Editing Lou Albano

|image = [[File:CaptainLou.jpg{{!}}250px]]

|role = [[Mario]], [[Marianne]], [[Mario Joe and Luigi Bob|Mario Joe]], [[Mama Mario]], and himself (''[[The Super Mario Bros. Super Show!]]'')

'''{{wp|Lou Albano|Louis Vincent Albano}}''' (July 29, 1933 – October 14, 2009), often referred by his ring name, '''"Captain" Lou Albano''', was an Italian-American professional wrestler, manager and actor who portrayed [[Mario]] in both the live action and cartoon segments of the ''[[The Super Mario Bros. Super Show!]]'' He worked alongside [[Danny Wells]], who portrayed [[Luigi]]. In addition to playing Mario, he also played various guest characters such as [[Marianne]], [[Mario Joe and Luigi Bob|Mario Joe]], [[Mama Mario]], and himself. In 2009, he died of a heart attack at the age of 76.

Lou Albano was born in Rome, Italy, in 1933. His family emigrated to the United States shortly after his birth. Albano was a high school athlete and won a football scholarship to the University of Tennessee. After briefly serving in the US Army, he became a nightclub bouncer. During this time, he was introduced to professional wrestling and started working in a tag team called the Sicilians.<ref>Michael Carlson (November 29, 2009). [https://www.theguardian.com/world/2009/nov/29/lou-albano-obituary Lou Albano obituary]. ''The Guardian''. Retrieved October 13, 2023.</ref> He took on an arrogant, mafia-esque persona, which drew anger from crowds. After receiving threats from actual mafia members, the group broke up.<ref>Vaughn Johnson (October 29, 2013). [https://www.inquirer.com/philly/blogs/the-squared-circle/New-book-recounts-some-of-the-best-behind-the-scene-stories-in-wrestlng-history.html New book recounts some of the best behind-the-scene stories in wrestlng history]{{sic}}. ''The Philadelphia Inquirer''. Retrieved October 13, 2023.</ref> Albano soon decided to retire from wrestling and work as a manager. Albano notably appeared as the father figure in [[Cyndi Lauper]]'s music video, "{{wp|Girls Just Want to Have Fun}}".

 

The role of Mario was arguably his best-known role outside of wrestling. Albano was a guest on a 1989 episode of ''Regis and Kathie Lee'', during which he announced his new role. Albano also hired a barber to come on set and shave off his trademark goatee to give him a more Mario-like appearance.

Albano passed away in 2009, twenty years after his Mario debut, having been under a long period of hospice care.

*''[[The Super Mario Bros. Super Show!]]'' &ndash; [[Mario]] / [[Marianne]] / [[Mario Joe and Luigi Bob|Mario Joe]] / [[Mama Mario]] / himself

Cyndi forms a search party with Mario and Luigi at [[Mario Brothers Plumbing]] along with several volunteers and search teams stationed around [[Earth|the world]], which ultimately fails not long afterward. When Mario later goes out to pick some pizza, Albano shows up and meets Luigi. When Cyndi asks him why he said he left, Albano sees his note and explains that part of it had been cut off; the note should've read "Dear Cyndi, I'm sorry that I'm not here, but I've gone for good fried chicken. Back in an hour.". Albano then explains that he had gotten tired of waiting for Cyndi to arrive at his house afterward, so he went out, saw fliers about his disappearance, and followed them all the way to Mario Brothers Plumbing.

Although Albano never makes an appearance in the ''Super Mario'' franchise beyond ''The Super Mario Bros. Super Show!'', he, along with several other famous people of Italian descent, do receive a mention from the [[Gondolier]] during ''[[The Adventures of Super Mario Bros. 3]]'' episode "[[The Venice Menace]]".

*According to ''The Super Mario Bros. Super Show!''{{'}}s producer [[John Grusd]], Lou Albano had offered to legally change his name to "Mario" during the production of the show.<ref>Matt Paprocki (June 5, 2020) [https://www.polygon.com/features/2020/6/5/21280650/nintendo-movies-based-on-mario-pokemon-donkey-kong-the-wizard-detective-pikachu Inside Nintendo’s weird attempts at making movies and TV shows.] ''Polygon''. Retrieved June 5, 2020.</ref>

*Albano famously starred in several public service announcements, wearing his Mario costume from ''The Super Mario Bros. Super Show!''; topics of these PSAs included drugs, reporting crimes, and guns/knives, among others.<ref>[https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=D8M8I2SYEiA Captain Lou Albano - WGBS Philly 57 "Just Say No" Drugs PSA] ''YouTube''. Retrieved December 3, 2008.</ref>

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