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IMDbPro

Champ for a Day

  • 19531953
  • ApprovedApproved
  • 1h 30m
IMDb RATING
5.4/10
56
YOUR RATING
POPULARITY
186,684
131,579
Alex Nicol, Audrey Totter, and Charles Winninger in Champ for a Day (1953)
ComedyCrimeDrama
An up-and-coming heavyweight fighter, George Wilson, arrives in Vulcan City, a small mid-western town over-run by racketeers, to fight a heavily-favored Frankie Sebastian. George arrives but... Read allAn up-and-coming heavyweight fighter, George Wilson, arrives in Vulcan City, a small mid-western town over-run by racketeers, to fight a heavily-favored Frankie Sebastian. George arrives but his manager Dolan is nowhere to be found. But Ma and Pa Karlsen, owners of Karlsen's Kozy... Read allAn up-and-coming heavyweight fighter, George Wilson, arrives in Vulcan City, a small mid-western town over-run by racketeers, to fight a heavily-favored Frankie Sebastian. George arrives but his manager Dolan is nowhere to be found. But Ma and Pa Karlsen, owners of Karlsen's Kozy Kottages motel and restaurant take him under their wing. He meets Miss Gormley who is als... Read all
IMDb RATING
5.4/10
56
YOUR RATING
POPULARITY
186,684
131,579
  • See more at IMDbPro
    • Director
      • William A. Seiter
    • Writers
      • Irving Shulman(screenplay)
      • W.G. Fay(based on the Saturday Evening Post story "The Disappearance of Dolan" by)
    • Stars
      • Alex Nicol
      • Audrey Totter
      • Charles Winninger
    Top credits
    • Director
      • William A. Seiter
    • Writers
      • Irving Shulman(screenplay)
      • W.G. Fay(based on the Saturday Evening Post story "The Disappearance of Dolan" by)
    • Stars
      • Alex Nicol
      • Audrey Totter
      • Charles Winninger
  • See production, box office & company info
    • 1User review
  • See production, box office & company info
  • Photos

    Alex Nicol, Audrey Totter, and Dick Wessel in Champ for a Day (1953)
    Alex Nicol and Stuart Randall in Champ for a Day (1953)
    Alex Nicol and Audrey Totter in Champ for a Day (1953)
    Alex Nicol, Audrey Totter, and Charles Winninger in Champ for a Day (1953)

    Top cast

    Edit
    Alex Nicol
    Alex Nicol
    • George Wilson
    Audrey Totter
    Audrey Totter
    • Miss Peggy Gormley
    Charles Winninger
    Charles Winninger
    • Pa Karlsen
    Hope Emerson
    Hope Emerson
    • Ma Karlsen
    Joseph Wiseman
    Joseph Wiseman
    • Dominic Guido
    Barry Kelley
    Barry Kelley
    • Tom Healy
    Harry Morgan
    Harry Morgan
    • Al Muntz
    • (as Henry Morgan)
    Jesse White
    Jesse White
    • Willie Foltis
    Horace McMahon
    Horace McMahon
    • Sam Benton
    Grant Withers
    Grant Withers
    • Scotty Cameron
    Eddy Waller
    Eddy Waller
    • Phil
    Dick Wessel
    Dick Wessel
    • 'Speedtrap' Calhoun - Policeman
    • (as Richard Wessel)
    Hal Baylor
    Hal Baylor
    • 'Soldier' Freeman, Heavyweight Fighter
    Don Blackman
    • Frankie Sebello - Fighter
    • (uncredited)
    Larry J. Blake
    Larry J. Blake
    • Gambler
    • (uncredited)
    Leonard Bremen
    Leonard Bremen
    • Handler
    • (uncredited)
    Bob Carney
    • Spectator
    • (uncredited)
    Virginia Carroll
    Virginia Carroll
    • Waitress
    • (uncredited)
    • Director
      • William A. Seiter
    • Writers
      • Irving Shulman(screenplay)
      • W.G. Fay(based on the Saturday Evening Post story "The Disappearance of Dolan" by)
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

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    Storyline

    Edit

    User reviews1

    Review
    Top review
    He coulda been a champ.
    A lot of the motivational issues with the two lead characters in this one revolves around two characters who are no-shows.

    An up-and-coming heavyweight fighter, George Wilson (Alex Nicol)arrives in Vulcan City, a small mid-western town over-run by racketeers, to fight a heavily-favored Frankie Sebastian (Johnny Polan). George arrives but his manager Dolan is nowhere to be found. But Ma (Hope Emerson) and Pa Karlsen (Charles Winninger), owners of Karlsen's Kozy Kottages motel and restaurant take him under their wing. He meets Miss Gormley (Audrey Totter) who is also there to meet the no-show manager who is blackmailing her no-show brother. Another resident of the Kozy Kottages is Calhoun (Richard Wessel), a beefy, officious motorcycle Kop whose contributions aren't enough to justify his upgraded Richard-instead-of-Dick billing name.

    Dolan still hasn't arrived by the date of the fight but, to the surprise of sports-promoters Tom Healy (Barry Kelley) and Dominic Guido (Joseph Wiseman), George shows up and knocks Frankie flatter than a fritter. This wins him the friendship of trainer Al Muntz (Harry Morgan, as Henry Morgan)and the enmity of Willie Foltis (Jesse White), a punchy ex-fighter and a Healy henchman.

    This leads George to a fight with "Soldier" Freeman (Hal Baylor), whose manager Scotty Cameron (Grant Withers) has made arrangements for the favored-Freeman to take a dive, so he and Healy and Guido can clean up betting on the underdog.

    But Honest George has other plans.
    helpful•1
    0
    • horn-5
    • Dec 22, 2006

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • August 15, 1953 (United States)
    • Country of origin
      • United States
    • Language
      • English
    • Also known as
      • Il grande incontro
    • Filming locations
      • Republic Studios, Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, USA
    • Production company
      • Republic Pictures (I)
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      1 hour 30 minutes
    • Color
      • Black and White
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.37 : 1

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