Also featured is Bob Zmuda, who plays a nosy fan. Some of the guys were businessmen, some were political types, and some others Im sure were mobsters. 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. [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. Deiveson Figueiredo Tattoo Wallpaper. 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. [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. *The 100 deaths claim was an exaggerated myth that Blassie used. 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. 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. 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. His heels were always a bit more exotic and meaner than most. him a favorite of talk shows and reportedly influencing a fellow . In order to impress a girl, he entered a carnival show match in a shoot fight and won. 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. Im not implying that Bruno would ever have any dealings with the mafia on his own. Take Linda McMahon, for instance. The closest I ever saw him to loosing the mask was against Cowboy Bob Ellis, I believe in the mid 60's. I can still remember old Dick Lane calling the action. 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. His matches with Freddie Blassie were legendary. The widow of pro-wrestling villain Classy Freddie Blassie got thrown for a fall by a supermarket floor mat. 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. [7], His career continued as he was hired by more established promoters, including Tom Packs in St. Louis and George Simpson in Kansas City. 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. [4] In 1998, Blassie was the winner at the fourth annual Cauliflower Alley Club East Coast Banquet. Lanny said that if a wrestler had a bottle of cologne in their bag, or even rubbing alcohol, Jerry Graham would take it out and drink it. Now is A fierce competitor in the ring known for unorthodox methods and a penchant for bloodletting, Blassie was verbose and boastful. [2] He sporadically returned to make brief appearances following his retirement in 1986, mostly in produced video packages hyping the "new generation" of wrestling. 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. One of the 100 Greatest Wrestlers of the 20th Century (Inside Wrestling Presents, Summer 2000). 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. ", 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. [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. "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. Born Fred Blassman in St. Louis, Blassie played baseball and football in high school. [22] In the demonstration of the dance, Blassie picked up Rob Petrie and twirled him over his head. [22], Filmed in 1982, My Breakfast with Blassie featured Andy Kaufman and Freddie Blassie eating at a Sambo's in Los Angeles. The defendants had a duty to provide reasonably safe conditions for its customers, the suit charges. My Breakfast with Blassie (1983) - IMDb The Dudleyz get the tables with "Classy" Freddie Blassie's help: Raw [3], Blassie returned to WWA in 1968 just as promoter Mike LeBell decided to rejoin the NWA. Freddie Blassie - Online World of Wrestling [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. PWSTees.com Your favorite Pro Wrestling Stories, on a tee! Blassie began portraying himself as a villain, and it worked. He felt this was his chance to tell his life story before moving on. His career began in earnest after his service in the United States Navy during World War II. [3] As an adult, Frederick was a teetotaler. The suit, filed in federal court in White Plains, accuses the supermarket chain of negligence and recklessness and seeks more than $1 million in damages from corporate parent A&P and mat supplier G&K Services. 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"). 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. By this time, Blassie has acquired a cult following, leading to appearances in several feature films. [3], One of Blassie's most famous proteges was The Iron Sheik. All the while, he reveled in his role as being one of professional wrestlings most despised villains. As a German descent American, he was often faced with questions of loyalty, despite marrying a Jewish woman. 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. 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. Blassie died in Hartsdale, N.Y., Jeff Walton, a former wrestling publicist, told The Los Angeles Times. Freddie Blassie, 85, died of heart failure on June 2, 2003. Classy Freddie Blassie knew how to get heat and anger fans. 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. He retired from competition in the late 1970s to manage a new generation of gladiators such as Hulk Hogan. Blassie was inducted into the WWF Hall of Fame in 1994 by Shane McMahon. Keith Elliot Greenberg coauthored Legends of Wrestling: Freddie Blassie -- Listen, You Pencil Neck Geeks with wrestling icon "Classy" Freddie Blassie shortly before his death in 2003. 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". After the war, Blassie returned to the Midwest and continued wrestling professionally. After handing over ME duties to Alex Richards, he remains a frequent contributor to the site. "Classy" Freddie Blassie WWE Hall of Fame Induction Speech [1994]June 9, 1994 With Andy Kaufman, Freddie Blassie, Laurie Burton, Linda Hirsch. 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. ", to a monstrous applause. He claimed to file his teeth to draw blood from opponents, and among his nicknames was the Vampire. He started a second career as a manager in the WWWF. Looking to talk wrestling, pro football, or any number of sports? Anyone can read what you share. [7] Later, he received regular work wrestling at local carnivals. Towards the end of Freddie Blassies life, he began to realize that it all may be coming to an end soon. 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. [2] He was given a commentary tryout in 1986 and 1987 for WWF Wrestling Challenge, calling a few matches with Gorilla Monsoon. 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. However, Blassie wanted nothing to do with him because he too had a massive drinking problem and felt that it would "hit too close to home." Inducted into the Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame in 2004. Despite being a 7-year pro before his duty in World War II, Blassie was still a journeyman. The rematches were held at Madison Square Garden in New York, with Sammartino winning out. mainly in the Southeast and West Coast, winning many titles in both. ", "Heres some money," Blassie would say. After regaining the WWA Championship from Rikidzan on July 25, 1962, Blassie lost the title two days later to the "Masked Destroyer" Dick Beyer. Freddie Blassie. Some NFL teams dont make the grade, players say, New era of football begins at Mater Dei under coach Frank McManus.
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