"The Color of Money" -- 25 Years Later

[JAM]

A few months ago, a German magazine contacted Keith McCready about doing an interview for an upcoming article they were going to write about the movie, "The Color of Money," 25 years later.

It was recently published, and I am thrilled with the look of the six-page article, though it is written in German, but I have a work associate who works for Der Spiegel who is going to translate it for me. I do know that Keith's "exclusive" interview part is a good read, as I have the English version.

Anyway, here's the link to the German magazine: http://www.touch-magazine.net/

It's hard to believe it's been 25 years since that movie came out.

Keith is truly honored that a member of the foreign press acknowledged him in this manner. Here's a brief bio they did on one of the six pages.

 

[Blackjack]

A few months ago, a German magazine contacted Keith McCready about doing an interview for an upcoming article they were going to write about the movie, "The Color of Money," 25 years later.

It was recently published, and I am thrilled with the look of the six-page article, though it is written in German, but I have a work associate who works for Der Spiegel who is going to translate it for me. I do know that Keith's "exclusive" interview part is a good read, as I have the English version.

Anyway, here's the link to the German magazine: http://www.touch-magazine.net/

It's hard to believe it's been 25 years since that movie came out.

Keith is truly honored that a member of the foreign press acknowledged him in this manner. Here's a brief bio they did on one of the six pages.

Jennie
Keith deserves all the recognition he gets - he has definitely earned every bit of it. Thanks for the link to the main article!

 

[Buddy]

Sure would like to see him play agian..Saw him at the 2004 Glass City Open

 

[justnum]

Its like a nightmare it just gets worse and worse.

A quote from Keith in the Color of Money to celebrate the publication.

 

[jrhendy]

A few months ago, a German magazine contacted Keith McCready about doing an interview for an upcoming article they were going to write about the movie, "The Color of Money," 25 years later.

It was recently published, and I am thrilled with the look of the six-page article, though it is written in German, but I have a work associate who works for Der Spiegel who is going to translate it for me. I do know that Keith's "exclusive" interview part is a good read, as I have the English version.

Anyway, here's the link to the German magazine: http://www.touch-magazine.net/

It's hard to believe it's been 25 years since that movie came out.

Keith is truly honored that a member of the foreign press acknowledged him in this manner. Here's a brief bio they did on one of the six pages.

I was living in LA and was honored to be invited and play in the Color Of Money tournament played at the Biltmore Hotel in Los Angeles after the movie came out(Actually, Jay Helfert need a couple local fillers to complete the 64 player field).

I can remember Keith signing in as Grady Seasons at some local tournaments.
He was very popular and always drew a crowd when he played.

Very nice for him to remembered as a character in the movie that triggered a resurgence of interest in pool at that time. After the movie quite a few new rooms opened up, similar to the time in the 60's when The Hustler came out.

He was and I am sure still is, one of a kind, and when we old pool scuffs talk about the best, Keith is the one we remember the most.

 

[mr8ball]

I am so happy for him. Tell him I said hi and would love to see him again

 

[JAM]

I am so happy for him. Tell him I said hi and would love to see him again

I will, Doug. I hope you're feeling better after your medical scare at SBE. Eat healthy. My brother, who's now a vegetarian, swears his diet cured him of cancer. He did go through chemo, but he claims that if you have your diet in check that you can overcome just about anything. He is really a picture of health these days.

I just got new glasses, and my eye doctor told me that my cholesterol is high. How on earth he knows this from looking in my eyeballs is beyond me, but I'm working hard to keep healthy. I get chest pains all the time, and it scares me.

 

[JAM]

I was living in LA and was honored to be invited and play in the Color Of Money tournament played at the Biltmore Hotel in Los Angeles after the movie came out(Actually, Jay Helfert need a couple local fillers to complete the 64 player field).

I can remember Keith signing in as Grady Seasons at some local tournaments.
He was very popular and always drew a crowd when he played.

Very nice for him to remembered as a character in the movie that triggered a resurgence of interest in pool at that time. After the movie quite a few new rooms opened up, similar to the time in the 60's when The Hustler came out.

He was and I am sure still is, one of a kind, and when we old pool scuffs talk about the best, Keith is the one we remember the most.

