The Joe Louis Story (United Artists) (1953)

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PUBLICITY Coley Wallace, Pro Fighter, Cast as Brown Bomber in 'The Joe Louis Story' Coley Wallace, a leading heavyweight contender, was assigned to portray the role of the great Brown Bomber in the film biography of the ex-champ, “The Joe Louis Story,” which will open. at the.Theatre through United Artists release. Still JLS-4 Mat 2A Hilda ‘Anna Lucasta’ Simms Plays Joe Louis’ Marva ( Biography) Hilda Simms, the Minneapolis miss who soared to stardom in the Broadway play “Anna Lucasta,” was brought back from Paris after a five-year absence from the States to star in “The Joe Louis Story” for United Artists as Marva Louis, wife of the former heavyweight champion. The picture opens. at the . Theatre. She became a star overnight in “Anna Lucasta.” She walked into a basement rehearsal hall in New York and was hired on the spot without even reading a line. After her initial success in “Anna Lucasta” on Broadway, the play remained on Broadway for one full year, then set up shop in Chicago for another year, and finally moved to London. Hilda remained overseas when the play completed its run, appearing in plays in London and on the Continent before she was called hack to make her movie debut in “The Joe Louis Story.” Eldest of a family of nine children, Hilda early in life set her sights on stardom. Working to complete her own education, she directed plays at Phyllis Wheatley House and St. Margaret’s Academy in Minneapolis, where she received her high school education. While attending the University of Minnesota (where she was award¬ ed a fellowship degree to teach at Hampton Institute, Hampton, Va.) she appeared in several plays at the on-campus Edyth Bush Little Theatre. Fellow workers on the set of “The Joe Louis Story” found Hilda Simms had none of the temperament of the so-called star. As one of her asso¬ ciates in the cast said, I guess Hilda has always made a lot of people hap¬ py because she has always believed that happiness is not a station at which one arrives but is a means of traveling.” “The Joe Louis Story” was pro¬ duced by Stirling Silliphant, direc¬ ted by Robert Gordon and is based on an original screenplay by Rob¬ ert Sylvester. Joe Louis Served As Own Technical Advisor on Film “The Joe Louis Story,” film biog¬ raphy of the great Brown Bomber, opening on . at the . Theatre through United Artists re¬ lease, well may be the most authen¬ tic sports picture ever made. Principal technical advisor on private life of Joe Louis—was Joe Louis himself. In addition to keeping the facts on his own life straight, he also tutored Coley Wallace, the young heavyweight fighter who plays the title role, in the fine points of the Louis ring style. Long before the cameras turned on “The Joe Louis Story,” Joe spent a month talking to producer Stirling Silliphant and script-writer Bob Sylvester, sorting out fact from fancy in the almost legendary story of his own life. Later, Sylvester and Silliphant spent another month visiting Joe’s family in Detroit, his ex-wife Marva in Chicago, and Joe’s friends and acquaintances in all quarters of the United States. Finally, Mannie Seamon, Louis’ trainer, was engaged as technical advisor for all the fight sequences in the film. By far the largest por¬ tion of the movie was shot on actual location. Among the sites used were Madison Square Garden, the Yankee Stadium and a famous hotel in Harlem, where Joe lived. (Biography Feature) The. verdict on Coley Wallace seems to be that, if he is half the fighter he is an actor, Rocky Mar¬ ciano’s heavyweight crown is in seri¬ ous danger of being lifted. Coley Wallace, to date, has been known as the ex-Golden Gloves fighter who, since he turned pro¬ fessional, has won 22 out of 24 fights, and is currently ranked as Number Seven in the ranks of heavyweight contenders. He has also caused considerable comment for his uncanny resemblance to Joe Louis, the great ex-heavyweight champion. And, if the opinion of advance viewers of “The Joe Louis Story” are to be believed, he will be the first sports figure ever to turn from athletics to dramatics and make an unqualified success out of the tran¬ sition. The 24-year-old Coley plays the title role of “The Joe Louis Story,” film biography of the great Brown Bomber, which opens on . at the . Theatre through United Artists release. Produced by Stirling Silliphant and directed by Robert Gordon from a screenplay by newspaperman - novelist Robert Sylvester, “The Joe Louis Story” stars, in addition to Coley Wallace, such players as Paul Stewart, Hilda Simms, Dotts Johnson and Evelyn Ellis. Coley, the only non-professional actor in the cast, was chosen after long debate over the question of whether to cast the vital lead role with an actor or a boxer. Coley’s amazing resemblance to Louis tipped the balance in his favor, and the film’s producers have never regretted the choice. Anita Ellis and the Ellis Larkin Trio play “I’ll Be Around” in a night¬ club sequence in “The Joe Louis Story,” film biography of the Brown Bomber which will open . at the . Theatre. Still ILS-103 Mat 2G James Edwards As ‘Chappie 7 Blackburn James Edwards portrays Jack “Chappie” Blackburn, Joe Louis’ trainer in United Artists’ “The Joe Louis Story,” now at the ... Theatre. Edwards, who has a distinguished Broadway background, scored first in films as the lead in Stanley Kram¬ er’s “Home of the Brave.” He also had leading roles in “Bright Victory,” “The Steel Hel¬ met,” “The Set-Up” and was last seen in Columbia’s “Member of the Wedding.” Following his assignment on “The Joe Louis Story” in the East, he was called back to Hollywood to appear in “The Caine Mutiny” for Colum¬ bia. The role of Blackburn marks a complete departure for Edwards in that Blackburn was an older man, ailing in his final years with Joe Louis and ravaged by arthritis.. Edwards enacted the entire role with a slight limp, his head shaved and made up to simulate Black¬ burn’s baldness, and his face built up by padding inside his mouth to heighten the gauntness of his cheeks. Familiar Haunts of Sports Fans Seen in Fight Film Hilda Simms as Marva, and Coley Wallace as Joe Louis, are married just before the Baer-Louis match in “The Joe Louis Story,” which will open at the . Theatre on . next. Still JLS-39 Mat 2E Coley Wallace as the great Brown Bomber, and his wife Marva, played by Hilda Simms, in a scene from “The Joe Louis Story,” which will open . at the . Theatre. Still JLS-30 Mat 2D resemblance to Louis in his prime), Dotts Johnson and Evelyn Ellis. Among the location sites where “The Joe Louis Story” was filmed are such familiar boxing haunts as Madison Square Garden, Yankee Stadium, the famous hotel in Har¬ lem where Joe lived, several Eighth Avenue bars frequented by figures in the fight game, the New York docks and waterfronts, and Grossing- ers, the famous Catskill resort where so many champions do their pre¬ fight training. The great former champion him¬ self acted as technical advisor on “The Joe Louis Story.” Hilda Simms plays the role of Marva, Joe Louis’ former wife, in “The Joe Louis Story,” which is slated to open . at the . Theatre through United Artists release. Still JLS-105 Mat IB Where it was absolutely necessary, the studio was used for shooting sequences in “The Joe Louis Story,” film biography of the great Brown Bomber opening on . at the . Theatre through United Artists release. But for the greatest part, the picture was shot on the actual locations so familiar to fight fans all over the world. “The Joe Louis Story” was pro¬ duced by Stirling Silliphant and directed by Robert Gordon. The cast is headed by Paul Stewart, James Edwards, Hilda Simms, Coley Wal¬ lace (the young heavyweight con¬ tender with the uncanny physical Page Fourteen