Kid Galahad (United Artists) (1962)

Still KG-26 Mat 2B Elvis Presley plays a prize-fighter for the first time in “Kid Galahad,” opening ........ at the Theatre, in color by DeLuxe. The United Artists drama with music co-stars Gig Young, Lola Albright, Joan Blackman and Charles Bronson. Round Ten For Elvis Is Fight Film With Song, ‘Kid Galahad’ Elvis Presley solemnly watched his latest film, “Kid Galahad.” for the twentieth time and decided he was an actor. “I vet better at it with each picture,” he said (this is his tenth) “but it wasn’t until ‘Follow That Dream’ that I really got to thinking all the studying and all the work was paying off. Now I'd like to concentrate on acting. l’ll never stop singing, but there’s no reason why I can’t combine them both. Sinatra did it, Crosby did it.” In “Kid Galahad,” opening..... Theatre, through Presley Sth ct Snicis eters: ce United Artists release, sings five songs, but the music is incidental to the story, in which he plays a prize-fighter for the first time. “Most people seem to forget that Dick Powell was a singer for when he first started in movies,” Elvis says. “And Dean Martin is really swinging in both dramatic and comedy roles now.” years, Concerning his own singing style, which has kept him on top of the best selling record list for the past six years, Elvis says he hasn’t changed his style. Only his material. There is no “new” Elvis. Because he has been concentrating on ballads there is mild panic among his teen-age fans that Elvis has so/d out to audiences ten and twenty years older, who have suddenly “discovered” him. Not so, says the singer. “It’s a gas, the way they label you in this business. One of my earliest hits was a ballad, “Love Me Tender,” but now if I cut one side that isn’t rock ’n roll, everybody gets all shook. Pll go on singing all kinds of songs, just as long as I like them . . . and as long as they’re good.” Presley is guided largely by his fan mail, much of which comes from fans in their twenties who were fans in their teens. As with Crosby and Sinatra, they are growing up with Elvis, who is now 27. His change of pace in acting was noted in last year’s “Follow That Dream” in which he surprised everyone by turning in a top-notch comedy performance. In “Kid Galahad,” he combines this light touch with a sensitive dramatic interpretation of the young veteran who finds himself in the ring, in the soup and in love. It’s a role calculated to surprise his many fans, and many who aren’t fans—yet! PAGE 8 Still KG-EX-1 Elvis Presley does the Twist in Mat 1B “Kid Galahad,” opening in ists release. Swinger Is Singer For ‘Kid Galahad’ Lola Albright, who was the vocolist on television’s “Peter Gunn” series, finaly sang a song on the big movie screen in “Kid Galahad,” opening ...... at the <.2.... Theatre, through United Artists release. She co-stars with a young man who has sung on screen before, name of Elvis Presley. In the sentimental drama with music Elvis sings six new songs and Lola had one. “lm doing a lot of things now I never did in fifteen years. Last year I played a stripper in “A Cold Wind in August,” much to my husband’s dismay and the surprise of almost everybody in Hollywood. I had always gotten those talky roles, the gabby, drab dame. Talk, talk, talk. Never anything I could really cut loose in. When I finally got to sing a number in “Kid Galahad” I thought: at last. But the picture ran a little too long and guess which scene was cut! The story of my career in Hollywood has been “Whatever Lola wants, Lola loses.’ At least lately I’ve been getting roles that let me swing, even if they won’t let me sing.” Elvis Swings Both Biceps And Ballads In Film ‘Kid Galahad’ (Production Feature ) Elvis Presley’s latest film is also his most unusual. For the first time the star appears as a prize-fighter, in the sentimental drama with music, “Kid Galahad,” opening Theatre, through United Artists. In color by ee eevee eocsvee at the OTe) ere al le te ee DeLuxe, the film co-stars Gig Young, Lola Albright, Joan Black man and Charles Bronson. The idol of millions of teen-agers, Elvis’ popularity has increased since his release from the Army and his recent screen performances have impressed older audiences as well as critics around the country. After surprising everyone with his easy-going comedy style in “Follow That Dream,” he combines this talent with straight drama for his role of the bewildered boxer in “Kid Galahad.” For the offbeat role (not only does he not get to be champion in the story, but he isn’t really a good fighter) Elvis went into training under the strict supervision of exworld junior welterweight champion Mushy Callahan. After miles of road work