Alias the Champ

Last updated
Alias the Champ
Alias the Champ poster.jpg
Theatrical release poster
Directed by George Blair
Screenplay by Albert DeMond
Produced by Stephen Auer
Starring Robert Rockwell
Barbra Fuller
Audrey Long
James Nolan
John Harmon
Sammy Menacker
Joseph Crehan
Cinematography John MacBurnie
Edited by Harold Minter
Music by Stanley Wilson
Production
company
Distributed byRepublic Pictures
Release date
  • October 15, 1949 (1949-10-15)
Running time
60 minutes
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish

Alias the Champ is a 1949 American crime film directed by George Blair and written by Albert DeMond. The film stars Robert Rockwell, Barbra Fuller, Audrey Long, James Nolan, John Harmon, Sammy Menacker and Joseph Crehan. [1] [2] [3] The film was released on October 15, 1949, by Republic Pictures.

Contents

Plot

Lorraine Connors manages the (real-life) wrestler, Gorgeous George. Taking a special interest in George's match is a police lieutenant, Ron Peterson, who is keeping an eye on everybody: mobster Al Merlo, his moll Colette LaRue and another wrestling star, Sammy Menacker, who is dating Lorraine.

A quarrel between the wrestlers erupts and Peterson suggests they settle it in the ring. So much publicity ensues that the match is televised live. Sam is confident he will win, as is Colette, who requests his autograph. Sam is getting the better of George for a while, but is suddenly pinned, defeated and does not get up. He is dead.

George is clearly the prime suspect if this is a murder, while Peterson gets in hot water at the police department for proposing the match in the first place. Merlo is the detective's best guess as the culprit until he views a rebroadcast of the whole evening on TV. He finds the pen Colette used to get Sam's autograph and realizes what happened: It's been poisoned.

Cast

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gorgeous George</span> American professional wrestler (1915–1963)

George Raymond Wagner was an American professional wrestler known by his ring name Gorgeous George. In the United States, during the First Golden Age of Professional Wrestling in the 1940s–1950s, Gorgeous George was one of the biggest stars of the sport, gaining media attention for his outrageous character, which was described as flamboyant and charismatic. He was a major national celebrity at his peak, and was a pioneer of early entertainment television. He was posthumously inducted into the Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame in 2002 and the WWE Hall of Fame as part of the Class of 2010.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">John McIntire</span> American actor (1907–1991)

John Herrick McIntire was an American character actor who appeared in 65 theatrical films and many television series. McIntire is well known for having replaced Ward Bond, upon Bond's sudden death in November 1960, as the star of NBC's Wagon Train. He played Christopher Hale, the leader of the wagon train from early 1961 to the series' end in 1965. He also replaced Charles Bickford, upon Bickford's death in 1967, as ranch owner Clay Grainger on NBC's The Virginian for four seasons.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Robert Armstrong (actor)</span> American actor (1890–1973)

Robert William Armstrong was an American film and television actor remembered for his role as Carl Denham in the 1933 version of King Kong by RKO Pictures. He delivered the film's famous final line: "It wasn't the airplanes. It was beauty killed the beast."

Timothy Thomas Ryan was an American performer and film actor.

Gang Busters is a 1942 Universal movie serial based on the radio series Gang Busters.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Richard Lane (announcer)</span> American actor and television announcer (1899–1982)

Richard Lane, sometimes known as Dick Lane, was an American actor and television announcer/presenter. In movies, he played assured, fast-talking slickers: usually press agents, policemen and detectives, sometimes swindlers and frauds. He is perhaps best known to movie fans as "Inspector Farraday" in the Boston Blackie mystery-comedies. Lane also played Faraday in the first radio version of Boston Blackie, which ran on NBC from June 23, 1944 to September 15, 1944. Lane was an early arrival on television, first as a news reporter and then as a sports announcer, broadcasting wrestling and roller derby shows on KTLA-TV, mainly from the Olympic Auditorium in Los Angeles.

<i>Funny Girl</i> (film) 1968 film by William Wyler

Funny Girl is a 1968 American biographical-musical film directed by William Wyler and written by Isobel Lennart, adapted from her book for the stage musical of the same title. It is loosely based on the life and career of comedienne Fanny Brice and her stormy relationship with entrepreneur and gambler Nicky Arnstein.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Leroy McGuirk</span> American amateur and professional wrestler, and professional wrestling promoter (1910–1988)

Leroy Michael McGuirk was an American amateur and professional wrestler, and wrestling promoter. He was involved in professional wrestling for more than fifty years. As one of the longest surviving members of the National Wrestling Alliance (NWA), he was affiliated with the promotion from 1949 to 1982, where he was a one-time NWA World Junior Heavyweight Champion.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Henry Kulky</span> American actor (1911–1965)

Henry Kulky was an American actor and professional wrestler from Hastings-on-Hudson, New York, probably best remembered as Chief Petty Officer Curly Jones from season 1 of Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sidney Miller (actor)</span> American actor, director and songwriter

Sidney L. Miller was an American actor, director and songwriter.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">William Newell (actor)</span> American actor

William M. Newell was an American film actor.

<i>The Complete RCA Victor Recordings</i> 1995 compilation album by Dizzy Gillespie

The Complete RCA Victor Recordings is a 1995 compilation 2-CD set of sessions led by Jazz trumpeter and composer Dizzy Gillespie recorded for the RCA Victor label between 1937 and 1949.

<i>Flame of Youth</i> (1949 film) 1949 film by R. G. Springsteen

Flame of Youth is a 1949 American drama film directed by R. G. Springsteen and written by Robert Libott and Frank Burt. The film stars Barbra Fuller, Ray McDonald, Danny Sue Nolan, Tony Barrett, Carol Brannon and Anita Carrell. The film was released on September 22, 1949, by Republic Pictures.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Baron Michele Leone</span>

Michele Leone, known by his ring name Baron Michele Leone, was an Italian-born professional wrestler. He was one of the biggest stars and most prominent heels of the early television era of wrestling and, in May 1952, was a part of professional wrestling's first $100,000 gate, when he faced Lou Thesz in a title vs. title bout.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ray Walker (actor)</span> American actor (1904–1980)

Warren Reynolds "Ray" Walker was an American actor, born in Newark, New Jersey, who starred in Baby Take a Bow (1934), Hideaway Girl (1936), The Dark Hour (1936), The Unknown Guest (1943) and It's A Wonderful Life (1946).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cliff Clark</span> American actor (1889–1953)

Cliff Clark was an American actor. He entered the film business in 1937 after a substantial stage career and appeared in over 200 Hollywood films. In the last years of his life, he also played in a number of television productions.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">James Nolan (actor)</span> American film, stage and television actor

James F. Nolan was an American film, stage and television actor.

References

  1. "Alias the Champ (1949) - Overview". TCM.com. Retrieved 2015-11-25.
  2. Hal Erickson (2015). "Alias-the-Champ - Trailer - Cast - Showtimes". Movies & TV Dept. The New York Times . Baseline & All Movie Guide. Archived from the original on 2015-11-25. Retrieved 2015-11-25.
  3. "Alias the Champ". Afi.com. Retrieved 2015-11-25.