I had no idea there was a Mario Brothers television show, so when I heard the guy who played the live action version of Mario had died, I thought we'd lost Bob Hoskins and would never get a proper sequel to Hook. Fortunately, Bob Hoskins is alive and well, as are my hopes for Hook 2.

But unfortunately, wrestler Louis Vincent Albano, known as Captain Lou Albano, has died of natural causes. He played Mario on the The Super Mario Bros. Super Show, which ran for two years starting in 1989. I spent a good deal of those two years learning Hebrew, and I barely had time to play Sonic games on my Genesis, so I didn't get around to seeing the show. I do, however, totally remember Albano as the father in Cyndi Lauper's "Girls Just Want to Have Fun" video. He had one of those expressive character actors' faces that you only have to see once to remember for the rest of your life.

RIP Captain Lou.

(Thanks Matt.)