Louis Albano

Louis Vincent "Kapten Lou" Albano adalah seorang pegulat, manajer, dan aktor profesional Amerika kelahiran Italia. Ia aktif sebagai pegulat profesional dari tahun 1953 hingga 1969, kemudian menjadi manajer, hingga tahun 1995. Sepanjang 42 tahun karirnya, Albano membimbing 15 tim tag berbeda dan empat pesaing tunggal untuk meraih medali emas kejuaraan. Albano adalah bagian dari "Triumvirat Teror", sebuah kelompok tiga manajer WWF jahat yang juga mencakup The Grand Wizard of Wrestling dan Freddie Blassie. Ketiganya akan tetap berada di perusahaan selama satu dekade, hingga kematian Grand Wizard pada tahun 1983. Seorang pemain sandiwara yang unik, dengan janggut memanjang, tindik wajah dari karet gelang, dan pakaian yang mencolok, Albano adalah nenek moyang dari Rock 'n' Wrestling Connection tahun 1980-an. Berkolaborasi dengan Cyndi Lauper, Albano membantu mengantarkan kesuksesan gulat di kalangan penonton mainstream. Memanfaatkan kesuksesannya, ia kemudian berkelana ke Hollywood dengan berbagai proyek televisi, film, dan musik. Ia menjadi terkenal di kalangan penggemar generasi baru sebagai aktor dan pengisi suara Mario di The Super Mario Bros. Super Show! Pada tahun 1953, Albano menikah dengan kekasih SMA-nya, Geraldine Tango. Pernikahan itu berlangsung 56 tahun, hingga kematiannya. Albano telah dikenal oleh beberapa orang lain karena kesetiaannya kepada istrinya, sebuah karakteristik langka di dunia gulat profesional tahun 1970-an dan 1980-an. Albano merilis otobiografinya, Sering Ditiru, Tidak Pernah Digandakan, pada 20 Juli 2008 melalui websitenya. Buku ini memuat kata pengantar oleh Cyndi Lauper. Saudara kandung Albano lainnya adalah Vincent, George, Eleanor, dan Carl, semuanya menjadi guru. Kakak laki-laki Albano, Carl, mengajar kesehatan selama 32 tahun di Sekolah Menengah Ridgewood di Ridgewood, New Jersey, dan menjadi kepala departemen kesehatan Sekolah Menengah Ridgewood dari tahun 1974 hingga 2001. Siswa Carl mencatat bahwa dia menggunakan saudaranya Lou sebagai contoh perbedaan antara gila dan unik. George menjabat sebagai Kepala Sekolah Sekolah Dasar Lincoln di Mount Vernon, New York dan sering mengajak Lou untuk menyenangkan siswa sekolah tersebut selama jam makan siang mereka. Vincent adalah seorang guru seni dan tinggal paruh waktu di sebuah rumah danau di Connecticut. Eleanor adalah seorang guru musik untuk siswa prasekolah di Connecticut dan memberikan pengaruh pada kehidupan banyak siswa melalui musik. Putra Albano, Carl Albano, telah menjadi anggota Badan Legislatif Kabupaten Putnam sejak 2011. Selama tahun 1990-an, Albano mengalami penurunan berat badan sebanyak 150 pon (70 kg) karena masalah kesehatan. Pada Mei 2005, Albano mengalami serangan jantung, namun kemudian sembuh. Albano dipulangkan dari rumah sakit dan kembali memantau kesehatannya. Lagu "Captain Lou" oleh Kimya Dawson didedikasikan untuknya. Pada tahun 1983 band NRBQ menulis lagu tentang Albano berjudul "Captain Lou." Albano tampil sebagai penyanyi di lagu itu juga di lagu lain berjudul "Boardin' House Pie." Kedua lagu ini muncul di kompilasi Tap Dancin' Bats NRBQ, rekaman komedi lisan Lou dan Q mereka, serta singel mereka yang sudah tidak lagi dicetak dan sulit ditemukan yang biasa dijual Albano di pertandingan gulatnya. Albano meninggal pada 14 Oktober 2009 karena serangan jantung saat berada di perawatan rumah sakit. Dia berusia 76 tahun.

Louis Vincent "Captain Lou" Albano was an Italian-born American professional wrestler, manager and actor. He was active as a professional wrestler from 1953 until 1969, then he became a manager, until 1995. Throughout his 42-year career, Albano guided 15 different tag teams and four singles competitors to championship gold. Albano was part of the "Triumvirate of Terror," a threesome of nefarious WWF managers that also included The Grand Wizard of Wrestling and Freddie Blassie. The trio would be fixtures in the company for a decade, until the Grand Wizard's death in 1983. A unique showman, with an elongated beard, rubber band facial piercings, and loud outfits, Albano was the forefather of the 1980s Rock 'n' Wrestling Connection. Collaborating with Cyndi Lauper, Albano helped usher in wrestling's crossover success with a mainstream audience. Capitalizing on his success, he later ventured into Hollywood with various television, film, and music projects. He became well-known to a new generation of fans as the actor and voice of Mario in The Super Mario Bros. Super Show! In 1953, Albano married his high school sweetheart, Geraldine Tango. The marriage lasted 56 years, until his death. Albano has been noted by several others for his faithfulness to his wife, a rare characteristic in the on-the-road world of 1970s and 1980s professional wrestling. Albano released his autobiography, Often Imitated, Never Duplicated, on July 20, 2008 through his website. The book includes a foreword by Cyndi Lauper. The other Albano siblings are Vincent, George, Eleanor, and Carl, all of whom became teachers. Albano's brother, Carl, taught health for 32 years at Ridgewood High School in Ridgewood, New Jersey, and was head of the Ridgewood High health department from 1974 until 2001. Carl's students have noted that he used his brother Lou as an example of the difference between crazy and unique. George served as the Principal of Lincoln Elementary School in Mount Vernon, New York and often brought Lou in to delight the school's students during their lunch hour. Vincent was an art teacher and lived part-time in a lake house in Connecticut. Eleanor was a music teacher for preschool students in Connecticut and impacts the lives of countless students through music. Albano's son, Carl Albano, has been a member of the Putnam County Legislature since 2011. During the 1990s, Albano shed 150 pounds (70 kg) following a health scare. In May 2005, Albano suffered a heart attack, but later recovered. Albano was sent home from the hospital and again began watching his health. The song "Captain Lou" by Kimya Dawson is dedicated to him. In 1983 the band NRBQ wrote a song about Albano called "Captain Lou." Albano was featured as a singer on that song as well on another called "Boardin' House Pie." Both of these songs appear on NRBQ's Tap Dancin' Bats compilation, their Lou and Q spoken-word comedy record, as well as their out-of-print, hard-to-find single which Albano used to sell at his wrestling matches. Albano died on October 14, 2009 of a heart attack while residing in hospice care.He was 76 years old.