Thread: "Joe Louis: America's Hero...Betrayed"

HBO Sports Begins Production on
"Joe Louis: America's Hero...Betrayed"
CHRONICLING THE LIFE OF THE HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPION,

DEBUTING FEBRUARY 23 ON HBO

http://www.boxing2007.com/PressRelea...roBetrayed.htm

HBO Sports has begun production on JOE LOUIS: AMERICA’S HERO…BETRAYED, a documentary on the legendary boxer and his tremendous impact on segregated America, it was announced today by Ross Greenburg, president, HBO Sports. The special will reveal how the grandson of slaves became one of the greatest heavyweights of all time, served as an iconic figure in World War II, and later carried himself with dignity and class through numerous setbacks. JOE LOUIS: AMERICA’S HERO…BETRAYED debuts SATURDAY, FEB. 23 (8:00-9:15 p.m. ET/9:00-10:15 p.m. PT) during Black History Month, exclusively on HBO.



“Joe Louis had an astonishing career,” said Greenburg. “Retaining numerous knockout records to this day, he was a pillar of democracy and strength in a tumultuous period. In the mid-‘30s, years before Jackie Robinson’s arrival in Brooklyn, this boxing champion challenged preconceived notions of race and class. We will also examine how the government and IRS turned their backs on this hero and drove him into a desperate state at the end of his boxing career and life.”



Born May 12, 1914, in LaFayette, Alabama, Joseph Louis Barrow – who became known as the “Brown Bomber” – was America’s first true crossover athlete. As the first black sports star worshipped by both black and white fans, he was respected not only for his boxing talents, but also for showing the world what a person of color could do if given the opportunity. When he fought, the world stood still.



Louis’ record-breaking career began in 1934. Winning his first 27 fights, all but four by knockout, he dominated opponents. Louis held the world heavyweight title 11 consecutive years, successfully defending his title a record 25 consecutive times; his career record of 68-3 makes him one of the greatest heavyweights ever. “No human body can take the punishment that Jolting Joe dishes out once he goes after his prey,” wrote Nat Fleischer in the April 1939 edition of The Ring magazine.



JOE LOUIS: AMERICA’S HERO…BETRAYED underscores his importance during a critical time in America’s history. From the Great Depression through World War II and into the 1950s, Joe Louis was the poster boy for the American way of life. In 1938, when Louis defeated Germany’s Max Schmeling, his victory was interpreted as democracy’s defeat of Nazism, boosting public morale and transforming him into a true American hero.



After spending four years in the U.S. Army and working for the government to raise money for the USO and the war, Louis found himself in financial trouble. Ironically, he was harassed by the IRS as soon as the war ended.



Once called “a credit to his race — the human race” by sportswriter Jimmy Cannon, Joe Louis inspired a reverence accorded few other Americans. He died in 1981 in Las Vegas, four years after suffering a stroke. Louis posthumously received a Congressional Gold Medal and was given a full military funeral and burial in Arlington Cemetery.



The high-profile list of interviewees who discuss Louis’ impact in the documentary includes: his son, Joe Louis Barrow, Jr.; former President Jimmy Carter; poet Maya Angelou; actor-comedian Jerry Lewis; comedian-activist Dick Gregory; Pete and Louis Marciano, brothers of boxer Rocky Marciano; writer Gay Talese; congressman Charles Rangel; and other notable writers, biographers and historians.



Anyone interested in this one?

I am...100%.

HBO does really well handling pugilistic history, IWO.

This should be a good. Joe's story is a bit of a sad one...but you have to wonder from time to time...could he have done thing's differently?

Sometimes I say YES...others NO.

Tuff call...should be very interesting.

Thoughts?

There is a movie called "Joe and Max" or "Max and Joe"...its a German/US production...
Its about the life of Louis and Schmeling...It says that Louis fought during his army time
numerous times and donating his purse to the state...later the IRS said he didn't pay taxes
for the fight... pretty lousy...
The movie was also about that Schmeling paid (at least a part) for Louis burial...I don't
think they ever became close friends,but they respected each other very much...

