Spotlight on Christopher Annino

Chris lived throughout various parts of New England including Westerly, RI, Groton, CT, and Manchester New Hampshire. When he was very young, he was diagnosed with Asperger Syndrome as well as severe learning disabilities. It was expressed by doctors then he would never live a normal life. His family on his father's side were immigrants and circus performers from Italy. His great uncle was Frank Lentini who was dubbed king of the freaks. His mother's side has some native American ancestry. The family originated from Cork, Ireland. When he was five years old a reporter from The Day Newspaper took a photo of him at Whittles Apple Orchard in Mystic, Ct during pumpkin season and they named him the pumpkin kid.

In 1991 he went to Clown City Clown School located in southeastern Connecticut and was trained to be a clown. In 1991 Christopher got his first starring role on the Connecticut CBS affiliate WFSB on the Jerry Lewis Marathon with his clown troupe popcorn alley.

Being born with a disability reading such books as "The Three Musketeers," "Robin Hood", "Frankenstein", "The Hunchback of Notre Dame", and his favorite the X-men written by Stan Lee would help inspire his creativity.

"I saw a film called Rudy starring Sean Astin and it was based on a true story about a person who did whatever they could to live their dream and prove people wrong. So, I decided to do that and one day I started working out. I would run, lift, read, and study...everything I have now is because I worked for it," said Christopher Annino.

As a result of that work ethic Christopher had a phenomenal amateur athletic career and became a multi-sport AAU champion competing in weightlifting, track and field, judo, fencing, and soccer.

December of 1994, he went for a walk and met a Johnny Kelley who he later found out was the winner of the Boston marathon and two-time Olympian. "Johnny and I would go for walks and there would be times I needed advice on life and athletics. He would not only listen but offer suggestions," said Christopher Annino. Down the street from his house use to live Hollywood Screenwriter Peter Filardi who is known for the film Flatliners starring Kevin Bacon and Academy award winner Julia Roberts. Christopher at one point he was their parents' paperboy.

In 1996 he started competing in rodeo competitions for the T.S.G.A Tri State Horse Association he showed his horse and also did barrel racing and was a state champion.

At sixteen years old he enrolled in the Thames Music Academy where he was trained in opera by Jurate Waller. He was also involved with a lot of theatrical plays and musicals growing up.

In middle school he thrived in soccer, and basketball, and was an honor student at Cutler Middle School in Mystic, Ct. He briefly went to Fitch Middle School and competed on their basketball team as a Falcon. "I love basketball more than anything to me is everything that life is. We always need to think on our feet and strategize. I started to dislike the game when coaches had their own perspective on how to play...my coach lacked the importance of defense. He is the only coach I ever met that did nothing for defense. The players I looked up to growing up were Larry Bird, Wilt Chamberlain, John Stockton, Ray Allen, Keven Garnett, Michael Jordan, David Robinson, Karl Malone, and Chris Mullin. These men by far are the greatest players who ever lived because they played offense and defense. They were strategic and they were driven beyond anyone to win at all costs" said Annino.

Christopher eventually left and was home schooled for the remainder of the eighth grade due to his busy schedule. He was a devoted boy scout and tried to go for eagle scout, but his schedule at the time conflicted. He instead became a life member of the Boy Scouts of America. He also trained as a blacksmith by master blacksmith Bill Scheer at the Mystic Seaport.

From 1999-2003 he went to Fitch Senior High school in Groton, CT he competed in football, track and field. He was a ECC Champion in both sports. He also lettered in drama, and went to states for chamber choir, was runner up for poet laureate, wrote for the school newspaper the Scarlet Tanager.

In 1999 he won volunteer of the year through Special Olympics of Southeastern Connecticut through ARC of New London County The Arc Eastern Connecticut | support for IDD | 125 Sachem Street, Norwich, Connecticut 06360, USA (bing.com)

"When I went to Fitch Senior High School, I had a lot to live up to because my cousin Brenda Jean Post Killebrew who later became an NCAA star athlete had made her mark. She was someone I admired as a person and as an athlete" said Annino.

He went to prom four times however his favorite person he went to prom with was his friend Samantha Urbani who later became an international award-winning recording artist Samantha Urbani https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/... "She was a dear friend of mine, and her brother Bobby was in my cub scout pack I truly appreciate her and him as a friend" said Annino.

