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Some of the guys were businessmen, some were political types, and some others Im sure were mobsters. The Legends of Wrestling - "Classy" Freddie Blassie: Listen, You Pencil Neck Geeks (Wwe S) Paperback - February 1, 2004 by Keith Elliot Greenberg (Author) 115 ratings See all formats and editions Kindle $13.99 Read with Our Free App Hardcover $18.99 13 Used from $4.06 2 New from $38.98 1 Collectible from $15.00 Paperback According to Dave Meltzer, "legitimately there were three [deaths] in Japan from elderly men watching a match with Togo in Japan, and it became this myth that [Freddie Blassie] exaggerated.". Blassie's interference at Wrestlemania 2 cost Volkoff his match with Kirchner, when the cane was grabbed by Kirchner instead of Volkoff. his service in the United States Navy during World War II. 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. Of course, these mobsters thought he was putting them down for real. [7] When Philbin had a late-night weekend talk show in San Diego, Blassie would routinely show up to yell at the audience, throw furniture, and threaten Philbin; the confrontations were wholly kayfabe and both of them were friends when the cameras weren't rolling. His parents, Anna (ne Sind) and Jacob Blassman, were German immigrants who arrived in the United States prior to World War I.[3]. [6] His knees were also in terrible condition, which also contributed to his retirement. Hed continue being a heel, managing a number of bad guys like George The Animal Steele, Hercules, and Blackjack Mulligan. (1965 - 1968)( divorced), Nettie Needles (September 1942 - 1964)( divorced)( 3 children). [6] He performed for that promotion until his full retirement from professional wrestling in 1986. Blassie unsuccessfully campaigned along with the other managers to manage "Macho Man" Randy Savage when Savage first entered the WWF in June 1985. The two of them had a great relationship off-camera, but because kayfabe was well and truly protected during this time in the business unless you were on the inside, you never were to know that a heel and face got along in real life. After the war, he continued to wrestle professionally in the Midwest. Recommended:The Night Bruno Sammartino Saved Freddie Blassies Life, Lanny Poffo, speaking to his friend Keith Elliot Greenberg on The Genius Cast, shared the story of the time he and Freddie Blassie were in Hawaii in 1968. Download 100+ Free Freddie Blassie Wallpaper Images & 500,000+ Wallpapers for Free. In that storyline, he is menaced by Eric Bischoff and his henchmen, before calling on the Dudley Brothers to "Get the tables!" In the 1950s, Fred Blassie was hands down the most hated wrestler in the southeastern territory. heel's heel, outraging crowds by gleefully breaking every rule in the Funeral services will be held at noon Friday at Hitchcock Presbyterian Church in Scarsdale, N.Y. [8] In 2001, Blassie appeared in a special July 16, 2001 Raw is War segment for the Invasion storyline, wherein he exhorted a gathering of WWF wrestlers to stand tall against The Alliance and later got mocked by Alliance leaders Shane and Stephanie McMahon. Freddie Blassie. Danny Djeljosevic is a writer based in San Diego, CA. Blassie was a regular on the WWWF's "All-Star Wrestling" and "Championship Wrestling" weekly TV shows that were videotaped at small arenas in Pennsylvania and aired throughout the Northeast. His first public wrestling match was a shoot fight which he accepted hoping to impress a girl he brought to the show. One poll ranked him as the most hated wrestler in the United Blassie, Murray wrote, has dedicated his life to wrapping up as much hate as one man can safely carry in a lifetime. Notable Title Wins Include: NWA Southern Heavyweight title (14); WWA (Los Angeles) World Heavyweight title (4); WWA World Tag Team title (2 times w/Mr. He hated his father for it. [22][2] Rose Marie's character Sally Rogers brought him on at the end of the episode claiming to have discovered another new dance sensation. In 1964, Dick the Bruiser defeated Blassie to become champion, and Blassie headed east to work for the World Wide Wrestling Federation (WWWF). . Using his newfound skills, Blassie became a wrestler starting in the carnival circuit, debuting in 1935 but taking a break in the 1940s to fight in World War II. 