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IMDbPro

Alias the Champ

  • 1949
  • Approved
  • 1h
IMDb RATING
5.9/10
62
YOUR RATING
Barbra Fuller, Gorgeous George, and Robert Rockwell in Alias the Champ (1949)
ActionComedyCrime

New York gangsters trying to muscle in on the California wrestling scene come up against a wrestler who won't knuckle under. They frame him for a murder, and his manager and a cop set out to... Read allNew York gangsters trying to muscle in on the California wrestling scene come up against a wrestler who won't knuckle under. They frame him for a murder, and his manager and a cop set out to clear his name, catch the real killers and save the reputation of the sport of wrestling.New York gangsters trying to muscle in on the California wrestling scene come up against a wrestler who won't knuckle under. They frame him for a murder, and his manager and a cop set out to clear his name, catch the real killers and save the reputation of the sport of wrestling.

  • Director
    • George Blair
  • Writer
    • Albert DeMond
  • Stars
    • Robert Rockwell
    • Barbra Fuller
    • Audrey Long
  • See production, box office & company info
  • IMDb RATING
    5.9/10
    62
    YOUR RATING
    • Director
      • George Blair
    • Writer
      • Albert DeMond
    • Stars
      • Robert Rockwell
      • Barbra Fuller
      • Audrey Long
    • 5User reviews
    • 2Critic reviews
  • See production, box office & company info
  • See more at IMDbPro
  • Photos7

    Gorgeous George, Audrey Long, and Robert Rockwell in Alias the Champ (1949)
    Audrey Long and Robert Rockwell in Alias the Champ (1949)
    Alias the Champ (1949)
    George Blair, Barbra Fuller, Gorgeous George, Audrey Long, and Robert Rockwell in Alias the Champ (1949)
    Barbra Fuller, Gorgeous George, Robert Rockwell, and Mike Ruby in Alias the Champ (1949)
    Barbra Fuller and Gorgeous George in Alias the Champ (1949)

    Top cast

    Edit
    Robert Rockwell
    Robert Rockwell
    • Police Lt. Ron Peterson
    Barbra Fuller
    Barbra Fuller
    • Colette LaRue
    Audrey Long
    Audrey Long
    • Lorraine Connors
    James Nolan
    James Nolan
    • Al Merlo
    • (as Jim Nolan)
    John Harmon
    John Harmon
    • Chuck Lyons
    Sammy Menacker
    • Sammy Menacker
    Joseph Crehan
    Joseph Crehan
    • Tim Murphy
    John Hamilton
    John Hamilton
    • Police Commissioner Bronson
    Stephen Chase
    Stephen Chase
    • Dist. Atty. Gould
    Frank J. Scannell
    Frank J. Scannell
    • Bert Tracy
    • (as Frank Scannell)
    Frank Yaconelli
    • Headwaiter
    Emmett Vogan
    • Doc Morgan
    John Wald
    • TV Announcer
    • (voice)
    Gorgeous George
    • Gorgeous George
    Mike Ruby
    • Referee
    Jimmy Lennon Sr.
    • Ring Announcer
    Henry Kulky
    Henry Kulky
    • Bomber Kulkovich
    • (as Bomber Kulkovich)
    Billy Varga
    • Wrestler
    • Director
      • George Blair
    • Writer
      • Albert DeMond
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

    More like this

    Unmasked
    5.9
    Unmasked

    Storyline

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    Did you know

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    • Trivia
      This was the only feature film appearance for George Wagner as his professional wrestling persona, Gorgeous George. His flair for showmanship made him a national sensation at the time and one of the first superstars on the new medium of television.
    • Quotes

      Gorgeous George: Come, little one. It's time for my marcelle.

    • Crazy credits
      Tor Johnson is credited as his real-life wrestling moniker "Super Swedish Angel."

    User reviews5

    Review
    Review
    Featured review
    8/10
    After all these years wrestling has not changed much.
    Can I say one rather obvious fact and get it out of the way so I can go on with my review? Wrestling was NEVER "legit", it was always entertainment-disguised-as-sport. Okay now as I was saying.

    ALIAS THE CHAMP is a fun film, you can tell by the lighthearted music during the opening credits that this one is not going to take itself too seriously. In the spotlight, literally and figuratively, is Gorgeous George the wrestler who paved the way for the over the top, larger than life characters we see to-day. George has a problem, some gangsters from New York are trying to bulldoze their way into the California wrestling scene. Using threats and intimidation they have won over some smalltime grapplers but the superstars like George and his rival "Slammin'" Sammy Mennaker are defying them. It's up to George's gorgeous manager (Audrey Long) and a tough police lieutenant (Robert Rockwell) to pin these bad guys down for a 3-count before they get the "real" wrestlers on the ropes. (Hey isn't that almost the exact same plot as PIN DOWN GIRLS? Well, yes but who cares these movies are always fun.) It is not revealing too much to say that the gangsters try to get George out of the way by framing him for a crime but amazingly the cop uses a new device, television, to clear GG's name.

    George Blair is a good director and he handles the plot very well. He allows Gorgeous George to basically be himself. You have to wonder if he and Sammy really were rivals outside the ring as well as inside. The movie is short, 1 hour 47 seconds by my stopwatch, but Mr. Blair sets the mood by giving us an 8 minute grappling match at the very beginning. Television was a relatively new device in 1948. It was also an expensive toy that few homes could afford. I recall my uncle telling me that in those old days there were only 3 channels and they all competed with each other. Telecasting live wrestling and boxing matches was a sure way to get viewers.

    Later on there is a free-for-all in a training gym that pits real wrestlers against each other. Watch this scene closely for cult film star to be Tor Johnson. The 45 year old Johnson really was a wrestler at this time and was known as The Super Swedish Angel. He'd played small roles in movies since 1933 but in this film he plays himself. During the fight scene he takes on 2 guys at a time and has no trouble polishing them off. We also get to see him wrestle in THE LEMON DROP KID (1947) and it's interesting to see how many of his ring mannerisms he incorporated into his later roles in Ed Wood movies.

    Watch also for familiar character actors like John Hamilton (Perry White in the "Superman" TV show) and John Harmon (best remembered as the lighthouse keeper in THE MONSTER OF PIEDRAS BLANCAS) in supporting roles.

    ALIAS THE CHAMP is a good, entertaining movie. Personally though I wish they had used Tor Johnson in more scenes.
    helpful•7
    1
    • reptilicus
    • Jul 12, 2005

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    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • October 15, 1949 (United States)
    • Country of origin
      • United States
    • Language
      • English
    • Also known as
      • Pardon My Toe-Hold
    • Filming locations
      • Republic Studios, Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, USA(Studio)
    • Production company
      • Republic Pictures (I)
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Technical specs

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    • Runtime
      1 hour
    • Color
      • Black and White
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.37 : 1

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