Cues used in the hustler

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bbb

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there is another thread about why was balabushka name used for the cue in the color of money
http://forums.azbilliards.com/showthread.php?t=279072
its a good thread with a reply by dan janes of joss cues of how joss came to be the cuemaker of the "balabushka" and other cues in the movie

now for my question
what type of cues and any stories about them did jackie gleason and paul newman use in the movie the hustler???
 
bbb said:
there is another thread about why was balabushka name used for the cue in the color of money
http://forums.azbilliards.com/showthread.php?t=279072
its a good thread with a reply by dan janes of joss cues of how joss came to be the cuemaker of the "balabushka" and other cues in the movie

now for my question
what type of cues and any stories about them did jackie gleason and paul newman use in the movie the hustler???
Click to expand...

I'm pretty sure that Herman Rambow cues were used as he was the premier cue maker in that era. It was also Mosconi's preferred cue and the one that he used in most, if not all of his 16 World champion straight pool tournaments. He also gave both Gleason and Newman specially built Rambow cues.

Dick
 
rhncue said:
I'm pretty sure that Herman Rambow cues were used as he was the premier cue maker in that era. It was also Mosconi's preferred cue and the one that he used in most, if not all of his 16 World champion straight pool tournaments. He also gave both Gleason and Newman specially built Rambow cues.

Dick
Click to expand...

I think that is a certainty. You can freeze the tape numerous places and see the cue clearly. There are many stills on the net that clearly show the cues as well.
 
bbb said:
there is another thread about why was balabushka name used for the cue in the color of money
http://forums.azbilliards.com/showthread.php?t=279072
its a good thread with a reply by dan janes of joss cues of how joss came to be the cuemaker of the "balabushka" and other cues in the movie

now for my question
what type of cues and any stories about them did jackie gleason and paul newman use in the movie the hustler???
Click to expand...



For the movie the Hustler Willie Mosconi was chosen as the technical adviser. Many of the shot on the movie where you only see a hand were actually shot by Mosconi. Mosconi was sponsored by Brunswick from the 1940's farword, and anyone sponsored by Brunswick used a Brunswick cue which was built by Herman Rambow since he was Brunswicks expert concerning cue construction.

When Willie was chosen as the technical expert of course he would use as many Brunswick Products as possible in the during the shooting of the Movie the Hustler. Apparently according to what has been recorded Willie contacted Rambow to have cues made Jackey Gleason and Paul Newman that were signed with there names on them. Then when the cues were completed Willie took them to meet Herman and to pick their cues up. In fact not long ago Gleasons Rambow was sold on ebAY, however, I do not remeber what it sold for.
 
manwon said:
Apparently according to what has been recorded Willie contacted Rambow to have cues made Jackie Gleason and Paul Newman that were signed with their names on them. Then when the cues were completed Willie took them to meet Herman and to pick up their cues.

In fact not long ago Gleason's Rambow was sold on eBay, however, I do not remember what it sold for.
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Craig,

Is this the cue that sold on eBay?

I bought this cue in 1998 - sold it to a collector a couple of years later.

It was owned by Gleason's personal secretary who happened to be the mother of Gleason's girlfriend and June Taylor Dancer Honey Merrill.

I love a cue with a story.

rambow1148.jpg
 
billiardcue said:
Craig,

Is this the cue that sold on eBay?

I bought this cue in 1998 - sold it to a collector a couple of years later.

It was owned by Gleason's personal secretary who happened to be the mother of Gleason's girlfriend and June Taylor Dancer Honey Merrill.

I love a cue with a story.




To my knowledge that is the cue that Gleason used in the Movie the Hustler, and I also think that was the cue offered on ebay.
Click to expand...
 
There is a bit of a discrepacy, but it may be explained by a re-wrap. The cue Gleason used had a light wrap, not that black one shown. Either a different cue, or a re-wrap. Also, Gleason apparently used a couple cues in the movie, but it could have been by accident. In most scenes, he's using the Rambow with the small white ring on the butt plate. In at least one other scene, he appears to be using a Rambow with a larger white butt plate, similar to the one Newman was using in all scenes. The cues in this movie are interesting indeed; it would be great to know where all of them ended up.
 