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. A child of two German immigrants, Freddie Blassie was born in St. Louis, Missouri in 1918. Worldwide star. Managed by "Loud" Lou Albano, Blassie continued his winning ways, but never won the WWWF's championship. Lanny was only 12 or 13-years-old at the time. For example, in the 1970s, he took on Cowboy Bill Watts, whod become a promoter and booker for Mid-South Wrestling and WCW. In order to impress a girl, he entered a carnival show match in a shoot fight and won. [9] While recuperating in 1966, he worked as a car salesman and married a second time to a woman whose name Blassie later claimed not to remember. Blassie was inducted into the WWF Hall of Fame in 1994 by Shane McMahon. [18][19] Blassie also appeared in the SummerSlam opening video. In January 1962, Blassie and Mr. Moto defeated Hans Hermann and Jesus Ortega for the California version of the WWA International TV Tag Team title. Gross tubs? 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). Some wrestlers choose to play a villain as a way of promoting their career, while others are forced to by their promoters. Vampire". 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. 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. Born: 1921. After a 39-year in-ring career in the sport, Blassie retired as a wrestler as a 4x WWA World Heavyweight Champion, a 17x NWA Georgia Southern Heavyweight Champion, NWA Junior Heavyweight Champion, as well as dozens more regional titles in multiple NWA territories. Freddie accomplished that goal and did so in grand style, as only he could. [8] Blassie also appeared in a segment at the Vengeance pay-per-view event in December 2001, where an "undisputed" champion would be crowned. [3] Blassie, Lou Albano, and The Grand Wizard were named "The Three Wise Men of the East", as the top three heel managers in the company. [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. His parents repeatedly separated, only to reconcile. "Classy" Freddie Blassie WWE Hall of Fame Induction Speech [1994]June 9, 1994 His penchant for biting opponents earned him the nickname "The Vampire". While there, he feuded with Soulman Rocky Johnson, The Sheik, and "The Golden Greek" John Tolos. He even managed Muhammad Ali going into his legendary match with Antonio Inoki. [21] The segment featured Blassie, his wife, and Raw co-General Manager Eric Bischoff, who was about to allow 3 Minute Warning to attack him, until Stone Cold Steve Austin and The Dudley Boyz stepped in. His wife is Miyako Morozumi (30 September 1968 - 2 June 2003) ( his death), ? 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. One poll ranked him as the most hated wrestler in the United States. He felt this was his chance to tell his life story before moving on. Head on over to theLWOS Boardsto engage in conversation with fellow fans! The Rock for the WWF Title)", "TJR Retro: WWE Royal Rumble 2000 Review (The Rock wins Rumble, Triple H vs. Cactus Jack)", "Freddie Blassie - Dick Van Dyke Show - 1962", "My Breakfast with Blassie: An appreciation", NWA North American Heavyweight Title (Hawaii version) history, NWA Southern Heavyweight Title (Florida) history, NWA World Tag Team Title (Florida) history, NWA International Tag Team Title (Georgia) history, NWA Southern Heavyweight Title (Georgia) history, NWA World Tag Team Title (Georgia) history, "NWA Hall of Fame Class for 2011 announced", WWA International Television Tag Team Title history, NWA Southern Junior Heavyweight Title history, Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame and Museum Inductees, 1853 Shepherd Circle SW, Blassie's Atlanta home (1960), 1950 Campbellton Road SW, Blassies Atlanta home (1966), WWE Hall of Fame Profile of Freddie Blassie, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Freddie_Blassie&oldid=1142698000, NWA World Tag Team Champions (Florida version), Professional wrestling managers and valets, United States Navy personnel of World War II, Short description is different from Wikidata, All Wikipedia articles written in American English, Pages using infobox military person with embed, Articles with disputed statements from February 2023, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, The Mysterious Medics (Mysterious Medic #1 and Mysterious Medic #2), This page was last edited on 3 March 2023, at 22:16. Blassie, whose late hubby [inset] was known for his gravel-voiced put-down pencil-neck geek, claims to have suffered excruciating pain in the January 2011 tumble, which broke her right wrist, and permanent scarring from a cut eyebrow. So, how much is Freddie Blassie worth at the age of 85 years old? Greenbergs memoir on Freddie Blassie was released just three weeks before he died in 2003. 