Celebrities from the past and present that are/were big fans of pool / billiards?

J

justinb386

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I am curious about famous Celebrities from the past and present that are/were big fans of pool / billiards?

I was never there, but I think that I remember seeing a youtube video of DMX (the rapper) at the Derby City Classic some years ago, so I assume that he is a big fan of the game.

I am curious about other famous celebrities that are / were big fans of the game, and maybe even great players.

Like Jackie Gleason for example (I heard he was a really great player back in his prime, maybe before he got into acting).

Sorry if this type of thread has already been created many times in the past.
 
Here's just a few: Peter Falk, Fred Astaire, Redd Fox, Jerry Orbach, Paul Sorvino, Joe Rogan, Keifer Sutherland, Tony Stewart, James Caan, David Brenner, Robert Blake.
 
Nice list Jay. Man Redd Fox would have been a hoot on the pool table. Jay did you have any personal experience with any of these celebrity's?

I have often wondered just how good Gleason was at pool. Anyone have some info on his game?
 
I have never been to any of the big pro events (like the US Open or the Derby City Classic), so I am just curious if any of the celebrities (that are big fans of the game) show up to watch? Would be really cool to see Keifer Sutherland, and James Caan (another actor that I always liked) at one of the big annual events. Thanks for the interesting info.

jay helfert said:
Here's just a few: Peter Falk, Fred Astaire, Redd Fox, Jerry Orbach, Paul Sorvino, Joe Rogan, Keifer Sutherland, Tony Stewart, James Caan, David Brenner, Robert Blake.
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Jack Albertson, Paul Newman, Elvis? (Owned a table), Bob Hope, Mark Twain, Abraham Lincoln, Ulysses S Grant, Benjamin Franklin, Marie Antoinette.
 
He might not be a celebrity but Troy Polamalu showed up to watch the US Open One Pocket/10 Ball a few years ago.

justinb386 said:
I have never been to any of the big pro events (like the US Open or the Derby City Classic), so I am just curious if any of the celebrities (that are big fans of the game) show up to watch? Would be really cool to see Keifer Sutherland, and James Caan (another actor that I always liked) at one of the big annual events. Thanks for the interesting info.
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rookie said:
Nice list Jay. Man Redd Fox would have been a hoot on the pool table. Jay did you have any personal experience with any of these celebrity's?

I have often wondered just how good Gleason was at pool. Anyone have some info on his game?
Click to expand...

I played ans gambled with Jerry Orbach in New York when we were both kids in our 20's. He was known as Jerry The Actor around New York back then. I played Jimmy Caan several times before he became a big star. I used to give him the seven ball and play $50 sets.

I watched Keifer back Keith in a $10,000 match many years ago. And Redd Foxx used to come into Tournament Billiards in Los Angeles late at night to play and gamble. He was ALWAYS funny and kept us laughing.

Peter Falk used to come to Ye Billiard Den from time to time in Hollywood and went to all the big tournaments back in the 70's. He was very friendly with Ed Kelly and Danny Diliberto.

Joe Rogan is a decent player and has played a lot of pool around the L.A. area. David Brenner was part owner of Amsterdam Billiards in New York.

Fred Astaire was a very good player, capable of making high runs in Straight Pool. I heard he had a high run over 100 balls. He and Walter Alston (the old Dodger manager) were probably the best pool players among celebs. Leo Durocher was also a well known hustler in New York before he got big in baseball. Jackie Gleason grew up in the New York poolrooms and was a good player and gambler. He still loved to play and had a pool table in his Florida home, and often invited top players there to play with him.

Tony Stewart came to Derby City about ten years ago and backed some big games there.
 
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Keone Young (Mr WU from Deadwood) posts here from time to time and James Tolkan (Principal Skinner, Back to the Future and the ship commander from Top Gun) are fans...

JV
 
Joe Cocker loved to play at the pool room in Santa Barbara. Hardly anyone in the room realized who he was - and he apparently liked it that way.
 
