Best Celebrity pool players -- who are they?

[pdcue]

Fred Astaire and Walter Alston (old Dodger's manager) were probably the best of their generation, both with high runs over 100 balls. Peter Falk did love pool, but didn't play that speed. One you might not know about was Leo Durocher, another former baseball legend. He was such a good pool player/hustler as a young man, that he considered sticking with it rather than go into baseball full time. I think he made the right choice. Remember when he was a young man, pool was still a major sport in America, the era of Greenleaf and Hoppe.

What many also don't know is that Gleason and Fats were friends from childhood, hanging out as kids in the same poolroom. Fats was the better player then and forever. Believe it or not I've played pool with Jerry Orbach (in the mid 60's) and he was a decent enough 9-Ball player, but not what I would call good. Jimmy Caan was almost the same speed when I played him several times in the late 60's. Also played with Dorian Harewood several times, and he is in the same class of player. A decent amateur. I'd rate Orbach the best of these three. He and Jimmy both gambled with me. Jerry played me even (and lost) and I gave Jimmy the eight (he lost too).

Joe Rogan has very nice form and a good stroke, but isn't able to devote enough time to playing the game to really develop his ability. We played years ago in a local poolroom and he was a shade better than Caan or Harewood, about even with Orbach. I've watched Manny Paquiao play several times (and for big money), and he is a low level shortstop speed. I've heard that Paul Sorvino plays a decent game, but I've never seen him play, so I can't say. David Brenner is another New York native who plays pool. Mark Kendall of Great White is by far the best celeb player I know of. He can play, solid shortstop speed! If Manny, Joe and Mark ever got together for some celebrity pool, Mark would win the bacon!

Jay, rummor has it Harewood used to play at Forest Park. Was he there
while you were still in Dayton? Or did you play in sunny California?

Dale

 

[Masayoshi]

I played Dorian at Hardtimes a few times he was maybe a B player or so. Not bad for a guy who has other priorities in life.

 

[JAM]

David Brenner, David Letterman, Matt Damon, and Ben Affleck all have been known to hit a few balls from time to time.

Brenner helped revive pool in the Big Apple, creating New York pool chic at a time when pool had nearly disappeared from Manhattan. He was one of the founders of the infamous Amsterdam Billiards.

David Brenner, a standup commedian, and Loree Jon Jones on this cute video clip. Loree Jon Jones is gorgeous, and David is funny: INSPORTS with Brenner and Jones.

Brenner was a very popular comedian in the '80s, but he left the limelight in the '80s after a bitter divorce. Court battles ensued for 3 years as his wife tried to block him from seeing his son, Cole. David decided to fight back and eventually won custody. Family was more important than fame and running around the countryside to David Brenner. I respect that a lot.

Today, he is 74 years young.

 

[$TAKE HOR$E]

Man, I spent hours and hours trying to find a photo of that table, and here you have it. Bravo!

It was on episode 4 of Auction King's from Nov 2nd. If I remember right, the table brought $4000 or $4500. It looked great.

 

[knifemaker]

I know that Peter Graves plays pretty good and the black lady that was
Manix's secretary in his movie was suppose to be the best woman celebrety player in the 70's
Have a great Christmas everyone

 

[jay helfert]

You would seem to have a rather strange definition of 'a failure'.

That being said, Dorian Harewood was from Dayton, IIUC, hung out in the same room where Jay played.

Harewood was the romantic interest for Whoopi in the TV movie
"Kiss Shot". The story goes that he was the only actor who came to the
audition with a cue. Gotta love him for that move. He walked in, looked
around and asked "Where's the pool table?".

Dale

I don't know how you know all this, but it's true! Jerry Breisath was Whoopi's coach on that film and I played a pool player (what else?). :grin:
Yep, Forest Park Billiards where they had the big tournaments in the 70's.

