![]() Lou's newfound main-stream fame and babyface status was entertaining (if not a little bizarre) for the older WWF fans who remembered him as the most controversial, devious and hated manager in the history of the promotion. In fact, throughout most of the eighties, Albano was a wrestling celebrity on the scale of Hulk Hogan and "Rowdy" Roddy Piper. The Captain parlayed his MTV rock `n wrestling success into other Hollywood ventures, including several movies, commercials and a hit television show (Mario Brothers). Barnum-esque wit and personality that Albano - who once summed up his talents by saying, "I'm a good bullsh**er" - was able to deliver. Perhaps that most important (and, at the time, innovative) angle needed the P.T. And what would the "Rock `n Wrestling Connection" - the angle that essentially launched the WWF to national prominence - have been like had Lou Albano not been involved? Or for that matter, WrestleMania 1, which largely revolved around the boisterous manager? For some reason, I can't help thinking that Cyndi Lauper and The Grand Wizard just wouldn't have been as effective. However, it was in the tag team ranks that Albano was most successful, guiding nearly 15 different teams to WWF gold - including the likes of the Wild Samoans, The Valiant Brothers, Saito & Fuji, The British Bulldogs, and many other legendary tandems. However, he did manage many other men to championships, including Inter-Continental titleholders Don Muraco, Pat Patterson and Greg Valentine among others. In fact, it was one of Albano's men - the powerful "Russian Bear" Ivan Koloff - who finally did the impossible and ended Sammartino's 7 year-long first Other than Koloff, Lou was never able to guide another man to the World title. With Toru Tanaka, Ivan Koloff and many others were led to battle against Sammartino by Capt. However, despite the modest success of The Scicilians, Albano did not truly break out as a star until he ended his partnership with Altimore, and forged a completely new identity as a manager. on July 10, 1967and eventually lost to Bruno Sammartino & Spiros Arion. Their other major championship, the United States Tag Team title, was captured in Atlantic City, NJ. On JThe Scicilians won the prestigous Midwest Tag Team title in Chicago, which helped them immensely in building their reputation in the eyes of the fans. The Scicilians, despite their somewhat limited ring ability, were able to win a few titles while raising their stock in the world of tag team wrestling. Along with partner Tony Altimore, Albano created a fair amount of controversy doing the stereotypical Italian gangster gimmick - so much so that, according to Albano, he and Altimore were once approached in Chicago by some legitimate "wise guys" and were told - in no uncertain terms - to tone their act down. ![]() Lou Albano first rose to national prominence in the late-fifties as part of a tag team known as The Scicilians. ![]() In either case, the rowdy Captain made the fans care about him, which, in the wrestling business, is all that really matters. Later in his career, Albano transformed that intense hatred into babyface popularity, and became one of the most beloved figures in wrestling. ![]() His vaudevillian style approach to cutting interviews, combined with his over-the-top personality and ring persona made Albano one of the most hated managers of all time. For a man who, by his own admission, was not a tremendous wrestler Albano certainly made a huge impact in the "sport" and was, for many years, one of the most well-known cross over celebrities that wrestling had to offer. Lou Albano was involved in professional wrestling, be it as a wrestler or manager, he created controversy, excitement, and in many cases, genuine hatred from the audiences he performed for.
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