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The Gambler

Duration:

111 min | Finland:106 min

Genres:

Crime | Drama

IMDB rate:

7.2

Director:

Karel Reisz

Awards:

Nominated for Golden Globe.

Details

Country: USA

Filming Locations: Tucson, Arizona, USA

Cast

Actor

Character

Morris Carnovsky

Jerry Leon

Beatrice Winde

James Caan

Axel Freed

Paul Sorvino

Hips

Lauren Hutton

Billie

Jacqueline Brookes

Naomi Freed

Burt Young

Carmine

Carmine Caridi

Jimmy

Vic Tayback

One

Steven Keats

Howie

London Lee

Monkey

M. Emmet Walsh

Las Vegas Gambler

James Woods

Bank Officer

Carl W. Crudup

Spencer

Allan Rich

Bernie

Stuart Margolin

Cowboy

Ric Mancini

Sal

Joel Wolfe

Moe

Raymond Serra

Benny

William Andrews

Basketball Coach

Joseph Attles

Singer in Park

Antonio Fargas

Pimp

Ernest Butler

Vernon

Sully Boyar

Uncle Hy

Gregory Rozakis

Joe

Starletta DuPois

Monique (as Starletta De Paur)

Lucille Patton

Ricky's Wife

Ed Kovens

Ricky

Baron Wilson

Basketball Janitor

Richard Foronjy

Donny

Frank Sivero

Donny's Driver

Frank Scioscia

Man in Park with Donny

Philip Sterling

Sidney

Patricia Fay

Bank Teller

Leon Pinkney

Street Basketball Boy

Alisha Fontaine

Howie's Girl

Presley Caton

Monkey's Girl

Mitch Stein

College Announcer

Jonathan Kushner

College Announcer (as Jonathan Koshner)

Charles Polk

Harlem Bartender

Dick Schaap

Television Announcer

Chick Hearn

Radio Announcer

Lawrence Hilton-Jacobs

Street Basketball Boy (uncredited)

Melanie Mayron

Student (uncredited)

Did you know?

Trivia

According to James Toback, before the screenplay was accepted at Paramount and was making the rounds with actors, Peter Boyle was first interested in playing the lead. Robert De Niro lobbied hard for the role, to the point where De Niro started to dress like the writer. Toback pressured the director to meet with De Niro. After meeting him, Reisz said that he would not and could not consider De Niro for the role, and if Toback kept insisting he would not be allowed to collaborate on the film further.

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In real life when a gambler owes a huge amount of money to a bookie he is not allowed to bet with any other bookie until his debt outstanding is either paid in full or substantially paid down. It is also the case that a bookie would never cover a bet to anyone who owes a large amount of money and would spread the word around town to "freeze" or "shut them out".

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Robert Evans was keen to produce the film as his first credited production at Paramount, but Irwin Winkler, according to writer James Toback, wouldn't bow out despite attempts by the studio to give him other projects. Evans went on to make Chinatown (1974) instead.

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Quotes

Hips: The only thing that's standing between your skull and a baseball bat is my word.

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Axel Freed: I'm not going to lose it. I'm going to gamble it.

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Jimmy: They don't give out no prizes at the half-time Axel.

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