P.S. I forgot about James Garner, who was the best player in Norman, Oklahoma when he was a young man. I used to play with his brother when I went to school there (I did make it to class once in a while).

 

[freddy the beard]

Not a high-roller

jack klugman played pretty spiffy as well as jimmy caan who hung around 7/11 in the old days before he became too famous. both played for money.

I used to play Jimmy Caan at the Ye Billiard Den in Hollywood CA in the early 70s. He got the 7,8, and 9 for $2 a game with no possibility of a raise. He would also whoop it up and even shark a little for that deuce.

Beard

 

[freddy the beard]

Never happened...

I believe the best of the actor/pool players was Jerry Orbach of "Law and Order fame. He was a world class pool player who actually once gave Cornbread Red a run for his money during a match way back.......:thumbup:

Jerry was originally from the Chicago area. In the 60s he was starring in the play, Man of La Manchia that was playing in Chicago, and used to come down to Bensingers once or twice a month. I used to play him 8 to 5 1pkt for $10 a game. I wasnt even a good player then. He was galaxies apart from Corn Bread.

Beard

 

[JAM]

I used to play Jimmy Caan at the Ye Billiard Den in Hollywood CA in the early 70s. He got the 7,8, and 9 for $2 a game with no possibility of a raise. He would also whoop it up and even shark a little for that deuce.

Beard

Keith told me that Kiefer Sutherland used to back pool players at a pool room near the studios. He also could play a little, but he enjoyed sweating the action, too.

Willie Nelson grew up with his grandparents who ran a small billiard parlor in Texas. He has been known to gamble a wee bit on a field of green. :grin-square:

 

[JAM]

Currently, there's a museum in Nashville that has a Willie Nelson display, to include one of his pool tables. In fact, Willie used to sneak in the beer joints in Nashville, hoping to mingle with the crowds and play pool. He loved it!

He and my partner played pool together in Tennessee; Nashville, to be exact. He said Willie's got a good stroke and a little game in him.

Here is the website to the Willie Nelson Museum: Willie Nelson's Museum and General Store in Nashville.

Here's Willie Nelson's table at the museum depicted below.

 

[freddy the beard]

I knew I could count on you, Geo

If how good they looked over a cue is a valid criterion, then my nominee would be Jack Albertson (best known for "The Subject Was Roses"). Saw him play the hustler's role twice, on "Gunsmoke" and "Ironside", and he was everything you'd expect to see in an expert, including fluidity.

I was reliably told Gleason could run 40 to 50 balls at his best; Peter Falk was not perceived to be that good, although both were regulars at the well known Manhattan room McGirr's, and both truly loved to play. Jerry Orbach was a TERRIFIC guy who never missed a pool fundraiser in NY; his long run was said to be 67, although when he was younger and appearing here in "The Fantasticks", we all used to pick on him to a modest degree at Bensinger's. Fred Astaire was probably the best practice player, and was known to devote up to 6 hours a day to 14.1. And crooner Johnny Johnston, who ages ago was married to the movies' bosomy Kathryn Grayson, was not only a junior national champion but remains among the best pool commentators (early, on ABC-TV) I've ever heard. GF

Naturally, that fabulous trivia memory of yours would kick in, George. I was hesitant to give my best choice because I figured nobody had ever heard of him, Johnny Johnston -- someone who could actually run a hundred balls -- every so often. He did spend some time down in Johnston City, but I cant remember if he actually got in the straight pool tourn there.

Florida's Jimmy Jackson beat Jackie Gleason out of 4k in a bar in Ft Lauderdale when Gleason had moved his TV show to Miami. Jimmy was just a shortstop. Gleason never again went for another buck the whole time he was down there. There were teams of hustler's prowling thru the bars trying to catch Gleason after that. Unsuccessfully.

Peter Falk, spent time in Ye Billiard Den along with Jimmy Caan, who I rated earlier. Peter, while a great guy (even tho he loved Brooklyn Pancho), and loved pool and pool rooms, couldnt play very well.

