He may not have a mustache, proper plumbing gear or bear a remote resemblance to the Mario of Donkey Kong, but this is what the man who inspired Nintendo to name their most famous character looked like in 1952.
Mario Segale was once Nintendo of America's landlord, but he's better known for being the naming inspiration behind the video game character who has built a career on princess saving. And Technologizer's Benj Edwards has dug up what may be our first ever look at Segale, a high school yearbook photo nearly 60 years old. (Segale is still in the real estate game well into his 70s.)
Edwards has more than just photographic evidence that Segale has a face, he's also compiled a thorough look at the legend of the landlord's influence on a then-struggling Nintendo and a then-poorly named Jumpman. Surprising details on Segale's reported hobby of choice and much more at Technologizer.
The True Face of Mario [Technologizer]