Thanks for sharing that Keith tale and for acknowledging Keith in such high regard. I can't wait to remind him about him signing in as "Grady Seasons." That's funny! :grin-square:

 

[JAM]

Jennie
Keith deserves all the recognition he gets - he has definitely earned every bit of it. Thanks for the link to the main article!

Coming from you, Dave, that is quite a high compliment. I appreciate your kind words about Keith.

 

[Lock N Load]

I loved that movie. Wish they would do a remake!

A few months ago, a German magazine contacted Keith McCready about doing an interview for an upcoming article they were going to write about the movie, "The Color of Money," 25 years later.

It was recently published, and I am thrilled with the look of the six-page article, though it is written in German, but I have a work associate who works for Der Spiegel who is going to translate it for me. I do know that Keith's "exclusive" interview part is a good read, as I have the English version.

Anyway, here's the link to the German magazine: http://www.touch-magazine.net/

It's hard to believe it's been 25 years since that movie came out.

Keith is truly honored that a member of the foreign press acknowledged him in this manner. Here's a brief bio they did on one of the six pages.

Keith is a great guy and pool player. It was a good movie with a great cast! Thanks goes to Keith. I hope life is going good for you and your family!
Regards,
Lock N Load.

 

[JAM]

Sure would like to see him play agian..Saw him at the 2004 Glass City Open

I rememer that 2004 Glass City Open well. In fact, the GCO used to be one my all-time favorite tournaments. Toledo is only a 5-hour drive from our home, and I loved the atmosphere there. We always had so much fun.

I think Keith came in third place that year, losing to Nick Varner, if memory serves me right. It might have been the year before. Either way, win or lose, the Glass City Open was always a good time to be had.

 

[JAM]

A quote from Keith in the Color of Money to celebrate the publication.

How about that other quote when he called Vincent a "lucky pr**k." :yikes:

 

[JAM]

Keith is a great guy and pool player. It was a good movie with a great cast! Thanks goes to Keith. I hope life is going good for you and your family!
Regards,
Lock N Load.

Life is good. One thing for sure, they can never take Keith's role as Grady Seasons away from him. I know he still gets a kick out of it.

One of my favorite memories was when Keith was at the Super Billiards Expo in the action pit. He was on a tear, holding the table for at least a dozen or more games. Nobody could beat him.

There were about 100 people standing around the action pit bar box, and somebody yelled out, "Hey, Keith, say it. Just say it." Without missing a beat, Keith says, "It's like a nightmare, isn't it?" The whole crowd erupted in loud laughter, and Keith was eating it up, grinning from ear to ear. That's a happy pool memory for me, seeing him shine. :smiling-heart:

Keith pocketed five figures that year in the action pit. He had to play his heart out, but he's pretty good on the bar table. :wink:

 

[Lock N Load]

Very good!

Life is good. One thing for sure, they can never take Keith's role as Grady Seasons away from him. I know he still gets a kick out of it.

One of my favorite memories was when Keith was at the Super Billiards Expo in the action pit. He was on a tear, holding the table for at least a dozen or more games. Nobody could beat him.

There were about 100 people standing around the action pit bar box, and somebody yelled out, "Hey, Keith, say it. Just say it." Without missing a beat, Keith says, "It's like a nightmare, isn't it?" The whole crowd erupted in loud laughter, and Keith was eating it up, grinning from ear to ear. That's a happy pool memory for me, seeing him shine. :smiling-heart:

Keith pocketed five figures that year in the action pit. He had to play his heart out, but he's pretty good on the bar table. :wink:

I am glad he and his family are doing good. He made pool shine. Thanks for your good post.
Regards,
Lock N Load.

 

[wahoo bob]

Hey JAM
Thanks for posting that article. I'm a big fan of Keith's and I always liked his style of play. The "dippseyduddle" was quite a stroke! If you ever do any promo pics of Keith (maybe a shot of him now and then an insert of him back in the day) and offer them signed, I think there is a big enough following to make a buck. I love watching him from the accu-stats 2003 US Open 9-ball against Parica. What a match!
Thanks
Bob

 

[rayjay]

Life is good. One thing for sure, they can never take Keith's role as Grady Seasons away from him. I know he still gets a kick out of it.

