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Sammartino Doc to Make Florida Debut at MPAC

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BRADENTON – On Feb. 9, the Manatee Performing Arts Center will host a matinee showing of the documentary Bruno Sammartino, chronicling the life of the legendary wrestler whose family fled the Nazi invasion of their home in Italy before Samartino would become the first truly world-famous professional wrestler.

Sammartino, who passed away in 2018, was the son of Italian immigrant parents. During World War II, his family fled the Nazi invasion of their home in Italy after fearing for their lives at the hands of Adolf Hitler’s SS troops.

At the age of 13, the malnourished Italian boy reached the U.S., unable to speak English, and became an easy target of schoolyard bullies. Sammartino battled adversity to eventually become one of the greatest legends in wrestling history. During the peak of his fame, he headlined 188 sold-out shows at Madison Square Garden.

The documentary is an in-depth story of "the man behind the belt“ with a unique look at a legendary athlete’s worldwide fame told through the lens of everyday life. In addition to family interviews, the documentary includes testimonies from celebrities who looked up to Sammartino including Tampa Bay resident John Cena and Arnold Schwarzenegger, who called him "the star of all stars.“

This rags-to-riches story makes its Florida debut at MPAC on Thursday, February, 9 at 2 p.m. Tickets are $8 and can be purchased on the MPAC’s ticketing center online.

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