I have to agree with many points there...Especially about how the govt had no problem (or the rest of America for that matter) using Joe as their poster boy of American power so to speak..even during the time when Blcaks were not treated as equals...but they had no problem allowing Joe to be the one who led the troops so to speak...But behind the scenes he was treated as nothing more then a second rate citizen and thats the truth...Joe was not his own man....He made Money and they took it through taxes etc...and let him finish his days as a greeter in a Vegas casino wearing cheap suits...

Yes Joe was done an injustice...did he have fault in his career and how it ended money wise?...Sure but they had no problem in using him for all he was worth...He was a veteran of the USA Army and served his country in more then one way...when he was of no more use he was dismissed.....

The Black eye is on those who allowed it to happen to him...reguardless of what he is to take blame for in his own financial situation....

Sadly Joe is not the only man for this to ever happen to..but the fact the Country allowed it makes it the real shame....

Joe and Max was a pretty good representation I love that movie!! Didnt get as deep into it as it could have but it was good nonetheless

Louis was an astonishing athlete who paved the way for racial integration in sports. To be the undisputed world heavyweight champion for 11 years and have 25 defences, to clean out the division twice ...... when boxing was THE mainstream sport is an iconic feat in all sports, never mind just boxing.

He was a decent man and a total professional - a patriotic man to the country and system that ended up casually destroying him. The IRS acted as all government institutions do: without a shred of common sense or humanity ..... and they should be ashamed of themselves.

did u guys see Joe Louis in AMERICAN GANGSTER? lol :P

I have 2 Joe Luis doc's and but I like the A&E special that they did as far as showing the type of man that he was. Joe & Max was more to me as a little film put together just as a reminder of what both guys represented and not necessairly and in depth look at their lives.
This one that's being put together by HBO looks to be going more in depth as who they were and the lifestyle that they lived.

Really looking forward to this one.

Joe Louis was the greates of all time.He was and is the greates person out of Alabama

Originally Posted by X

Louis was an astonishing athlete who paved the way for racial integration in sports. To be the undisputed world heavyweight champion for 11 years and have 25 defences, to clean out the division twice ...... when boxing was THE mainstream sport is an iconic feat in all sports, never mind just boxing.

He was a decent man and a total professional - a patriotic man to the country and system that ended up casually destroying him. The IRS acted as all government institutions do: without a shred of common sense or humanity ..... and they should be ashamed of themselves.

Not only should they be ashamed. They should be dismantled and thrown in the trash, the IRS is a little more vulgar than most government institutions.

Joe got screwed by the system.




This a picture I got with his statue in Ceasers Palace in Vegas.

Joe was a great, if Tyson was an animal in the ring, Joe was a machine.
I think every boxing fan has seen his demolition of Schmeling and his comeback against Conn is infamous. The guy can't get enough punblicity in my book.

An absolute gent, it was sad to hear that his life ended with so many problems.

that schleming fight was pretty brutal...i think it would have actually been competitive if Hitler didn't have his family locked up though.

I like Louis as much as anyone, but the fact of the matter is, he didn't pay his federal income taxes for many years, even prior to the war. This was largely attributed to bad advice from his lawyer.

The IRS doesn't give out any passes; whether you are Joe Louis or Joe Shmoe.

Is this a one off documentary? What's the run time? The schedule makes it look like it either runs twice on the same night or that the first half is before the news and the rest concludes after, I'm confused, can anyone enlighten me?

Originally Posted by lance Uppercut

I like Louis as much as anyone, but the fact of the matter is, he didn't pay his federal income taxes for many years, even prior to the war. This was largely attributed to bad advice from his lawyer.

The IRS doesn't give out any passes; whether you are Joe Louis or Joe Shmoe.

That may be true but the IRS also expected him to pay taxes on the exhibition fights he did for the Army.

Joe Louis kept Jackie Robinson from being court-martialed

Joe was just as much a victim of ignorance as he was of "the system", I want to say if he had good management (outside of just boxing) then he wouldn't have had the problems he did. I think everyone wishes this story had a different ending, I think it's sad that an American Hero like Joe Louis was made a pauper by the government the way he was....all I have to say is if you're the President and you hear about this going on you give an immediate pardon and try and keep it from happening again.

Joe Louis is the Greatest Heavyweight in the history of the sport!