- published: 21 Oct 2013
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Charles L. "Sonny" Liston (died December 30, 1970) was an American professional boxer known for his toughness, punching power and intimidating appearance. A long-avoided contender, he became world heavyweight champion in 1962 by knocking out Floyd Patterson in the first round, repeating the knockout in a defense of the title.
Although widely regarded as unbeatable, Liston lost the title in 1964 to 7–1 underdog Muhammad Ali. Controversy followed with claims he had been drinking heavily the night before the fight. In the rematch Liston suffered a shocking first round knock-out that led to unresolved suspicions of a fix. He was still a world-ranked boxer when he died in mysterious circumstances. Underworld connections—along with his unrecorded date of birth—added to the enigma. The Ring magazine ranked Liston as the seventh greatest heavyweight of all time.
Charles "Sonny" Liston was born into a sharecropping family who farmed the poor land of Morledge Plantation near Johnson Township, St. Francis County, Arkansas. His father, Tobe Liston, was in his mid-40s when he and his wife, Helen Baskin, who was almost 30 years younger than Tobe, moved to Arkansas from Mississippi in 1916. Helen had one child before she married Tobe, and Tobe had 13 children with his first wife. Tobe and Helen had 12 children together. Sonny was the second youngest child.
I Am the Greatest: The Adventures of Muhammad Ali is an animated series featuring heavyweight boxing legend Muhammad Ali, who starred as his own voice. The short-lived series was broadcast Saturday mornings on NBC in the fall of 1977, but was cancelled after just 13 weeks.
Actors: David Proval (actor), Philip Williams (actor), Robert Townsend (director), Ving Rhames (actor), Nicholas Turturro (actor), Ving Rhames (producer), Byron A. Martin (producer), Phillip Jarrett (actor), Joanna Syrokomla (costume designer), Rick Roberts (actor), Stephen James Taylor (composer), Stacey Dash (actress), Marek Posival (producer), Michael Doherty (editor), James Binkley (actor),
Plot: The story of World heavyweight champion boxer Charles L. "Sonny" Liston, who was knocked down 2 minutes into a championship fight by a seemingly harmless right hook from Muhammad Ali. It would forever be known as the "Phantom Punch". Liston later died under mysterious circumstances.
Keywords: 1950s, 1960s, black-american, boxer, boxing, heavyweight-champion, interracial-sex, rape, thrown-fightActors: Bruce McGill (actor), Gailard Sartain (actor), Giancarlo Esposito (actor), Ted Levine (actor), Steven Randazzo (actor), Paul Rodriguez (actor), Michael Dorn (actor), LeVar Burton (actor), Jamie Foxx (actor), Barry Shabaka Henley (actor), Vincent De Paul (actor), Joe Morton (actor), Leon (actor), Will Smith (actor), Ron Silver (actor),
Plot: In 1964, a brash new pro boxer, fresh from his olympic gold medal victory, explodes on to the scene, Cassius Clay. Bold and outspoken, he cuts an entirely new image for African Americans in sport with his proud public self confidence with his unapologetic belief that he is the greatest boxer of all time. To his credit, he sets out to prove that with his highly agile and forceful style soon making him a formidable boxer who soon claims the heavyweight championship. His personal life is no less noteworthy with his allegiance to the Nation of Islam, his friendship with the controversial Malcolm X and his abandonment of his slave name in favour of Muhammad Ali stirring up controversy. Yet, at the top of his game, both Ali's personal and professional lives face the ultimate test with the military draft rules are changed, making him eligible for military induction during the Vietnam War. Despite the fact that he could easily agree to a sweetheart deal that would have meant an easy tour of duty for himself, Ali refuses to submit on principle to cooperate in an unjust war for a racist nation that treated his people so poorly. The cost of that stand is high as he finds himself unable to legally box in his own country while his case is contested in court. What follows is a battle for a man who would sacrifice so much for what he believes in and a comeback that would cement his legend as one of the great sports figures of all time.
Keywords: 1960s, 1970s, adultery, africa, african-american, african-american-protagonist, african-americans, airplane, american-broadcasting-company, american-flagActors: Joe Morton (actor), Ray Baker (actor), Vondie Curtis-Hall (actor), Clarence Williams III (actor), Harald Kloser (composer), Earl Boen (actor), Kristi Frankenheimer (miscellaneous crew), Antonio Fargas (actor), Thomas Carter (producer), David Doty (actor), Beverly Todd (actress), Barbara Thaxton (miscellaneous crew), Don Pugsley (actor), Leon Ichaso (director), Shea E. Butler (miscellaneous crew),
Genres: Biography, Drama, Sport,Actors: Carmen Argenziano (actor), Blue Deckert (actor), Joe Alaskey (actor), Gary Dourdan (actor), Terrence Howard (actor), Brandon Smith (actor), John Ventimiglia (actor), John Sacret Young (producer), John Sacret Young (writer), Vyto Ruginis (actor), John Sacret Young (director), Chi McBride (actor), Jerry Haynes (actor), Darryl Cox (actor), Tom Patricia (producer),
Genres: Biography, Drama,Actors: Nicole Kidman (actress), Noah Taylor (actor), Naomi Watts (actress), George Miller (producer), John Duigan (director), John Duigan (writer), Marshall Napier (actor), Thandie Newton (actress), Barbara Gibbs (producer), Jeff Truman (actor), Terry Hayes (producer), Judi Farr (actress), Harry Lawrence (actor), Guy Norris (miscellaneous crew), Jane Harders (actress),
Plot: Danny has been sent to boarding school, in this sequel to The Year My Voice Broke. Against a backdrop of bullying and sadistic teachers Danny strikes up an affair with an African girl, Thandiwe, studying at a nearby girl's school. Their affair blossoms while everyone tries to stop it. Nicole Kidman also appears as a sexually repressed senior at Thandiwe's school.
Keywords: 1960s, adolescence, affection, africa, african, apology, australia, banana, bare-breasts, bare-buttActors: Richard Venture (actor), Paul Winfield (actor), John Marley (actor), David Clennon (actor), David Huddleston (actor), Ven Medina (actor), George Foreman (actor), Muhammad Ali (actor), Ernest Borgnine (actor), James Gammon (actor), James Earl Jones (actor), Robert Duvall (actor), Ben Johnson (actor), Muhammad Ali (writer), Dina Merrill (actress),
Plot: Muhammad Ali stars as himself in this dramatised version of his life story up to the late 1970s. It includes his Olympic triumphs as Cassius Clay, his conversion to Islam, his refusal of the Army draft and the legal battle after being stripped of his World Title.
Keywords: actor-playing-himself, adultery, affection, african-american, anti-racism, arrogance, autobiographical, based-on-autobiography, based-on-novel, black-american