was an American professional wrestler. He performed in Mexico under the ring name Madonna's Boyfriend, for the World Wrestling Federation as Rad Radford, and in Extreme Championship Wrestling and World Championship Wrestling in the 1990s as Louie Spicolli. He is sometimes credited as being the inventor of the Death Valley driver finisher and even wore T-shirts in WCW stating it,though some say it was created by Joshi wrestler Etsuko Mita In April 1995, the WWF repackaged Spicolli as "Rad Radford", a fan of grunge, and purportedly the boyfriend of Courtney Love. He worked an angle with the Bodydonnas, wanting to join (despite his comparatively poorly toned body) and was eventually admitted as a "Bodydonna-in-training". This lasted until Survivor Series, when he was thrown out of the group because his physique was not good enough.Spicolli achieved little success as Radford, rarely getting victories over other name talent.
In 1996, Spicolli was found unconscious by a neighbor after overdosing on Soma and suffering a seizure. He was in intensive care for several days before making a recovery. The WWF, still mindful of the controversy that the steroid trials a couple years back had brought, released him on the condition that he would not work for the rival WCW promotion for a year.
Extreme Championship Wrestling (1996–1997)
Spicolli struggled with depression before joining Extreme Championship Wrestling in July 1996 as a face. He later turned heel and feuded with Tommy Dreamer. He left the company on bad terms after owner Paul Heyman discovered that he had been covertly negotiating with both WCW and WWF. Moreover, Spicolli's continued drug abuse was seen as an embarrassment to the company.
Spicolli was a mainstay of the Empire Wrestling Federation for the company's first two years of existence. He performed there as a favor to his trainer Bill Anderson, who at the time was co-owner of the company.
World Championship Wrestling (1997–1998)
Spicolli signed with WCW in late 1997 and became the lackey of his friend, New World Order member Scott Hall, dubbing himself "The Real Innovator" in order to mock Tommy Dreamer (known by the nickname "The Innovator of Violence"). Spicolli later began commentating during matches, and impressed many with his wit, though he was admonished after making a joke concerning the Oklahoma City bombing after commentator Tony Schiavone referred to a forthcoming "bombshell". Hall and Spicolli soon feuded with Larry Zbyszko, with Spicolli stealing Zbyszko's golf clubs, bringing them to the ring, and breaking them over his knee while Hall made sarcastic comments on the mic. This resulted in a match between Spicolli and Zbyszko being booked for SuperBrawl VIII on February 22, 1998.However, the match never took place due to Louie Spicolli's death one week before the match.
Death
Spicolli had stopped taking drugs after renewed fears for his health, but the news that his mother was terminally ill with cancer led to a relapse. On February 15, 1998, Spicolli died at the age of 27 after overdosing on Soma and wine, choking on his own vomit in his sleep. Investigators found an empty vial of the male hormone testosterone, pain pills and an anxiety-reducing drug. The Los Angeles County coroner's office determined the drugs might have contributed to his heart condition
