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. Anyone can read what you share. The two spoke the same dialect of German, their parents had mutual friends, and . He returned to the company in 1971, reaching the final of a tournament in January for the vacant WWWF United States Heavyweight Championship before losing to Pedro Morales. Miyako Blassie, 68, says in court papers that she was shopping for groceries when she tripped near the entrance to a Pathmark in Westchester. 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. Federation (WWWF, later the World Wresting Federation (WWF) and now From there, he moved on to become a regular writer, contributor, and reporter for WWE. Freddie Blassie. But while his US in-ring career ended (while still working for WWWF), he remained employed by WWWF and became a manager instead. He graduated from McKinley High School and began work at a meatpacking plant. He finally defeated Rikidozan and won back his title at a WWA event in Los Angeles but it had served his purpose. Most recently, he co-authored the 2016 edition of the WWE Encyclopedia of Sports Entertainment. This is in reference . He, Albano, and "The Grand Wizard of Wrestling" (Ernie Roth) formed the WWWF's "Evil Trinity" of heel managers. He is a member of famous Actor with the age 85 years old group. RELATED: 10 All-Time Greats You Forgot Had Managers. (1965 - 1968)( divorced), Nettie Needles (September 1942 - 1964)( divorced)( 3 children). 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. Greenberg would add that Jerry Grahams drinking issues may have been combined with mental illness. Let me take care of him in the ring.". Lynne Margulies, who would later become Kaufman's girlfriend, plays a role; in fact, she and Kaufman met for the first time on camera. (1965 - 1968) ( divorced), Nettie Needles (September 1942 - 1964) ( divorced) ( 3 children) Freddie Blassie Net Worth His net worth has been growing significantly in 2021-2022. Freddie Blassie, 85, died of heart failure on June 2, 2003. the late 1960s, he moved to the East Coast and the World-Wide Wrestling Blassie also mastered the television interview, boasting his superiority over other wrestlers he liked to call ''pencil-neck geeks.'' One poll ranked him as the most hated wrestler in the United States. Blassie's interference at Wrestlemania 2 cost Volkoff his match with Kirchner, when the cane was grabbed by Kirchner instead of Volkoff. . Fred Blassie was born and raised in the St. Louis, Missouri, area. 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! He, Albano, and "The Grand Wizard of Wrestling" (Ernie Roth) formed the WWWF's "Evil Trinity" of heel managers. 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. [4] He is regarded as one of the greatest wrestling heels, or villains, of all time. You can check out an almost unlimited array of WWE content on theWWE NetworkandPeacock. [6] His cousin John Frank Holaus often refereed his matches. Blassie later challenged Morales for the WWWF Championship, but came up short. Blassie retired from active wrestling in 1974, due to a California law that prohibited anyone over 55 from getting a wrestling license. 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). [7], After the US entered World War II, Blassie enlisted in the Navy and served in the Pacific Theater for 42 months. As a wrestling manager, wore shirts and trousers of the exact same color, sometimes with a matching jacket. [8] They received acclaim on the Dr. Demento Radio Show, and the latter song was featured on several albums, including Dr. Demento's 20th anniversary collection, The Very Best of Dr. Demento, and Dr. Demento Presents the Greatest Novelty CDs of All Time. Blassie originally wrestled 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. It was in the latter that he decided to embrace his villainous side, bleaching his hair blonde like Gorgeous George. He bleached his hair and quickly became a heel's heel, outraging crowds by gleefully breaking every rule in the book. Because of his close relationship with Vince McMahon, Sr. and his family, Blassie remained on the WWF payroll until the day he died. first tried to make his mark as a boxer, despite warnings that his arms 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. 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 the 1950s, Fred Blassie was hands down the most hated wrestler in the southeastern territory. Keith Elliot Greenberg has been doing his part to preserve professional wrestling history for the past few decades. He delivered a rousing speech, dramatically standing up from his wheelchair to get the WWE-loyal wrestlers pumped up for the next battle. [24], In the early 1990s, the wrestler starred in a documentary directed by Jeff Krulik, titled Mr. Blassie Goes To Washington. He even managed Muhammad Ali going into his legendary match with Antonio Inoki. Freddie Blassies income source is mostly from being a successful Actor. Blassie wrestled as a dark-haired good guy until he found out that the "heels" (bad guys) got better pay. We've received your submission. Blassie also resented "Superstar" Billy Graham, at first, due to his association with Dr. Jerry Graham, who in kayfabe was Billys