Fireball Jungle
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Fireball Jungle
''Fireball Jungle'' is a 1968 melodrama directed by Joseph P. Mawra and starring John Russell and Lon Chaney Jr. The film featured the hit single, "Love (Can Make You Happy)" by Mercy and was filmed in and around Tampa, Florida. Plot Gangster Nero Sagittarius hires stock car driver Cateye Meares, leader of a band of sadistic thugs, to help him gain control of several automobile racetracks. Steve Cullen, whose brother was killed in an accident caused by Cateye, races under an alias while attempting to implicate the murderer. Infuriated by Steve's skill, Cateye assaults him. After Old Sam, a junkyard owner forced to fence stolen cars for Nero's syndicate, is burned alive, Steve fights Cateye in his hideout. Although badly beaten, Steve attempts to expose Cateye. During the big race, Cateye is killed in a spectacular crash while being chased by the police. Cast * John Russell as Nero Solitarius * Lon Chaney Jr. as Old Sam * Alan Mixon as Ronald Elwood "Cateye" Meares * Randy Kirby ...
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Melodrama
A modern melodrama is a dramatic work in which the plot, typically sensationalized and for a strong emotional appeal, takes precedence over detailed characterization. Melodramas typically concentrate on dialogue that is often bombastic or excessively sentimental, rather than action. Characters are often flat, and written to fulfill stereotypes. Melodramas are typically set in the private sphere of the home, focusing on morality and family issues, love, and marriage, often with challenges from an outside source, such as a "temptress", a scoundrel, or an aristocratic villain. A melodrama on stage, filmed, or on television is usually accompanied by dramatic and suggestive music that offers cues to the audience of the drama being presented. In scholarly and historical musical contexts, ''melodramas'' are Victorian dramas in which orchestral music or song was used to accompany the action. The term is now also applied to stage performances without incidental music, novels, films, tel ...
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Joseph P
Joseph is a common male given name, derived from the Hebrew Yosef (יוֹסֵף). "Joseph" is used, along with "Josef", mostly in English, French and partially German languages. This spelling is also found as a variant in the languages of the modern-day Nordic countries. In Portuguese and Spanish, the name is "José". In Arabic, including in the Quran, the name is spelled '' Yūsuf''. In Persian, the name is "Yousef". The name has enjoyed significant popularity in its many forms in numerous countries, and ''Joseph'' was one of the two names, along with ''Robert'', to have remained in the top 10 boys' names list in the US from 1925 to 1972. It is especially common in contemporary Israel, as either "Yossi" or "Yossef", and in Italy, where the name "Giuseppe" was the most common male name in the 20th century. In the first century CE, Joseph was the second most popular male name for Palestine Jews. In the Book of Genesis Joseph is Jacob's eleventh son and Rachel's first son, and k ...
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John Russell (actor)
John Lawrence Russell (January 3, 1921 – January 19, 1991) was an American film and television actor, most noted for his starring role as Marshal Dan Troop in the ABC western television series '' Lawman'' from 1958 to 1962 and his lead role as international adventurer Tim Kelly in the syndicated TV series '' Soldiers of Fortune'' from 1955 to 1957. Early life Born in Los Angeles to insurance company executive John Henry Russell and his wife, Amy Requa, John Lawrence Russell was the eldest of three children. He attended the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) as a student athlete. Following the start of World War II, he joined the United States Marine Corps, though he was initially rejected because of his height (). He was commissioned as a 2d Lieutenant on November 11, 1942, and was assigned to the 6th Marine Regiment. His division was sent to Guadalcanal, where he served as an assistant intelligence officer. He contracted malaria and returned home with a medical ...
