This week’s mystery movie was the 1954 MGM picture Tennessee Champ, with Shelley Winters, Keenan Wynn, Dewey Martin, Earl Holliman, Dave O’Brien, Charles Buchinsky (Bronson) and Yvette Dugay (Duguay).
Screenplay by Art Cohn.
From The Lord in His Corner and other stories by Eustace Cockrell.
Photographed in Ansco Color.
Print by Technicolor.
Photography by George Folsey.
Color consultant Alvord Eiseman.
Art direction by Cedric Gibbons and Daniel B. Cathcart.
Edited by Ben Lewis.
Recorded by Douglas Shearer.
Set decorations by Edwin B. Willis and Arthur Krams.
Montage by Peter Ballbusch.
Assistant director Marvin Stuart.
Technical advisor John Indrisano.
Music by Conrad Salinger.
Theme Weary Blues by Harry Warren and Ralph Blane.
Hairstyles by Sydney Guilaroff.
Makeup by William Tuttle.
Produced by Sol Baer Fielding.
Directed by Fred M. Wilcox.
Further information on Tennessee Champ is available from the AFI Catalog.
Tennessee Champ is not commercially available.
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I picked Tennessee Champ, which aired on TCM in 2020, by going through the trades. It’s a rather standard prizefighting picture, but with a slight plot twist and the cast turns in strong performances. And, yes, there’s Charles Bronson appearing as Charles Buchinsky.
I don’t expect the Bosley Crowther to review it, so I’m guessing it was fobbed off on the alphabet critics or ignored…. No, as far as I can tell, The New York Times didn’t review it.
For Monday, we have a mysterious fellow. His companions have been cropped out for failing to provide sufficient mysteriousness and will appear later in the week.
For “Hm Wednesday,” adding a mysterious pugilist.
For “Aha Thursday,” we add another mysterious pugilist.
For Friday, adding one of our mysterious leads.
Update: From left, Keenan Wynn, Dewey Martin, John Indrisano and Earl Holliman.
For Tuesday, we have another mysterious fellow in the ring. The leading man is on the canvas and will appear in more recognizable form later in the week.
Update: This is Charles Sullivan, with Dewey Martin on the canvas and the gloves of Court Shepard.
For “Hm Wednesday,” we have a mysterious couple.
Update: This is Yvette Dugay/Duguay and Dewey Martin.
Brain Trust roll call: Sylvia E. (mystery movie and all mystery guests), Jenny M. (Monday’s mysterious referee) and L.C. (mystery movie and enigmatic cast).
Brain Trust roll call: Greg (mystery movie and all mystery guests and peering into the future to see future enigmatic folks), Mary Mallory (mystery movie and all mystery guests), Howard Mandelbaum (mystery movie and Wednesday’s mystery guests), Mike Hawks (mystery movie, Monday’s enigmatic referee and Wednesday’s mystery guests), Jenny M. (mystery movie and Wednesday’s mystery guests) and Sylvia E. (Wednesday’s mystery guests).
For Friday, we have this mysterious fellow.
Update: Charles Bronson billed as Charles Buchinsky.
We also add a mysterious foursome.
Update: From left, Keenan Wynn, Dewey Martin, Earl Holliman and Shelley Winters.
Brain Trust roll call: Mary Mallory (Thursday’s mystery fellow added to Monday), Howard Mandelbaum (Thursday’s mystery fellow added to Monday), Roget-L.A. (mystery movie, Wednesday’s mystery guests and Thursday’s mystery fellow added to Monday), Mike Hawks (Thursday’s mysterious fellow added to Monday), Sylvia E. (Thursday’s mysterious fellow added to Monday, peering into the future to see Friday’s mystery guests and Tuesday’s boxing gloves guy), Sarah* (mystery movie and Thursday’s mysterious fellow added to Monday) and Benito* (mystery movie, Wednesday’s mystery guests and Thursday’s mystery guest added to Monday).
*Rescued from spam folder.
ladailymirror.com 
Maxie Rosenbloom, aka Slapsy Maxie
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Good guess! But alas…
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Harvey Parry.
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An excellent guess, but alas….
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KID GALAHAD. Mushy Callahan Monday with Elvis Presley and Orlando de la fuente out of frame, Tommy “Harold” Hart and Orland de la Fuente.
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Was going to guess that the movie was the 1930s version of “Iron Man”, but on seeing the clothing styles worn by the audience, I think it’s a later picture than that – looks like it’s from the 1950s…hmmm. So back to the drawing board pour moi.
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Is Monday’s ref John Indrisano? If he is, let’s go with “Tennessee Champ” 1954.
Just in case, I’ll keep hunting for now.
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Movie is The Kid From Brooklyn.
Monday’s actor is Johnny Indrisano.
Tuesday’s leading man is Steve Cochran.
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Tuesday – I think the ref is Charles Sullivan. The fallen boxer is Dewey Martin.
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Tennessee Champ (1954) w/John Indrisano, Shelley Winters, Dewey Martin, Keenan Wynn, Earl Holliman, Charles Bronson, Dave O’Brien, Jack Kruschen…
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Dewey Martin did it. We have Dewey Martin and John Indrisano on Monday. It’s Charles Sullivan as the referee on Tuesday while Dewey finds a soft spot on the canvas. Wednesday finds Yvette Dugual getting manhandled by an as yet unidentified thug. Soon to appear are Shelley Winters, Keenan Wynn, Earl Holliman, and Charles Buchinsky. The movie is Tennessee Champ.
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TENNESSEE CHAMP. Dewey Martin with John Indrisano Monday, Charles Sullivan with Martin on the mat Tuesday, Yvette Duguay with Martin today.
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Yvette Duguay, Dewey Martin in TENNESSEE CHAMP (1954).
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John Indrisano, Dewey Martin and Yvette Duguay in TENNESSEE CHAMP.
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Dewey Martin and Yvette Dugay in the movie Tennessee Champ.
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Wednesday – reveal of Dewey Martin with Mr Indrisano.
Dewey again with Yvette Duguay.
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Izzat Joan Blackman in KID GALAHAD 1962?
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Earl Holliman on Monday.
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Earl Holliman.
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Wednesday: Yvette Duguay and Dewey Martin | Thursday’s reveal: Earl Holliman | Mystery Movie: Tennessee Champ (1954)
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Earl Holliman.
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Thursday – reveal of Earl Holliman in Monday’s image.
That leaves Keenan Wynn, Shelley Winters and Charles Bronson (using Buchinsky in this film) for Friday.
Circling back to Tuesday, I think that the gloves ‘peeking in’ on screen left belong to Court Shepard. He helped train Paul Newman to box in “Somebody Up There Likes Me”.
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It’s The Tennessee Champ. (Thanks to Earl Holliman.)
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Earl Holliman, Dewey Martin and Yvette Duguay in TENNESSEE CHAMP 1954
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Keenan Wynn added Monday, Dave O’Brian and Charles Bronson, Wynn, Martin, Holliman, and Shelley Winters.
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Charles Bronson; Keenan Wynn, Shelley Winters
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Keenan Wynn, Shelley Winters, Charles Bronson and Dewey Martin.
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