Christopher Annino was a cantor at Saint Mark's Episcopal Church St. Mark's Episcopal Church | Located in Mystic, CT (stmarksmystic.org) and the first at Fitch Senior High School to be inducted into the International Thespian Society International Thespian Society - Educational Theatre Association (schooltheatre.org)

He also was a junior fire fighter for the local fire department at the time and went with members of his church to help after the September 11th attacks.

"I attribute my success to the support of my family, and extended family especially Aunt Karen Wysocki, Uncle Captain Joseph Wysocki, Grandpa Thomas Keogh, Grandma Lucy Keogh and Chief Daniel Keogh Daniel T. Keogh, Poq. Bridge FD Chief- Ret. - Obituary - West Mystic, CT - Dinoto Funeral Home | CurrentObituary.com and of course my mother and father," said Christopher Annino.

Professor Jurate Svedate Waller from Thames Valley School of Music taught him voice and helped him learn how to use it as an instrument which became a useful tool later on in life. He attended St. Mark's Episcopal Church in Mystic, Connecticut there he was one of the cantors for their choir under the music direction of David Tubbs.

From 2004 to 2009 He went to Mitchell College and competed in the NCAA for his college's Lacrosse Team Mitchell College (mitchellathletics.com) , he acted in the then Pequot Drama Society, and was editor of the school newspaper which was The Beacon at the time.

Christopher is also a graduate of the Connecticut School of Broadcasting and worked as am online personality for such radio stations as WBLQ, Jammin 107.7, and Q-105.
At the time as a freelance journalist, he wrote for The Day Newspaper, Shore Publishing, The Norwich Bulletin, The Resident Newspaper, The Westerly Sun, The Mystic River Press, Patch, The Mystic Times, Soundwaves Magazine, and The Scope. His first two big interviews were Stan Lee, and Joan Jett.

He graduated Mitchell College Summa Cum Laude with his bachelor's degree in communications and sociology. He was also inducted in the National Society of Leadership NSLS | The National Society of Leadership and Success, Chi Alpha Sigma College Athlete Honor Society, and Phi Betta Kappa International College Honor Society | Phi Theta Kappa (ptk.org)

. "I was blessed to know and learn from such great professors as Marc Goldsmith, Ken Kusmutch, Andrew McHugh, Dean Gil Maffeo, and Quelia McHugh" said Annino.

He married Polish model Magdalena Kozlowska the couple were married for five years however both later divorced due to irreconcilable differences.

After the divorce Christopher Annino pursued his acting career and later film directing career.

He met Biju Viswanath Official website of Biju Viswanath, award winning international Filmmakeron the film set of the film Marathon and Biju became a mentor to him both of them became a one two knockout punch in the film world and produced an experimental mockumentary and groundbreaking film that won over 40 films Covid Karma aka how to make F up Movies Multiple Award winning Mokumentary. "how to make f**kd up movies" - YouTube

Christopher Annino's film career as an actor, writer, and director has flourished Christopher Annino - IMDb he has won 76 awards all together his last awards he won was at the 2023 Reels International film Festival Experience the Best Films at Reels International Film Festival | Reels International Film Festival (riff-reelsinternationalfilmfestival.com) Best feature film, best experimental, best covid 19 film with his mentor Biju Viswanath. Christopher Annino as a solo won best actor.

He later graduated from the Connecticut Fire Academy and was a professional firefighter/ EMT for seven years. He later got certified as a Chaplain through Chaplains on Call and Emergency Response Academy certified by Chaplain Sarah Miller.

During that time then girlfriend IFBB Pro Kate Baird, along with friend /NPC body building Champion Dawn Whitham, and old time Strongman Joseph Mugovero introduced him to powerlifting. He did very well and as a result gave him a second wind as multi strength sport athlete competing in strongman, powerlifting, grip competitions, ect.

He was very successful in powerlifting and won many competitions sanctioned by the American Powerlifting Association HOME | APA Powerlifting at one point he held the American Powerlifting Association's Connecticut bench press record 450 lbs at a weight of 230 lbs and American Power Lifting Association Connecticut Deadlift record 600 lbs.

