Classic American West Coast Boxing

[Rick Farris]

It's 5am . . .

The "Kept Men" on this Forum are probably being kept.
They don't need alarm clocks, because they don't have to work.
I'd really like to join this club one day, but ever since setting that goal I'm working more hours than ever.
I'm glad to be working, but I'd rather be "kept".
Today is Wedensday, which means Frank will probably be served Menudo con Pata?
I'm off to work . Have a great day guys!

[Rick Farris]

Requiem For A Heavyweight . . .

Jackie Gleason, Anthony Quinn, Mickey Rooney and a cast that includes scenes with true boxing legends, including Charlie Norkus.
I haven't seen this film in years.
The film opens with a very young Cassius Clay, defeating Mountain Rivera.
The future Muhammad Ali had just won an Olympic Gold Medal, and was preparing for his pro debut when the movie was made.
I've got to find it and watch it again. Classic!

[CNorkusJr]

Loosing some of the emulsion on the picture-must find the original somewhere and get new picture copy made up.

My father appears in the last 20 minutes of the film. Filmed at old St. Nicks Arena,(66th St & Broadway in Manhattan-now replaced by WABC-TV studios)-the scene is where Anthony Quinn becomes a Indian wrestler and finds out, Misch (Gleason) his manager has been using him all along in lockeroom-outside in the arena,midget wrestling is taking place in the ring. My father is the referee for the midgets. By the way,midgets by a KO.LOL

By the way,in real life, after my father was shot in 1959 and lived to tell about it. He healed well but it put out his candle on his boxing career. A female Casting Agent called my father and wanted him as part of her agency. She got him key parts,then Gleason put him to work in "Requiem..." & "The Hustler" with his pal Jake Lamotta.
Screen Actors Guild has a system where paid residuals are in pertuity,and I still get my dads movie residuals in my name for his work. Just last month I got a check for the showing of "Requiem" to the tune of $2.91.
Of course he was paid much more than that, but residuals get less & less over time.
I went out and bought a half gallon of gas.

He has a picture with Anthony Quinn,but its too dark to publish.

I thought you might like to know too that Vince McMahon Sr (his son is the fellow that you see on TV nowadays with the WWE) ran wrestling for years. The true founder of the product you see today. Vince Sr. would make it a point to go to every gym and arena and greet fighters towards the end of their careers. He would make them a pretty lucrative offer to become a wrestler. My father was no different. If you had a so-so career in ring,you would change your name and accept the offer. If you had a better than average career,you usually turned it down-as not to become somewhat of a sideshow joke.
My father said that Vince Sr was a very nice man and his offers were very gracious,plus he put you to work year-round which boxers liked. He met with everyone including Marciano.
My father turned it down as he knew it was not for him.
"Requiem For A Heavyweight" is not too much off the money in what was the boxing life back in the day for some. An excellent film.

[kikibalt]

It's 5am . . .

The "Kept Men" on this Forum are probably being kept.
They don't need alarm clocks, because they don't have to work.
I'd really like to join this club one day, but ever since setting that goal I'm working more hours than ever.
I'm glad to be working, but I'd rather be "kept".
Today is Wedensday, which means Frank will probably be served Menudo con Pata?
I'm off to work . Have a great day guys!

Rick, some day soon we would like you to become a member of the exclusive "kept Men" club...

Btw, Friday's is menudo con pata day...

[Cholo]

Charlie, Requiem For A Heavyweight, great film i have it on dvd, some great old-timers have bit parts in the film, Barney Ross, Gus Lesnevich, Abe Simon, Willie Pep, Steve Belloise to name a few....

[Cholo]

It's 5am . . .

The "Kept Men" on this Forum are probably being kept.
They don't need alarm clocks, because they don't have to work.
I'd really like to join this club one day, but ever since setting that goal I'm working more hours than ever.
I'm glad to be working, but I'd rather be "kept".
Today is Wedensday, which means Frank will probably be served Menudo con Pata?
I'm off to work . Have a great day guys!

Rick, some day soon we would like you to become a member of the exclusive "kept Men" club...

Btw, Friday's is menudo con pata day...

Frank, They say Menudo con Pata is good for a hangover, any truth in this?....

[kikibalt]

It's 5am . . .

The "Kept Men" on this Forum are probably being kept.
They don't need alarm clocks, because they don't have to work.
I'd really like to join this club one day, but ever since setting that goal I'm working more hours than ever.
I'm glad to be working, but I'd rather be "kept".
Today is Wedensday, which means Frank will probably be served Menudo con Pata?
I'm off to work . Have a great day guys!

Rick, some day soon we would like you to become a member of the exclusive "kept Men" club...

Btw, Friday's is menudo con pata day...

Frank, They say Menudo con Pata is good for a hangover, any truth in this?....

