The Harder They Fall (1956)
Jobless sportswriter Eddie Willis is hired by corrupt fight promoter Nick Benko to promote his current protégé, an unknown Argentinian boxer named Toro Moreno. Although Moreno is a hulking giant, his chances for success are hampered by a powder-puff punch and a glass jaw. Exploiting Willis' reputation for integrity and standing in the boxing community, Benko arranges a series of fixed fights that propel the unsophisticated Moreno to #1 contender for the championship. The reigning champ, the sadistic Buddy Brannen, harbors resentment at the publicity Toro has been receiving and vows to viciously punish him in the ring. Eddie must now decide whether or not to tell the naive Toro the truth.
Cast & Crew
Humphrey Bogart
Eddie Willis
Rod Steiger
Nick Benko
Jan Sterling
Beth Willis
Mike Lane
Toro Moreno
Max Baer
Buddy Brannen
Edward Andrews
Jim Weyerhause
Harold J. Stone
Art Leavitt, TV sportscaster
Carlos Montalbán
Luís Agrandi
Nehemiah Persoff
Leo
Felice Orlandi
Vince Fawcett
Herbie Faye
Max
Rusty Lane
Danny McKeogh
Jack Albertson
Pop
Paul Frees
Priest (uncredited)
William Henry
Fight Arena Locker Room Guard (uncredited)
Frank McLure
Reporter at Hospital (uncredited)
William H. O'Brien
Ringsider (uncredited)
Bert Stevens
Fight Crowd Spectator (uncredited)
Arthur Tovey
Fight Crowd Spectator (uncredited)
Joanne Arnold
Pretty Girl (uncredited)
Val Avery
Frank (uncredited)
Bill Baldwin
Oklahoma City Ring Announcer (uncredited)
Walter Baldwin
Boxing fan at Dundee fight (uncredited)
Tony Blankley
Benko Son (uncredited)
Marian Carr
Alice (uncredited)
Steve Carruthers
Reporter (uncredited)
Tina Carver
Mrs. Benko (uncredited)
George Cisar
Fight Manager (uncredited)
Lillian Culver
Mrs. Wilson Harding (uncredited)
Patricia Dane
Shirley (uncredited)
Elaine Edwards
Vince's Girlfriend (uncredited)
Matty Fain
Fight Manager (uncredited)
Adolph Faylauer
Fight Crowd Spectator (uncredited)
Abel Fernandez
Chief Firebird (uncredited)
Robert Fuller
Minor Role (uncredited)
Eddie Garr
Fight Manager (uncredited)
Everett Glass
Minister (uncredited)
Michael Granger
Gus Dundee's Doctor (uncredited)
Frank Hagney
Referee (uncredited)
Roy Jenson
Fighter (uncredited)
Don Kelly
Minor Role (uncredited)
Kenner G. Kemp
Man at Contract Signing (uncredited)
Peter Leeds
Dundee Fight Ring Announcer (uncredited)
Harry Lewis
New York Ring Announcer (uncredited)
Joseph Mell
Ring Announcer (uncredited)
Mort Mills
Reporter in Hospital (uncredited)
Frank Mitchell
Dundee Referee (uncredited)
Sol Murgi
Fight Crowd Spectator (uncredited)
Stafford Repp
Reporter (uncredited)
Sandy Sanders
Reporter (uncredited)
Cosmo Sardo
Fight Crowd Spectator (uncredited)
Carl Sklover
Referee (uncredited)
Angela Stevens
Girl (uncredited)
Hal Taggart
Fight Crowd Spectator (uncredited)
Charles Tannen
Reporter (uncredited)
Ferris Taylor
House Doctor - Chicago (uncredited)
Dennis Moore
Reporter (uncredited)
Philip Yordan
Screenplay
Jerry Wald
Executive Producer
Mark Robson
Director
Philip Yordan
Producer