older brother. [10] He had main event-level feuds against stars such as The Destroyer. After Blassie lost the WWA World Heavyweight Championship to Rikidzan in Los Angeles, the two had a rematch on live Japanese television. "Classy" Freddie Blassie is a legendary wrestling personality, both as a wrestler and a manager. Managed by "Loud", Countless World Wrestling Federation TV and Pay Per View Ads. [20] Because of this, Blassie is one of, if not the only man to have worked with all four generations of the McMahon family. His penchant for biting opponents earned him the nickname "The Vampire". After the war, Blassie returned to the Midwest and continued wrestling professionally. For Freddie Blassie, there was no question why he took on a villian's persona - he loved it. Hed adopt a bleach-blond look, start biting his opponents in the ring, and would often be seen filing down his teeth to better sink his teeth in his opponent. Funeral services will be held at noon Friday at Hitchcock Presbyterian Church in Scarsdale, N.Y. 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), ? 304K views 6 years ago The Dudley Boyz put Rico through a table after getting the call from WWE Hall of Famer "Classy" Freddie Blassie at ringside. Fred Blassie was born and raised in the St. Louis, Missouri, area. 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. You can watch him on Autopsy: The Last Hours of on Reelz in the United States and Channel 5 in Great Britain. [13][6][dubious discuss], While touring Japan in 1965, and by this point divorced, Blassie met the woman who would eventually become his third wife, Miyako Morozumi, at a train station. Blassie would eventually come to be known as a manager (see below) in WWE, but in the 1960s and 1970s, he actually wrestled for the promotion, back then known as the World Wide Wrestling Federation. That revolution -- making the villain the hero -- put fans in the seats and money in Blassies pocket. 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. "Classy" Freddie Blassie WWE Hall of Fame Induction Speech [1994]June 9, 1994 "I want you to get four Orange Juliuses for me, the girls, and you.". 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. [3], One of Blassie's most famous proteges was The Iron Sheik. Blassie claims that he made Regis Philbin into the celebrity he is today. Blassie is survived by his wife, Miyako, and three children. Bruno had gotten so famous that he couldnt always pick the boneheads from the rest. [8] In 2001, Blassie appeared in a special July 16, 2001 Raw is War segment for the Invasion storyline, wherein he exhorted a gathering of WWF wrestlers to stand tall against The Alliance and later got mocked by Alliance leaders Shane and Stephanie McMahon. "That's why he was 'Classy' Freddie Blassie." 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. 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. 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. So, how much is Freddie Blassie worth at the age of 85 years old? "Typical Italian stunt! 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. 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. In reality, Blassie was a major on-screen figure in wrestling, both in competitive and managerial roles, and had a status in overall pop culture. Blassie is survived by his wife, Miyako, and three children. In 1964, Dick the Bruiser defeated Blassie to become champion, and Blassie headed east to work for the World Wide Wrestling Federation (WWWF). Before The Client List is an extension of our ongoing series, Before They Were Famous, which looks at wrestlers before they became internationally famous. American professional wrestler and manager, Worldwide Wrestling Associates (19601968), World Wide Wrestling Federation (1964; 1971). 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. Managed by "Loud" Lou Albano, Blassie continued his winning ways, but never won the WWWF's championship. This story has been shared 104,709 times. My Breakfast with Blassie is a 1983 film starring Andy Kaufman and professional wrestler "Classy" Freddie Blassie.[1]. 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. During this time, he went to New York City to work for promoter Jess McMahon. He did an advice segment on the ''Tuesday Night Titans'' TV program, made personal appearances and did radio interviews. 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. Recommended:The Time WWE Hall of Famer DR. JERRY GRAHAM Kidnapped His Mothers Dead Body. . Some wrestlers choose to play a villain as a way of promoting their career, while others are forced to by their promoters. 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. 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. . Vince McMahon interviews "Classy" Freddie Blassie & Nikolai Volkoff | WWE [8] He married a girl in California while on shore leave. His career began in earnest after 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! Danny Djeljosevic is a writer based in San Diego, CA. 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). 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. This benefactor was later revealed to be Slick. 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).