Lou Albano was a wrestling icon who entertained millions of fans with his charismatic personality, colorful outfits, and rubber band facial piercings. He was also a successful manager who led many wrestlers and tag teams to championship glory. But how did he die and what was his legacy in the wrestling industry? Here is everything you need to know about lou albano cause of death and his life story.
Contents
Early Life and Career
Lou Albano was born on July 29, 1933, in Rome, Italy, to American parents who were both of Italian descent. His father was a doctor who studied at the University of Bari, and his mother was a classical concert pianist who performed at Carnegie Hall. Lou was baptized in the Vatican and moved to the United States with his family when he was a baby
Lou grew up in Mount Vernon, New York, where he excelled in sports, especially football. He attended Archbishop Stepinac High School, where he was the captain of the football team and received 32 scholarship offers from various universities. He chose to attend the University of Tennessee, but dropped out after one year to join the U.S. Army
Lou’s wrestling career began in Canada in the early 1950s, where he teamed up with Tony Altimore as The Sicilians, a heel tag team that portrayed stereotypical Italian gangsters. They caused a lot of controversy with their gimmick and even received threats from some real-life mobsters. They won the Midwest Tag Team title in 1961 and caught the attention of Vince McMahon Sr., who brought them to New York to work for the World Wide Wrestling Federation (WWWF)
The Sicilians had a brief run as the United States Tag Team champions in 1967, but soon split up after losing the belts to Bruno Sammartino and Spiros Arion. Lou then decided to become a manager due to injuries he suffered in the ring, which included breaking his back twice. He said that managing was his true calling and that he enjoyed being hated by the fans
Managerial Success and Fame
As a manager, Lou Albano guided 15 different tag teams and three singles competitors to championship gold. He was one of the “Triumvirate of Terror”, along with The Grand Wizard and Freddie Blassie, who were the most notorious heel managers in the WWWF. He had a loud and abrasive personality, often insulting his opponents and the fans with his trademark catchphrase: “I’m often imitated but never duplicated”. He also wore outrageous outfits, such as Hawaiian shirts, suspenders, and rubber bands attached to his beard and ears
Some of the wrestlers he managed included Pat Patterson, Greg Valentine, Don Muraco, Nikolai Volkoff, Andre the Giant, Hulk Hogan, and Ivan Koloff. Koloff was the first and only World champion Albano ever managed, as he ended Bruno Sammartino’s seven-year reign as WWWF champion in 1971 at Madison Square Garden. Albano also managed many successful tag teams, such as The Wild Samoans, The British Bulldogs, The Moondogs, The Valiant Brothers, The Blackjacks, The Mongols, The Executioners, and The Headshrinkers
Albano’s managerial career reached new heights in 1983 when he appeared in Cyndi Lauper’s music video for “Girls Just Want to Have Fun”, playing her father. He claimed that he was responsible for her success and that she owed him money. This led to a feud between Albano and Lauper on MTV and WWE shows, which sparked the “Rock ‘n’ Wrestling Connection”, a crossover phenomenon that brought wrestling to mainstream popularity. Albano also appeared in other music videos by Lauper, such as “She Bop”, “Time After Time”, “The Goonies ‘R’ Good Enough”, and “Good Enough”
Albano turned face (good guy) in 1984 after being convinced by Lauper’s manager David Wolff that he was wrong about her. He then became an ally of Lauper and Hulk Hogan against Roddy Piper and his allies. Albano also participated in the first WrestleMania in 1985, where he managed Wendi Richter against Leilani Kai for the Women’s title. Richter won the match with Lauper’s help and celebrated with Albano and Hogan
Acting Career and Retirement
Albano ventured into Hollywood with various television, film, and music projects after his wrestling career. He became well known to a younger generation of fans as the actor and voice of Mario in The Super Mario Bros. Super Show!, a live-action and animated series based on the popular video game franchise. He also appeared in other shows, such as Miami Vice, 227, Hey Dude, and The Legend of Zelda. He also starred in movies, such as Body Slam, Wise Guys, and Complex World. He also recorded a song with NRBQ called “Captain Lou”, which was a tribute to his wrestling persona
Albano retired from wrestling in 1996 after managing The Headshrinkers to the Tag Team titles. He was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 1996 by George “The Animal” Steele, one of his former rivals. He also made occasional appearances on WWE shows, such as Raw, SmackDown, and WrestleMania X-Seven. He also wrote an autobiography called Often Imitated, Never Duplicated: The Story of Captain Lou Albano
Lou Albano Cause of Death and Legacy
Lou Albano passed away on October 14, 2009, at the age of 76. He died of natural causes in Westchester County, New York, according to Dawn Marie, the founder of Wrestlers Rescue, an organization that helps raise money for the health care of retired wrestlers
Albano was survived by his wife Geraldine, whom he married in 1953, and his four children. He was cremated and his ashes were scattered in the Atlantic Ocean. He was mourned by many wrestlers and celebrities who paid tribute to him on social media and in interviews. He was also honored by WWE with a video package and a ten-bell salute on Raw
Lou Albano was a wrestling legend who had a lasting impact on the industry and the culture. He was one of the most influential managers of all time who helped many wrestlers achieve stardom. He was also a pioneer of the Rock ‘n’ Wrestling Connection that brought wrestling to mainstream attention. He was also a versatile entertainer who showed his talents in various media platforms. He was often imitated but never duplicated, and he will always be remembered as Captain Lou Albano
