Hvywt Charley Norkus photos.. Friends and Foes

[CNorkusJr]

Other TV and movie appearances include : TV The Defenders, Car 54, Kraft Theatre

Movies: Westside Story- Background actor near school yard.
Mad Dog Cole- Telly Savalas first film. My father played a boxer in the ring in a scene where the mobsters meet at the fights.

Two For The Seasaw: To be honest with you, I'm still looking for him in this.
He got paid residuals for it though.

Something Wild- never saw it.
All these movies were the original versions shot in the 1960's.

Advise and Consent-not sure where he is in this, but he had a picture taken with Otto Preminger (the director) on the streets of New York during the shooting. He must be in the NY Streets scene.

An interesting and true story- Jake LaMotta calls my father up and says he got a part for him in his story "Raging Bull". First he has to meet with him and Robert DeNiro at Deniro's downtown office. My father goes to the meeting and everything goes great at first. DeNiro likes the look on my father and that he's a good friend of Jakes with Movie experience. He tells my father that he will play the part of the Boxing Commissioner who suspends Jake. Great. Leave it to my father to f... up. On the way out he tells Mr DeNiro, that he has known Jake most of his life, and says he doesn't look like Jake, how's he gonna pull it off. Mr DeNiro tells my father that he cant use him in the movie. Jake and my father leave the office with Jake yelling in my fathers ear that you cant be saying this stuff to actors like him. That he just blown a few thousand dollars pay day.

A few years later, Robert DeNiro's office calls my father to see if he wants to be in a movie called "Night of the City" or something like that with Jessica Lange. My dad says sure and goes in to pick up the script. He doesnt see DeNiro on this one. The script has him saying quite a few lines playing a mobster/ hitman.
Almost every line he has is filled with obscene language. F's,B's A's you name it they are all there. He studies his lines at home with me. He is uncomfortable with this part. He doesnt use foul language that much in public in real life and has pretty good morals and ethics. He called up DeNiros office a week later and told him he was going to pass on this part. He later told me that he didnt want to be remembered that way. With all the nieces and nephews in the family, he didnt want to be seen in that light. True story.

If you can find a copy of Raging Bull II (the book) Jake has a good chapter on him getting him the liquor business job. Not bad but Jake thought he spelled Norkus with an I. (Norkis) sic. Can't catch a break.

[granberry]

On the way out he tells Mr DeNiro, that he has known Jake most of his life, and says he doesn't look like Jake, how's he gonna pull it off.

SO TRUE.

And Paul Newman didn't look like Rocky Graziano.


Almost every line he has is filled with obscene language. F's,B's A's you name it they are all there. He studies his lines at home with me. He is uncomfortable with this part. He doesnt use foul language that much in public in real life and has pretty good morals and ethics. He called up DeNiros office a week later and told him he was going to pass on this part. He later told me that he didnt want to be remembered that way. With all the nieces and nephews in the family, he didnt want to be seen in that light.

Good for him.

He would not allow himself to be degraded.

And in the case of the 'Raging Bull', he would not allow the truth to be degraded.

[CNorkusJr]

Ring Ratings 1955 Norkus still in top ten.

[CNorkusJr]

1948 USA Olympic Trials- Boston Gardens
Norkus (US Navy Team) trains with sparmate Johnny White day before he faces Coley Wallace.
Wallace beats Norkus

[CNorkusJr]

Charley's mgr & trainer, Dom "Ghee" Leico from Bayonne NJ.
Ghee had Norkus from 1950-1955 (Ezz Charles Fight) and he also had Ernie Durando.
Abe Bressler handled my father from 1948-1950.

[CNorkusJr]

Charley with Whitey Bimstein

When Charley broke into to a top contender, many other trainers worked with him on the road. Whitey worked with Charley and was in his corner for Charley's two fights vs. Crowe Peele in New Orleans,LA. Norkus beat Crowe Peele twice in 1957. Angelo Dundee worked in my fathers corner also in the 2nd fight vs. Dan Nardico (on film) as a cutman.

[CNorkusJr]

Charley with the rope. A staunch supporter of being in shape at fight time.

