Elvis Presley's tenth movie was 'Kid
Galahad', filmed in 1962 for United Artists.
Filming for 'Kid Galahad' was October 23, 1961 until
December 20, 1961. 'Kid Galahad' was
released in August 1962 and reached #9
on Variety's list of top-grossing films for that week. It was ranked
at #37 for the year.
The basic concept of the
Wallace story was kept, but there were some alterations,
such as changing the name and pre-boxing occupation of
the title character. In this version he's Walter Gulick,
a mechanic newly home from military service. As Kid
Galahad - or Walter Gulick, Elvis turns up in Cream
Valley after being demobbed and looking for work.
Inevitably, he finds two: one as a mechanic, and one as
a sparring partner for a local boxer. When Elvis knocks
out the boxer he's sparring with, the manipulative, but
decent manager Gig Young sees his potential as a
fighter.
Gig Young played the fight
promoter. Born Byron Barr, he developed a love of acting
while growing up in his native Minnesota. He worked in
such films as 'Desk Set', 'That Touch of Mink' and
'Strange Bedfellows'. He received Academy Award
nominations as Best Supporting Actor for his work in the
films 'Come Fill the Cup' and 'Teacher's Pet'. He won
both an Academy Award and a Golden Globe Award as Best
Supporting Actor for his performance in the 1969 film
'They Shoot Horses Don't They?'. He was nominated for an
Emmy Award for the 1970 TV production 'The Neon
Ceiling'.
Charles
Bronson played trainer Lew Nyack in 'Kid Galahad'. Bronson
was born Charles Buchinsky in Pennsylvania in 1921, one of 15
children born to Lithuanian immigrant parents. The only member of
his family to complete high school, he worked the coal mines to help
support his family. During World War II he served in the U.S. Army
and afterwards used his G.I. Bill to study acting. His credits
include hundreds of movies and TV programs as supporting actor and
headlining star - usually in a craggy, tough guy role. His films
include 'The Magnificent Seven', 'The Dirty Dozen', 'The Valachi
Papers', 'Mr. Majestyk' and 'Death Wish' (I, II, III, IV & V). He
was nominated for an Emmy Award in 1961 for Outstanding Performance
in a Supporting Role for his work in television's G.E. Theatre
presentation 'Memory in White'. In 1972 he received a Golden Globe
Award for Favorite Male World Film Actor. His most recent work has
been a series of TV movies called "'Family of Cops'.
Joan
Blackman played Elvis' love interest Rose
Grogan, sister of the promoter. She and Elvis had worked
together the year before in 'Blue
Hawaii'. Blackman's other credits include the
films 'Moonrunners' and 'Macon County Line' and a number
of TV guest appearances.
 Lola Albright played Dolly Fletcher,
the promoter's girlfriend. She is probably best known for her Emmy
nominated role of singer Edie Hart on the TV series 'Peter Gunn'.
She acted in such films as 'Easter Parade' and 'Champion' and has
numerous guest TV guest appearances among her credits.
Elvis had just acquired
Scatter, a pet chimpanzee that amused Elvis and his
entourage with his antics. Scatter often traveled to
California with them and visited the set of
Elvis' movies. This was Scatter's first trip to
Hollywood.
In 'Kid Galahad' the story called for the
fighters training camp to be set in the Catskills of New
York in the summertime. However, the movie was filmed in
the fall/winter season in Idlywild, California, a resort
east of Los Angeles. In this higher elevation it was
getting colder as winter temperatures do, even in sunny
California. The actors have recalled having to wear
summer wardrobe and smile while in fact they were
freezing cold and trying not to have their breath show
up on camera.
 David Lewis played Otto Danzig
in 'Kid Galahad'. He also worked in such films as 'The Apartment',
'The Absent-Minded Professor' and 'The Boston Strangler'. However,
he might be more recognized for his long running later role as the
original Edward Quartermaine in the TV soap opera 'General
Hospital'. Mr. Lewis was nominated five times for an Emmy Award for
this role, winning one in 1982.
Long time character actor
Robert Emhardt played Maynard the cook, known for his corned beef.
Mr. Emhardt often played sinister types in his movie career. You can
also see him as the banker in Elvis' 1969 movie
'Change of Habit'.
Ned Glass, another well known
character actor, played Max Lieberman, owner of the Shangri-La where
the film's character named Dolly used to sing. You might have
recognized him from Elvis' 1958 movie 'King Creole' in which he
played a hotel desk clerk. Mr. Lieberman was nominated for an Emmy
in 1969 for his work in the TV series 'Julia'.