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Lon Chaney Jr
Creighton Tull Chaney (February10, 1906 – July12, 1973), known by his stage name Lon Chaney Jr., was an American actor known for playing Larry Talbot in the film '' The Wolf Man'' (1941) and its various crossovers, Count Alucard (Dracula spelled backward) in '' Son of Dracula'', Frankenstein's monster in ''The Ghost of Frankenstein'' (1942), the Mummy in three pictures, and various other roles in many Universal horror films. He also portrayed Lennie Small in ''Of Mice and Men'' (1939) and supporting parts in dozens of mainstream movies, including '' High Noon'' (1952), and ''The Defiant Ones'' (1958). Originally referred to in films as Creighton Chaney, he was later credited as "Lon Chaney, Jr." in 1935, and after ''Man Made Monster'' (1941), beginning as early as ''The Wolf Man'' later that same year, he was almost always billed under the name of his immensely more famous father, the deceased cinema giant Lon Chaney, at the studio's insistence. Chaney had English, Fr ...
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Love (Can Make You Happy)
"Love (Can Make You Happy)" is a song written by Jack Sigler, Jr. and performed by Mercy. It reached #2 on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100, where "Get Back" by The Beatles kept it from the #1 spot. On other US charts, the song also peaked at #2 on ''Billboard''s Easy Listening chart in 1969. Outside the US, the song also reached #2 on Canada's ''RPM'' 100, and #1 on ''RPM''s Adult Contemporary chart. The song was ranked #42 on ''Billboard'' magazine's Top ''Hot 100'' songs of 1969. History The song was originally released on Sundi Records, but as the single climbed up the charts, the group's lead singer, Sigler, faced being drafted. Sundi Records quickly released the album ''Love (Can Make You Happy)'' that included the song plus other cover songs that were not recorded by any of the original group. Sigler, who ended up not being drafted, signed the group to Warner Bros. Records where they recorded a sound-a-like version of the single and released the album, ''Love Can Make You Hap ...
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Mercy (band)
Mercy is an American pop group from Florida. The group's 1969 single " Love (Can Make You Happy)", written by Jack Sigler, Jr., soared to No. 2 on the U.S. ''Billboard'' Hot 100 singles chart, and also peaked at No. 2 on the Adult Contemporary chart. "Love (Can Make You Happy)" was released in April and had sold over one million copies by July 15, earning a gold record from the R.I.A.A., although the group did not receive the award until October 2009. The track was originally released on the small Tampa, Florida-based Sundi record label, at which time it was also included in the movie, '' Fireball Jungle''. The B-side of the Sundi single was entitled "Fire Ball". During the single's rapid rise in the charts, an album was released by a group calling themselves "The Mercy" (with a cover showing three girls), that included the Sundi recording, as well as several other songs that were not recorded by any of the original Mercy members. The song was re-recorded on the Warner Brothers ...
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Tampa, Florida
Tampa () is a city on the Gulf Coast of the United States, Gulf Coast of the U.S. state of Florida. The city's borders include the north shore of Tampa Bay and the east shore of Old Tampa Bay. Tampa is the largest city in the Tampa Bay area and the County seat, seat of Hillsborough County, Florida, Hillsborough County. With a population of 384,959 according to the 2020 census, Tampa is the third-most populated city in Florida after Jacksonville, Florida, Jacksonville and Miami and is the List of United States cities by population, 52nd most populated city in the United States. Tampa functioned as a military center during the 19th century with the establishment of Fort Brooke. The cigar industry was also brought to the city by Vicente Martinez Ybor, Vincente Martinez Ybor, after whom Ybor City is named. Tampa was formally reincorporated as a city in 1887, following the American Civil War, Civil War. Today, Tampa's economy is driven by tourism, health care, finance, insurance, tec ...