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. June 8, 2003 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. Anyone can read what you share. You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times. He did an advice segment on the Tuesday Night Titans TV program, made personal appearances and did radio interviews. Lanny would state that Jerry Graham "had no business living the last 15 years of his life" due to his drinking problems. However, he became increasingly interested in wrestling. [8] His final wrestling appearance was May 12, 2003 in Philadelphia on Raw, three weeks before his death. Blassie, well-known for exaggerating a story or two, stated that when he was wrestling Rikidozan in Japan, 100 Japanese wrestling fans dropped dead of heart attacks because the matches were so gory. PWSTees.com Your favorite Pro Wrestling Stories, on a tee! "No. Most recently, he co-authored the 2016 edition of the WWE Encyclopedia of Sports Entertainment. Freddie never held a true world title but he was still one of the greatest of the 50s through the 60s". By using this site, you agree to the legal terms set out in ourDisclaimer, Terms of Service, Privacy Policy, and Disclosure. [6] Afterwards he became a manager in the World Wide Wrestling Federation (WWWF) and its subsequent incarnation the World Wrestling Federation (WWF). [8] They received acclaim on the Dr. Demento Radio Show, and the latter song was featured on several albums, including Dr. Demento's 20th anniversary collection, The Very Best of Dr. Demento, and Dr. Demento Presents the Greatest Novelty CDs of All Time. Blassie was a regular on the WWWF's "All-Star Wrestling" and "Championship Wrestling" weekly TV shows that were videotaped at small arenas in Pennsylvania and aired throughout the Northeast. My Breakfast with Blassie: Directed by Linda Lautrec, Johnny Legend, Mark Shepard. Freddie never held a true world title but he was still one of the greatest of the 50s through the 60s". Keith Elliot Greenberg coauthored Legends of Wrestling: Freddie Blassie -- Listen, You Pencil Neck Geeks with wrestling icon "Classy" Freddie Blassie shortly before his death in 2003. Learn how and when to remove this template message, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=My_Breakfast_with_Blassie&oldid=1107033235, Articles needing additional references from June 2021, All articles needing additional references, Short description is different from Wikidata, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, This page was last edited on 27 August 2022, at 19:43. ", In this particular story, Blassie won a match by count-out in Roosevelt Stadium when he kicked Sammartino in the breadbasket while the referee was distracted. [8] His death was announced by Jim Ross, 20 minutes into that same day's episode of Raw. Blassie continued to interfere from ringside in matches, especially during Volkoff's feud with Corporal Kirchner. By 1952, Blassie was getting disillusioned by the East Coast and headed for California, although he did still work for various NWA territories in the South, particularly Georgia Championship Wrestling (GCW). States. [20] Images from his WrestleMania XV promo were also included in the opening of the 2001 Survivor Series. Blassie. By the 1970s, Blassie had relocated to the East Coast where he successfully pursued his mat career. Blassie is survived by his wife, Miyako, and three children. 