Champ for a Day's primary photo
  • Champ for a Day (1953)
  • Approved
    90 min | Comedy, Crime, Drama
Champ for a Day (1953)
Approved
90 min | Comedy, Crime, Drama

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 his manager Dolan is nowhere to be found. But Ma...See moreAn 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 also there to meet the no-show manager who is blackmailing her brother. Dolan still hasn't arrived by the date of the fight but, to the surprise of sports-promoters Tom Healy and Dominic Guido, George shows up and wins the fight. This wins him the friendship of trainer Al Muntz and the enmity of Willie Foltis, a punchy ex-fighter and a Healy henchman. This leads George to a fight with "Soldier" Freeman, whose manager Scotty Cameron 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. Written by Les Adams See less
Read more: Plot summary
Writers
Irving Shulman (screenplay) | W.G. Fay (based on the Saturday Evening Post story "The Disappearance of Dolan" by) (as William Fay)
Composer
Cinematographer
John L. Russell (photographed by) (as John L. Russell Jr.)
Editor
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Status
Edit Released
Updated Aug 15, 1953

Release date
Aug 15, 1953 (United States)

Contacts

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Cast

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46 cast members
Name Known for
Alex Nicol
George Wilson George Wilson   See fewer
Audrey Totter
Miss Peggy Gormley Miss Peggy Gormley   See fewer
Charles Winninger
Pa Karlsen Pa Karlsen   See fewer
Hope Emerson
Ma Karlsen Ma Karlsen   See fewer
Joseph Wiseman
Dominic Guido Dominic Guido   See fewer
Barry Kelley
Tom Healy Tom Healy   See fewer
Harry Morgan
Al Muntz (as Henry Morgan) Al Muntz (as Henry Morgan)   See fewer
Jesse White
Willie Foltis Willie Foltis   See fewer
Horace McMahon
Sam Benton Sam Benton   See fewer
Grant Withers
Scotty Cameron Scotty Cameron   See fewer
Dick Wessel
'Speedtrap' Calhoun - Policeman (as Richard Wessel) 'Speedtrap' Calhoun - Policeman (as Richard Wessel)   See fewer
Hal Baylor
'Soldier' Freeman, Heavyweight Fighter 'Soldier' Freeman, Heavyweight Fighter   See fewer
Don Blackman
Frankie Sebello - Fighter (uncredited) Frankie Sebello - Fighter (uncredited)   See fewer
Larry J. Blake
Gambler (uncredited) Gambler (uncredited)   See fewer
Leonard Bremen
Handler (uncredited) Handler (uncredited)   See fewer
Bob Carney
Spectator (uncredited) Spectator (uncredited)   See fewer
Virginia Carroll
Waitress (uncredited) Waitress (uncredited)   See fewer
Edward Clark
Cashier (uncredited) Cashier (uncredited)   See fewer
James Conaty
Fight Spectator (uncredited) Fight Spectator (uncredited)   See fewer
Tony Dante
Handler (uncredited) Handler (uncredited)   See fewer
Roy Engel
Heckling Fight Spectator (uncredited) Heckling Fight Spectator (uncredited)   See fewer
Mary Field
Ann - Healy's Receptionist (uncredited) Ann - Healy's Receptionist (uncredited)   See fewer
Tommy Herman
Timekeeper (uncredited) Timekeeper (uncredited)   See fewer
John Indrisano
Referee (uncredited) Referee (uncredited)   See fewer
Brad Johnson
Hyde Hotel Desk Clerk (uncredited) Hyde Hotel Desk Clerk (uncredited)   See fewer
Richard Karlan
Gambler (uncredited) Gambler (uncredited)   See fewer
Kenner G. Kemp
Ringside Fight Spectator (uncredited) Ringside Fight Spectator (uncredited)   See fewer
Reid Kilpatrick
Radio Fight Announcer (uncredited) Radio Fight Announcer (uncredited)   See fewer
Frank Kreig
Taxi Driver (uncredited) Taxi Driver (uncredited)   See fewer
Jimmy Lennon Sr.
Fight Announcer (uncredited) Fight Announcer (uncredited)   See fewer
Celia Lovsky
Gladys Macrowitz (uncredited) Gladys Macrowitz (uncredited)   See fewer
Cliff Lyons
Fight Spectator (uncredited) Fight Spectator (uncredited)   See fewer
John Maxwell
Doctor (uncredited) Doctor (uncredited)   See fewer
Jack Perry
Sebello's Handler (uncredited) Sebello's Handler (uncredited)   See fewer
Johnny Polan
Frankie Sebastian (uncredited) Frankie Sebastian (uncredited)   See fewer
Bill Poland
Frankie Sebello (uncredited) Frankie Sebello (uncredited)   See fewer
Stuart Randall
Detective (uncredited) Detective (uncredited)   See fewer
Frank Savage
Handler (uncredited) Handler (uncredited)   See fewer
Charles Sherlock
Sebello's Handler (uncredited) Sebello's Handler (uncredited)   See fewer
Charles Sullivan
George's Handler (uncredited) George's Handler (uncredited)   See fewer
Ted Thorpe
Vendor (uncredited) Vendor (uncredited)   See fewer
Wayne C. Treadway
Spectator (uncredited) Spectator (uncredited)   See fewer
Pat Valentino
Sparring Mate (uncredited) Sparring Mate (uncredited)   See fewer
Philip Van Zandt
Mr. Jensen - Finance Man (uncredited) Mr. Jensen - Finance Man (uncredited)   See fewer
Max Wagner
Handler (uncredited) Handler (uncredited)   See fewer
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