Freddy Blassie and his 'pencil-neck geeks'

Freddie Blassie entertained Los Angeles as the most hated villain of local "professional" wrestling in the 1950s and 60s, when wrestling and roller derby were first hugely popular on television. Blassie was known for biting his opponents with sharpened teeth and probably uttered the putdown "pencil-neck geek" on TV more often than anyone. He had the box office clout to perform in the Coliseum and starred in "My Breakfast With Blassie" with Andy Kaufman. Blassie died Monday in Hartsdale, N.Y. at age 85, the L.A. Times obituary by Jon Thurber says.


More by Kevin Roderick:
Ralph Lawler of the Clippers and the age of Aquarius
Riding the Expo Line to USC 'just magical'
Last bastion of free parking? Loyola Marymount to charge students
Matt Kemp, Dodgers and Kings start big weekend the right way
LA Times writers revisit their '92 riots observations
Recent History stories on LA Observed:
The other horrible April 29 date in Los Angeles history
KNBC 'live-tweeting' the run-up to '92 riots
When Muhammad Ali boxed in LA - and posed for pictures *
MALDEF sues sheriff over withheld Ruben Salazar files
Scenes from a convention - Los Angeles, 1960

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