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. Keith Elliot Greenberg has been doing his part to preserve professional wrestling history for the past few decades. *Blassie also told Greenberg that women used to come up to him on the street and gawk at him because he was Gods gift to women! ", Bruno kayfabed him. And more wrestling fans definite need to know about the. He bleached his hair and quickly became a heel's heel, outraging crowds by gleefully breaking every rule in the book. [3][8] In 1983, Rhino Records released a 14-track album by Blassie, titled I Bite the Songs. As a German descent American, he was often faced with questions of loyalty, despite marrying a Jewish woman. Real Name: Fred Blassie. He continued to outrage crowds by distracting referees so that his men could cheat and by getting in his own cheap shots when the refs weren't looking. Blassie retired from active wrestling in 1974, due to a California law that prohibited anyone over 55 from getting a wrestling license. This helps us provide free content for you to enjoy! He did an advice segment on the ''Tuesday Night Titans'' TV program, made personal appearances and did radio interviews. His net worth has been growing significantly in 2021-2022. Poffo, at first, played it small and declined. Blassie, who became a cult figure outside the ring and starred with comedian Andy Kaufman in My Breakfast With Blassie, died of heart failure June 2 in Hartsdale, N.Y., according to Jeff Walton, a onetime wrestling publicist in Los Angeles who knew Blassie well. The "Shakespeare of WWE" made an appearance on our podcast The Genius Cast in 2018, and he certainly had a few good stories up his sleeves! [8] He teamed with Billy McDaniel as the McDaniel Brothers, but when they went east, they were known as the Blassie Brothers. He would become a frequent foe of Morales throughout the rest of his in-ring career in WWWF. RELATED: 10 Performers Who Were Great As Both A Wrestler & Manager. After four decades, trainer Ed Moger gets his first Triple Crown starter, An exclusive look at details of Chip Kellys two-year contract extension from UCLA, His shoe game is pretty tight. Why Dodgers hope Miguel Rojas play matches his swag, Rats in the laundry? By doing this, he saved Freddie Blassies life. [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. 304K views 6 years ago The Dudley Boyz put Rico through a table after getting the call from WWE Hall of Famer "Classy" Freddie Blassie at ringside. 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 The closest I ever saw him to loosing the mask was against Cowboy Bob Ellis, I believe in the mid 60's. I can still remember old Dick Lane calling the action. In this match Hogan was once again victorious. For Freddie Blassie, there was no question why he took on a villian's persona - he loved it. 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. My Breakfast with Blassie was conceived of by Linda Lautrec and Johnny Legend as a satire on My Dinner with Andre. We recommend you to check the complete list of Famous People born on 8 February. While writingThe Legends of Wrestling, Greenberg got to know Freddie Blassie quite well and mentioned in his appearance on The Genius Cast that Blassie really opened up to him. Funeral services will be held at noon Friday at Hitchcock Presbyterian Church in Scarsdale, N.Y. Prep Rally is devoted to the SoCal high school sports experience, bringing you scores, stories and a behind-the-scenes look at what makes prep sports so popular. Fred Blassie was born and raised in the St. Louis, Missouri, area. [2] He was given a commentary tryout in 1986 and 1987 for WWF Wrestling Challenge, calling a few matches with Gorilla Monsoon. Unique lists featuring pop culture, entertainment and crazy facts. He, Albano, and "The Grand Wizard of Wrestling" (Ernie Roth) formed the WWWF's "Evil Trinity" of heel managers. Many of the viewers were horrified by Blassie's treatment of their hero. "Classy" Freddie Blassie lead an interesting life as one of . 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. On a mid-July 2001 episode of Raw, the Invasion storyline was in full swing, and Blassie was brought in to motivate the WWE in the face of their ongoing war with the WCW/ECW Alliance. [3][23] (The film was referenced by American rock band R.E.M. This benefactor was later revealed to be Slick. 