 RCA Victor, world leader in radio, first in recorded music, first in television, proudly presents... Douglas, production, champion, director, Mark Robson. Woodscreen directors present a symphony in fists. The motion picture drama Champion, starring Kirk Douglas in his original role of Midge Kelly with Frank Lovejoy as Tommy Haley. Never mind the winner. No one remembers who won that four-round pro-limin Kansas City that night years ago. No one knows who lost it, Midge Kelly, by a decision. He lost because he'd never been on a prize ring before. He was just fighting to eat. But he had heart. He had guts. And if he was willing to learn, I was willing to teach him how to fight. I'd talk to him about it later in the dressing room. He was a battered mess, but he grinned at me. Oh, no thanks. Not for me. What good is the big money if you don't live to spend it? All right. Forget it. But if you're ever in LA, you can find me in Brady's Gym. Yeah, sure, sure, LA. Brady's Gym. Yeah. Goodbye. He brushed me off like dandruff, and I thought I'd seen the last of him until one day in Brady's Gym in Los Angeles. Hello, Mr. Haley. Hmm? Oh, sure. Kansas City. Midge Kelly. Yeah, that's right. How are you, Kelly? Hey, you told me to look you up, remember? Oh, yeah. Yeah. But I'm retired now. Retired? You want some advice? You do the same. Yeah, but you told me to look you up. You said you want to manage me. Well, that was then. This is now. I'm out of the fight business. It stinks. I'm kidding. Take a deep breath. Stinks in here, doesn't it? You go on home. I'm kidding. What do you mean, go home? I don't need you. You're not the only manager in the world. I'll find somebody else. I'll show you. What's the matter with you? What's the matter with me, says? Look, you ever been poor? Well, I'm sick of it, and I'm sick of being a hey you all my life. Look, Midge here. What's that? Five bucks. Pay me back when you get a job. Keep it. Sure. Get a job. I've had jobs. Soda jerk. Fry cook. Busboy. Ditch digger. Nice, clean, healthy work. Big money. Well, I'm tired of being nobody. I'm going to get someplace. Look at it this way. Wait a minute. You see that fellow sitting over there on that bench with a cane? That's my brother, Connie. He's crippled. I got him to take care of. I got my mother back in Chicago. You told me there was big money in the fight game. That's right. You take me on, and I'll make plenty for both of us. Oh, you will, huh? You bet I will. All right. I'll take you. Now you're talking. You're going to have to work. Well, let's go. You're going to work until your bones hurt, and you're going to learn to break other guys' bones. It'll be a pleasure. You're going to learn every dirty trick in the business, and there's plenty of them. Don't worry. I'll learn. I'm going to get someplace. He learned fast, and he learned right. And in his first fight, Midge was a killer tasting blood for the first time. And his dressing room after the fight, he was drunk with his first victory. Hey, Connie, did you hear them out there, huh? I heard them. Hey, what's the matter, Connie? I don't know, Midge. I didn't know you're in that ring. Ah, you're talking kid stuff. You looked as if you wanted to kill that guy. Is that bad? Midge. Listen, I want to fight. My first fight, that's all. You hear that crowd for the first time in my life, people cheering for me. Well, you're deaf. Didn't you hear them? Yeah, but is it worth it? Aw, wake up, Connie. Smell the coffee. Smell the steaks. We're not hitchhiking anymore. We're riding. I'm on my way, and I'm going to get someplace. Boy, Kelly, promising young middleweight, keeping his promise for three great years, tossing hard leather from coast to coast. Salt Lake, Denver, Omaha, Tulsa, Dallas, St. Louis, Kansas City, Chicago, Cleveland, and New York. Then a chance of Johnny Dunn leading contender for the middleweight title. Oh, yeah. What do you mean? Oh, yeah. You were downtown today. When do I meet Dunn, huh? Midge, the boys gave me a cigar, patted me on the back, and told me to drop dead. What? They say you can't beat Dunn. Who says I can't beat Dunn? Dunn is a big draw, Midge, so you lose to him. He goes on to fight the champion and grab the title. Hey, you mean I toss the fight? That's the way they want it. Who cares what they want? They're the control. They own the business. Well, they don't own me. Listen, Midge, I'm not telling you to do it. But if you don't, you'll be fighting in the sticks until your beard is long enough to reach the rosin. Hon, nobody's rubbing dirt in my face now. What kind of a manager are you? What's in it for you? Hold it, Midge. Yeah. Three years. Worked like a slave. Build the muscles. Build the wind. Live like a monk. Beat your brains out. And then the fat bellies with the big cigars. They tell you you're still a tramp. And I can beat Johnny. None you know I can beat him. I know it, Midge. But this one, you'll lose. I don't know how to lose. Well, look, if you want to stay in business, you want to stay close to the real