 Ed Asner played assistant
district attorney Frank Gerson. It was only Mr. Asner's second movie
role, having debuted just before 'Kid Galahad' in the movie 'The
Murder Men'. Later, he played a small role in the 1969 movie 'Change
of Habit', starring Elvis and
Mary Tyler Moore. Soon after that, stardom came to Asner
through television. He is best known for his long-running role as
Lou Grant in 'The Mary Tyler Moore Show' and the spin-off series
'Lou Grant'. Other TV credits include the mini-series 'Roots' and
'Rich Man, Poor Man'. His accolades include 15 Emmy nominations (7
wins), 11 Golden Globe nominations (5 wins), and the2002
presentation of the Screen Actors Guild Life Achievement Award.
Mushy Callahan, world champion junior welterweight boxer, served as
Elvis' boxing coach for his boxing scenes. Mr. Callahan also served
as technical adviser/fight choreographer on such films as 'Gentleman
Jim', 'From Here To Eternity' and 'The Great White Hope'. He was
inducted into the World Boxing Hall of Fame in 1989.
Also
making the fight scenes more authentic was Orlando do la Fuente who
played Sugarboy Romero. At the time he was an undefeated
welterweight boxer.
Jimmy Lennon, the fight announcer from
the Olympic Auditorium in Los Angeles, added his voice as the fight
announcer for 'Kid Galahad'. Mr. Lennon played the fight announcer
in a number of other movies including 'Raging Bull' and 'Rocky III'.
 David Weisbart produced the film. He
had previously produced films such as 'Rebel Without A Cause' and
'April Love', as well as three Elvis films: '
Love Me Tender', '
Flaming Star'
and '
Follow That Dream'.
Weisbart went on to produce 'The Pleasure Seekers' and 'Valley of
the Dolls'.
'Kid Galahad' was directed by Phil Karlson, who
was a young law student when he got a job as a prop man at Universal
Pictures. He soon took to the film business and pursued directing in
such low budget projects as films starring the Bowery Boys, Charlie
Chan and the comedy team of Abbott & Costello. He also directed
'Hell to Eternity', 'The Young Doctors', 'Ben', and 'Walking Tall'.
He won a Directors Guild of America award in 1960 for his work on
the TV film 'The Scarface Mob'.
A theatrically released
film called ' Kid Galahad' came out in 1937, based on a
Frances Wallace story and directed by Michael Curtiz
(who later directed the Elvis film
'
King Creole' in
1958). 'Kid Galahad' starred Edward G. Robinson, Bette
Davis and Humphrey Bogart. Wayne Morris played the role
of Ward 'Kid Galahad' Guisenberry a bellhop who
unintentionally becomes a boxer and falls in love with
his promoter's sister. When this movie aired on TV it
was renamed 'Battling Bellhop' to avoid confusion with
the 1962 film 'Kid Galahad' starring Elvis Presley.
 Soundtrack
King Of The Whole Wide World 2:07 (Ruth Batchelor / Bob Roberts)
This
Is Living 1:44 (Ben Weisman / Fred Wise)
Riding The
Rainbow 1:37 (Ben Weisman / Fred Wise)
Home Is Where The
Heart Is 1:49 (Sherman Edwards / Hal David)
I Got Lucky
1:54 (Fuller / Weisman/Wise)
A Whistling Tune 2:40
(Sherman Edwards / Hal David
Recorded at:
Radio Recorders Studios, 7000 Santa Monica Boulevard,
Hollywood. October 1961.
Musicians: Elvis
Presley (vocals),
Scotty Moore, Tiny Timbrell, Neal Mathews
(guitars), Bob Moore (bass),
D.J. Fontana, Buddy Harman (drums), Dudley
Brookes (piano), Boots Randolph (sax), the Jordanaires
(vocals)
The soundtrack EP was released on
September 17, reaching #30 on the Billboard Hot 100.
Kid Galahad - United
Artists 1962
Directed Phil
Karlson
Writing Credits Frances Wallace(story),
William Fay (III)
Producer David Weisbart
A Four
Leaf production
A Mirisch production
Colour by Deluxe
Cast Overview:
Elvis
Presley .... Walter Gulick, Gig Young .... Willy Grogan,
Lola
Albright .... Dolly Fletcher,
Joan
Blackman .... Rose Grogan,
Charles Bronson .... Lew Nyack, David Lewis ....
Otto Danzig, Robert Emhardt .... Maynard, Liam Redmond
.... Father Higgins, Judson Pratt .... Zimmerman, Ned
Glass .... Lieberman, George Mitchell .... Mr. Sperling,
Roy Roberts .... Jerry the Promoter, Michael Dante ....
Joie Shakes, Richard Devon .... Marvin.
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