every morning, Elvis worked out on the light and heavy bags and boxed for hours with Callahan and several professionals also hired to teach Elvis the ropes (no pun intended). He lost twelve pounds before “Kid Galahad” went into production and admitted being in the best shape of his life. Callahan, who has tutored filmfighters Errol Flynn, John Garfield, Kirk Douglas and Burt Lancaster, among others, calls Presley “. . . my best pupil. He has a_ natural rhythm. He would have made a great boxer.” Presley demonstrates his “natural rhythm” not only in his fight scenes, but in his musical numbers. Yes, he does the Twist! Enroute to Hollywood, where “Kid Galahad” was made, Elvis stopped off at East Tupelo, Mississippi where he thrilled an entire fifth grade class with a “personal appearance.” He popped in, unannounced, on Mrs. Grimes, a former teacher who was instrumental in getting him started in show business. Pleased to see her former pupil. Mrs. Grimes first comment, nevertheless, was “You still need a haircut!” Elvis Mixes Music, Muscle in Fun Fight Film ‘Kid Galahad’ (General Advance) Elvis Presley essays his first role as a boxer in “Kid Galahad,” openBIND Sede tee 2 at thee ss.ses Theatre, through United Artists release. In color by DeLuxe, it is a modernday drama with music set against the exciting world of prize-fighting, but despite its setting, “Kid Galahad” cannot accurately be described as a fight film. For unlike the stereotyped Hollywood ring yarn, it is not an expose of the fight “game” and its hero is a reluctant boxer who never becomes champion. In fact, he isn’t really a very good boxer! Co-starred with Presley are Gig Young, handsome Hollywood and Broadway leading man and_ twotime Academy Award nominee; Lola Albright, young screen veteran whose seething portrayal of a stripper in “A Cold Wind in August” has made her one of the most sought-after actresses in pictures today; Joan Blackman, beautiful and promising newcomer who previously teamed with Presley in “Blue Hawaii” and Charles Bronson, rugged actor remembered for his magnificent performance in “The Magnificent Seven.” Phil Karlson, whose direction of “The Young Doctors” has earned him critical acclaim, directed “Kid Galahad,” and David Weisbart, who produced Presley’s last film “Follow that Dream” as well as his first one, “Love Me Tender” has done it again. “Elvis sings six songs in “Kid Galahad.” ‘Kid Galahad’ Marks Latest in Long List Of Sport Pictures (Sports Feature) In 1922 Hollywood produced a silent epic concerning the annual horse racing classic at Churchill Downs and called it, with an aptness since seldom shown, “Kentucky Derby.” It was the forerunner of a host of movies with sports backgrounds, always considered big box-office in sports minded America. Most recent of these films is a fight picture that is not a fight picture, “Kid Galahad,” starring Elvis Presley in his first role as a boxer. A sentimental drama with music, set against the canvas backdrop of the ring, “Kid Galahad” will surprise both Presley and_pugilist fans with its unusual approach to a traditional subject. In color by DeLuxe, “Kid Galahad” opens.... at the Theatre, through United Artists release. Many memorable fight films preceded “Kid Galahad.” An early classic is Clifford Odets’ “Golden Boy” which launched William Holden’s career. Later Stanley Kramer’s “Champion” did the same for a young actor named Kirk Douglas. (Playing opposite Douglas, incidentally, was Lola Albright, who is back in the ring again, this time co-starring with Presley.) Other exciting ring yarns have been “The Harder They Fall,” hard-hitting expose starring Humphrey Bogart; “Somebody Up There Likes Me,” helping to establish Paul Newman; “Gentleman Jim,” in which Errol Flynn portrayed the great James J. Corbett and “The Set-Up”—one of Robert Ryan’s best performances. eeececeeee Baseball is another sport which has been the subject of many Hollywood films. “The Pride of the Yankees,” “The Stratton Story,” “The Babe Ruth Story,” “The Pride of St. Louis,” “The Jackie Robinson Story” and the musical, “Damn Yankees” combining song and sports as “Kid Galahad” does. In the thirties, football stories were the rage, and they all starred Jack Oakie or Stuart Erwin, or so it seemed. More recently we have had “Knute Rockne — All American,” and “Jim Thorpe—All American.” And here’s a quick rundown of other celuloid sports: Basketball (“The Basketball Fix”), hockey (“King of Hockey”), auto-racing (“The Racers”), roller-derby (“The Fireball”), golf (“Follow the Sun”), billiards (“The Hustler’), track (“The Bob Mathias Story”), bullfighting (“The Brave Bulls,” “The Bullfighter and the Lady” and “The Magnificent