''The Prize Fighter'' is an American

comedy film A comedy film is a category of film which emphasizes humor. These films are designed to make the audience laugh through amusement. Films in this style traditionally have a happy ending (black comedy being an exception). Comedy is one of the ol ...

starring

Tim Conway Thomas Daniel "Tim" Conway (December 15, 1933 – May 14, 2019) was an American actor, comedian, writer, and director. From 1966 to 2012 he appeared in more than 100 TV shows, TV series and films. Among his more notable roles, he portrayed the ...

and Don Knotts. Directed by

Michael Preece Michael Preece (born September 15, 1936) is an American film and television director, script supervisor, producer, and actor best known for directing television series ''Dallas (1978 TV series), Dallas'' and ''Walker, Texas Ranger'' and films ''Th ...

, it was written by Tim Conway and John Myhers, based on a story by Conway. It was released by

New World Pictures New World Pictures (also known as New World Entertainment and New World Communications Group, Inc.) was an American independent production, distribution, and (in its final years as an autonomous entity) multimedia company. It was founded in 197 ...

in November 1979.

Plot

Set in the 1930s, Bags, an ex-boxer and Shake, his manager have bottomed out as fight trainers. Their latest fighter has lost and fired them. Without a home or even money for food. Bags tells Shake about getting back into the ring, despite Bags' record of 20 losses by knockout (out of 20 fights). One night, while at a carnival, Shake talks Bags into appearing at a $50 amateur fight. Unbeknownst to them, in the crowd is a local mobster known as Mr. Mike. Spotting opportunity, Mr. Mike arranges for Bags' opponent to take a dive in the round. Bags knocks the other boxer with a right hook, winning the money. Afterwards, Mr. Mike approaches Bags and Shake, introducing himself as a local businessman, and invites them to his mansion for dinner. During dinner, he explains that he would like to arrange Bags to get a shot at the Heavyweight title. His plan involves arranging Bags to fight the top three contenders for the title, then Bags will have a shot with the Heavyweight champ, known as the Butcher. Believing that Bags' right hook gives him a shot. Bags and Shake agree. What they don't know is that Mr. Mike is using both men as pawns in a plan to get his hands on an old boxing gym, so he can tear it down to redevelop the property.

Main cast

as Bags * Don Knotts as Shake * Robin Clarke as Mike *

David Wayne David Wayne (born Wayne James McMeekan, January 30, 1914 – February 9, 1995) was an American stage and screen actor with a career spanning over 50 years. Early life and career Wayne was born in Traverse City, Michigan, the son of Helen M ...

as Pop Morgan *

Irwin Keyes Irwin may refer to: Places ;United States * Irwin, California * Irwin, Idaho * Irwin, Illinois * Irwin, Iowa * Irwin, Nebraska * Irwin, Ohio * Irwin, Pennsylvania * Irwin, South Carolina * Irwin County, Georgia * Irwin Township, Venango County, ...

as Flower * Mary Ellen O'Neill as Mama * Michael LaGuardia as The Butcher *

Cisse Cameron Cisse Cameron (born January 5, 1954) is an American television and film actress. Cameron made her film debut in ''Billy Jack'' (1971), and her career culminated with the lead role of Dr. Lea Jansen in the 1988 science fiction film '' Space Mutin ...

as Polly * George Nutting as Timmy *

John Myhers John Benjamin Myhers (December 18, 1921 – May 27, 1992) was an American stage and screen actor. His film roles included playing Mr. Bratt in the film adaptation of the Broadway musical ''How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying'' (1967 ...

as Doyle * Ted Henning as Jimmy

Background

The two comedic actors Conway and Knotts achieved success onscreen when they were paired in several family-friendly feature films for

Disney The Walt Disney Company, commonly known as Disney (), is an American multinational mass media and entertainment conglomerate headquartered at the Walt Disney Studios complex in Burbank, California. Disney was originally founded on October ...

: ''

The Apple Dumpling Gang ''The Apple Dumpling Gang'' is a 1971 novel by Jack Bickham, about a group of orphaned children during the California gold rush. They encounter a gambler who reluctantly helps them, as well as a pair of hapless robbers who are after the gold ...

'' (1975), ''

Gus Gus is a masculine name, often a diminutive for Angus, August, Augustine, or Augustus, and other names (e.g. Aengus, Argus, Fergus, Ghassan, Gustav, Gustave, Gustafson, Gustavo, Gussie). It can also be used as the adaptation into English of ...

'' (1976), and ''

The Apple Dumpling Gang Rides Again ''The Apple Dumpling Gang Rides Again'' is a 1979 American comedy-Western film directed by Vincent McEveety. Produced by Walt Disney Productions, it is a sequel to '' The Apple Dumpling Gang'' (1975), starring the comedy duo of Tim Conway and Do ...

'' (1979). As boxing and wrestling movies were popular in the 1970s and '80s, choosing the subject for a slapstick comedy seemed like a good idea. Knotts and Conway would team up yet again in 1981 for '' The Private Eyes''.

Reception

The film earned $6.5 million during its initial release and was one of the most financially successful films ever released by

, having earned more than twice the cost of its production.

Notes

External links

* * * 1979 films American buddy comedy films 1970s sports comedy films American boxing films American sports comedy films 1970s buddy comedy films American independent films New World Pictures films 1979 comedy films 1970s English-language films 1970s American films {{sport-film-stub