Classic American West Coast Boxing

[Rick Farris]

"Do you know Burt?" . . .

Burt Reynolds is one of my personal favorites as he made it possible for me to work on my first big film, "Smokey & The Bandit".
He was one of the best guys to work around back in the day. He and his friend, director and stuntman Hal Needham, would fit perfectly on this forum and get along with all the regulars. Burt is a big boxing fan, but his passion was the Florida State football team. I remember back in the 90's, I was lighting a sit-com "Hearts Afire", that was produced by the same people that was producing his sit-com at the time, "Evening Shade". Both were filmed at the CBS Studio Center, and our stage was right next to Evening Shades. I knew most of the cast & crew of Burt's show and would sometimes visit their stage to say hello. Reynolds was loyal to his friends and did his best to put as many to work on the production (all were film people). At the time he was going thru a lot of Hell during his divorce from Lonnie Anderson, as well as major income tax problems. Word was going around town that Burt had turned into an asshole and was addicted to pain killers. If so, you never would know from the way things went on his set. I'm not a personal friend of Reynolds, but he knew I was a boxer and we worked on several projects over the years. We often had talked boxing and when he saw me for the first time in years, he remembered me by name and walked over to shake my hand. He also handed me an FSU Football cap (He gave one to all on his crew) even though I had just stopped by the set to visit the camerman. When I worked with Burt on Smokey, it was 1976 and he was dating his co-star, Sally Field. Later I was with him on "Stroker Ace" which was also shot in the South. Working with Burt in the South was always fun, especially if you were a single, young guy. The women would turn out everywhere we filmed hoping to get a peak at Burt. I don't know how many little dolls came up to me and asked, "Do you know, Burt?" I'd just answer, "Of course, do you want to meet him?" We'd pull one or two past the set guards and when Reynold's was off camera, introduce them. Burt would pose for a pic, sign an autograph, share a few minutes of personal conversation if there was time, and after that, the girls would follow us everywhere. How hard do you think it was for us when we'd ask, "Why don't you stop by the hotel tonight and hang out with us?" There were some real beauties in the south, and the best of the best would always find out where we were filming and show up. To us guys on the film crew, Reynolds was a champ!

Well, they just got this last shot, so I have to get back to work.

Thats a great story, I used to love seeing Burt and Sally on the with Carson on the Tonite Show, remember they had a running gag going with Carson and would come on separately and tease each other about things on the show. Do I remember correctly that Burt actually shaved off half of his mustache because Sally told Carson that Burt thought his mustache was his prized possession? I think I also remember Carson throwing a pie in Sally's face for Burt and then inviting himself to help clean it off of her blouse. Great shows, they both seemed liked someone you could enjoy hanging with.
Bruce

This story brought back a funny memory from The Johnny Carson show years past.
I remember watching Burt Reynolds visiting Johnny and was in the guest chair-not on the couch yet. Burt was at the peak of his popularity, and for whatever reason I forgot, the set turned into mayhem in which someone removed Burt's hairpiece off the top of his head.
I am not sure but it could have been Don Rickles. I , along with every one else were stunned to see a hairpiece at the time on Burt Reynolds, who always seemed to play THE man about town. It was hilarious moment but I remembered him scrambling to get it back and put it back on. The secret (if it was one) was out though.

Charlie, it was no secret that Burt wore a rug. If you go back to the early-to-mid 60's Gunsmoke reruns, you'll see Burt playing the black smith. He was going bald in those days. Appearing on Gunsmoke didn't hurt Reynolds' career at all. For twenty years, Gunsmoke was in the top 10 of the Neilson ratings. Reynolds was the man about town with the ladies.

[THEHAMMER321]

Speaking of rugs, they must be out of business in the last 10-15 years, I see most of the guys who are bald or balding shave the rest off, for that matter people who have a full head of hair go the ''kojak'' look, funny thing as a kid growing up in the 1970s it was not common to see shaved heads unless you were kojak or yule brenner.

[THEHAMMER321]

If we have coffee when we wake up, what do we drink before we go to bed ?

[kikibalt]

If we have coffee when we wake up, what do we drink before we go to bed ?

Brandy.....

[Rick Farris]

If we have coffee when we wake up, what do we drink before we go to bed ?

Brandy.....

Paul . . . Frank has the Kept Man thing down pat.
Think back a couple pages to the pic of Frank sitting with the family outside one evening.
A drink in one hand, a cigar in the other, a bag of pigeon feed and the "Kept Man Manuel" close by.

[Rick Farris]

L.A. Golden Gloves trivia . . .

