Freddie Mills documentary - Aug 1st BBC4

[prewarboxing]

Next Wednesday Aug 1st at 9.00pm. A 90 minute documentary on the life of Freddie Mills. I have contributed a lot to it and from what I have seen of it I am sure that it will be worth watching..

Freddie was one of Britain's finest just after the war and he had an interesting life and a controversial death.

Just thought I would let you all know about it in advance. BBC4.

Miles Templeton.

[dr_devious]

Thanks for the heads up Miles sounds very interesting

[Flump]

Indeed. He's certainly a fairly rare example of a celebrity whose premature death hasn't exactly enhanced his reputation. Looking forward to seeing this.

[nobleart1978]

Looking forward to watching it.
Keep up the good work wirh the boxing records Miles

[Boxing Trivia Guy]

I saw this advertised last night. I shall certainly be tuning in for it.

[bennie]

The rumours surrounding Freddie and his untimely death are truly sickening. The great man killed himself because he was in desperate trouble financially. He was about to lose everything.

[Wee Tommy]

I recently read a book that accused him of being ‘Jack the Stripper’, a London serial killer. It was one of least enjoyable books I have ever read.

[prewarboxing]

I recently read a book that accused him of being ‘Jack the Stripper’, a London serial killer. It was one of least enjoyable books I have ever read.

The book is bullshit. Chris Evans MP wrote a better one that came out at the same time.

[Wee Tommy]

I recently read a book that accused him of being ‘Jack the Stripper’, a London serial killer. It was one of least enjoyable books I have ever read.

The book is bullshit. Chris Evans MP wrote a better one that came out at the same time.

Thanks I will check that out Miles.

[scorpio83]

We all know that Freddie Mills' death is controversial.

[jimglen]

I recently read a book that accused him of being ‘Jack the Stripper’, a London serial killer. It was one of least enjoyable books I have ever read.

The book is bullshit. Chris Evans MP wrote a better one that came out at the same time.

Evan's book is as flat as you like, he merely parroted all previous Mills books, which were far better than his.

Read the Mills accounts from his own period and the general period of his own time, all much better and more in tune.
Evans added nothing, nor contributed anything new, shame too, he had the money & time to do so, but a poor lazy regurgitation was what he settled for.

Tony Vanden Berg's, Who killed Freddie Mills is also excellent.

the Documentary should be good, providing it sticks with documented facts and not just speculation. Its all about Mills' life after Boxing, his death and the question IF he could have been a killer.

[Sidney Carton]

Freddie Mills' death stunk even more than the circumstances of Randy Turpin;s death.

MORAL: It doesn't pay to be an annoyance to the big financial powers connected to British boxing.

[Caractacus]

I recently read a book that accused him of being ‘Jack the Stripper’, a London serial killer. It was one of least enjoyable books I have ever read.

The book is bullshit. Chris Evans MP wrote a better one that came out at the same time.

Thanks I will check that out Miles.

If that book is so good then why doesn't it have even a single review over at Amozon.com ?

[jimglen]

MORAL: It doesn't pay to be an annoyance to the big financial powers connected to British boxing.

Too Right, and some fighters sadly know the outcome of that more than others!

[Sidney Carton]

MORAL: It doesn't pay to be an annoyance to the big financial powers connected to British boxing.

Too Right, and some fighters sadly know the outcome of that more than others!

Randy Turpin shot himself in the head AND the chest?

Tell me another.

The British media is the slimiest and most poisonous of any country's news media.
And that is saying something..

The higher ups who control British boxing won't hesitate to wipe out any peon (fighter) who annoys them. Randy Turpin and Freddie Mills both did that after they were retired and of no further use to the elites and then each conveniently "committed suicide."

Others were an annoyance WHILE they were fighting. Start with Bert Gilroy--one of many over the years who was ostracized during his best fighting years.

[Cholo_cws]

Next Wednesday Aug 1st at 9.00pm. A 90 minute documentary on the life of Freddie Mills. I have contributed a lot to it and from what I have seen of it I am sure that it will be worth watching..

Freddie was one of Britain's finest just after the war and he had an interesting life and a controversial death.

Just thought I would let you all know about it in advance. BBC4.

Miles Templeton.

Thanks for highlighting this. It was an intereting watch. I'm not really sure what to make of the testimony at the end. His poor family have certainly been through it.

[jimglen]

a very good documentary on Mills...

Good job Miles, always doing boxing a service, especially those bygone days. Thanks.