10 Things Fans Should Know About Classy Freddie Blassie, 10 Managers With The Best Claim To Be On A Wrestling Mount Rushmore, 10 Performers Who Were Great As Both A Wrestler & Manager, 10 All-Time Greats You Forgot Had Managers. Still claiming to be the West Coast Champion, entered into a feud with Bruno Sammartino to unify the titles. G&K did not respond to calls for comment. In 1973, knee problems largely forced Blassie to stop wrestling personally, though he occasionally donned the tights to tag-team with one of his heels, as he did in Madison Square Garden in June 1974, teaming with the hulking Nikolai Volkoff to face then-champ Bruno Sammartino and Chief Jay Strongbow in a tag team match (Blassie was forced to submit for the final fall by a Bruno bearhug, and the fans almost tore the Garden's roof off). His first match with Blassie had actually. [24], In the early 1990s, the wrestler starred in a documentary directed by Jeff Krulik, titled Mr. Blassie Goes To Washington. Let's learn more about this classic heel! [9] During this stint with the company, Blassie was managed by his future nemesis, "Captain" Lou Albano.[3]. The suit, filed in federal court in White Plains, accuses the supermarket chain of negligence and recklessness and seeks more than $1 million in damages from corporate parent A&P and mat supplier G&K Services. Federation (WWWF, later the World Wresting Federation (WWF) and now Since his retirement, he has occasionally worked as a "goodwill ambassador" (!) Freddie Blassie managed many heels to success, including the team of The Iron Sheik and Nikolai Volkoff, who would win the World Tag Team Titles from US Express thanks to Blassies delivering a strategic shot with his cane. As a wrestling manager, wore shirts and trousers of the exact same color, sometimes with a matching jacket. Freddie Blassie Also known as Fred Blassie, Fred McDaniel Overview Career Career highlights Titles Matches Match Statistics Matchguide Feuds Promos Tournaments Tag Teams & Stables Entourage Awards Books Wrestling Games Movies Commentary Career Ratings Comments Matches Displaying items 1 to 100 of total 1631 items that match the search parameters. [7], His career continued as he was hired by more established promoters, including Tom Packs in St. Louis and George Simpson in Kansas City. What did Disney actually lose from its Florida battle with DeSantis? Blassie would turn heel during this period, developing a lot of the characteristics that hed become known for. All the while, he reveled in his role as being one of professional wrestlings most despised villains. Born Fred Blassman in St. Louis, Blassie played baseball and football in high school. 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. "Classy" Freddie Blassie is a legendary wrestling personality, both as a wrestler and a manager. He also bleached his hair at this time, as many of the other stars of the era did, such as Gorgeous George, Johnny Valentine, and "Nature Boy" Buddy Rogers. [4] Patrick Stewart In A Checkered Coat Wallpaper. In After managing Sheik through a brief feud with Andre the Giant, he also became the manager of Nikolai Volkoff, with Sheik and Volkoff later becoming a tag team. He started a second career as a manager in the WWWF. [6] His cousin John Frank Holaus often refereed his matches. [12], In 1962, Blassie had a feud with Japanese wrestling icon Rikidzan that established his reputation in Japan. mainly in the Southeast and West Coast, winning many titles in both. He was 85. Blassie held various regional titles, Walton said, including the WWA World Title on five separate occasions, the Americas Heavyweight Title nine times and tag team belts with various partners over the years. By 1968, WWA rejoined the NWA, becoming NWA Hollywood, but in 1971, Blassie returned to WWWF and challenged new WWWF World Champion Pedro Morales, to no avail. So when I saw this book I had to get it and read it. Im not implying that Bruno would ever have any dealings with the mafia on his own. Blassie continued to manage Sheik and Volkoff even after they lost the tag team titles. He bleached his hair and quickly became a heel's heel, outraging crowds by gleefully breaking every rule in the book. Deiveson Figueiredo Tattoo Wallpaper. "That's why he was 'Classy' Freddie Blassie." Hed also regularly tag with Gorilla Monsoon, another wrestler better known for his non-wrestling roles. "Typical Italian stunt! RELATED: 10 Managers With The Best Claim To Be On A Wrestling Mount Rushmore. Blassie retired from wrestling in 1986, turning over his stable of heels to another manager called Slick. You can watch him on Autopsy: The Last Hours of on Reelz in the United States and Channel 5 in Great Britain. He was 85.Mr. Had some great matches with Rikidozan & even back in the late 60s he was over bigtime as a heel. He delivered a rousing speech, dramatically standing up from his wheelchair to get the WWE-loyal