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. For example, in the 1970s, he took on Cowboy Bill Watts, whod become a promoter and booker for Mid-South Wrestling and WCW. 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. He was 85. His parents, Anna (ne Sind) and Jacob Blassman, were German immigrants who arrived in the United States prior to World War I.[3]. However, sadly, Freddie passed away before he could ever speak to his son again. 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. Some wrestlers choose to play a villain as a way of promoting their career, while others are forced to by their promoters. 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". 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. Freddie accomplished that goal and did so in grand style, as only he could. News on all your favorite celebs, reality TV, and movies. "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. This story has been shared 143,593 times. 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. 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. [7], After the US entered World War II, Blassie enlisted in the Navy and served in the Pacific Theater for 42 months. You can check out an almost unlimited array of WWE content on theWWE NetworkandPeacock. Sportswriter Jim Murray called him the worst villain since Hitler in a 1961 column in The Times. [6] His knees were also in terrible condition, which also contributed to his retirement. His penchant for biting opponents earned him the nickname "The In the summer of 1986, Blassie started to slowly phase himself out of the WWF and into retirement. "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. We have estimated [10] He had main event-level feuds against stars such as The Destroyer. 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. [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. Blassie also mastered the television interview, boasting his superiority over other wrestlers he liked to call ''pencil-neck geeks.'' [24], In the early 1990s, the wrestler starred in a documentary directed by Jeff Krulik, titled Mr. Blassie Goes To Washington. 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 Worldwide star. According to Greenberg, Gorgeous George, towards the end of his career, wanted to form a tag team with Blassie. At 85 years old, Freddie Blassie height , money, salary, income, and assets. Bruno had gotten so famous that he couldnt always pick the boneheads from the rest. He delivered a rousing speech, dramatically standing up from his wheelchair to get the WWE-loyal wrestlers pumped up for the next battle. Between matches, he gave loud and boastful interviews, making Since his retirement, he has occasionally worked as a "goodwill ambassador" (!) Blassie appeared alongside Slick to co-manage Sheik and Volkoff for a few television appearances before finally bowing out in November 1986, with Albano, the final member of the Three Wise Men, retiring a few weeks later. Download 100+ Free Freddie Blassie Wallpaper Images & 500,000+ Wallpapers for Free. 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. Stay tuned to theLast Word on Pro Wrestlingfor more on this and other stories from around the world of wrestling, as they develop. 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. . Looking to talk wrestling, pro football, or any number of sports? Blassie is survived by his wife, Miyako, and three children. 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. Blassie, Murray wrote, has dedicated his life to wrapping up as much hate as one man can safely carry in a lifetime. My wife joined Toastmasters International in October of last year. Back in the dressing room, Blassie realized he was in the wrong one. According to Walton, Blassies biggest achievement came Aug. 27, 1971, when he met and defeated Canadian wrestler Golden Greek John Tolos at the Coliseum before 25,000 wrestling fans. He retired from competition in the late 1970's to manage a new generation of wrestlers, including Hulk Hogan and Jesse Ventura, the future governor of Minnesota. Blassie unsuccessfully campaigned along with the other managers to manage "Macho Man" Randy Savage when Savage first entered the WWF in June 1985. 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. Freddie never held a true world title but he was still one of the greatest of the 50s through the 60s". 3 Saving Freddie Blassie Thanks To Kayfabe. Replying to. 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. [4] In 1998, Blassie was the winner at the fourth annual Cauliflower Alley Club East Coast Banquet. 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. He kept track of all of his matches during his career, including personal anecdotes. Freddie Blassie decided to stop being a fixture of wrestling in 1986 but was no stranger to making the odd guest appearance. Also featured is Bob Zmuda, who plays a nosy fan. 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. 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. Let's learn more about this classic heel! He, Albano, and "The Grand Wizard of Wrestling" (Ernie Roth) formed the WWWF's "Evil Trinity" of heel managers. He liked to use a variety of names but had trouble gaining the affection of fans who gravitated toward the likes of Lou Thesz and Gorgeous George. *The 100 deaths claim was an exaggerated myth that Blassie used. Stats: 6' 0" 220 lbs. Vampire". 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. Freddie had been estranged from his children for the majority of their lives. [8], In 1975, Blassie recorded voiceovers for the songs "Blassie, King of Men" and "Pencil Neck Geek", which were performed by Johnny Legend, featuring Billy Zoom on guitar, Jay Phillips on guitar, Lon Osgood on bass and Steve Clark on drums. Originally from Chicago, he has called London home since 2008. 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. It was not until he moved to the West Coast that fans began supporting him. [2] He was given a commentary tryout in 1986 and 1987 for WWF Wrestling Challenge, calling a few matches with Gorilla Monsoon. 