In the mid-to-late 1960's, Los Angeles dominated the Heavyweight division of the Nat'l Golden Gloves Tournement of Champions.
These were the L.A. team's Nat'l GG's heavyweight champs:

1965 - Jerry Quarry
1966 - Clay Hodges
1967 - Clay Hodges
1968 -
1969 - Walter Moore

*Clay Hodges (in pro debut) defeated Jimmy Young. An early eye injury ended his pro career.
*Walter Moore was a big KO hitter, but he fell short in the pro's.
* Jerry Quarry as a pro?

[Rick Farris]

In 1973, Frank Baltazar was the head coach of the L.A. Golden Gloves team.
It was an all-star L.A. team with future world champ Art Frias, and title challengers Randy Shields and Frankie Duarte.
The L.A. team had one Nat'l champ crowned, middleweight Roy Hollis.
These are the Nat'l GG's Champs from that year.
------------------------------------------------------

1973 National Golden Gloves Champions:

112: Miguel Ayala; Fort Worth
119: James Martinez; Fort Worth
125: Morice Watkins; Fort Worth
132: Ray Leonard; Washington, D.C.
139: Larry Bonds; Rocky Mountain
147: Harold Beal; Kansas City
156: Dale Grant; Rocky Mountain
165: Roy Hollis; Los Angeles
178: D. C. Barker; Rocky Mountain
Hvy: Johnny Hudson; Detroit

[THEHAMMER321]

L.A. Golden Gloves trivia . . .

In the mid-to-late 1960's, Los Angeles dominated the Heavyweight division of the Nat'l Golden Gloves Tournement of Champions.
These were the L.A. team's Nat'l GG's heavyweight champs:

1965 - Jerry Quarry
1966 - Clay Hodges
1967 - Clay Hodges
1968 -
1969 - Walter Moore

*Clay Hodges (in pro debut) defeated Jimmy Young. An early eye injury ended his pro career.
*Walter Moore was a big KO hitter, but he fell short in the pro's.
* Jerry Quarry as a pro?

I just got through watching the documentary about Quarry with Burt Sugar, I have seen it about 10 times but I still love it, I think Bert Sugar does a good job here, maybe the best peice I have ever seen him do.

[THEHAMMER321]

Rick how bout Tony Alongi, I saw where Quarry fought him to a draw, can you tell me a little about him ?.

[bennie]

Thanks for all the info on Burt, Rick.

[bennie]

In 1973, Frank Baltazar was the head coach of the L.A. Golden Gloves team.
It was an all-star L.A. team with future world champ Art Frias, and title challengers Randy Shields and Frankie Duarte.
The L.A. team had one Nat'l champ crowned, middleweight Roy Hollis.
These are the Nat'l GG's Champs from that year.
------------------------------------------------------

1973 National Golden Gloves Champions:

112: Miguel Ayala; Fort Worth
119: James Martinez; Fort Worth
125: Morice Watkins; Fort Worth
132: Ray Leonard; Washington, D.C.
139: Larry Bonds; Rocky Mountain
147: Harold Beal; Kansas City
156: Dale Grant; Rocky Mountain
165: Roy Hollis; Los Angeles
178: D. C. Barker; Rocky Mountain
Hvy: Johnny Hudson; Detroit

Barker knocked out Leon Spinks in the first round that year but failed to make it as a pro, having just five fights.

[bennie]

Former British heavyweight champion Gary Mason was tragically killed in a road accident yesterday morning in London as he was riding his bike. He was just 48.
The big, beaming Mason always came across as approachable and natural - a man wholly comfortable in his own skin - when he had every reason to be bitter at the cards dealt to him. Gary missed out on the little bit of luck all top fighters need on their way to the top, suffering a serious eye injury at a time in his career when he looked set for big things and then running into Lennox Lewis on a desperate comeback.
Mason shared the same Canning Town gym as Frank Bruno and Horace Notice in his early fighting days and was held back at championship level despite amassing a staggering number of knockouts over men of the calibre of James "Quick" Tillis, Rickey Parkey and Alfonzo Ratliff. By 1989 Gary's record read 28-0 (27) and his break came when Notice, cruel irony of cruel ironies, had to retire with eye problems; Mason flattened Hughroy Currie in four rounds for the vacant British title.
Gary really could whack and blasted Jess Harding in two sickening rounds in defence of the title, before proving his stamina, which had been in question, with gruelling wins over Americans Tyrell Biggs and Mark Wills. However, he suffered a detached retina in his right eye in punching out a 10-round decision over Everett "Big Foot" Martin in March 1990. The eye required surgery and came through a comeback fight with James Pritchard later in the year but Lewis exposed an inevitable weakness there at Wembley in 1991 as the eye swelled up quickly and alarmingly. The memory of Gary trying to nail Lewis, half-blinded, shows you that he was all fighter - still on his feet when referee Larry O'Connell called a halt in the seventh round.
That was essentially that. Gary won a couple of nothing fights in the States, barred from fighting here, before fading away like a true soldier with a record of 37-1 (34). Make no mistake about it, Gary could punch and could take a punch. He was just unlucky.

