***Vote to save an old classic movie starring Minnesota Fats and Jack Colavita

oldzilla

Accu-Stats Messenger
Silver Member
the movie is titled the Player.

have you seen it ? was it good ?

me ? never.

i am curious. vote now.
 

oldzilla

Accu-Stats Messenger
Silver Member
heck i voted again using the same 2 email addys. hope it worked !

also gave it a 5 star rating. never seen it , hehe !
 

Mick56

Go Pack!!!!!
Silver Member
I voted, but have no hope of ever seeing it. I doubt if TCM could even find a copy to air.
 

smoooothstroke

JerLaw
Silver Member
hmmm

Cannot even download the movie on the net.Hollywood in all its wisdom made a 1992 move of the same Title starring Robert Altman,it is not a remake it is a totally different story.The only thing I can find on the 1972 picture is on the TMC website.
 

oldzilla

Accu-Stats Messenger
Silver Member
thakns for all the support. the vote count is up to 73 and good rating too.
i hope they notice the sudden spike.

but keep them votes and ratings coming anyway ! we gots to try and save this ! :cool:
 

Rich93

A Small Time Charlie
Silver Member
According to Manwon in the other thread on this subject, the movie was never released for theatrical or home viewing. It's not in the IMDB database either, and IMDB has just about everything that was shown to even a handful of the American moviegoers. Let's face it - it must be pretty bad and the chances of ever seeing it very remote. It would be nice if somebody who knew Fats would tell us what happened to the flick.

However, to make up for this downer of a post, I did find the following online. The link is http://templeofschlock.blogspot.com/2009/12/lost-and-still-not-found-case-file-54.html and the text is shown below:

Engagement of ‘The Player’ Benefits From Appearance of Minnesota Fats
The people of Jackson, Mississippi, were treated to a first recently when the Jackson Mall Cinema held an area premiere of “The Player.” On hand to promote the film were all the leading stars of the picture, but the main excitement was the appearance of Minnesota Fats, the world’s greatest pool player and hustler. Other stars wee Jerry Como and Rae Phillips. Enthusiasm was running high as pre-advertisement went up announcing the coming of Minnesota Fats to the cross-roads of the South, Jackson, Miss. The first thing Charles Comeaux, manager of the Jackson Mall Cinema, did was to visit all of the local pool taverns and billiard parlors to pass the word of the coming of Minnesota Fats and put up advertising as to the playdate and appearance of the Fat Man. Comeaux found, to his surprise, a larger number of pool enthusiasts then he had expected. Local TV and radio sportscasters heard of the coming of Minnesota Fats and started giving advance publicity of the movie and his coming to the Jackson area. From then on, every facet of the news media was wanting a piece of the action. Upon the arrival of Minnesota Fats and other stars in Jackson one TV talk show devoted half of its air time to the promotion of “The Player.” Other TV stations, not to be outdone, did likewise, with one of them devoting the entire air time of the talk show to the area premiere of “The Player.” Enthusiasm was also high in the air among the people of Mississippi as was indicated at the demonstrations put on in the Jackson Mall. After a luncheon press conference and an appearance at the Cinema where Minnesota Fats was honored by Mayor Davis as an honorary citizen of the City of Jackson, the fat man’s pool demonstrations drew the largest crowds the Jackson Mall has ever seen. People seemed to be hanging from the ceiling as they came from far and near to see the fat man demonstrate what has made him the world’s greatest pool player. Later on in the afternoon at his second theatre appearance, Minnesota Fats was again honored. This time he was proclaimed an Honorary Colonel of the State of Mississippi by Gov. John B. Williams. It was anybody’s guess as to who gave the best news coverage of Minnesota Fats and the area premiere, as all of the media came out in full force to cover this event. Everyone in Minnesota knew of his coming even though the state was in the middle of a hot Governor’s election at the time. Excitement of the crowds ran high as Minnesota Fats met with some of his old friends of years past. One in particular was a gentleman known to the people of Jackson as Abe Lincoln. Extra advertisement was received as Penney’s furnished the table for the demonstrations and gave newspaper publicity of the event. All festivities were well planned and organized and had complete coverage. All of the news media carried the complete coverage on news programs, sports broadcasts, live TV talk shows, with write-ups in the local papers. This helped to give all the advertisement needed to make the Area Premiere a huge success in Jackson. In all, the Jackson Mall Cinema of the Ogden-Perry theatre circuit enjoyed a well-rounded and successful run of “The Player.” [Boxoffice, Showmandiser, September 27, 1971, p.138]
 