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1968 Films
The year 1968 in film involved some significant events, with the release of Stanley Kubrick's '' 2001: A Space Odyssey'', as well as two highly successful musical films, '' Funny Girl'' and '' Oliver!'', the former earning Barbra Streisand the Academy Award for Best Actress (an honour she shared with Katharine Hepburn for her role in ''The Lion in Winter'') and the latter winning both the Best Picture and Best Director awards. Top-grossing films (U.S.) The top ten 1968 released films by box office gross in North America are as follows: Events * November 1 – The MPAA's film rating system is introduced. Awards Palme d'Or (Cannes Film Festival): canceled due to events of May 1968 Golden Lion (Venice Film Festival): :'' Die Artisten in der Zirkuskuppel: Ratlos'' (''Artists under the Big Top: Perplexed''), directed by Alexander Kluge, West Germany Golden Bear (Berlin Film Festival): :''Ole dole doff'' (''Who Saw Him Die?''), directed by Jan Troell, Sweden Films released ...
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1968 Crime Drama Films
The year was highlighted by Protests of 1968, protests and other unrests that occurred worldwide. Events January–February * January 5 – "Prague Spring": Alexander Dubček is chosen as leader of the Communist Party of Czechoslovakia. * January 10 – John Gorton is sworn in as 19th Prime Minister of Australia, taking over from John McEwen after being 1968 Liberal Party of Australia leadership election, elected leader of the Liberal Party of Australia, Liberal Party the previous day, following the disappearance of Harold Holt. Gorton becomes the only Australian Senate, Senator to become Prime Minister, though he immediately transfers to the Australian House of Representatives, House of Representatives through the 1968 Higgins by-election in Holt's vacant seat. * January 15 – The 1968 Belice earthquake in Sicily kills 380 and injures around 1,000. * January 21 ** Vietnam War: Battle of Khe Sanh – One of the most publicized and controversial battles of the war ...
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American Auto Racing Films
American(s) may refer to: * American, something of, from, or related to the United States of America, commonly known as the "United States" or "America" ** Americans, citizens and nationals of the United States of America ** American ancestry, people who self-identify their ancestry as "American" ** American English, the set of varieties of the English language native to the United States ** Native Americans in the United States, indigenous peoples of the United States * American, something of, from, or related to the Americas, also known as "America" ** Indigenous peoples of the Americas * American (word), for analysis and history of the meanings in various contexts Organizations * American Airlines, U.S.-based airline headquartered in Fort Worth, Texas * American Athletic Conference, an American college athletic conference * American Recordings (record label), a record label previously known as Def American * American University, in Washington, D.C. Sports teams Soccer * B ...
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American Sports Drama Films
American(s) may refer to: * American, something of, from, or related to the United States of America, commonly known as the "United States" or "America" ** Americans, citizens and nationals of the United States of America ** American ancestry, people who self-identify their ancestry as "American" ** American English, the set of varieties of the English language native to the United States ** Native Americans in the United States, indigenous peoples of the United States * American, something of, from, or related to the Americas, also known as "America" ** Indigenous peoples of the Americas * American (word), for analysis and history of the meanings in various contexts Organizations * American Airlines, U.S.-based airline headquartered in Fort Worth, Texas * American Athletic Conference, an American college athletic conference * American Recordings (record label), a record label previously known as Def American * American University, in Washington, D.C. Sports teams Soccer * ...
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1960s English-language Films
Year 196 ( CXCVI) was a leap year starting on Thursday (link will display the full calendar) of the Julian calendar. At the time, it was known as the Year of the Consulship of Dexter and Messalla (or, less frequently, year 949 ''Ab urbe condita''). The denomination 196 for this year has been used since the early medieval period, when the Anno Domini calendar era became the prevalent method in Europe for naming years. Events By place Roman Empire * Emperor Septimius Severus attempts to assassinate Clodius Albinus but fails, causing Albinus to retaliate militarily. * Emperor Septimius Severus captures and sacks Byzantium; the city is rebuilt and regains its previous prosperity. * In order to assure the support of the Roman legion in Germany on his march to Rome, Clodius Albinus is declared Augustus by his army while crossing Gaul. * Hadrian's wall in Britain is partially destroyed. China * First year of the '' Jian'an era of the Chinese Han Dynasty. * Emperor Xian of ...
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