Matador”). No Type Gripe Joan Blackman, rising young actress who appears opposite Elvis Presley in “Kid Galahad,” United Art ists drama with music open Theatre, is one movie newcomer who doesn’t mind being typed. “I have never been able to understand why stars complain about type casting,” says the vivacious young beauty. “What difference does it make if you play the same sort of role in every picture? Certainly the fans don’t seem to mind. Many of the biggest stars in the business are “‘victims”’ of the system and it hasn’t hurt their careers. It should only hap pen to me!” Still KG-81 In “Kid Galahad,” opening stars Joan Blackman, left, and Lola Albright. In Mat 2C Theatre, in color by De Luxe, Elvis Presley is declared the winner by co at the the United Artists fight-drama Elvis introduces six new songs. ‘Cold Wind’ Blows Lola Into Presley Film ‘Kid Galahad’ A 37 year-old blue-eyed blond is the screen’s newest rage. Her name is Lola Albright and she’s been wandering in the Hollywood jungle for “. . . a thousand years.” She is currently co-starring with Elvis Presley in “Kid Galahad,” opening sete rence at the Theatre, through United Artists release. Gig Young, Joan Blackman and Charles Bronson also star in this romantic fight drama, shown in color by DeLuxe. Lola finally came into her own last summer with the release of a low-budget, high styled film called “Cold Wind in August,” in which she played a stripper romantically entangled with a boy several years her junior. Critics, most of whom only knew her only from her work as the patient nightclub singer on the “Peter Gunn” TV series, acclaimed Lola’s performance as one of the year’s best. “It was a showcase role and it did exactly what I wanted it to,” says Lola, whose head is as sensible as it is beautiful. “It attracted the attention of critics and producers and directors.” On the strength of her two-week job in the film, made for a paltry $163,000, Lola was offered leading roles in nine major productions. She chose the multi-million dollar production of “Kid Galahad” over the others, because she liked the girl she played. “She’s a man’s woman,” says Lola. “I don’t see the point in these bland, pudding-andoatmeal women and I won’t play one. Women can be sweet and pliable and still have spark and fire.” ee ee eeee Most Post William Fay, author of the screenplay for “Kid Galahad,” Elvis Presley’s latest movie, opening BEMEUE _....-ccee Theatre, in color, through United Artists, has written over 150 stories and serials for The Saturday Evening Post. Many of these have sold to TV and motion pictures. When he isn’t turning out magazine stories, Fay specializes in writing pilots and scripts for all the top television shows. “Kid Galahad,” an unusual and sentimental drama with music, marks his debut as a screen writer. Youngster Star Joan Blackman, co-starring with Elvis Presley in “Kid Galahad,” which opens in color on ....... at thet tata Theatre, is a striking former model and band singer. She made her film debut as Fred MacMurray’s daughter in “Good Day For A Hanging” and the role, although small, established her as one of Hollywood’s loveliest and most promising actresses. Since then she has co-starred opposite Dean Martin, Jerry Lewis, and Tony Curtis. “Kid Galahad” reunites her with Elvis, with whom she teamed in “Blue Hawaii.” STAR COULD HAVE BEEN CHAMP SAYS GALAHAD’ COACH Elvis Presley could have become a champion if he had taken up boxing instead of singing. So says the man who should know, Mushy Callahan, former world’s junior welterweight champion who was technical advisor on “Kid Galahad,” United Artists fight drama starring Presley and opening..... at the Theatre, in color by “He’s got a good physique and excellent coordination,’ Callahan said. “I know he could have made it big as a pro.” Callahan, who has trained many actors for fight films, considers Presley the best pupil he has ever had. “He never boxed before, but he picked it up quick because of his karate training. He has the fastest pair of hands of any actor I ever worked with and he throws a good, hard punch. He can take one too. We were working out once and I was supposed to miss him with the left hook—but the kid forgot to pull his chin back and I clipped him pretty good. He just blinked his eyes and came right back at me.” Callahan encountered a peculiar problem in preparing Presley for his role in “Kid Galahad,” he said. “Believe it or not, I had an awful time because he looked too good. He’s supposed to be a clumsy fighter, but he looks and moves like a champ. So my job was to destroy this natural coordination and teach him to look bad. Well,” added the former fighter, “That’s show biz!”