Sally Delgado. You all knew her as Two-Tooth Sally.
She had an old 5x10 Gandy in her back room where she laid...I beg your pardon, played regularly. :smile:
 
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jay helfert said:
Here's just a few: Peter Falk, Fred Astaire, Redd Fox, Jerry Orbach, Paul Sorvino, Joe Rogan, Keifer Sutherland, Tony Stewart, James Caan, David Brenner, Robert Blake.
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I heard Robert Blake was a deadly shot with a pistol or with a pool cue, or so his wife used to say.
 
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jay helfert said:
I played ans gambled with Jerry Orbach in New York when we were both kids in our 20's. He was known as Jerry The Actor around New York back then. I played Jimmy Caan several times before he became a big star. I used to give him the seven ball and play $50 sets.

I watched Keifer back Keith in a $10,000 match many years ago. And Redd Foxx used to come into Tournament Billiards in Los Angeles late at night to play and gamble. He was ALWAYS funny and kept us laughing.

Peter Falk used to come to Ye Billiard Den from time to time in Hollywood and went to all the big tournaments back in the 70's. He was very friendly with Ed Kelly and Danny Diliberto.

Joe Rogan is a decent player and has played a lot of pool around the L.A. area. David Brenner was part owner of Amsterdam Billiards in New York.

Fred Astaire was a very good player, capable of making high runs in Straight Pool. I heard he had a high run over 100 balls. He and Walter Alston (the old Dodger manager) were probably the best pool players among celebs. Leo Durocher was also a well known hustler in New York before he got big in baseball. Jackie Gleason grew up in the New York poolrooms and was a good player and gambler. He still loved to play and had a pool table in his Florida home, and often invited top players there to play with him.

Tony Stewart came to Derby City about ten years ago and backed some big games there.
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As usual great story's Jay thanks for sharing. And thanks for responding to my question.
 
Jackie Gleason. Art Carney..JPG,,,,,,,,,,
 
Paul Reiser
https://www.pinterest.com/pin/376472850072632566/

Bob Hope and Bing Crosby purportedly met for the first time at the Friars Club and played pool.

At the World Snooker Championship
Damien Hirst, Ronnie's buddy (sold some of his paintings, in a single auction, for about $200 million)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Damien_Hirst
Ronnie Wood, another Ronnie buddy, a Rolling Stone :D
Nicko McBrain, drummer, Iron Maiden
http://www.prosnookerblog.com/2015/05/03/crucible-celebrities/#more-46548
 
justinb386 said:
I am curious about famous Celebrities from the past and present that are/were big fans of pool / billiards?

I was never there, but I think that I remember seeing a youtube video of DMX (the rapper) at the Derby City Classic some years ago, so I assume that he is a big fan of the game.

I am curious about other famous celebrities that are / were big fans of the game, and maybe even great players.

Like Jackie Gleason for example (I heard he was a really great player back in his prime, maybe before he got into acting).

Sorry if this type of thread has already been created many times in the past.
Click to expand...

Self proclaimed inventor of jazz , Jelly Roll Morton also hustled pool , or at least he said he did in some National Archives audio recordings , i think the first tape is on Youtube.
 
I understand that he was the star of the post popular pool movie ever made (other then The Hustler), but is Tom Cruise really that big of a fan of the game? When I mentioned celebs that are fans of the game, I meant celebs that actually follow (or at least read about) how the top players are doing, and interested in the young and up and coming new talented potential future world champions of the game of pool. Like do any of these celebs (of the present) know who Skyler Woodward or Justin Bergman is, or any of the many other up and coming young pro players? Was just curious about celebs that are really interested in the sport, and interested in all of the top players of the sport. Some of these celebs may not be that big of fans though (like in comparison to a big time fan of baseball for example), and may only just love to play the game (which is a good thing in itself).

PINKLADY said:
i cant believe no one mentioned Tom Cruise - yall are slipping! :eek:
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How about Pat Morita. He used to come in the LV Cue Club and play billiards.. Incidentally, James Tolkin plays pool. Used to come to Super Billiards Expo. Both nice people.

Lyn
 
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