Home / Requiem for a Heavyweight

Requiem for a Heavyweight

Year:

1962

Duration:

95 min | 85 min (TCM print)

Genres:

Drama | Sport

IMDB rate:

7.9

Director:

Ralph Nelson

Awards:

1 win & 2 nominations

Details

Country: USA

Release Date: 1962-11-16

Filming Locations: Downing Stadium, Randall's Island, East River, New York City, New York, USA

Cast

Actor

Character

Stan Ross

Angelo Rossitto

Anthony Quinn

Louis 'Mountain' Rivera

Jackie Gleason

Maish Rennick

Mickey Rooney

Army

Julie Harris

Grace Miller

Stanley Adams

Perelli (as Stan Adams)

Madame Spivy

Ma Greeny

Val Avery

Young fighter's promoter

Herbie Faye

Charlie, the Bartender

Jack Dempsey

Himself

Barney Ross

Alex Miteff

Rory Calhoun

Himself

Muhammad Ali

Himself (as Cassius Clay)

Gus Lesnevich

Willie Pep

Steve Belloise

Hotel Desk Clerk

J.J. Ballargeon

Paoli Rossi

Michael Conrad

Ma Greeny's Thug

Abe Simon

Lou Gilbert

Dr. Gilbert

William 'Haystacks' Calhoun

Himself, Rivera's wrestling opponent (uncredited)

Nancy Cushman

Woman on Elevator (uncredited)

John Indrisano

Barfly Watching TV (uncredited)

Arthur Mercante

Referee (uncredited)

David Susskind

Himself - Trailor Narrator (uncredited)

Did you know?

Trivia

Opening traveling shot of bar customers watching fight on TV was apparently filmed in mirror behind bar because all beer labels and signs in background read backwards.

Share this

When CBS acquired "Requiem" for TV broadcast, the film ran 87 minutes. The network wanted to expand it to 100 minutes to fill a two hour time slot. It took deleted odds and ends including a restaurant scene with Rooney, Quinn, and Gleason that lasted seven minutes. Director Ralph Nelson was so upset that he demanded that his name be removed from the credits. The owner of the film, Columbia Pictures, insisted it stay in, but even with the new cobbled together version, the film still ran short.

Share this

Anthony Quinn did this film when Lawrence of Arabia (1962) went on a two month hiatus between October and December of 1961. The film was released before "Lawrence" came out.

Share this

Quotes

Louis 'Mountain' Rivera: In 1952 they ranked me number five!

Share this

Maish Rennick: You're not a winner anymore, Mountain. There's only one thing left. Let's make some money from the losing.

Share this

Louis 'Mountain' Rivera: [to Grace] Do you know why I talk so funny? Because I've been hit a million times.

Share this

Faq

"Requiem"---Was It Filmed in New York?

Chicago American, Wednesday, December 19, 1961, p. 12, c. 2:DALY DIARYby Maggie DalyThe Main Attraction . . . Crowds gathering at old Stillman's gym on 8th avenue in New York City where "Requiem for a Heavyweight" is being filmed, aren't there to ogle Stars Jackie Gleason, Tony Quinn, Julie Harris, or Mickey Rooney. They're staring at Gleason 's new two toned [opal and burgundy] Rolls Royce--complete with bar and refrigerator. Is that what they mean by one for the road?______________________________

Chicago Opening Happened When?

The Chicago opening of the hit Columbia film, Requiem for a Heavyweight occurred on Wednesday, October 24, l962, at the Oriental theatre (Randolph, nr State). An ad reads: "Guts! From the fiery brilliamce of four great stars. . . comes the gutsiest motion picture ever made!" . . . .

Share this