money, this one, you'll lose. Now, what's it going to be, Midge? All right. I lose. The main event, Midge Kelly, my boy, versus Johnny Dunn for clean sport and a cash consideration and a chance at the middleweight championship of the world. All right, Johnny, Midge, you both know the rules. I want you to watch yourselves on low blows, just have a nice clean break, shake hands, come out fighting. Take your corner. Relax, Midge. You're tense. Take it easy. Yeah, nice clean break. But toss the fight. Who's a flashy blonde at ringside? It's Johnny Dunn's girl. Why? What's she grinning at? Never mind her, Midge. Doesn't she think I can take her boy? I get it. Well, she can get the smile off her face, can't she? It's 10 seconds, kid. You know what to do now. Yeah. I know what to do. What? Get that smile off her face. Come on, Midge. We've got to get out of here. I told you I could beat him. Up the aisle. Don't get lost. Follow me. Come on. Come on, Midge. I want to talk to Johnny Dunn's girl a minute. Midge. Well, where's that smile now, baby? Who do you think you are? Call Skyler, 78941 and find out. Midge, come on. Don't forget, Blondie. Come on, Tommy. I got it, Tommy. Okay. Yeah. Nice address. I'm making you. What was that? Johnny Dunn's girl. Grace Diamond? Yeah. When it takes all, huh? You are listening to the screen director's playhouse production of Champion, starring Kirk Douglas and presented by RCA Victor. They say the census takers this year expect to find more American families together at home than at any time since George Washington's day. Yes, you guessed why. They'll be looking at television. Most of them at RCA Victor Television, America's favorite. A set which enchants families en masse is the RCA Victor T164, a 16-inch table model. Women love it for its gracefully proportioned, richly finished cabinet. Children love it because it's so easy to tune. Men love it for its matchless RCA Victor engineering. And everybody loves it for its really vast picture and incomparable performance. The suggested list price of the T164, slightly higher in some locations, is only $299.95 plus federal tax. Here's hoping such a marvelous television value will soon enable you to join the United Families of the United States. RCA Victor Branch. Now back to the screen director's playhouse production of Champion, starring Kirk Douglas in his original role of Midge Kelly with Frank Lovejoy as Tommy Haley. So, uh, my boy, Midge Kelly, had himself a parlor date with Johnny Dunn's girl. One sudden place. Nice address that one, sudden place. Four onion in your mouth. Olive. Olive. Thanks. How do you feel after the fight? Oh, fine. Johnny's in the hospital, you know. Yeah, I heard. They say you'll never fight again. Gee, that's tough. But he's planning a comeback. He wants a return match. Any time. Meanwhile, you're king of the world. What do you think? When it takes all? Come here, baby. I think this. Are you... I had a lot of time invested in Johnny Dunn. Did you think you could knock him senseless and then prance over here and try me on like a second-hand suit? Go on, crawl out of here. Go on. All right. You're a dime a dozen, even in good time. Wait, you. Well? Come back here. You give a baffle fast, Mitch. I just wanted to see... if you thought I was too easy. Boy, you're a character, all right. Does it hurt where I slapped you, doll? Oh, I've been slapped before. We got to talk about your future, doll. Yeah. You're dead in the fight racket now. You know that. Unless... Unless what? Unless you get yourself a manager. I got a manager. You got an appendix, too, but it'll never make you rich. See Jerry Harris. Johnny Dunn's manager? He can get you everything that Dunn was due for, and he'll square things with the gamblers for you. I can't drop Tommy Haley just like that. And get yourself a liquor license and a television set, because you're all through in boxing. Look, I didn't come this far to be through. And see Jerry Harris. No. For a shot at the title? For me, doll? You, uh, you know Harris pretty well, huh? We were the very best of friends, until he took on to himself a beautiful society wife. Okay. Get an appointment with him. Now, come here, doll. And, uh, so my boy, Mitch Kelly, shook me and signed up with Jerry Harris. And pretty soon, Mitch was signed for a bout with a champion. Oh, Mitch was getting someplace all right, whether his brother Connie approved of the method or not. You threw him out? You threw Tommy Haley out? Connie, I had to do it. It was our only chance. But this man was like a father to you. Well, he fed you. He put shoes on your feet. He made you. Who's been taking the punches? Haley or me? Oh, this rotten business. Oh, lay off the business. It's like any other business. Only hear the blood shows. Listen, Connie, it's time for you to grow up. Look, you and me and Ma, that's what's important nobody else. Mitch, what's happened to you? Nothing stands in your way anymore. You've got your own way of destroying people, and I don't think I want any part