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which he co-starred alongside Lee Bowman in all 38 episodes. His acting career came to an end in 1971, but not before he was reunited with Zale in his last feature film, the lightly regarded

Peter Kramer/Getty Images Peter 1970 movie Cauliflower Cupids — a film in which the two ring rivals starred alongside former fighters Jake LaMotta, Willie Pep, Paddy DeMarco and Petey Scalzo as part of a gang run by Peter Savage, who would later go on to co-write Raging Bull. LaMotta and Graziano had a lot in common. They grew up in the same New York neighbourhood, knew each other as adolescents, would both become world middleweight champion and have films made about their life stories. “Bronx Bull” LaMotta appeared in more than just the film with Graziano. In a twist of fate, the fighter who faced on six occasions played a bartender in The Hustler, which starred Paul Newman as Fast Eddie Felson, five years after the multi Oscar- nominated actor took the lead role of Graziano in Somebody Up There Likes Me. Just to the keep the coincidences flowing, the star with the striking blue eyes would win the best leading actor PUT ’EM UP: Jake LaMotta helped Oscar for his depiction of Fast Eddie publicise Raging Bull, Many former boxers have given movies a try, the film based on his over 20 years later in The Hustler turbulent life. LaMotta follow-up, The Color of Money, directed didn’t have an acting with varying degrees of success. MICHAEL career as such by Martin Scorsese, who also sat in the although he did have a director’s chair for Raging Bull. part in a Paul Newman RENOUF looks at the fascinating history of movie It is no surprise that LaMotta’s fighters in films greatest ring rival, Sugar Ray Robinson, also appeared in movies. ocky Graziano would have screen with the likes of Frank Sinatra With his good looks and charismatic turned 100 years old on the and Zsa Zsa Gabor. personality, Robinson seemed an first day of the year. The After retiring from , the man obvious choice to make the switch colourful middleweight lost born Thomas Rocco Barbella turned from hitting an opponent to hitting his to, then beat, then lost his hand to acting and made his TV mark on the movie set. In the 1968 Ragain to Tony Zale in middleweight debut only 10 days after his last fight release Candy, he worked with an title fights in the . The first two — a loss to the southpaw Chuck Davey all-star cast that included Charles bouts were epic, as boxing fans know. — in September 1952 in the TV series Aznavour, Marlon Brando, Richard What some may not know is that All Star Revue. Burton, Walter Matthau, John Huston Graziano, who shared a ring with Sugar Graziano’s most prolific role was in and Ringo Starr. However, Robinson Ray Robinson, also shared the silver the drama series Miami Undercover, in was never in demand for major film

32 March 2019 Boxing Monthly FIGHTER ACTORS FIGHTER ACTORS

SWEET SCIENCE TO SILVER SCREEN

roles, although small parts included playing a New York cop in The Detective, which starred Frank Sinatra in the title role. Setting the trend

One of the first fighters to make the Glasshouse Images/REX/Shutterstock crossover from boxing to acting was Jack Dempsey. The “Manassa Mauler” started his career in front of the camera while still an active fighter, mainly playing Tiger Jack O’Day in the Fight and Win series. The fighter who defeated Dempsey in their famous “Battle of the Long Count”, Gene Tunney, was a former marine who starred as Dick Farrington in the 1926 film serial titled — surprise, surprise — The Fighting Marine. Dempsey often played himself, but in the film The Prizefighter and the Lady he played a promoter — something else he did in real life. This film warrants a mention as it also stars two other heavyweight champions, and Primo Carnera, both of whom would go on to have long acting careers. Baer and Carnera fought in the film’s climactic scene and they fought in real life a year later, when LIFE IMITATES ART: Baer stopped Carnera in the 11th Acting as well as boxing obviously Former heavyweight Victor Max Baer left and Primo Carnera fought round to win the heavyweight runs in the Baer family as on more McLaglen was, of course, highly on screen in The championship. than one occasion, including his last successful as an actor. His career in Prizefighter and the Lady and later met in a Although mainly featured in movie (Once Upon a Horse), Max was movies started in 1920 and lasted until real boxing match Italian-language films, the huge joined by his brother Buddy. The the late 1950s. McLaglen, who was born Carnera, who turned to wrestling after younger sibling didn’t win the in in 1883, retired from the his boxing career was over, did appear, heavyweight title but challenged for it ring with a modest 16-8-1 record. at the age of 49, as a villainous grappler twice against , losing one by McLaglen was Jack Johnson’s first in the 1955 British film A Kid for Two disqualification and the other by opponent after Johnson took the Farthings. first-round . Buddy Baer heavyweight title from Tommy Burns in Baer, who died in Hollywood at only arguably had the better acting career 1908 — albeit in a six-round exhibition. 50, worked more in the mainstream. In with roles in films such as Quo Vadis (For more on this, see Gary Lucken’s 1956, he played Buddy Brannen in and playing Haldar in 37 of the 39 updated piece published last year on the Humphrey Bogart’s last-ever film, The episodes of the TV series Tales of the Boxing Monthly website). Harder They Fall, which was based on a Vikings. Virtually all the other boxer/actors novel by Budd Schulberg and was said Max’s son, Max Jr, did not follow are far more famous for their to be loosely based on Carnera’s career. him into the ring but did follow in his performances in the squared circle than Another former heavyweight father’s footsteps in making a living in in front of the camera. Not McLaglen, champion, Jersey Joe Walcott, played front of the cameras, becoming best however, who is known far more as an the part of the kindly trainer, George, known for playing Jethro Bodine in actor who used to box, rather than a in his only feature film. The Beverly Hillbillies. boxer who turned his hand to acting. w

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