Maxie Rosenbloom

Maxie Rosenbloom

Rosenbloom in 1941
Statistics
Real name Max Everitt Rosenbloom
Nickname(s) Slapsie Maxie
Weight(s) Light Heavyweight
Nationality American
Born (1907-11-01)November 1, 1907
Leonard's Bridge, Connecticut, U.S.
Died March 6, 1976(1976-03-06) (aged 68)
South Pasadena, California, U.S.
Stance Orthodox
Boxing record
Total fights 298
Wins 222
Wins by KO 19
Losses 42
Draws 31
No contests 3

Max Everitt Rosenbloom (November 1, 1907[1] – March 6, 1976) was an American boxer, actor, and television personality.

Life and career

Born in Leonard Bridge, Connecticut, Rosenbloom was nicknamed "Slapsie Maxie" by a journalist due to his open gloved style of boxing.[2] In 1930, he won the New York light heavyweight title.[3] In 1932, he won the World Light Heavyweight Championship.[4] He held and defended the title until November 1934, when he lost it to Bob Olin.[5] As a professional boxer, Rosenbloom relied on hitting and moving to score points. He was very difficult to hit cleanly with a power punch and his fights often went the full number of required rounds. In his boxing career, he received thousands of punches to the head, which eventually led to the deterioration of his motor functions.[3]

In 1937, he accepted a role in a Hollywood film. He became a character actor, portraying comical "big guys" in movies that included Each Dawn I Die,[6] and Maxie retired from boxing permanently in 1939. Slapsy Maxie's, the first comedy club, opened in San Francisco and Los Angeles.[3] He continued acting on radio, television, and in a number of films, usually playing comedy roles as a big, clumsy, punch-drunk—but lovable—character.[3] He appeared in a number of episodes (playing himself) of The Fred Allen Show—including a skit with Marlene Dietrich. Rosenbloom played an important part in television's first 90-minute drama, Requiem for a Heavyweight, written by Rod Serling, and starring Jack Palance as a boxer at the end of his career. Rosenbloom played an ex-boxer, whose life revolved around retelling old boxing stories night after night to other ex-boxers in a down-and-out bar. It is the fate that looms for Mountain McClintock, Palance's character, if he cannot adjust to a new life outside the ring.[7]

In The Honeymooners popular episode "TV or Not TV," Jackie Gleason's character Ralph Kramden pays homage to Maxie. He reads aloud a TV listing from the newspaper, "Fights Of The World: Maxie Rosenbloom vs. Kingfish Levinsky."[8]

Slapsy Maxie's, his nightclub, is prominently featured in a 2013 crime film, Gangster Squad, the story of which is set in 1949. The club, which actually operated in 1939 at 7165 Beverly Blvd and from 1943 to 1947, was located at 5665 Wilshire Blvd. in Los Angeles.[9]

Death

Rosenbloom died of Paget's disease of bone in 1976 at the age of 68,[10] and was interred in the Valhalla Memorial Park Cemetery in North Hollywood, California.

Halls of Fame

Rosenbloom was inducted into the Ring Boxing Hall of Fame in 1972.[3]

In 1984 he was inducted into the International Jewish Sports Hall of Fame.[11] In 1929, he had fought with four other Jewish boxers in a benefit at Madison Square Garden to raise relief funds for Palestine.[12] During 1935, he postponed a scheduled fight with Tiger Jack Fox that was scheduled to fall between Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur until after the Jewish holidays.[13]

Rosenbloom was also inducted into the World Boxing Hall of Fame in 1985.[14]

In 1993 he was inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame.[15]

Selected filmography

See also

References

  1. ↑ According to Rosenbloom's headstone in the Valhalla Memorial Park Cemetery, his birth date is November 1, 1907
  2. ↑ Siegman, Joseph (2000). Jewish Sports Legends: The International Jewish Hall of Fame. Brassey's. p. 63. ISBN 1-57488-284-8.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 "Former light-heavy champ Maxie Rosembloom is dead". Ellensburg Daily Record. United Press International. March 8, 1976.
  4. ↑ Edward J. Neil (June 26, 1930). "Maxey [sic] Rosenbloom Wins Light Heavyweight Title". Sarasota Herald-Tribune.
  5. ↑ "Bob Olin Victor Over Champion: Decision Booed as Maxie Loses Crown". Pittsburg Press. November 17, 1934.
  6. ↑ "Grim Prison Drama Stars Cagney And Raft". Portsmouth Times. August 14, 1939.
  7. ↑ John Crosby (October 16, 1956). "John Crosby's Column: 90-Minute Drama Packs Punch". Toledo Blade.
  8. ↑ Mark Phillips (1 April 2002). Honeymooners Trivia. iUniverse. pp. 26–. ISBN 978-0-595-22084-7.
  9. ↑ Foster, Charles (2003). Once Upon a Time in Paradise: Canadians in the Golden Age of Hollywood. Dundurn p. 97. ISBN 978-1550024647
  10. ↑ Blady, Ken (1988). The Jewish Boxers Hall of Fame. SP Books. p. 226. ISBN 0-933503-87-3.
  11. ↑ "Elected Members". International Jewish Sports Hall of Fame.
  12. ↑ "Jewish Boxers Take Five Bouts in Relief Program". Evening Independent. October 22, 1929.
  13. ↑ "Fox-Rosenbloom Fight Postponed". Spokane Daily Chronicle. September 25, 1935.
  14. ↑ "An Evening to Remember". The Sacramento Bee. November 3, 1985.
  15. ↑ Jon Saraceno (January 14, 1993). "Six live to see own induction". USA Today.
Achievements
Vacant
Title last held by
Tommy Loughran		 World Light Heavyweight Champion
July 14, 1932 – November 16, 1934 		Succeeded by
Bob Olin
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