Muhammad Ali in media and popular culture

This article covers the boxer Muhammad Ali's appearances in media and popular culture.

Pop art painting of Muhammad Ali by John Stango

Books

Theater

Institutions

Muhammad Ali Parkinson Center at the Barrow Neurological Institute in Phoenix, AZ—One of the world's largest dedicated Parkinson's Centers

Magazine articles

Ali appeared on the cover of the April 1968 issue of Esquire magazine in the style of the martyrdom of Saint Sebastian after his conscientious objection to the Vietnam War and the subsequent stripping of his boxing title.

Poetry and quotations

Trading cards

Illustrated books

Photography

Comics

Books for children

Music

Movies and television

When We Were Kings is a 1996 Academy Award-winning documentary film about the "Rumble in the Jungle", Ali's legendary 1974 fight against George Foreman in Kinshasa, Zaire (now the Democratic Republic of the Congo).[4]

The High School Cheer squad in Happy Harbor on the cartoon Young Justice use Ali "Floats like a butterfly Stings like a bee" line as their cheer. The Schools team name is the bumblebee's.

Muhammad Ali: Made in Miami is a 2008 WLRN documentary which charts Cassius Clay's remarkable transformation from young boxing hopeful to cultural icon.[5] The film traces Ali's stunning rise through the heavyweight ranks, his friendship with Malcolm X, his historic clash with champion Sonny Liston, and his subsequent refusal to fight in Vietnam.

a.k.a. Cassius Clay is a 1970 documentary that covered Ali's triumphs and setbacks up to that moment in time.[6]

The documentary When Ali Came to Ireland (2012) tells the story of Ali's first visit to Ireland to fight against Alvin Lewis in July 1972.

Numerous individuals have portrayed Ali in film biographies, including Ali himself in the 1977 film, The Greatest.[7] Others include:

Ali has appeared as himself in numerous scripted films and television series, including the films Requiem for a Heavyweight (1962),[14] Body and Soul (1981),[15] and Doin' Time (1985);[16] and the television series Vega$ (1979),[17] Diff'rent Strokes (1979),[18] and Touched by an Angel (1999).[19] He also provided the voice for the titular character in the 1977 NBC animated series, I Am the Greatest: The Adventures of Muhammad Ali.[20]

Ali portrayed a former slave in Reconstruction-era Virginia who is elected to the United States Senate in the 1979 NBC TV movie Freedom Road, which was based upon the 1944 novel by Howard Fast.[22]

Ali is featured prominently in a series of ESPN specials in honor of his 65th birthday. The shows include Ali Rap, Ali's Dozen and Ali 65. They premiered on December 9, 2006 at 9 pm EST on ESPN. Ali's fight with Larry Holmes was also the subject of one of ESPN's "30 for 30" documentary series; "Muhammad and Larry" by Albert Maysles first aired on ESPN on October 27, 2009.

Ali appeared on the WGBH series Say Brother, where he spoke about his reasons for not serving in the Vietnam War.[23]

Facing Ali is a 2009 documentary on the topic of all the fighters which Ali faced during his career. Each one is interviewed at length. The film made the shortlist for the 82nd Academy Awards in the category of Best Documentary Feature, but did not make final list.

His boxing gloves made an appearance on the Christmas episode of Warehouse 13. Anyone on the vicinity of them "sees stars' without being hit. Was used by Claudia to make the Warehouse more festive.

Television advertisements

In 1969, Ali appeared with Pop Icon Andy Warhol in a short-lived television campaign for Braniff International Airways. The commercial was not well-received by Braniff's customer base and was pulled from the airwaves in 1970.

In 1971, Ali appeared in a television commercial for Vitalis alongside fellow boxer Joe Frazier, and he appeared in a 1997 Super Bowl TV commercial for Pizza Hut with his real-life trainer Angelo Dundee.

In 1979, Ali appeared in a public service announcement for the New York State Department of Health exhorting parents to immunize their children. The PSA ended with the tagline "No shots, no school! It's the law!"

In 1980 Ali also appeared in a very amusing television ad for d-CON Roach Proof: after hitting a heavy bag (a training device suspended from above that simulates the bulk of an opponent for punching), he turns to the camera in his boxing gear, raises and shakes a fist, and exclaims to the audience, "I don' want you livin' wit' roaches!"

Ali appeared in one of the posters for the "Think Different" campaign by Apple Computer in 1997.

Has appeared in at least one poster advertising Coca-Cola.

Ali appears with other famous athletes in a Gatorade advertisement, narrated by rapper Lil Wayne.

Video games

Ali has appeared in numerous video boxing games, some of which feature him as the title character. Examples include Foes of Ali, Muhammad Ali Heavyweight Boxing and the Knockout Kings series and its follow up, the Fight Night series.

References

  1. Internet Broadway Database http://www.ibdb.com/production.asp?ID=3305
  2. allmusic ((( Johnny Wakelin - Biography )))
  3. michaelbluejay.com
  4. "When We Were Kings". Internet Movie Database. Retrieved November 14, 2010.
  5. "Muhammad Ali: Made in Miami". Internet Movie Database. Retrieved November 14, 2010.
  6. "A.k.a. Cassius Clay". Internet Movie Database. Retrieved November 14, 2010.
  7. 7.0 7.1 "The Greatest - Full cast and crew". Internet Movie Database. Retrieved November 14, 2010.
  8. 8.0 8.1 "Ali - Full cast and crew". Internet Movie Database. Retrieved November 14, 2010.
  9. http://www.imdb.com/title/tt3051944/?ref_=nm_knf_i1
  10. 10.0 10.1 "King of the World - Full cast and crew". Internet Movie Database. Retrieved November 14, 2010.
  11. 11.0 11.1 "Ali: An American Hero - Full cast and crew". Internet Movie Database. Retrieved November 14, 2010.
  12. "Don King: Only in America". Internet Movie Database. Retrieved November 14, 2010.
  13. "American Gangster - Full cast and crew". Internet Movie Database. Retrieved November 14, 2010.
  14. "Requiem for a Heavyweight". Internet Movie Database. Retrieved November 14, 2010.
  15. "Body and Soul". Internet Movie Database. Retrieved November 14, 2010.
  16. "Doin' Time". Internet Movie Database. Retrieved November 14, 2010.
  17. "Vega$: The Eleventh Event". Internet Movie Database. Retrieved November 14, 2010.
  18. "Diff'rent Strokes: Arnold's Hero". Internet Movie Database. Retrieved November 14, 2010.
  19. "Touched by an Angel: Fighting the Good Fight". Internet Movie Database. Retrieved November 14, 2010.
  20. "I Am the Greatest". Internet Movie Database. Retrieved November 14, 2010.
  21. http://www.imdb.com/title/tt3051944/
  22. "Freedom Road". Internet Movie Database. Retrieved November 14, 2010.
  23. Muhammad Ali and the Vietnam War