wrestlers pumped up for the next battle. He heard Blassie say that and whipped out a gun saying, "Ill kill that sonuvabitch! Blassies father was a heavy alcoholic and was abusive towards his beloved mother. As a result, fans may be aware of Classy Freddie Blassie for his appearances during WWEs Golden Era and beyond but that only scratches the surface of his career. However, sadly, Freddie passed away before he could ever speak to his son again. He retired from competition in the late 1970s to manage a new generation of gladiators such as Hulk Hogan. Frederick Kenneth Blassie (Classy Freddy Blassie, The Vampire, Sailor Fred Blassie, The Hollywood Fashion Plate, The Fashion Plate of Professional Wrestling), Miyako Morozumi (30 September1968 - 2 June2003)( his death), ? In one memorable instance, Blassie, playing up the heel character, would berate Brunos followers backstage with promos, calling them derogatory names such as "grease ball" and "spaghetti bender." He was now hooked, and he decided that pro wrestling was his destiny and not his backbreaking work in the meatpacking plant. In 1950, he had his first challenge for the NWA Worlds Heavyweight Championship, facing championLou Theszin Kentucky. During this time, he went to New York City to work for promoter Jess McMahon. 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". As a result he has wrought something of a revolution in the unmanly art of exhibition wrestling.. After regaining the WWA Championship from Rikidzan on July 25, 1962, Blassie lost the title two days later to the "Masked Destroyer" Dick Beyer. By the mid-1970s, Freddie Blassie was in his 50s and began to settle into a role as a manager in WWE, though he would still occasionally wrestle a match. Moto-1964 and w/Buddy Austin-1967); NWA America's Heavyweight championships (5); Georgia Heavyweight title; "Beat The Champ" TV Title; NWA America's Brass Knuckles Title. His eagerness to learn from 1935 to 1942 led to many of the circuits top stars sharing knowledge with Blassie, and when he returned home to the U.S. in 1946, he was determined to make an honest run as a professional wrestler. Blassie also resented "Superstar" Billy Graham, at first, due to his association with Dr. Jerry Graham, who in kayfabe was Billys older brother. In 1973, knee problems largely forced Blassie to stop wrestling personally, though he occasionally donned the tights to tag-team with one of his heels, as he did in Madison Square Garden in June 1974, teaming with the hulking Nikolai Volkoff to face then-champ Bruno Sammartino and Chief Jay Strongbow in a tag team match (Blassie was forced to submit for the final fall by a Bruno bearhug, and the fans almost tore the Garden's roof off). This movie got together because the man who produced wrestling manager and former wrestling champion Fred Blassie's novelty song, "Pencil-Neck Geek", Johnny Legend, wanted to film a very cheap parody of the awful art movie My Dinner with Andre, and decided that Blassie's young friend and protege, the eccentric comedian Andy Kaufman would be the . The film My Breakfast With Blassie, which came out in 1983, was a spoof of My Dinner With Andre. The camera followed Blassie and Kaufman as they ate and discussed life at a local restaurant that looked like a Dennys. 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. Feb 27. You pencil neck geek! For those who were brought up on pro wrestling in the 1980s and 1990s, one of the most colorful managers of the day was WWF stalwart, Classy Freddie Blassie. The widow of pro-wrestling villain "Classy" Freddie Blassie got thrown for a fall by a supermarket floor mat. [21] His final words on WWE television were "D-Von, get the table! Blassie would eventually come to be known as a manager (see below) in WWE, but in the 1960s and 1970s, he actually wrestled for the promotion, back then known as the World Wide Wrestling Federation. In the summer of 1986, Blassie started to slowly phase himself out of the WWF and into retirement. Freddie Blassie, 85, died of heart failure on June 2, 2003. [2] In 1963, Bearcat Wright defeated him to become champion, and it was quite a statement during the fight for civil rights that an African-American had won such a title. He briefly turned face in 1989, making an appearance on Prime Time Wrestling angry with Bobby Heenan over money Heenan hadn't paid him back.