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. Those colorful interviews helped make him a celebrity in the newly expanding medium of television. His career began in earnest after 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. I think Dick Lane was as good as Gordon Solie in his day. He bleached his hair and quickly became a heel's heel, outraging crowds by gleefully breaking every rule in the book. His first public wrestling match was a shoot fight which he accepted hoping to impress a girl he brought to the show. 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. Around 1980, he adopted a new moniker: "Ayatollah Blassie." "Bruno always had a huge entourage hanging around him," Greenberg wrote in "Classy" Freddie Blassie The Legends of Wrestling. He returned again in 1990 briefly to do color commentary for Prime Time in April with Vince McMahon, as an emergency fill-in after Tony Schiavone quit, playing a heel once again. He won the WWA World Heavyweight Wrestling Championship from French star Edouard Carpentier at the L.A. Sports Arena in 1961. Federation (WWWF, later the World Wresting Federation (WWF) and now Hell, the article is entitled "Freddie Blassie - The Truth (and Somewhere In-Between)" for crying out loud. This helps us provide free content for you to enjoy! In the early 1970s, Blassie "turned face", or became a good guy, since so many fans were cheering his famous antics. "Classy" Freddie Blassie lead an interesting life as one of . This film article about a 1980s comedy is a stub. [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. 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. During his time on the West Coast, he was a frequent guest and/or interruption on a local show hosted by Regis Philben, and Blassies appearances thanks to his massive appeal as a wrestling draw helped push Philben into a national celebrity. JP Zarka created Pro Wrestling Stories in May 2015. In order to impress a girl, he entered a carnival show match in a shoot fight and won. The Genius Cast with Lanny Poffo (2018-19), HOMAGE.com Our favorite in retro wrestling attire! [6] One of his most famous feuds took place in southern California in 1971, against Tolos. He started a second career as a manager in the WWWF. His heels were always a bit more exotic and meaner than most. At the age of 13, after Jacob had beaten Anna again, Frederick threatened his father with a baseball bat; instead he lived with his aunt for six months until his mother asked him to return home. [6] Blassie described this performer as "having a neck like a stack of dimes and a real pencil-neck geek". He graduated from McKinley High School and began work at a meatpacking plant. 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.). 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. [4] He is regarded as one of the greatest wrestling heels, or villains, of all time. 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. Blassie originally wrestled mainly in the Southeast and West Coast, winning many titles in both. G&K did not respond to calls for comment. After the war, he continued to wrestle professionally in the Midwest. [8] His death was announced by Jim Ross, 20 minutes into that same day's episode of Raw. Blassie claims that he made Regis Philbin into the celebrity he is today. He claimed to file his teeth to draw blood from opponents, and among his nicknames was the Vampire. 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. By using this site, you agree to the legal terms set out in ourDisclaimer, Terms of Service, Privacy Policy, and Disclosure. If they refused to drop a title, it didnt matter what the bookers thought. Fred Blassie had a shocking heel turn during his stint in Georgia, which led to him becoming an extremely hated wrestler! The terminology would follow him for the rest of his career. for the WWF. Recommended:10 Wrestling Book Must Reads and 5 You Dont Want To Waste Your Time On. Freddie Blassie, 85, died of heart failure on June 2, 2003. When he asked for her parents' blessing, they were hesitant because of his reputation with Rikidzan and because he was 28 years older than she. My Breakfast with Blassie is a 1983 film starring Andy Kaufman and professional wrestler "Classy" Freddie Blassie. His first match with Blassie had actually. 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. Blassie continued to interfere from ringside in matches, especially during Volkoff's feud with Corporal Kirchner. Funeral services will be held at noon Friday at Hitchcock Presbyterian Church in Scarsdale, N.Y. . 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. Freddie Blassie's net worth This post may contain affiliate links, which means we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. After being pounded by a longer-limbed opponent, he Credited with bringing a young Hulk Hogan into the World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) in late 1979. [11], On June 12, 1961, Blassie defeated the "Flying Frenchman" douard Carpentier in a best-of-three-falls match for his first WWA World Heavyweight Championship. 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. RELATED: 10 Performers Who Were Great As Both A Wrestler & Manager. [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. (Use code PWS for a nice surprise). Inducted into the Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame in 2004. [2] He sporadically returned to make brief appearances following his retirement in 1986, mostly in produced video packages hyping the "new generation" of wrestling. [9] However, they eventually consented and Miyako returned with Blassie to the United States; they were married on September 30, 1968. By this time, Blassie has acquired a cult following, leading to appearances in several feature films. 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! were too short. A child of two German immigrants, Freddie Blassie was born in St. Louis, Missouri in 1918. ", Bruno kayfabed him. The widow of pro-wrestling villain "Classy" Freddie Blassie got thrown for a fall by a supermarket floor mat. He also reportedly excelled as a boxer. (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. Before The Client List is an extension of our ongoing series, Before They Were Famous, which looks at wrestlers before they became internationally famous. 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. 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). 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. Born Fred Blassman in St. Louis, Blassie played baseball and football in high school. 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