Wednesday, October 14, 2009

Captain Lou Albano Dies: Pro Wrestler, Manager, Actor Was 76


Captain Lou Albano, the former professional wrestler whose WWF fame as a manager in the 1980s was surpassed by his crossover fame as a collaborator with Cyndi Lauper, has died. He was 76.

The New York Daily News reports:
He was inducted into the World Wrestling Entertainment Hall of Fame in 1996, paying tribute to Albano's management of 15 WWE tag team champions and WWE title holder Ivan Koloff. The colorful and kooky Albano was dubbed "The Guiding Light" for his "management" work.



"One of the company's most popular and charismatic legends," the WWE said in a statement. "He will be greatly missed."
Born Louis Vincent Albano, Captain Lou grew up in New York and briefly went to Tennessee on a football scholarship before turning his attention full-time to wrestling. He and his tag team partner Tony Altimore were known as The Sicilians and at one point in the 1960s held the WWWF tag team championship, but he was more famous to wrestling fans as a manager of popular wrestlers including the tag team champion British Bulldogs.

He found his greatest fame outside the ring working with Lauper, including appearing as her father in the "Girls Just Want to Have Fun" video. He continued to work as an actor in the 1990s.

No comments:

Post a Comment