Kenny Rogers as The Gambler (TV 1980)

Brady Hawkes, The Gambler, receives a letter from his son indicating he needs help. This sends Brady to the rescue. Along the way Brady meets up with Billy Montana, a young man who thinks ... See full summary »

Director:

Dick Lowry

Writers:

Jim Byrnes (screenplay), Jim Byrnes (story),

Stars:

Kenny Rogers, Christine Belford, Bruce Boxleitner

Nominated for 2 Primetime Emmys. Another 1 win.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Kenny Rogers	...	Brady Hawkes
Christine Belford	...	Eliza
Bruce Boxleitner	...	Billy Montana
Harold Gould	...	Arthur Stobridge
Clu Gulager	...	Rufe Bennett
Lance LeGault	...	Doc Palmer
Lee Purcell	...	Jennie Reed
Ronnie Scribner	...	Jeremiah
Noble Willingham	...	Conductor
Bruce M. Fischer	...	Tabor
Borah Silver	...	Botkin
Lew Brown	...	Johnson
Lee Paul	...	George
Robert Lussier	...	Crown
Edward Walsh	...	Charlie Rose

Storyline

Brady Hawkes, The Gambler, receives a letter from his son indicating he needs help. This sends Brady to the rescue. Along the way Brady meets up with Billy Montana, a young man who thinks he knows everything about playing cards. Brady teaches Billy a few lessons along the way and they end up forming a strong friendship and team up together.

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Plot Keywords:

based on song

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Taglines:

You Got To Know When To Hold 'Em, Know When To Fold Em...

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Genres:

Western

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Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

8 April 1980 (USA)

Also Known As:

The Gambler

Company Credits

Production Co:

Ken Kragen Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

94 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

This film is, of course, based on the song that Kenny Rogers sang. In that song, however, he is receiving the advice of "know when to hold'em, know when to fold'em, know when to walk away, and know when to run" from an elder experienced gambler. So while Rogers plays the elder gambler in the film, it is Bruce Boxleitner who plays the role that Rogers sang in the song.

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Quotes

Brady Hawkes: The question is... which two of you are willing to take the bullets? So the other two can do the cutting.

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Connections

Followed by Kenny Rogers as The Gambler, Part III: The Legend Continues (1987)

User Reviews

You got to know when to hold 'em...

There is a part inside everyman, a restless yearning for freedom, for adventure, that is squelched by the confines of this modern world. "The Gambler" is a film that reaches deep within the viewer, pulls out this desire, dusts it off and hands it a six-shooter. This movie is almost primal in its intimacy and unflinching in its portal of a broken man, cracked at the edges, trying to grasp to life before it overcomes him.

Kenny Rogers plays Brady Hawkes with an almost effortless, Burt Reynolds-like cool. But behind the charisma lurks demons that threaten to overtake him. I haven't seen Kenny Rogers in any other movie, so I don't know how much is acting and how much is not, but regardless, the performance is brutal.

I don't want to spoil the movie for anyone who hasn't seen it, because the experience of this film is not one to be missed. It will stay with you. After the movie was over, I looked at the box and saw it was only a mere 94 minutes long. It felt like a lifetime had passed.