[CNorkusJr]

Charley's mgr/trainer Marty Sampson, who bought Charley's contract in 1955 after the Ezz Charles Fight. Marty kept him in contention with some good money bouts as well as TV bouts. Angelo Curley became his trainer along with Marty at this time.
Marty can be seen in the DVD of Norkus/ Joe Rowan fight which is out there.

Charley had a falling out with Ghee Leico after he lost to Ezzard Charles.
Both accused each other of lousy training routines. Charley said " Ghee didnt prepare him right, thinking that Ezzard was washed up then"
Ghee accused Charley of not wanting to go away to train in a training camp
and to get away from NY and train right. That Charley wanted to stay close to home and train in Stillmans Gym.A case of the fighter telling the trainer what to do. The split was amicable. Marty came in and bought Charley's contract for $1,000.00.

[CNorkusJr]

Tacoma, Washington
Weigh-In with Pat McMurtry, July 1958

McMurtry by dec. 10 rds.

[CNorkusJr]

Norkus and Tommy "Hurricane " Jackson May 28, 1954
Madison Sq Garden
Norkus suffered bad cuts over eye- Jackson TKO 5th.

[CNorkusJr]

Charlie Powell falls onto Charley Norkus on his way to the deck. Oct 1954

[CNorkusJr]

Norkus lands vs Cesar Brion in their 2nd bout 9/1954. Norkus avenged loss from Brion in 1950.

A cassette or tape recording from the Gilette Cavalcade of Sports Radio version of the 2nd fight exists out there. They were a few years back easy to obtain, but its tougher now.
Don Dunphy at the mike.

[CNorkusJr]

Billboard outside a sunny day at Miami Beach Auditorium. Angelo Dundee's boy Willie Pastrano vs Charley Norkus Dec 1956.
Pastrano easily over Norkus 10 Rds.

[Panzerfaust]

great stuff, keep it coming

[CNorkusJr]

My father's last pro fight. Feb 4,1959. vs. Waban Thomas
Camp LeJuene, N. Carolina

As a former proud marine, Charley Norkus decides to fight his last bout in front of Marines at Camp LeJuene. Norkus by pts 10 rds.

[CNorkusJr]

Charley with Tony Canzoneri 1955

[CNorkusJr]

Boxing Legend Tony Zale squares off with Charley, as New York boxing promoter and father of fighter Joey Winters. Jim Winters watches on.

[CNorkusJr]

Billy Graham, Charley Norkus, actor/singer Tony Marvin, and Rocky Graziano on the "Martha Raye" show - mid 1950's

[CNorkusJr]

1948 Stillman's gym. Rocky Graziano who would become a long time pal with Charley at the gym. Graziano liked what Charley showed and would often give him pointers when he started out in the business.

[CNorkusJr]

Friends Gus Lesnevich, Jimmy Herring, Brien Kelly, Ernie Durando and Charley Norkus

[CNorkusJr]

Okay, thats it for now. I'll post more in a couple of days. Thank You for checking them out. Charlie Jr.

[CNorkusJr]

Charley and Joey Giardella

[CNorkusJr]

Charley and Former Lt Hvywt champ Jose Torres. Charley knew Jose for many years. They sparred together in Stillmans Gym early in Jose's career.

A personal note- Around 1990, I attended a boxing card held at The Roseland Ballroom. I bought a ticket for general admssion-upper balcony.
Jose was sitting ringside doing announcing work for a spanish-language station (I think radio).
During a break, I decided to go down to the ring and say hello to Jose.I introduced myself as Charlie Jr. He was all smiles -a trademark of Jose-and asked me how my dad was. He was about to return to the air when he sat me down next to him at ringside moving a photographer over a few seats.I stayed there as his guest for the remainder of the card. Since then I met him at various dinners and he was quite, and always a gentleman to all that came calling. One of the nicest ever to represent the ring legends.

[CNorkusJr]

Charley, Gerry Cooney and Vito antuofermo

[CNorkusJr]

Charley breaks up Rocky Graziano (L) and Jake LaMotta (R)
at the Sea Gull Hotel resort in Miami, Fla. early 1960's