Classic American West Coast Boxing

[kikibalt]

Talking about old timers, remember the old comic books would advertise how to get big and strong like Charles Atlas, he is the guy I think of when body building comes to mind.

I remember that real well, Paul. it was always in the back page....

[raylawpc]

I've been laid up a little with a bum knee. It goes with the job (and my age). Wear and tear. I'm back at work today.

Glad you are healing up from your bum knee. I turned my ankle back Thanksgiving and it was still swelling up and hurting from time to time until just couple of weeks ago. It takes a lot longer to heal than it used to. Growing old is a b*tch, ain't it?

Tom, are you coming to the CBHOF to accept for Fitzimmons?

I'm planning to come, but I think his nephew is coming over from New Zealand to accept for him.

[Rick Farris]

Jack LaLanne died today. Probably the fittest man to ever live. I remember watching him on his TV show when I was a kid. He was 96 years old.

R'I'P' Jack LaLanne.

Rest in Peace, Jack!

Working today Rick??

Yeah started today at 6am

[CNorkusJr]

Talking about old timers, remember the old comic books would advertise how to get big and strong like Charles Atlas, he is the guy I think of when body building comes to mind.

I remember that real well, Paul. it was always in the back page....

Yeah, that was me kicking the sand in his face in the first picture when he weighed 90 lbs..............

[kikibalt]

Glad you are healing up from your bum knee. I turned my ankle back Thanksgiving and it was still swelling up and hurting from time to time until just couple of weeks ago. It takes a lot longer to heal than it used to. Growing old is a b*tch, ain't it?

Tom, are you coming to the CBHOF to accept for Fitzimmons?

I'm planning to come, but I think his nephew is coming over from New Zealand to accept for him.

Then you both will do the honor's....

[kikibalt]

Talking about old timers, remember the old comic books would advertise how to get big and strong like Charles Atlas, he is the guy I think of when body building comes to mind.

I remember that real well, Paul. it was always in the back page....

Yeah, that was me kicking the sand in his face in the first picture when he weighed 90 lbs..............

[kikibalt]

I weighted over 9 pounds when I was born and never grew much after that. maybe because I started smoking when I was 7 year old??...

[kikibalt]

Rest in Peace, Jack!

Working today Rick??

Yeah started today at 6am

When are you going to become a "Kept Man"?, you have a birthday coming and you're fast running out of time.....

[raylawpc]

I weighted over 9 pounds when I was born and never grew much after that. maybe because I started smoking when I was 7 year old??...

When I started boxing, I was a six-foot three inch middleweight (155 pounds). That's how skinny I was. I would work out, eat high protein, high cal, high fat meals, and the most I ever got up to (by age 21) was 6-4 and 167 - 170 pounds. I couldn't put on any real weight - I would just get hard. You could light a match on me.

When I started college, I signed up for the mandatory gym class. The first day, they used this device to measure body fat, and then the teacher would set your body fat reduction goal. When they got to me, the professor said my body fat was the lowest he'd ever seen and I didn't have to set a goal. In fact, he wanted me to add some body fat. I didn't . . .

Now, at 56, I weigh 255 pounds, and I've weighed as much as 290 pounds at age 50. What the heck happened???

[bennie]

I weighted over 9 pounds when I was born and never grew much after that. maybe because I started smoking when I was 7 year old??...

When I started boxing, I was a six-foot three inch middleweight (155 pounds). That's how skinny I was. I would work out, eat high protein, high cal, high fat meals, and the most I ever got up to (by age 21) was 6-4 and 167 - 170 pounds. I couldn't put on any real weight - I would just get hard. You could light a match on me.

When I started college, I signed up for the mandatory gym class. The first day, they used this device to measure body fat, and then the teacher would set your body fat reduction goal. When they got to me, the professor said my body fat was the lowest he'd ever seen and I didn't have to set a goal. In fact, he wanted me to add some body fat. I didn't . . .

Now, at 56, I weigh 255 pounds, and I've weighed as much as 290 pounds at age 50. What the heck happened???

I'm the same, Tom, at 47. I only have to look at a cream cake and I put on weight. The trouble is I don't drink, smoke or drive fast cars, but I do like cream cakes.

[kikibalt]

I weighted over 9 pounds when I was born and never grew much after that. maybe because I started smoking when I was 7 year old??...

When I started boxing, I was a six-foot three inch middleweight (155 pounds). That's how skinny I was. I would work out, eat high protein, high cal, high fat meals, and the most I ever got up to (by age 21) was 6-4 and 167 - 170 pounds. I couldn't put on any real weight - I would just get hard. You could light a match on me.

When I started college, I signed up for the mandatory gym class. The first day, they used this device to measure body fat, and then the teacher would set your body fat reduction goal. When they got to me, the professor said my body fat was the lowest he'd ever seen and I didn't have to set a goal. In fact, he wanted me to add some body fat. I didn't . . .

