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The Great White Hope ()

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A Black champion boxer and his white female companion struggle to survive while the white boxing establishment looks for ways to knock him down.
Director:
Writers:
Stars:
Awards:
  • Nominated for 2 Oscars. Another 2 wins & 6 nominations.
  • See more »
Reviews:

Photos and Videos

45 photos | 1 video

Cast verified as complete

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Jack Jefferson
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Eleanor
Lou Gilbert ...
Goldie
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Tick
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Pop Weaver
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Dixon
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Clara
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Cap'n Dan
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Cameron
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Mama Tiny
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Scipio
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Smitty
George Ebeling ...
Fred
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Brady
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Pastor (as Roy E. Glenn Sr.)
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Deacon
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French Promoter
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El Jefe
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Sister Pearl
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Rudy
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Ragosy (as Oscar Beregi)
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Paco
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Hans (as Karl Otto Alberty)
Jim Beattie ...
The Kid
Rest of cast listed alphabetically:
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Man in German Nightclub (uncredited)
Ernest Anderson ...
Mrs. Jefferson's Friend (uncredited)
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British Judge (uncredited)
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Reporter (uncredited)
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Citizens Committee Man (uncredited)
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Carnival Barker (uncredited)
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Mrs. Jefferson's Friend (uncredited)
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English Official (uncredited)
Peter Eastman ...
Trial Spectator (uncredited)
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Reporter (uncredited)
Joseph La Cava ...
Trial Spectator (uncredited)
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Mrs. Jefferson's Friend (uncredited)
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Policeman (uncredited)
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Barrister (uncredited)
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Prussian Officer in Beer Garden (uncredited)
Frank Noel ...
Minor Role (uncredited)
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District Attorney's Secretary (uncredited)
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Barrister's Assistant (uncredited)
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Housekeeper (uncredited)
Tony Regan ...
Trial Spectator (uncredited)
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Pastor (uncredited)
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Globe, Arizona Townsman (uncredited)
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Cornerman (uncredited)
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Trial Spectator (uncredited)
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Attorney (uncredited)
Cal Wilson ...
Chicago Kid (uncredited)

Directed by

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Martin Ritt

Written by

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Howard Sackler ... (play)
 
Howard Sackler ... (screenplay)

Produced by

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Lawrence Turman ... producer

Cinematography by

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Burnett Guffey ... director of photography

Editing by

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William Reynolds

Production Design by

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John DeCuir ... (as John De Cuir)

Art Direction by

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Jack Martin Smith

Set Decoration by

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Raphael Bretton
Walter M. Scott
Gil Parrondo ... (uncredited)

Costume Design by

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Irene Sharaff

Makeup Department

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Pat Abbott ... hair stylist
Edwin Butterworth ... makeup artist (as Ed Butterworth)
Paul Stanhope Jr. ... makeup artist (as Paul Stanhope)
Daniel C. Striepeke ... makeup supervisor (as Dan Striepeke)
Paquita Trench ... assistant makeup artist (uncredited)

Production Management

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Tadeo Villalba ... production manager: Spain
Saul Wurtzel ... unit production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director

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José López Rodero ... assistant director: Spain (as Jose Lopez Rodero)
Tim Zinnemann ... assistant director
Antal Kovacs ... second assistant director (uncredited)
Al Murphy ... second assistant director (uncredited)
Jerry Ziesmer ... assistant director (uncredited)

Art Department

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Dennis J. Parrish ... property master (as Dennis Parrish)
José García Donado ... props (uncredited)
Julián Martín ... scenic artist (uncredited)
David J. Negron ... artist: continuity/storyboard (uncredited)
Emilio Ruiz del Río ... scenic artist (uncredited)

Sound Department

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Theodore Soderberg ... sound
Jack Solomon ... sound
Vinton Vernon ... sound

Special Effects by

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Antonio Baquero ... special effects assistant (uncredited)

Visual Effects by

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L.B. Abbott ... special photographic effects
Art Cruickshank ... special photographic effects

Camera and Electrical Department

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Ron Pearce ... gaffer (uncredited)

Costume and Wardrobe Department

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Ed Wynigear ... wardrobe (uncredited)

Music Department

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Thurston Frazier ... vocal coach
Lionel Newman ... music supervisor

Script and Continuity Department

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Marvin Weldon ... script supervisor

Transportation Department

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Chris Haynes ... driver (uncredited)

Additional Crew

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Mushy Callahan ... technical advisor
Herman Levin ... stage producer: Produced on the New York Stage by
Donald McKayle ... choreographer
Dominic Santarone ... caterer (uncredited)
Ruth Santarone ... caterer (uncredited)
Sharon Thurgood ... studio teacher (uncredited)
Cassius Weathersby ... production assistant (uncredited)
Crew verified as complete

Production Companies

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Distributors

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Special Effects

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Other Companies

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Storyline

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Plot Summary

Boxer Jack Jefferson (James Earl Jones) is the world's reigning heavyweight boxing champion. There's just one problem: he is also the first Black heavyweight champion, which bothers a lot of people. Jack's celebration is cut short when he is framed for crossing a state line with Eleanor, his white fiancée (Jane Alexander in her first film role), a violation of the Mann Act. Facing a prison sentence, Jack escapes to Europe with Eleanor in tow, encountering problems in England, and then France, and eventually landing in Cuba. In Havana, Jack agrees to enter the boxing ring for what might be the bout of his life. Both Jones and Alexander were nominated for Oscars. Written by trivwhiz

Plot Keywords
Taglines The most honored play in the history of Broadway...becomes an electrifying motion picture! See more »
Genres
Parents Guide Add content advisory for parents »
Certification

Additional Details

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Also Known As
  • Boxer (Japan, English title)
  • L'Insurgé (France)
  • La gran esperanza blanca (Spain)
  • La gran esperanza blanca (Argentina)
  • ボクサー（1970） (Japan, Japanese title)
  • See more »
Runtime
  • 103 min
Country
Language
Color
Aspect Ratio
Sound Mix
Filming Locations

Box Office

Budget $8,000,000 (estimated)

Did You Know?

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Trivia Redd Foxx, who knew former heavyweight champ Jack Johnson, whose career and struggle against racism inspired the original play, turned down a role in the film as he believed it was not a true picture of his old friend. See more »
Goofs In the first scene in which we see Jefferson practicing, the sweat on his shirt changes from shot to shot in a way that wouldn't be predicted by evaporation. See more »
Movie Connections Edited into The Loving Story (2011). See more »
Soundtracks Let Me Hold You In My Arms Tonight See more »
Crazy Credits Screenplay by Howard Sackler Based on his play See more »
Quotes Reporter: Now you're the first Black man in the history of the ring who's ever had a crack at the heavyweight title. Now white folks, of course, are behind Brady. He's the redeemer of the race and so on. But you, Jack Jefferson, are you the Black hope?
Jack Jefferson: Well, I'm Black and I'm hopin'.
Goldie: Answer him straight, Jack.
Jack Jefferson: Hey, look, man, I ain't fighting for no race, I ain't redeeming nobody. My mama told me *Mr. Lincoln* done that. Ain't that why you shot him?
See more »
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