WildWing said:
There is a bit of a discrepacy, but it may be explained by a re-wrap. The cue Gleason used had a light wrap, not that black one shown. Either a different cue, or a re-wrap. Also, Gleason apparently used a couple cues in the movie, but it could have been by accident. In most scenes, he's using the Rambow with the small white ring on the butt plate. In at least one other scene, he appears to be using a Rambow with a larger white butt plate, similar to the one Newman was using in all scenes. The cues in this movie are interesting indeed; it would be great to know where all of them ended up.
Click to expand...

Maybe one or two are gathering dust on a shelf somewhere in the prop department at 20th Century Fox.
 
manwon said:
For the movie the Hustler Willie Mosconi was chosen as the technical adviser. Many of the shot on the movie where you only see a hand were actually shot by Mosconi. Mosconi was sponsored by Brunswick from the 1940's farword, and anyone sponsored by Brunswick used a Brunswick cue which was built by Herman Rambow since he was Brunswicks expert concerning cue construction.

When Willie was chosen as the technical expert of course he would use as many Brunswick Products as possible in the during the shooting of the Movie the Hustler. Apparently according to what has been recorded Willie contacted Rambow to have cues made Jackey Gleason and Paul Newman that were signed with there names on them. Then when the cues were completed Willie took them to meet Herman and to pick their cues up. In fact not long ago Gleasons Rambow was sold on ebAY, however, I do not remeber what it sold for.
Click to expand...

Actually, Willie played with a Rambow for many years before he was
sponsored by Brunswick. He got a cue from Herman for his first time in
the world championship in 1933.

By the time of 'The Hustler" Herman had been retired from Brunswick for
nearly a decade. IIRC, in an article published in Billiards Digest, he recalls
someone associated with the movie having two cues made. He only refers to
them as "they". He tells that they wanted the cues 'right away' and
one with a piece of ivory. He seemed quite pleased to have gotten the
very premium price of $275.

Dale
 
Last edited:
billiardcue said:
Craig,

Is this the cue that sold on eBay?

I bought this cue in 1998 - sold it to a collector a couple of years later.

It was owned by Gleason's personal secretary who happened to be the mother of Gleason's girlfriend and June Taylor Dancer Honey Merrill.

I love a cue with a story.

View attachment 230229
Click to expand...

do you recall any specs??
did you hit with it??
how did it play???
thanks for sharing the story
and to all responders thus far
its very interesting
i know that gleason could play some
wondered what his playing cue was before and after the movie (ie did he use the rambow)
 
The writing on the forearm is very noticeable. I do not recall seeing any writing on their cues when watching the movie. I may be wrong.
 
metallicane said:
The writing on the forearm is very noticeable. I do not recall seeing any writing on their cues when watching the movie. I may be wrong.
Click to expand...

Mosconi had the cue made for Jackie Gleason after the movie was finished for his appreciation for the part (cameo role and technical adviser) in the movie.

He also had a Rambow made for Paul Newman, which is in the possession of Newman's estate.

I don't know the whereabouts of the cues used in the movie. They appear to be Rambows, but unless they were inscribed by Rambow how would you know they were used in the movie.

Most Rambows were Titlist conversions with either a Hoppe style back end or a large ivory butt plate with a big radius and no bumper. They all looked alike.

It surprises me the cue I owned was on eBay. The cue wasn't inexpensive and the collector who purchased it and other high end classic cues didn't seem like the type of person who would sell cues of this caliber on eBay.
 
Dick

That's a monstrously large collectible cue.

Just wow.

Thanks for posting that

Kevin
 
bbb said:
do you recall any specs??
did you hit with it??
how did it play???
thanks for sharing the story
and to all responders thus far
its very interesting
i know that Gleason could play some
wondered what his playing cue was before and after the movie (ie did he use the Rambow)
Click to expand...

gleason mosconi.jpg

I hit with most cues that come my way and especially the classics.

The cue was solid and sound, played well like most Rambows - they were Titlist full splice conversions done by the man who created the Titlist and its predecessors.

The cue would be uncomfortable to someone used to playing with contemporary cues.

The typical Rambow would be shorter, heavier, thicker in your back hand, balanced butt heavy and points that didn't always line up.

Did I mention Mosconi ran 526 balls with a Rambow - is it the Indian or the arrow?

Jackie Gleason could play.

I have to assume Gleason used the cue as it was a well played cue.
 
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