One of my favorite memories was when Keith was at the Super Billiards Expo in the action pit. He was on a tear, holding the table for at least a dozen or more games. Nobody could beat him.

There were about 100 people standing around the action pit bar box, and somebody yelled out, "Hey, Keith, say it. Just say it." Without missing a beat, Keith says, "It's like a nightmare, isn't it?" The whole crowd erupted in loud laughter, and Keith was eating it up, grinning from ear to ear. That's a happy pool memory for me, seeing him shine. :smiling-heart:

Keith pocketed five figures that year in the action pit. He had to play his heart out, but he's pretty good on the bar table. :wink:

How cool is that? Ah, the good life...I wish Keith was still playing. Take care of your heart and congrats on the article! Post the translation when you get it if you can!

 

[hon400ex]

very cool

Congrats on the article. I would love to read the translated version. I just watched it again earlier this week.
Andy

 

[CreeDo]

Congrats on the article. I would love to read the translated version. I just watched it again earlier this week.
Andy

With the help of google translate, I have what I think is a decent translation of the opening page of the article. Makes me wish I could read the whole thing.

Keith McCready
alias "Grady Seasons"

The US-American pool table professional Keith McCready in 1986 acquired a certain celebrity. Not just by virtue of his quite excellent pool game, but rather by his involvement in the cult film "The Color of Money." As the opponent of the then very young Tom Cruise, McCready played the role of the unloved Grady Seasons. To mark the 25th anniversary, we spoke with Keith McCready on working with movie stars Cruise and Paul Newman.

Mr. McCready, many thanks for the opportunity this interview. How did you
come to play the role of Grady Seasons?

McCready: It's a slightly long story. In 1985 Touchstone decided to produce a movie called
"The Color of Money", based on the 1984 novel by Walter Tevis. Tevis had written at the time of 'The Hustler', "Paul Newman made a brilliant Appearance as Fast Eddie Felson, and never before had American pool and billiard culture been represented like this." Touchstone Pictures determined at the time that 'The Color of Money' should be the continuation of the life of Fast Eddie Felson - just 20 years later."

Director Martin Scorsese sprinkled throughout the film various guest appearances by known pool players, and therefore he brought himself, his casting Director Gretchen Rennell and Tom Cruise to the U.S. Open in Virginia to put a couple of players under the microscope. After my tournament matches that day, I glanced in the direction Efren Reyes, the then already very well-known top player from The Philippines. He had previously defeated me just a few weeks ago and I wanted revenge. No words needed to be said, we looked into each other's eyes, he nodded, threw a coin and off we went. We played one-pocket.

 

[bfdlad]

Hey Jam, just to join in the little trip down memory lane. I was in England when TCOM came out and watched it over 100 times. Grady Seasons just about stole the show for me at least. I remember always saying "I F48cking hate that guy" He did a great job acting too which is really a surprise for a poolplayer to do that goo of a job.

I also remember the first time I spoke with him on the phone and when I got off the phone I had a huge grin. My girlfriend said "whats up with you? who where you talking to?" I said with a bigger grin "Grady Seasons" "WHO?" "You know grady seasons from TCOM?" She is not a pool fan but is really getting into it these days. Made me buy the Shane V Strickland PPV. Anyway come to find out she had never seen TCOM. So we went and bought it again as I could not find mine. Wheb Grady Season scene comes up she says "I F^&cking hate that guy" Anyway, My best wishes and congrats on being rememberd by many over us pool freaks world wide.

Mark,

 

[JAM]

Hey JAM
Thanks for posting that article. I'm a big fan of Keith's and I always liked his style of play. The "dippseyduddle" was quite a stroke! If you ever do any promo pics of Keith (maybe a shot of him now and then an insert of him back in the day) and offer them signed, I think there is a big enough following to make a buck. I love watching him from the accu-stats 2003 US Open 9-ball against Parica. What a match!
Thanks
Bob

I remember that shot, the "Dipsydoo" shot.

Loved that match with Jose and Keith in the winner's bracket. One of my faves! :smiling-heart:

Check out Ronnie Wiseman and Jimmy Wetch sitting railside, pulling for Keith. Everybody had a smile on their face that day, except, of course, for Jose Parica. But Jose got his revenge the next day.