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Toro Moreno
Nov 27, 2014
Published in
The Veterans
Loosely based on Italian Super Heavyweight Boxer, Primo Carnera, Toro Moreno is a lumbering Argentine who is on the rise on the Heavyweight scene. Broke Sportswriter Eddie Willis (Humphrey Bogart in his last movie role) is commissioned to write about Moreno, who he takes a liking to.
Unbeknownst to Moreno, the fights are all fixed to build him up as a credible challenger only so that his crooked promoter, Nick Benko (Rod Steiger) can make serious coin on the deal betting against his charge, who is soundly thrashed in the Championship fight.
Realistically, the story is more of Willis, and the empathy he feels towards Toro and how he would later write an expose of the boxing game. That fact alone may make this a difficult character to induct; no matter how bad you feel for the big lug!
The Bullet Points:
Movie Appeared:
The Harder They Fall (1956)
Actor:
Mike Lane
Role Portrayed:
Boxer
Why You Should Vote For Him:
Out of love for Bogart? Maybe sympathy for the character?
Why You Should Not Vote For Him:
We have a patsy here, and someone completely used. Not exactly a triumphant role is it?
Tommy Mutch
Nov 27, 2014
Published in
The Veterans
Ah, Boxing and the mob went so well together in old time boxing movies doesn’t it? In “There Ain’t No Justice” we meet Tommy Mutch, a mechanic turned boxer who is seduced in the world of pugilism and wins a series of fights, though unbeknownst to him was rigged as part of a gambling syndicate. It is a dark tale, but well written and respected in its time.
The Bullet Points:
Movie Appeared:
There Ain’t No Justice (1939)
Actor:
Jimmy Hanley
Role Portrayed:
Boxer
Why You Should Vote For Him:
It was a clever take on the boxing/mafia motif.
Why You Should Not Vote For Him:
This was a critical hit in the U.K., though not well remembered today.
Tommy Marlowe
Nov 27, 2014
Published in
The Veterans
From the ass end of the Rat Pack, we have Peter Lawford as Tommy Marlowe, a star College Football who is struggling with grades, which may prevent him from playing in the big game. As much as it is a “stretch” to imagine a college football star struggling in academics, we are treated to this as a musical, though we do easily believe that Lawford was a hit with the ladies.
The Bullet Points:
Movie Appeared:
Good News (1947)
Actor:
Peter Lawford
Role Portrayed:
Tait College Football Player
Why You Should Vote For Him:
Frank Sinatra shrapnel?
Why You Should Not Vote For Him:
Football was not that big a deal in this movie.
Tommy "Killer" McCoy
Nov 27, 2014
Published in
The Veterans
We know that at one point Mickey Rooney was one of the biggest stars (not literally) and a fairly decent actor, but as a champion in Boxing? It may have been a hit at the time but buying Rooney as a boxer is laughable; or really in any role that requires the slight bit of toughness.