of it. Okay. Who's twisting your arm? Go on. Get yourself a job. Feed yourself for a change. Ah, go on. Take your bleeding heart out of here. All right, Mitch. I'll tell Ma how you're doing. Yeah. Run home to Mama. Okay. He was a great champion, Mitch Kelly. Yep. And, uh, he was quite a boy. He dropped Johnny Dunn with those hard fists of his, and then he dropped me for Jerry Harris. And he began dropping Grace Diamond for Harris' society wife. Mitch found Grace waiting for him in his apartment one evening when he came home to dress for a big date. How'd you get in here, Gracie? Thanks for remembering my name. Ah, that's all right. Uh, I'm in a hurry. Will you excuse me, Gracie? Why are you going again tonight? Oh, I've got a date with a lady. You know what a lady is? Nah, how could you? You know anything about art? You know anything about opera? Nah, all you know is how to spend my money, huh? Well, so long, Gracie, I gotta get dressed. Wherever you're going, I'm going with you. You're not gonna shake me now. Yes, I am. For good. You better promote yourself another meal ticket. No, Mitch. All I want is you. Don't do this to me. I'll do anything you want. You will? Yes. Then why don't you call up Johnny Dunn? Mitch, if you do this to me, I'll plaster your name all over town. I'll raise such a... Oh, no. You're gonna be a good girl. Because if you aren't, I'll put you in the hospital for a long, long time. I gotta change now. Don't be here when I come out. Mitch Kelly, champion, was hitting the high spots all right? But Johnny Dunn was coming back hard and strong, demanding a match with Kelly until Mitch had to give it to him. That's when Mitch dumped Jerry Harris. Well, Tommy, it's gonna be a tough fightin'. Well, you're the best trainer in the business. Look, I'll give you one-third of my purse. You're quite a boy, Mitch Kelly. I took him on a training camp. Men in motion, flick of jump ropes, rumble of punching bags. Tell it to me. Bill, can you come right away, Connie? Gee, Tommy, I can't go now, can I? It's up to you, Mitch. Oh, Ma's had those attacks before. You're no best. I know Ma wouldn't ask me to break training because she's sick. Look, it's Connie. I wish she'd grow up. What's it gonna be, Mitch? B, a fight. I got a fight on my hands, haven't I? Yeah. Well, so okay, train. Mitch. Hi, Connie. Hey, when'd you get in town? How's Ma? How's Ma? She's dead, that's how she is. Dead? And where were you when she was crying for you, calling for you? Training. Getting somewhere, defending the champion. Gee, Connie, I didn't think she was gonna die. I sent your telegram. I tried to tell her, but she's gone. Ma's gone. She died calling for you and crying for you. All right. All right. Now get out, Connie. I got a fight. I got to relax. You stink. You stink from corruption. I have a beat. Don't do it, Connie. You! Why, you hit me with your cane, will you? Here we go, champ. There. There's your cane, Gimp. Coming, Tommy. The champion is not taken by a decisive margin. The champ looks worried, and there's a conference going on in his corner. I hit him with everything but a club. He's in good shape, champ. Yeah, I should have had him. I should have had him. Round eight. I don't know what's wrong, folks, but the champion's timing is off. He's missing offener and getting hit offener. He doesn't seem to be in the same fine fettelism. Round nine was even. Round ten. Ladies and gentlemen, Johnny Dunn is done. Kelly is hurt. He's definitely hurt. Only the pieces in there. He's cutting him to ribbons. The champ's covering up. The challenger reducing the champion, my boy, the human rubble. Mitch Kelly is face a mash. Still answering the bell, refusing to quit. Being led back to his corner. I'll get him. I'll get him. Mitch, you're through. I'm gonna throw in the towel. No. I'll kill you if you do. I'll kill you. I'll kill you. Okay, then. Fight. Round 12. 13. Stop it. Stop it. Stop it. He's down. He's down. The champion's hurt. She's for him now. Johnny. Good boy, Johnny. Oh, sure. I love you, John. I'll wipe that smile off your face. I can beat him. I'm the champ. I can beat him. Up. Get up. You sure did much. Gee, do you hear them out there, Connie? I'm Tommy. Look, I'll get a doctor. You're talking kid stuff. I want to fight that, Saul. My first fight. Gee, for the first time in my life, people cheering for me. Mitch, Mitch, sit down. Take it easy. Go. Are you deaf? Didn't you hear them? Wake up. Connie, smell the coffee. Smell the sticks. We're not hitchhiking anymore. We're riding. I'm on my way now, and I'm gonna get someplace. Sit down, kid. When you sit down. When you fat bellies with the big cigars aren't gonna make a bum out of me. Get me a fight with Don. Mitch, the champ is dead. A statement for the press about my brother. Sure, I'll give you boys a statement. Mitch Kelly was a... Watch it, Connie. He was a champion. He went out like a champion. He was a credit to the fight game. He went to the very end. You have just heard the last act of champion, and our star, Kirk