Angelo Poffo
A tough-as-nails wrestler who broke endurance records and later built the chaotic territory where his son, Randy Savage, became a star.
1925–2010 (age 85)·American professional wrestler and the father of Randy Savage·Birthday: April 10·The Greatest Generation
Biography
Angelo Poffo was not just a father to wrestling icons; he was a formidable force in his own right. In the 1950s, he gained notoriety by breaking the world record for consecutive sit-ups, a grueling feat of over 6,000 that he used to promote his in-ring career. As a villainous 'heel,' he traveled territories, often with his sons in tow, teaching them the business from the ground up. His true entrepreneurial spirit emerged with International Championship Wrestling, a rebellious promotion he ran in the late 70s and early 80s that directly challenged the established NWA. It was in this gritty, family-run circuit that Randy Savage honed the intense, unpredictable character that would later captivate the world.
The Greatest Generation
1901–1927
Grew up during the Depression, fought World War II, and built the postwar economic boom. Defined by shared sacrifice, institutional trust, and a belief that hard work and loyalty would be rewarded.
Angelo was born in 1925, placing them squarely in The Greatest Generation. The events that shaped this generation — world wars, depression, and rapid industrialization — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Angelo Was Born
The biggest hits of 1925
#1 Movie
The Gold Rush
Angelo's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1925Born
The Scopes Trial debates evolution in schools
Home: $4,366President: Calvin Coolidge"Sweet Georgia Brown" — Ben Bernie
1930Started school
Pluto discovered
Gas: $0.20/galHome: $3,510President: Herbert Hoover"Body and Soul" — Paul WhitemanBest Picture: All Quiet on the Western Front
1938Became a teenager
Kristallnacht and the escalation toward WWII
Gas: $0.20/galHome: $2,850Min wage: $0.25/hrPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"Begin the Beguine" — Artie ShawBest Picture: You Can't Take It with You
1941Could drive
Pearl Harbor attack brings the US into WWII
Gas: $0.19/galHome: $3,060Min wage: $0.30/hrPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"Chattanooga Choo Choo" — Glenn MillerBest Picture: How Green Was My Valley
1943Could vote
Allies invade Sicily; Battle of Stalingrad ends
Gas: $0.21/galHome: $3,290Min wage: $0.30/hrPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"I've Heard That Song Before" — Harry JamesBest Picture: Casablanca
1946Turned 21
United Nations holds its first General Assembly
Gas: $0.21/galHome: $5,150Min wage: $0.40/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Prisoner of Love" — Perry ComoBest Picture: The Best Years of Our Lives
1955Turned 30
Rosa Parks refuses to give up her bus seat
Gas: $0.29/galHome: $9,550Min wage: $0.75/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"Rock Around the Clock" — Bill Haley & His CometsBest Picture: Marty
1965Turned 40
US sends combat troops to Vietnam
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $13,600Min wage: $1.25/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction" — The Rolling StonesBest Picture: The Sound of Music
1975Turned 50
Fall of Saigon ends the Vietnam War
Gas: $0.57/galHome: $27,600Min wage: $2.10/hrPresident: Gerald Ford"Love Will Keep Us Together" — Captain & TennilleBest Picture: One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest
1985Turned 60
Live Aid concerts raise money for Ethiopian famine
Gas: $1.12/galHome: $62,900Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Careless Whisper" — Wham!Best Picture: Out of Africa
1995Turned 70
Oklahoma City bombing; Windows 95 released
Gas: $1.15/galHome: $96,500Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Gangsta's Paradise" — CoolioBest Picture: Braveheart
2005Turned 80
Hurricane Katrina devastates New Orleans; YouTube launches
Gas: $2.30/galHome: $167,500Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"We Belong Together" — Mariah CareyBest Picture: Crash
2010Died at 85
Deepwater Horizon oil spill; iPad launched
Gas: $2.79/galHome: $147,800Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Tik Tok" — KeshaBest Picture: The King's Speech
Key Achievements
- Set a world record in 1945 by performing 6,033 consecutive sit-ups, a feat he used for wrestling publicity.
- Founded and operated International Championship Wrestling, an influential independent promotion in the southeastern United States.
- Had a successful in-ring career spanning decades, often teaming with his son Lanny Poffo as 'The Poffo Family'.
Did You Know?
His sit-up record was reportedly set in the gym at DePaul University, where he attended on a scholarship.
He was a talented baseball player who turned down a minor league contract with the St. Louis Cardinals to pursue wrestling.
He was known for his sharp, penny-pinching business sense, which extended to his wrestling promotions.
He is the father of both 'Macho Man' Randy Savage and wrestler-poet 'The Genius' Lanny Poffo.
“I did six thousand sit-ups to prove my will was stronger than any man's.”
