[BaltimoreBob]

My #1 Celebrity Birthday Person for October 6th is
Bruno Sammartino (74) 1935
Born: Pizzoferrato, Italy / Height: 6' 1" (1.85 m)
Birth Name: Bruno Laopardo Franceso Sammartino / Nickname: The Living Legend
Bruno was born in Abruzzi, Italy and immigrated to the United States at age 15.
He idolized a Greco-Roman wrestler named Batisti who represented Italy in the Olympics in the 30s.
Spouse: Carol (1959 - present) 3 children
Former WWF World Champion & Tag Team Champion in the 1960's & 70's
Considered by many to be the greatest pro wrestling champion of all time
Bruno's last major feud was with Randy "Macho Man" Savage in 1986-1987,
and nearly won the WWF Intercontinental title on several occasions.
He also teamed with Tito Santana and one-time enemy George "the Animal" Steele
in tag team maches vs. Savage and "Adorable" Adrian Adonis.
He "retired" from wrestling in 1981
(his last match was against old enemy George "the Animal" Steele),
and began providing commentary for the WWF's syndicated programming.
He came out of retirement in 1985, where he wrestled in tag team matches with son, David
(usually against Johnny Valiant and Brutus Beefcake).
In 1956 he lost out to Paul Anderson for a spot on the United States Olympic Weightlifting Team.
In 1959 he set a world record in the benchpress by lifting 565 pounds.
He became the most famous professional wrestler during the 1960s and early 1970s.
This was long after professional wrestling has stopped appearing on American network television,
and well before cable television created nationwide wrestling promotions.
In the mid 1960s, his tag team partner was Tony Marino,
a man who would come to the ring dressed as and had the ringname of "Batman".
Was the longest reigning WWE Champion in history, back when it the company was known
as WWWF (World Wide Wrestling Federation).
Sammartino won the title in 1963 and held it for eight years until 1971,
a record that still stands today.
His second reign as WWE Champion lasted four years between 1973 and 1977
and is also one of the longest reigns in the history of WWE.
On May 18, 2004, Bruno Sammartino was honored in Pittsburgh for
the 41st anniversary of his winning the WWWF title from Buddy Rogers.
Inducted into the Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame in 2002 (charter class).
Bruno replaced Baltimore Bob’s former #1 for this date: Fred Travalena (62) 1942

Britt Ekland (67) 1942
------ Born: Stockholm, Sweden / Birth name: Britt-Marie Eklund
------ Her claim to fame would come as the young girl who invented the strip-tease in
------ "The Night They Raided Minsky's (1968)".
------ After that, she appeared in a string of movies that were built on her looks and not on the script.
------ Spouses: Slim Jim Phantom (20 March 1984 - 1992) (divorced) 1 child
------ Peter Sellers (19 February 1964 - 18 December 1968) (divorced) 1 child
------ Child with Peter Sellers: actress Victoria Sellers
------ Has a son, T. J. McDonnell (b. 1988), with Slim Jim Phantom.
------ Has a son, Nikolaj Adler (born 1973), together with Lou Adler.
------ Auctioned some belongings at Christies for $146,000. [December 1996]
------ Fractured her ankle and broke her wrist at the Kerrang! Music Awards in London
------ when she fell as she was heading towards the stage to present the Hall of Fame award
------ to Marilyn Manson. [29 August 2000]
------ Had an affair with rocker Rod Stewart in the mid-70s, and sang French on his smash hit
------ "Tonight's The Night". When she found out Rod was unfaithful, she filed a $12.5 million
------ palimony suit, claiming that she gave up much of her career for him and that she deserved
------ a large portion of Rod's income as compensation. The lawsuit was dismissed by the courts.
------ Wrote a tell-all autobiography, 'True Britt.'
------ 2008: Latest movie role at age 48 in ‘The Children’ (1990) as Lady Zinnia Wrench.
------ Baltimore Bob’s Top Ten gal Bonnie Hunt:
------ "Grand" - Blow Off (1990) TV episode as Viveca.
------ Britt Ekland (1942) born exact same day as Impressionist Fred Travelena (see below).