[kikibalt]

Its 3:51 AM and coffee is perking, what I want to know is, what the hell am I doing up so early??....

[kikibalt]

Where the hell is everybody?, it pass coffee time....

[Rick Farris]

Where the hell is everybody?, it pass coffee time....

Frank . . . They pushed back our set call to 7am, so I pushed back my wake-up to 5am
The problem is I woke up at 4am anyway, took a shower, and suddenly remembered I had extra time.
So now I can take my time because I've got an hour to kill.

[Rick Farris]

Rick how bout Tony Alongi, I saw where Quarry fought him to a draw, can you tell me a little about him ?.

Paul, I started to write a little info on Tony Alongi however his Boxrec bio was pretty complete, so here it is:
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Tony Alongi . . .

Tony Alongi was a highly regarded and highly touted heavyweight prospect in the early 1960s.
Standing over 6 feet 5 inches, Alongi had a keen interest in boxing as a teenager. His favorite fighter was undefeated world heavyweight champion Rocky Marciano. Alongi dreamed of not only a professional boxing career and winning the world heavyweight title, but of also retiring undefeated.

In 1955, Tony made his first amateur boxing start. Within two short years, Alongi won the 1956 New Jersey Golden Gloves Middleweight Championship, and the 1957 New Jersey Golden Glove Lightheavyweight Championship. Tony retired from amateur boxing with an undefeated record of 27-0 (12 knockouts).

Alongi came under the guidance of legendary trainer and former boxer, Charley Goldman. Goldman had trained Alongi's idol Marciano. In a storybook setting, Alongi became the protege of Rocky Marciano.

Using a stand-up boxer-puncher style, the lanky Alongi soon took the boxing world by storm. He scored impressive victories over undefeated fellow prospects, Todd Herring and Jefferson Davis. After two years in the ring, Alongi had complied an unbeaten record of 27-0 (16 knockouts). He made the cover of boxing magazines. In Miami, his adopted hometown, he became the number 1 drawing card for promoter Chris Dundee. A title shot seemed certain. Then, just like that, the Tony Alongi express-train to greatness was derailed.

On February 7, 1962, Alongi was on his way to a points victory over Argentine heavyweight Rodolfo Diaz, when the referee stopped the fight with only seconds remaining in the 10th and final round. Alongi's eye was swollen shut and the ring official felt he was in danger of serious injury. Many Alongi fans blamed the eye injury on a head-butt; Diaz's followers said it was his jab which caused the eye to swell.

Alongi's dream of remaining undefeated was ended. He seemed to lose that spark which had so inspired his career. Two fights later he lost an upset stoppage to promising Billy Daniels; it seemed Tony Alongi days as a future champion had come to an end.

Alongi surprised the experts by launching a comeback. He went 11-0-4 on his return, including draws with top-rated Jerry Quarry and George Chuvalo. Then in 1967, at age 27, Tony suddenly announced his retirement.
Once he left the fighting world, Tony lived a quiet and normal life in South Florida.

When he died at age 64 on November 27, 2003, his Miami Herald published death notice never even mentioned his professional boxing career.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Let me add to this by saying that Alongi twice drew with Jerry Quarry, which irritated Quarry's manager, Johnny Flores, to no end.
If Jerry didn't feel challenged, he would get lazy in a fight, and this is what he did in both fights with Alongi.
After two draws with Tony, Jerry took his lazy attitude into the ring against vet Eddie Machen. Eddie schooled Jerry and handed him his first loss.
Before passing away a few years ago, I was told by a friend that he was suffering from dementia and living in convalescent hospital in Florida.


-Rick Farris

[THEHAMMER321]

Good morning, a little after eleven and time to get the coffee going, I know you guys had yours already hours ago, Frank is probably on his way to get his menudo, and Rick is probably mingling with the stars, and me I am gonna have my first cup of coffee in a minute.

[THEHAMMER321]

