Louis Albano
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.
Photos
Movies (61)
Cyndi Lauper: Japanese Singles Collection - Greatest Hits
2019 · Self (archive footage)
WWE Greatest Wrestling Factions
2014 · Capt. Lou Albano
Hot Ice, No-one Is Safe
2010 · Frankie the Hat
Born to Controversy: The Roddy Piper Story
2006 · Self
WWE: Hulk Hogan: The Ultimate Anthology
2006 · Captain Lou Albano
Legends Never Die
2006
The World's Greatest Wrestling Managers
2006 · Captain Lou Albano
13th Grade
2005 · Lou Albano
Internet Fear
2005
Lipstick & Dynamite
2005 · Himself
WWE: The World's Greatest Wrestling Managers
2004
Mafioso: The Father The Son
2004 · Doc
Ivan Koloff the Most Hated Man in America
2003 · Himself
The Undertaker's Dozen
2003 · Lou Costanza
Footlong
2002 · Self
Man and Cat
2001 · Additional Cat Dialogue
The Boys Behind the Desk
2000
Heroes of Wrestling
1999 · Capt. Lou Albano
WWE Survivor Series 1996
1996 · Capt. Lou Albano (Appearance)
WWE Hall Of Fame 1996
1996 · Self
WWE Paul Bearer's Hits From the Crypt
1994 · Capt. Lou Albano (Manager)
WWE Survivor Series 1994
1994 · Capt. Lou Albano (Manager)
German Fan Favorites
1994 · Capt. Lou Albano
WWE SummerSlam 1994
1994 · Capt. Lou Albano
WWE King of the Ring 1994
1994 · Capt. Lou Albano (Manager)
WWF Countdown to The Crowning
1994 · Capt. Lou Albano
Cyndi Lauper: 12 Deadly Cyns... and Then Some
1994
Stay Tuned
1992 · Ring Announcer
It's a Complex World
1992 · Boris Lee
The Super Mario Bros. Super Show! Mario's Magic Carpet
1989 · Mario
Sid & Marty Krofft's Redeye Express
1988 · Self
George "The Animal" Steele
1987 · Captain Lou Albano (Manager)
Bob Uecker's Wacky World of Sports
1987 · Capt. Lou Albano
Body Slam
1986 · Capt. Lou Murano
The British Bulldogs
1986 · Capt. Lou Albano
WWE The Big Event
1986 · Capt. Lou Albano
The Macho Man Randy Savage & Elizabeth
1986 · Capt. Lou Albano (Manager)
The Best of the WWF: volume 8
1986 · Capt. Lou Albano
Villains of the Squared Circle
1986 · Capt. Lou Albano
The Best of the WWF: volume 7
1986 · Capt. Lou Albano
The Best of the WWF: volume 6
1986 · Capt. Lou Albano (Manager)
Wise Guys
1986 · Frank "The Fixer" Acavano
WrestleMania II
1986 · Capt. Lou Albano (Manager)
WWE Grudge Match
1986 · Captain Lou Albano
The Life and Times of Captain Lou Albano
1986 · Captain Lou Albano
Tag Team Champions
1986 · Lou Albano
The WWF's Amazing Managers
1985 · Captain Lou Albano
All-Star Rock 'N' Wrestling Saturday Spectacular
1985 · Self
The Best of the WWF: volume 4
1985 · Capt. Lou Albano (Manager)
WrestleMania
1985 · Capt. Lou Albano (Manager)
Most Unusual Matches
1985 · Captain Lou Albano
Best of the WWF Volume 1
1985 · Capt. Lou Albano (Manager)
Best of the WWF Volume 2
1985 · Capt. Lou Albano (Manager)
Wrestling's Biggest, Smallest, Strangest, Strongest!
1985 · Captain Lou Albano
Wrestling's Bloopers, Bleeps, & Bodyslams
1985 · Self
WWE Wrestling at The Meadowlands: October '84
1984 · Capt. Lou Albano (Manager)
WWE The Brawl to End it All
1984 · Capt. Lou Albano
WWE at Madison Square Garden: October 17, 1983
1983 · Capt. Lou Albano (Manager)
Below the Belt
1980 · Wrestler (uncredited)
WWE Showdown at Shea '80
1980 · Capt. Lou Albano (Manager)
WWE at Madison Square Garden: June 30, 1973
1973 · Capt. Lou Albano
TV shows (14)
Dark Side of the Ring
2019
Raw
1993 · Capt. Lou Albano, Capt. Lou Albano (archive footage)
The Super Mario Bros. Super Show!
1989 · Mario
Hey Dude
1989 · Captain Lou
WWF Wrestling Challenge
1986 · Capt. Lou Albano
WWF Superstars
1986 · Captain Lou Albano
227
1985
WWE Saturday Night's Main Event
1985 · Captain Lou Albano
Miami Vice
1984 · Henchman #1
Tuesday Night Titans
1984 · Captain Lou Albano, Captain Lou Albano (Archive footage)
Mid-Atlantic Championship Wrestling
1981 · Capt. Lou Albano
WWF Championship Wrestling
1980 · Captain Lou Albano (Manager)
WWF All-Star Wrestling
1975 · Captain Lou Albano
WWE Old School
1973 · Capt. Lou Albano (Manager), Captain Lou Albano, Lou Albano (Referee)