NineballBEN

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Voted,hope they do release it on dvd,I'd get it and report back,sounds good though.votes now at 92:thumbup:
 

oldzilla

Accu-Stats Messenger
Silver Member
Voted,hope they do release it on dvd,I'd get it and report back,sounds good though.votes now at 92:thumbup:

tyvm ben, i just looked again and it is now 97. we went from just 6 or 8 votes to 97 in one day. this is great news ! i also sent them an email and explained what this film means to us here on the forum and in the pool world. i told them we are afraid of seeing this classic lost forever. and it stars some of our legendary hero's who are no longer with us but are immortal through the fans of pool and billiards.
this is becoming a movement. so keep voting, rating and even send then emails about "the player". released in 1972 stars minnesota fats and jack colavita.
 

hemicudas

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Yes, I saw it.

The movie was shot in Baton Rouge, LA and released there first. Next week it was released in my home town, Jackson, MS. MN, Fats put on an exibition after the showing of the movie in BR and Jackson.

Many of us tried to locate this movie years ago here on AZ with no luck. I hope you have more luck than we had......
 

smoooothstroke

JerLaw
Silver Member
According to Manwon in the other thread on this subject, the movie was never released for theatrical or home viewing. It's not in the IMDB database either, and IMDB has just about everything that was shown to even a handful of the American moviegoers. Let's face it - it must be pretty bad and the chances of ever seeing it very remote. It would be nice if somebody who knew Fats would tell us what happened to the flick.

However, to make up for this downer of a post, I did find the following online. The link is http://templeofschlock.blogspot.com/2009/12/lost-and-still-not-found-case-file-54.html and the text is shown below:

Engagement of ‘The Player’ Benefits From Appearance of Minnesota Fats
The people of Jackson, Mississippi, were treated to a first recently when the Jackson Mall Cinema held an area premiere of “The Player.” On hand to promote the film were all the leading stars of the picture, but the main excitement was the appearance of Minnesota Fats, the world’s greatest pool player and hustler. Other stars wee Jerry Como and Rae Phillips. Enthusiasm was running high as pre-advertisement went up announcing the coming of Minnesota Fats to the cross-roads of the South, Jackson, Miss. The first thing Charles Comeaux, manager of the Jackson Mall Cinema, did was to visit all of the local pool taverns and billiard parlors to pass the word of the coming of Minnesota Fats and put up advertising as to the playdate and appearance of the Fat Man. Comeaux found, to his surprise, a larger number of pool enthusiasts then he had expected. Local TV and radio sportscasters heard of the coming of Minnesota Fats and started giving advance publicity of the movie and his coming to the Jackson area. From then on, every facet of the news media was wanting a piece of the action. Upon the arrival of Minnesota Fats and other stars in Jackson one TV talk show devoted half of its air time to the promotion of “The Player.” Other TV stations, not to be outdone, did likewise, with one of them devoting the entire air time of the talk show to the area premiere of “The Player.” Enthusiasm was also high in the air among the people of Mississippi as was indicated at the demonstrations put on in the Jackson Mall. After a luncheon press conference and an appearance at the Cinema where Minnesota Fats was honored by Mayor Davis as an honorary citizen of the City of Jackson, the fat man’s pool demonstrations drew the largest crowds the Jackson Mall has ever seen. People seemed to be hanging from the ceiling as they came from far and near to see the fat man demonstrate what has made him the world’s greatest pool player. Later on in the afternoon at his second theatre appearance, Minnesota Fats was again honored. This time he was proclaimed an Honorary Colonel of the State of Mississippi by Gov. John B. Williams. It was anybody’s guess as to who gave the best news coverage of Minnesota Fats and the area premiere, as all of the media came out in full force to cover this event. Everyone in Minnesota knew of his coming even though the state was in the middle of a hot Governor’s election at the time. Excitement of the crowds ran high as Minnesota Fats met with some of his old friends of years past. One in particular was a gentleman known to the people of Jackson as Abe Lincoln. Extra advertisement was received as Penney’s furnished the table for the demonstrations and gave newspaper publicity of the event. All festivities were well planned and organized and had complete coverage. All of the news media carried the complete coverage on news programs, sports broadcasts, live TV talk shows, with write-ups in the local papers. This helped to give all the advertisement needed to make the Area Premiere a huge success in Jackson. In all, the Jackson Mall Cinema of the Ogden-Perry theatre circuit enjoyed a well-rounded and successful run of “The Player.” [Boxoffice, Showmandiser, September 27, 1971, p.138]


Look at some of the other films on the endangered list.
 
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