Douglas, with our guest screen director, Mark Robeson, will be with us in just a moment. Next Friday, another great star brings a fascinating performance to the screen director's playhouse. Our story for the first time on the air is Chicago Deadline, and recreating his original role will be Alan Ladd with screen director, Lewis Allen. Now here again is tonight's star, Kirk Douglas. Didn't I hear somewhere that you made a kind of sentimental pilgrimage to New York right after you finished champion? Yes, I did, Jimmy. I made the rounds of all the places I knew ten years ago when I was studying at the American Academy of Dramatic Arts. Places like the Star Club, you mean? No, no, places like Shraff's. Oh, I see. As a student, you ate at Shraff's. Oh, no, I only worked there. I couldn't afford to eat there. I suppose you visited where you used to live? Yeah, Central Park was looking fine. And you know, Jimmy, the RCA building was as nice and warm and hospitable as ever. See, often I know something about RCA Victor that you don't, Jimmy. What's that? You know, I spent a lot of cold afternoon in RCA's exhibition hall. Look, guess what they're exhibiting now? What, Kirk? They're new 45 automatic record changer and records. Well, dog my cat. Well, you know, a guy explained the whole thing to me, Jimmy. Did you know that in the 45 RPM system, RCA Victor has achieved the first record ever to be free of distortion over 100% of the playing surface? Right. And what they've done for convenience by the 45 changer is so small and light, my five-year-old boy carries ours all around. Yeah, and that guy in the RCA building told me you can attach it to any radio. And it's so easy to run. He says his three-year-old boy uses it for hours on end. Oh, did he tell you that you just have to push one button once and it plays 10 records automatically? Almost an hour of music? Yeah, that's right. Say, what's more, the 45 records are so tiny, you can carry them in your pocket. Yeah, they're non-breakable, too. And say, Jimmy, do you know how little the 45 changed your cost? As low as $12.95. Right. And prices on the 45 record start as low as $0.46 plus tax. The 45 is a beautiful proposition all around. No wonder it's the fastest-selling record system in America. Yes, the 45 is sweeping the country, like, well, like Kirk Douglas. Here are the 45 soon at your RCA Victor dealers. And friends, join the swing to 45 when you buy your next record. Now, ladies and gentlemen, I'd like you to meet the real champion. At 170 pounds, he throws a very special kind of punch. It doesn't close your eyes. It opens them to all the powerful drama that a fine director can achieve on the screen. You'll know what I mean if you've seen such pictures as Home of the Brave, My Foolish Heart, and Bedlam. All of them created by the man who directed me in champion, Mark Robeson. Thank you. Now, let's see your face. Oh, here. Uh-huh. The bruiser seemed to have healed. You're ready for another fight picture. Oh, no, Mark, not again. Oh, Kirk, what if you do get beaten up just a little? Look, it's not the first time I get beaten up that worries me. Say, you know what really hurts? What? When I fall out of the ring and you step out from behind the camera and say, uh, Kirk, you got too much blood on your opponent's glove. Let's shoot it again. Yeah. Kirk, I apologize. I was a beast. Well, my wounds were soothed by the fact that I had Mark Robeson for my director. And believe me, that's worth a lot of punishment. Thanks, Kirk. And I promise next time I do a picture, I won't ask you to do any scenes over again. Oh, I'm glad you understand, Mark. Too bad I was thinking of doing a picture with a lot of love scenes. Love scenes. Oh, well, good night, Kirk. Now, wait a minute, Mark. Oh, good night, everybody. Now, wait a minute. Good night to you, Kirk Douglas and Mark Robeson. Remember next Friday, Alan Ladd in Chicago Deadline with screen director Lewis Allen brought to you by RCA Victor, world leader in radio, first in recorded music, first in television. Champion was presented through the courtesy of Screenplays Incorporated and producer Stanley Kramer, soon releasing The Men. Kirk Douglas can currently be seen in the Warner Brothers production, Young Man with a Horn. Mark Robeson's latest picture is the Samuel Goldwyn production, Edge of Doom. Frank Lovejoy may be heard in his own radio show, Night Beat, every Monday night over many of these same NBC stations. Included in tonight's cast were Reha Lin as Grace, Jack Edwards, Dan Riss and Frank Barton. Champion, from a short story by Ring Lardner, was adapted for radio by Milton Geiger, and original music was composed and conducted by William Lava. Portions of tonight's program were transcribed. Screen directors Playhouse is produced by Howard Wiley with dramatic direction by Bill Karn. We're excited to listen again next Friday when RCA Victor presents... Screen directors Playhouse, star Alan Ladd, production Chicago Deadline, director Louis Allen. Great Rupert Durante on NBC.