Beard

 

[freddy the beard]

Milton Berle

some of you might remember this guy

View attachment 164299

Milton Berle, when he was in Chicago would stop into Bensingers periodically. I only seen him play 3 cush at the later Clark and Diversey location tho. He was a 25 points for $10 man. He stiffed a young billiard player one day, I'm pretty sure it was our own Mr 3Cushion, Bill Smith, I cant remember who exactly. What I do remember is Berle got killed playing the kid and when the kid asked for his money Berle said, "You dont think I would have taken your money, do you?"
He was just a fair billiard player.
I did hear that Uncle Milty went off for big lines playing billiards and gin rummy with the White Sox radio broadcaster, Bob Elson. Elson was rated a top-notch gin player.

Beard

 

[Lance Link]

Ever see Top Gun ? Or Back To The Future ?

My friends and I had the pleasure of meeting James Tolkan while playing in the Huther-Doyle tournament in Rochester back in the 90's. A buddy of mine actually got to play him (and got his ass handed to him). Tolkan shoots pretty good...

And Mr. Tolkan is one of the coolest people around to boot. He came and hung out with a lot of us at the local bar, telling stories and using lines from his movies on us. His timing's impeccable. Nothing like leaning over the table preparing to shoot and hearing stuff like, "C'mon, Maverick, take the shot !!!" and, "Slacker !!!". We were in stitches the entire night !!! Nice guy, real down to earth person.

 

[JAM]

Ever see Top Gun ? Or Back To The Future ?

My friends and I had the pleasure of meeting James Tolkan while playing in the Huther-Doyle tournament in Rochester back in the 90's. A buddy of mine actually got to play him (and got his ass handed to him). Tolkan shoots pretty good...

And Mr. Tolkan is one of the coolest people around to boot. He came and hung out with a lot of us at the local bar, telling stories and using lines from his movies on us. His timing's impeccable. Nothing like leaning over the table preparing to shoot and hearing stuff like, "C'mon, Maverick, take the shot !!!" and, "Slacker !!!". We were in stitches the entire night !!! Nice guy, real down to earth person.

Wow! How could I forget James Tolkan. Good memory, Lance Link.

He lives in Upstate New York now. He attended some of the earlier Joss Tour tournaments held at Turning Stone. Of course, I was snapping pictures left and right that year. Here's a cute shot of Dennis Hatch, James Tolkan, and another player.

 

[JAM]

Here he is again hitting 'em, warming up for the Joss Tour tournament at Turning Stone. Check out Jose Parica in the green shirt, sitting on the rail sweating Tolkan hitting 'em. LOL

 

[JAM]

He is one of those guys that's is hard to photograph. Spanish Mike Lebron and Danny DiLiberto are also difficult to get a good pose in a photograph. I'm not sure why, but they always seem to have the same expression on their faces.

Tolkan is as nice as can be, despite his stern expression. Here's a jolly Allen Hopkins with James Tolkan. :grin-square:

 

[Blue Hog ridr]

When Minnesota Fats had his short lived celebrity pool show, was it not Kris Kristopherson that beat him?
If it wasn't Kris, then it would have been another country singer like Merle Haggard or Johnny Paycheck.

I think Zsa Zsa Gabor was on his show too.

 

[qbilder]

Rogan plays pretty dang sporty.

 

[qbilder]

When Minnesota Fats had his short lived celebrity pool show, was it not Kris Kristopherson that beat him?
If it wasn't Kris, then it would have been another country singer like Merle Haggard or Johnny Paycheck.

I think Zsa Zsa Gabor was on his show too.

Waylon, IIRC. My brother had a video of it. Waylon had a harem with him & I thought he must have been the coolest dude alive. Been a LONG time since I seen that video.

 

[mcmlb55]

Paul Sorvino
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q7EpMhCa6jw
The Rematch
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BpZ9GGiz3rc&feature=related