Its all bull-shit Paul....

[Chuck1052]

There was a TV version of Requiem for a Heavyweight starring Jack Palance during the 1950s.

- Chuck Johnston

[kikibalt]

The late great Manuel Ortiz (L) vs Jackie Graves...1951...I was at the Olympic for this fight.

[Panzerfaust]

There was a TV version of Requiem for a Heavyweight starring Jack Palance during the 1950s.

- Chuck Johnston

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xNlWflC3-YA

Its on the tube. I havent watched the full movie . but this TV version (the original) is from where this layman is sitting a masterpiece in storytelling

[Cholo]

The late great Manuel Ortiz (L) vs Jackie Graves...1951...I was at the Olympic for this fight.

Those were the days Frank, great fights, great fighters..

[Randyman]

Rick, some day soon we would like you to become a member of the exclusive "kept Men" club...

Btw, Friday's is menudo con pata day...

Frank, They say Menudo con Pata is good for a hangover, any truth in this?....

Its all bull-shit Paul....

I don't know Frank, a big bowl of menudo con patas has got me through some pretty bad hangovers, back in the day. It could all be in the head, who knows?

[Randyman]

There was a discussion here a few days ago about bad decisions and judging. Does anyone here remember the James Toney vs Dave Tiberi fight back in the early 1990's? That was robbery if ever there was one. I thought Tiberi won that fight clearly. Tuned out to be Tiberi's last fight.

[Randyman]

It's 5am . . .

The "Kept Men" on this Forum are probably being kept.
They don't need alarm clocks, because they don't have to work.
I'd really like to join this club one day, but ever since setting that goal I'm working more hours than ever.
I'm glad to be working, but I'd rather be "kept".
Today is Wedensday, which means Frank will probably be served Menudo con Pata?
I'm off to work . Have a great day guys!

Rick, some day soon we would like you to become a member of the exclusive "kept Men" club...

Btw, Friday's is menudo con pata day...

In 5 more years I expect to become a card carrying member of the "Kept Men" club. Do I have to pay dues?

[Randyman]

The late great Manuel Ortiz (L) vs Jackie Graves...1951...I was at the Olympic for this fight.

Learning about Manuel Ortiz' career and finding out just how truly great he was has been the single greatest education factor for me on this site. Thanks for posting the photos Frank. There is no other site like CAWCB.

[Randyman]

A belated Happy Birthday to Hap Navarro! All the best to you Hap!!

[Randyman]

There was a TV version of Requiem for a Heavyweight starring Jack Palance during the 1950s.

- Chuck Johnston

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xNlWflC3-YA

Its on the tube. I havent watched the full movie . but this TV version (the original) is from where this layman is sitting a masterpiece in storytelling

Just by coincidence, I ordered Requim for a Heavyweight from Netflix. It should arrive this afternoon. I always liked this movie. I'm a big fan of Anthony Quinn. I'll keep an aye out for Charley Norkus. Classic movie.

[Randyman]

Watching the "Sandlot" for the 100th time I think. Great movie!

Frank, I've lost count of how many times I've seen this movie. It really captures the time period when I was growing up. It takes place somewhere in an L,A. neighborhood. I can watch it over and over.

[CNorkusJr]

Charlie, Requiem For A Heavyweight, great film i have it on dvd, some great old-timers have bit parts in the film, Barney Ross, Gus Lesnevich, Abe Simon, Willie Pep, Steve Belloise to name a few....

I am not positive about this....but I think my father said that the same female Casting agent
represented those other fighter- actors also. She had an office on 57th St in midtown and was a noted agent for many big-time actors in New York area. I dont have her name anymore as my paper records which had that kind of stuff went south. All remembering from what my father told me.

The Rod Serling Production starring Jack Palance might have been a "Kraft Theatre" show back in the day. "Kraft Theatre" was live television doing stories just like what you saw in the clip. My father did a "Kraft" episode starring Ralph Meeker titled "Fifty Grand" in 1958.
Director was Sydney Lumet.

[kikibalt]

It's 5am . . .

The "Kept Men" on this Forum are probably being kept.
They don't need alarm clocks, because they don't have to work.
I'd really like to join this club one day, but ever since setting that goal I'm working more hours than ever.
I'm glad to be working, but I'd rather be "kept".
Today is Wedensday, which means Frank will probably be served Menudo con Pata?
I'm off to work . Have a great day guys!

Rick, some day soon we would like you to become a member of the exclusive "kept Men" club...

Btw, Friday's is menudo con pata day...

In 5 more years I expect to become a card carrying member of the "Kept Men" club. Do I have to pay dues?

No, not when you become a kept man, that's because you're paying your dues right now...