Litchfield wasn't give proper air on his Jack the Stripper claims and didn't do himself too much justice really, for a well researched book that most of us wouldn't agree with anyway, I'm sure that much of his interview was edited out.

the Mills family were good to listen too, and they know like so many others Mills was more than likely Killed and the suicide verdict was wrong. Anyway the answer 'may' have been resolved.

the Benny Huntman MOB Connection & Rule was both fact and the way of Boxing (and other areas of life too), was no secret, especially known among those circling at Top Level. Mills' threat to go to Fleet Street, is very, very significant.

Remember just how Big Mills' was, Fleet Street reporters would have gotten months and years from Freddie blown the whistle on all of them, and yes Investigations would have followed.

So though Huntmans son looked every bit the Eastend Gangster, and why not he is 75 years old and that circle of people/business was his whole life, but Yes, more than feasible, Huntman and his American Mob associates had much to gain and too much to lose if Mills spilled the beans.

a very probably answer and one I'm sure the Mills family must seriously consider.

[Bodyshot3]

Great watch.......and like others have said, many thanks for flagging it up

Even though I do attempt to understand past fighters.......

.........the film was a fascinating education in the way it underlined just how huge boxing was at the time and that Mills was not merely 'well-known' but a major public figure, massively popular and in demand.

Freddie Mills mattered hugely to the guy on the street and was a star in a way that modern British fighters would possibly find hard to comprehend.

Seeing Freddie mobbed by adoring school kids shadow boxing for their hero in those old films showed just how much boxing was part of the national, sporting culture back then.

Good that the programme makers also looked-up John Conteh.......clearly a fan of Freddie ......and a nice touch.

[orbtastic]

Watched it, really enjoyed it. Nice work Miles.

I've not seen any Mills fights for decades, it was really shocking to see what a shellacking he took in a couple of those. The story also skipped over a couple of fights but I guess they have to do that for pacing/story.

The last ten minutes took away from the whole thing, the stuff with the gangster's son was almost parody, I thought I'd switched to channel 5 or something. Still, was good to see his son mulling it over and then the whole family seeing him inducted into the British hall of fame.

[orbtastic]

I tried Googling his grandson (and the various spellings) but nothing seems to come up. Does anyone know if he's actually boxing or not?

[prewarboxing]

Watched it, really enjoyed it. Nice work Miles.

I've not seen any Mills fights for decades, it was really shocking to see what a shellacking he took in a couple of those. The story also skipped over a couple of fights but I guess they have to do that for pacing/story.

The last ten minutes took away from the whole thing, the stuff with the gangster's son was almost parody, I thought I'd switched to channel 5 or something. Still, was good to see his son mulling it over and then the whole family seeing him inducted into the British hall of fame.

Thanks orbtastic, I appreciate your kind words.

I do not agree with the conclusion at all. Far too simplistic and unconvincing. I was there to cover the boxing context only thankfully. I would not have wanted to get dragged into that stuff involving Huntman. I do know quite a lot about Benny, from the boxing point of view. He was quite a major player between 1935 and about 1955 in the UK.

Miles Templeton

[Caractacus]

I have not seen the documentery yet. but did they the BBC try and tie him in with the "Jack The Stripper" case in it ?
That's really ghoulish to even try and do that 50 years after his death.
was he even suspected back in 1965 ?

[prewarboxing]

I have not seen the documentery yet. but did they the BBC try and tie him in with the "Jack The Stripper" case in it ?
That's really ghoulish to even try and do that 50 years after his death.
was he even suspected back in 1965 ?

No. They dealt with that very well. Made the author look ridiculous and then moved on.

[evrenb]

There has to be some conclusion to Freddies death. Unlikely that it was suicide based on the doctors assessment that Freddie was shot through an open eye and also the positioning of the gun etc...
While it did come across quite sensationalistically, it does seem the most plausible theory to me. What did Mr Huntman have to gain from making these claims? Surely he wouldn't have gone to the lengths to meet Freddies stepson in person?
It all makes a lot of sense. But I guess we will never know definitively.
I really did enjoy this documentary and great shout out to Miles for his contribution.

[jimglen]

There has to be some conclusion to Freddies death. Unlikely that it was suicide based on the doctors assessment that Freddie was shot through an open eye and also the positioning of the gun etc...
While it did come across quite sensationalistically, it does seem the most plausible theory to me. What did Mr Huntman have to gain from making these claims? Surely he wouldn't have gone to the lengths to meet Freddies stepson in person?
It all makes a lot of sense. But I guess we will never know definitively.
I really did enjoy this documentary and great shout out to Miles for his contribution.

It does, it is a more plausable explanation than suicde or hit over protection monies or other gangland hits for God knows why (though still possible).

Fleet Street Reporters would have been given an open check book IF Mills came clean on Mob involvement in Boxing and/or Soho or any other rackets they controlled anywhere in the city.

So yes, Silence was Gold to Huntman and Co, a very believable possibility to Mills' death.

God Rest his Soul.