PLAYHOUSE 90: REQUIEM FOR A HEAVYWEIGHT (TV)

Summary

One in this dramatic anthology series. This tale of the exploitative world of boxing was the first live original ninety-minute drama to appear on American television. As the drama opens, prize fighter Mountain McClintock loses a big fight. A doctor examines him and prescribes an end to his career; years of fighting have damaged the boxer's body beyond repair. Mountain has no idea what to do with his life, and he has no skills other than those he has exhibited for so long in the ring. Army, his trainer, takes him to an employment agency, where a helpful woman named Grace helps soothe Mountain's nerves while working to find him a potential field of work. That evening, Grace surprises Mountain by showing up at his hotel, and the two share a beer. She suggests that he might be good working with children. Meanwhile, Mountain's manager Maish is under pressure for money he owes from Mountain's last fight. Maish coerces Mountain into wrestling in order to win some money -- but Mountain is lost in the undignified wrestling ring and realizes that it will not work for him. He takes a train home to Tennessee and finally finds a clue to his future path. Includes commercials.

Details

• NETWORK: CBS
• DATE: October 11, 1956 Thursday 9:30 PM
• RUNNING TIME: 1:28:29
• COLOR/B&W: B&W
• CATALOG ID: T76:0079
• GENRE: Drama
• SUBJECT HEADING: Drama; Boxing; Indigenous Peoples Collection
• SERIES RUN: CBS - TV series, 1956-1961
• COMMERCIALS:
  • TV - Commercials - Bufferin pain reliever
  • TV - Commercials - Ronson electric razors
  • TV - Commercials - Ronson lighters
  • TV - Commercials - Singer sewing machines

CREDITS

• Martin Manulis … Producer
• Julian Claman … Associate Producer
• Ralph Nelson … Director
• Rod Serling … Writer
• Eddie Cantor … Host
• Jack Palance … Cast, Harlan "Mountain" McClintock
• Keenan Wynn … Cast, Maish
• Kim Hunter … Cast, Grace Carney
• Ed Wynn … Cast, Army
• Max Baer … Cast, Mike
• Maxie Rosenbloom … Cast, Steve
• Edgar Stehli … Cast, the Doctor
• Stanley Adams … Cast, Parelli
• Harry Landers … Cast, Fox
• Charles Herbert … Cast, Jeffey
• Ned Glass … Cast, Bartender
• Frank Richards … Cast, Fighter in bar
• Lyn Osborn … Cast, Photographer
• Joe Abdullah … Cast, Fight Announcer
• Ivan Rasputin … Cast, Wrestler
• Ted Christy … Cast, Wrestler
• Karl Davis … Cast, Wrestler
• Young Jack Johnson … Cast, Champ