[CNorkusJr]

Back in January, a film crew came to a Ring 8 veterans boxers Meeting. They were going to film a short documentary (11 mins) on Jake LaMotta and any thoughts on him today. Glad to say they chose me to add some stories to the video. Here is a short trailer to the documentary which is added to the 30th Anniv re-release of "The Raging Bull" movie coming out this year.

I am the guy who is talking about the "great fighters in attendance that evening-Juan LaPorte,Iran Barkley etc. Later on I talked about my dad and his friendship with Jake on the documentary-I do not know how much ended up on the cutting room floor.
Ed Gersh & Matt Farago were also interviewed at length that night.



http://www.movieweb.com/dvd/DV3jPBQw3rz ... ering-jake

[Rick Farris]

Charlie, Requiem For A Heavyweight, great film i have it on dvd, some great old-timers have bit parts in the film, Barney Ross, Gus Lesnevich, Abe Simon, Willie Pep, Steve Belloise to name a few....

I am not positive about this....but I think my father said that the same female Casting agent
represented those other fighter- actors also. She had an office on 57th St in midtown and was a noted agent for many big-time actors in New York area. I dont have her name anymore as my paper records which had that kind of stuff went south. All remembering from what my father told me.

The Rod Serling Production starring Jack Palance might have been a "Kraft Theatre" show back in the day. "Kraft Theatre" was live television doing stories just like what you saw in the clip. My father did a "Kraft" episode starring Ralph Meeker titled "Fifty Grand" in 1958.
Director was Sydney Lumet.

I thought it was broadcast on "Playhouse 90"? I know Rod Serling produced it.

[Rick Farris]

There was a TV version of Requiem for a Heavyweight starring Jack Palance during the 1950s.

- Chuck Johnston

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xNlWflC3-YA

Its on the tube. I havent watched the full movie . but this TV version (the original) is from where this layman is sitting a masterpiece in storytelling

Just by coincidence, I ordered Requim for a Heavyweight from Netflix. It should arrive this afternoon. I always liked this movie. I'm a big fan of Anthony Quinn. I'll keep an aye out for Charley Norkus. Classic movie.

Good call, Randy. I'm going to do the same thing. This time I can take note of Charlie Norkus, as well.
What makes it good is they used real fighters, some legends. I love good old B&W films.

[Rick Farris]

Rick, some day soon we would like you to become a member of the exclusive "kept Men" club...

Btw, Friday's is menudo con pata day...

Frank, They say Menudo con Pata is good for a hangover, any truth in this?....

Its all bull-shit Paul....

[Randyman]

Loosing some of the emulsion on the picture-must find the original somewhere and get new picture copy made up.

My father appears in the last 20 minutes of the film. Filmed at old St. Nicks Arena,(66th St & Broadway in Manhattan-now replaced by WABC-TV studios)-the scene is where Anthony Quinn becomes a Indian wrestler and finds out, Misch (Gleason) his manager has been using him all along in lockeroom-outside in the arena,midget wrestling is taking place in the ring. My father is the referee for the midgets. By the way,midgets by a KO.LOL

By the way,in real life, after my father was shot in 1959 and lived to tell about it. He healed well but it put out his candle on his boxing career. A female Casting Agent called my father and wanted him as part of her agency. She got him key parts,then Gleason put him to work in "Requiem..." & "The Hustler" with his pal Jake Lamotta.
Screen Actors Guild has a system where paid residuals are in pertuity,and I still get my dads movie residuals in my name for his work. Just last month I got a check for the showing of "Requiem" to the tune of $2.91.
Of course he was paid much more than that, but residuals get less & less over time.
I went out and bought a half gallon of gas.

He has a picture with Anthony Quinn,but its too dark to publish.

I thought you might like to know too that Vince McMahon Sr (his son is the fellow that you see on TV nowadays with the WWE) ran wrestling for years. The true founder of the product you see today. Vince Sr. would make it a point to go to every gym and arena and greet fighters towards the end of their careers. He would make them a pretty lucrative offer to become a wrestler. My father was no different. If you had a so-so career in ring,you would change your name and accept the offer. If you had a better than average career,you usually turned it down-as not to become somewhat of a sideshow joke.
My father said that Vince Sr was a very nice man and his offers were very gracious,plus he put you to work year-round which boxers liked. He met with everyone including Marciano.
My father turned it down as he knew it was not for him.
"Requiem For A Heavyweight" is not too much off the money in what was the boxing life back in the day for some. An excellent film.

I just got through watching "Requiem For a Heavyweight". Great performance by all. Quinn did a great job as Mountain Rivera and both Mickey Rooney as the trainer, Army, and Jackie Gleason were right on target, especially Gleason who almost stole the show with his portrayal of Maish Rennick, the callous and selfish manager who was squeezing the last drop of money and dignity from Rivera.

Charley, I saw your Pops in the ring with the midgets. He was covering up as only a real fighter would know to do.