Now, at 56, I weigh 255 pounds, and I've weighed as much as 290 pounds at age 50. What the heck happened???

I'm the same, Tom, at 47. I only have to look at a cream cake and I put on weight. The trouble is I don't drink, smoke or drive fast cars, but I do like cream cakes.

I thought you were going to say you liked fast women....

[kikibalt]

I weighted over 9 pounds when I was born and never grew much after that. maybe because I started smoking when I was 7 year old??...

When I started boxing, I was a six-foot three inch middleweight (155 pounds). That's how skinny I was. I would work out, eat high protein, high cal, high fat meals, and the most I ever got up to (by age 21) was 6-4 and 167 - 170 pounds. I couldn't put on any real weight - I would just get hard. You could light a match on me.

When I started college, I signed up for the mandatory gym class. The first day, they used this device to measure body fat, and then the teacher would set your body fat reduction goal. When they got to me, the professor said my body fat was the lowest he'd ever seen and I didn't have to set a goal. In fact, he wanted me to add some body fat. I didn't . . .

Now, at 56, I weigh 255 pounds, and I've weighed as much as 290 pounds at age 50. What the heck happened???

Tom, you started eating Mexican food and never stopped...

[THEHAMMER321]

Talking about old timers, remember the old comic books would advertise how to get big and strong like Charles Atlas, he is the guy I think of when body building comes to mind.

I remember that real well, Paul. it was always in the back page....

Yeah, that was me kicking the sand in his face in the first picture when he weighed 90 lbs..............

Frank were you a smoker at one time ? , I have never been a smoker but my wife still smokes and my son little Paulie who is 16 thinks he is fooling me, but I drove up one day and I said what is that cigarette doing on the ground still burning, he says someone must have dropped it there, I told him are you trying to sell me the Brooklyn bridge he says you want to buy it.

[kikibalt]

I remember that real well, Paul. it was always in the back page....

Yeah, that was me kicking the sand in his face in the first picture when he weighed 90 lbs..............

Frank were you a smoker at one time ? , I have never been a smoker but my wife still smokes and my son little Paulie who is 16 thinks he is fooling me, but I drove up one day and I said what is that cigarette doing on the ground still burning, he says someone must have dropped it there, I told him are you trying to sell me the Brooklyn bridge he says you want to buy it.

Did you buy the bridge?...

Yes, I smoked for about 30 years, most I smoked was half a pack a day, quit over 20 years ago...

[kikibalt]

Rick, watching your late friend, Victor French, in a low budget tale of voodoo and murder movie "The House On Skull Mountain" '1974'.

Man!!, he sure looks young in this movie... , I think that's because he was young...

I think in 1974 we were all young....

[kikibalt]

Lifes journey is not to arrive at the grave safely in a well preserved body, but rather to skid in sideways, totally, worn out, " SHOUTING" Holy Shit !!! What a ride!!!

[CNorkusJr]

Lifes journey is not to arrive at the grave safely in a well preserved body, but rather to skid in sideways, totally, worn out, " SHOUTING" Holy Shit !!! What a ride!!!

Well put Frank. Hope you dont mind if I use that one.

[kikibalt]

Lifes journey is not to arrive at the grave safely in a well preserved body, but rather to skid in sideways, totally, worn out, " SHOUTING" Holy Shit !!! What a ride!!!

Well put Frank. Hope you dont mind if I use that one.

No, not at all, help yourself

[Rick Farris]

Lifes journey is not to arrive at the grave safely in a well preserved body, but rather to skid in sideways, totally, worn out, " SHOUTING" Holy Shit !!! What a ride!!!

[Rick Farris]

Rick, watching your late friend, Victor French, in a low budget tale of voodoo and murder movie "The House On Skull Mountain" '1974'.

Man!!, he sure looks young in this movie... , I think that's because he was young...

I think in 1974 we were all young....

Victor French . . .

Vic would have been 39 in 1974. If you really want to see a young Victor French, he was a featured guest star in two episodes of Gunsmoke way back in the early 60's. When I was listing all of the TV Western series that were filmed at CBS, I forgot the most successful of all, Gunsmoke, which had a twenty year run. James Arness liked Victor, who made his debut as a director on Gunsmoke. Vic lived in a beautiful home in the hills above Studio City, and one night after we returned from fight night at The Forum, we sat up and watched one of the Gunsmoke episodes he starred in (there were two). In the one I remember, he played the Sheriff of another town, and old friend of Matt Dillon's. The story had Matt Dillon coming into the town where his old friend was sheriff, and finding that French's charactor was a cruel law man, a sheriff that bullied the local citizen's. It showed a side to Victor not seen in the Landon productions. Instead of a warm charactor, his charactor was mean & cold, and Vic played it perfect. I told him afterwards that I hated his charactor, and Vic replied, "Good, that was the idea." In addition to acting, Vic was a helluva director, and a brilliant acting coach. Vic grew up in the San Fernando Valley, the son of a stuntman/B-movie actor who played in many of the old Republic Westerm classics. Victor was a good man, and a very lonely man who hid behind a carefree facade. He was twice married and twice divorced with two adult children. I was one of the last to see Victor alive, and I miss my friend today. He would have been happy to see me inducted into the CBHOF, and would be a big supporter of the organization, bringing to the event a number of his celebrity associations, just as he did for the Goossen promotions at the Country Club during the 80's.
June 15th will mark the 22nd anniversay of his death. In lieu of a funeral, Vic arranged for a party to be held in his honor at the Gene Autry Western Heritage Museum near Griffith Park. The party was held a month after Vic's death, and there were dozen's of actors including Mike Landon, Brian Keith, etc in attendence. There were also a lot of boxers such as Michael Nunn and the Goossen family. By the way, Vic was a collector of Hollywood Western memorabelia. In his den was a pair of Tom Mix's cowboy boots, a musket that was used by Fess Parker in the western series he starred in (damn the name just escaped me). He was a walking enyclopedia of Hollywood Western information & trivia. Rest in Peace old buddy, I miss you!