Eventually he had a circus strongman act where he would juggle sledgehammers and lift up to five people at a given time. DFX Entertainment About - dfx Entertainment would book him on a regular basis.

In 2014 he set a world record by pulling a three-thousand-pound SUV for a mile New London man tries setting world record (youtube.com) he did it for the Terri Broudeur Breast Cancer Foundation Home - TBBCF Terri Brodeur Breast Cancer Foundation

He would later play semi pro football in the NEFL as starting left guard for the then CT Sting earning him the nickname The Killer Bee. He was invited to training camp for a few teams for the CFL however was cut.

Throughout his life Christopher Annino has always given to charities a moral that was instilled on him by his parents at a very young age. For Special Olympics of New London County, he was awarded volunteer of the year 1999 and recently in 2024 he was given the BICA Community Spotlight Award for his advocacy in his local community as a Chaplain. The Award was presented by the Director William Regan, DOA and he was nominated by Chaplain Sarah Miller.

He has been training at Black Bear Karate Dojo www.blackbearkarate.com which is a form of traditional Okinawan karate called Shōrin-ryū.

Okinawan martial arts and is one of the oldest styles of karate. It was named by Choshin Chibana in 1933, but the system itself is much older. The characters 少林, meaning "sparse" or "scanty" and "forest" respectively and pronounced "shōrin" in Japanese, are also used in the Chinese and Japanese words for Shaolin. "Ryū" means "school". Shōrin-ryū combines elements of the traditional Okinawan fighting styles of Shuri-te. He has recently achieved the rank of Green Belt.

In 2010 he was trained by WWE Hall of Fame Inductee Jimmy Valiant, NWA Pro Wrestling Hall of Fame Inductee Susan Tex Green ECW original Gary Wolf, and Chris Blackheart. ECW legend Angel Orsini later trained him in shoot style wrestling. Since 2010 he wrestled under the persona of Rescue 911 Chris Valiant, Tank Blackheart, Manimal the Maniac of Moscow, and the intimidator Pitbull #3. He debuted as the new Pitbull's for Battleground Pro Wrestling at the ECW Arena. Some Championships he earned in pro wrestling were the Ox Baker Memorial Cub, VPW tag team champion, Costa Rican Six-man Tag Champion, NWA New England Brass Knuckle Champion. Christopher along with Angel Orsini and ECW original Gary Wolf are business partners. He is the co-founder of the New England Music Hall of Fame, the Women's Wrestling Hall of Fame, and Tag Team Hall of Fame. He is the Massachusetts Ambassador to the Blues Hall of Fame as well Massachusetts, Blues Hall of Fame ® inducted into The Blues Hall of Fame ® includes: Christopher Annino Babe Pino of Stonecrazy

From 2018 to 2023 he was elected on the associate board of directors of the Cauliflower Alley Club. He resides in Massachusetts with his fiancé Marsha Maraschino.

He now writes for The Pro Wrestling Post, Slam-wrestling, and is the editor of NEMHOF News.

He provided various production services for the film Voices over the Water Voices over the Water (2023) - IMDb website Voices Over The Water – Home Directed by Emmy Award Winning Guy Perotta and Jane Ferguson - IMDb they had a film showing at the Directors Guide of America and its now airing on PBS.

He just inducted along with 2025 New England Music Hall of Fame Nominee Linda Viens inducted the band The Fools at the Crain Estate in Ipswitch, Massachusetts Pioneers of Parody: Local 'Fools' inducted into NEMHOF | News | salemnews.com

On July 31, 2024, he and Nancy Burns Fusaro will be inducting Grammy Nominated Al Copley to the New England Music Hall of Fame www.nemhof.com in his hometown of Westerly, Rhode Island. As stated in this article put out by the Westerly Sun https://www.thewesterlysun.com... .

He also plays a Russian assassin in a film called Midnight starring Rosario Dawson https://www.imdb.com/title/tt3...

He is currently Directing two films documentary Circle of Champion's the History of Women's Wrestling which will be released in 2026 and mockumentary Lolipop Gang which will be released in 2025.

Check out his social media and websites at

Christopher Annino Website Christopher Annino (nemhof.com)

Christopher Annino Christopher Annino - IMDb