Former British heavyweight champion Gary Mason was tragically killed in a road accident yesterday morning in London as he was riding his bike. He was just 48.
The big, beaming Mason always came across as approachable and natural - a man wholly comfortable in his own skin - when he had every reason to be bitter at the cards dealt to him. Gary missed out on the little bit of luck all top fighters need on their way to the top, suffering a serious eye injury at a time in his career when he looked set for big things and then running into Lennox Lewis on a desperate comeback.
Mason shared the same Canning Town gym as Frank Bruno and Horace Notice in his early fighting days and was held back at championship level despite amassing a staggering number of knockouts over men of the calibre of James "Quick" Tillis, Rickey Parkey and Alfonzo Ratliff. By 1989 Gary's record read 28-0 (27) and his break came when Notice, cruel irony of cruel ironies, had to retire with eye problems; Mason flattened Hughroy Currie in four rounds for the vacant British title.
Gary really could whack and blasted Jess Harding in two sickening rounds in defence of the title, before proving his stamina, which had been in question, with gruelling wins over Americans Tyrell Biggs and Mark Wills. However, he suffered a detached retina in his right eye in punching out a 10-round decision over Everett "Big Foot" Martin in March 1990. The eye required surgery and came through a comeback fight with James Pritchard later in the year but Lewis exposed an inevitable weakness there at Wembley in 1991 as the eye swelled up quickly and alarmingly. The memory of Gary trying to nail Lewis, half-blinded, shows you that he was all fighter - still on his feet when referee Larry O'Connell called a halt in the seventh round.
That was essentially that. Gary won a couple of nothing fights in the States, barred from fighting here, before fading away like a true soldier with a record of 37-1 (34). Make no mistake about it, Gary could punch and could take a punch. He was just unlucky.

Bennie, thank you for sharing this piece on Gary Mason, I remember reading about him in the boxing magazines about 20 years ago, I like a lot of boxing fans like big punchers, unfortunately I never got to see him fight because of his premature retirement due to his eye injury, R.I.P big fella

[THEHAMMER321]

Rick, I think you should talk to your friends in Hollywood about making a new T.V series, a remake of the 1950s T.V series The Life Of Riley, with our own Frank Baltazar in the lead role.

[kikibalt]

Rick, I think you should talk to your friends in Hollywood about making a new T.V series, a remake of the 1950s T.V series The Life Of Riley, with our own Frank Baltazar in the lead role.

C'mon Paul, I don't' have it that good, I stiil do chores around here you know, not much, but some...

[kikibalt]

Good morning, a little after eleven and time to get the coffee going, I know you guys had yours already hours ago, Frank is probably on his way to get his menudo, and Rick is probably mingling with the stars, and me I am gonna have my first cup of coffee in a minute.

No menudo today Paul, forgot it was Friday.....

[Rick Farris]

Rick, I think you should talk to your friends in Hollywood about making a new T.V series, a remake of the 1950s T.V series The Life Of Riley, with our own Frank Baltazar in the lead role.

C'mon Paul, I don't' have it that good, I stiil do chores around here you know, not much, but some...

Paul . . . I was reading in the Kept Man manuel that an experienced "kept man" learns how to create the "illusion" of doing chores.
A seasoned "kept man" will side-step work with the grace of a Willie Pep.
Something tells me Frank is feinting work moves.
Mel Epstein used to tell me that a talented boxer is like a second story man, a smooth bandit. Show 'em one thing, give 'em something else.
Same thing with a slick "kept man". Frank's got this wired!

[Rick Farris]

Good morning, a little after eleven and time to get the coffee going, I know you guys had yours already hours ago, Frank is probably on his way to get his menudo, and Rick is probably mingling with the stars, and me I am gonna have my first cup of coffee in a minute.

No mingling, just trying to keep from yawning.
Sometimes we really bust ass and work hard, but not so on this one.
Big budget feature films have a lot of money, and time is money in the film business.
We set up a shot in the morning (if not already lit from the day before), and they take their time getting what they want.
In episodic one hour TV, we will film at least 40-50 shots a day, several scenes, often several locations.
A one-hour TV drama, like Desperate Housewives will require 9-11 days per episode. We'd shoot "Little House" in 6-7 days.
However, to film a two-hour "Spider Man" feature we have 105 days. Of course, we also have huge sets, really impressive.
We have four stages at Sony, 2 stages at Universal plus the back lot, and many locations around town, plus a couple weeks in New York in May.
I'm just cruising on this one, but last year in Detroit, when I did the pilot for "Detroit 1-8-7", we got hammered!

[THEHAMMER321]

Rick, I think you should talk to your friends in Hollywood about making a new T.V series, a remake of the 1950s T.V series The Life Of Riley, with our own Frank Baltazar in the lead role.

C'mon Paul, I don't' have it that good, I stiil do chores around here you know, not much, but some...

Paul . . . I was reading in the Kept Man manuel that an experienced "kept man" learns how to create the "illusion" of doing chores.
A seasoned "kept man" will side-step work with the grace of a Willie Pep.
Something tells me Frank is feinting work moves.
Mel Epstein used to tell me that a talented boxer is like a second story man, a smooth bandit. Show 'em one thing, give 'em something else.
Same thing with a slick "kept man". Frank's got this wired!

Ahh ! the art of deception.

[Rick Farris]

Ahh ! the art of deception.
-----------------------------

Yep, I bet Frank isn't doing sh*t.