[Rick Farris]

Victor French . . . (Bio)

Early career Born in Santa Barbara, California, French began his television career as a stuntman in mostly westerns and anthology shows. He guest starred in some thirty-nine television series, including the episode "The Noose" of the syndicated series Two Faces West; his fellow guest star on the segment was veteran western star L.Q. Jones. French appeared on Gunsmoke twenty-three times, often playing a crook, whether dangerous or bumbling. On October 25, 1971, he portrayed a cold-hearted gunman named "Trafton", who while robbing the communion vessels in a Roman Catholic church murders a priest. As the clergyman lies dying, he forgives his killer, a development which dogs Trafton, who holds human beings in low regard, for the entire episode until he is shot to death by Marshal Matt Dillon. French guest starred in another episode, titled "Matt's Love Story", in which Matt Dillon falls in love with a character played by Michael Learned. This episode would then lead to the story line in the 1990 made for TV movie, Gunsmoke: The Last Apache in which Matt rejoins with Learned's character "Mike" and he finds out he has a grown daughter. French also appeared in a few episodes of Bonanza, starring with Michael Landon at that time. He starred opposite Elvis Presley in the 1969 western, Charro!. He played the recurring character "Agent 44" in the NBC series Get Smart in 1965-1966, where he portrayed an undercover spy who showed up in the worst, most unlikely of places (like a mailbox or a porthole in a boat).

[Rick Farris]

Victor French, 54, Actor
Published: June 16, 1989

LOS ANGELES, June 15 — Victor French, an actor and director who played leading roles in the television series ''Highway to Heaven,'' ''Little House on the Prairie'' and ''Gunsmoke,'' died of lung cancer on Thursday at Sherman Oaks Community Hospital. He was 54 years old.
Mr. French was diagnosed with lung cancer three months ago, said his business manager, Bob Philpott, and was admitted to the hospital last week.
He was born in Santa Barbara to a Hollywood stunt man. The burly, bearded actor was known early in his career as a leading television villain. He appeared in ''Gunsmoke'' more than 20 times and directed five of the episodes. He was frequently seen in ''Bonanza.''
He subsequently played the scruffy farmer Isaiah Edwards on ''Little House on the Prairie,'' starring Michael Landon. Beneath his character's tough exterior was a kind, gentle man. In 'Carter Country'
Mr. French left the series in 1977 to star in his own situation comedy, ''Carter Country,'' playing a police chief in a city not far from Plains, Ga., home of former President Jimmy Carter. After ''Carter Country'' was canceled by ABC, he rejoined ''Little House'' in 1982, staying with it until the next year.

[Rick Farris]

Frank, Victor French was a fan of Tony's. We attended his match with Roger Mayweather at the Country Club.
He said some funny things about Mayweather after the fight, but I can't repeat them here. He was happy that Tony whipped Mayweather.
I know he would have enjoyed meeting you, Tony & Frankie Jr.

[CNorkusJr]

Just posted this on my father's thread.

http://www.megaupload.com/?d=ANECF1RJ

Download will be offered about 45 seconds after you click link. (Hit regular download-its free) Then will take about 5 minutes to download using approx. 988 MB of space. Media Player will play the video.

The above is the download link to the first Nardico-Norkus fight in Miami Beach ,FLA in January 1954. It is the full fight-NO Sound (not the shorter 5 min HL film which was dubbed and widely circulated).All knockdowns included.

Charley Norkus is the taller of the two men and is coming out of the corner to the left of the screen.Both men were bleeding heavily by the 3rd Rd.
This fight was Not televised. It was being taped as the cameras were getting ready to show the Joey Maxim-Archie Moore fight in the Orange Bowl the following week. TV production crew used this fight to adjusts their lenses getting ready for that fight. Hence the changing lens scenes and darker-lighter contrasts.
Full fight.

[kikibalt]

4:13AM: Having a cup of coffee.....