Poster for the movie The Harder They Fall

The Harder They Fall

1956 • 109 minutes
Drama

Jobless sportswriter Eddie Willis is hired by corrupt fight promoter Nick Benko to promote his current protégé, an unknown Argentinian boxer named Toro Moreno. Although Moreno is a hulking giant, his chances for success are hampered by a powder-puff punch and a glass jaw. Exploiting Willis' reputation for integrity and standing in the boxing community, Benko arranges a series of fixed fights that propel the unsophisticated Moreno to #1 contender for the championship. The reigning champ, the sadistic Buddy Brannen, harbors resentment at the publicity Toro has been receiving and vows to viciously punish him in the ring. Eddie must now decide whether or not to tell the naive Toro the truth.

Picture of Humphrey Bogart

Humphrey Bogart

Eddie Willis

Picture of Rod Steiger

Rod Steiger

Nick Benko

Picture of Jan Sterling

Jan Sterling

Beth Willis

Picture of Mike Lane

Mike Lane

Toro Moreno

Picture of Max Baer

Max Baer

Buddy Brannen

Picture of Jersey Joe Walcott

Jersey Joe Walcott

George

Picture of Edward Andrews

Edward Andrews

Jim Weyerhause

Picture of Harold J. Stone

Harold J. Stone

Art Leavitt, TV sportscaster

Picture of Carlos Montalbán

Carlos Montalbán

Luís Agrandi

Picture of Nehemiah Persoff

Nehemiah Persoff

Leo

Picture of Felice Orlandi

Felice Orlandi

Vince Fawcett

Picture of Herbie Faye

Herbie Faye

Max

Picture of Rusty Lane

Rusty Lane

Danny McKeogh

Picture of Jack Albertson

Jack Albertson

Pop

Picture of Paul Frees

Paul Frees

Priest (uncredited)

Picture of William Henry

William Henry

Fight Arena Locker Room Guard (uncredited)

Picture of Frank McLure

Frank McLure

Reporter at Hospital (uncredited)

Picture of William H. O'Brien

William H. O'Brien

Ringsider (uncredited)

Picture of Bert Stevens

Bert Stevens

Fight Crowd Spectator (uncredited)

Picture of Arthur Tovey

Arthur Tovey

Fight Crowd Spectator (uncredited)

Picture of Brandon Beach

Brandon Beach

Party Guest (uncredited)

Picture of Joanne Arnold

Joanne Arnold

Pretty Girl (uncredited)

Picture of Val Avery

Val Avery

Frank (uncredited)

Picture of Al Baffert

Al Baffert

Fighter (uncredited)

Picture of Bill Baldwin

Bill Baldwin

Oklahoma City Ring Announcer (uncredited)

Picture of Walter Baldwin

Walter Baldwin

Boxing fan at Dundee fight (uncredited)

Picture of Emily Belser

Emily Belser

New York Reporter (uncredited)

Picture of Julie Benedic

Julie Benedic

Statuesque Blonde (uncredited)

Picture of Phil Berger

Phil Berger

Boxer Kayoed in Bakersfield (uncredited)

Picture of Eve Bernhardt

Eve Bernhardt

Newspaper Reporter (uncredited)

Picture of Tony Blankley

Tony Blankley

Benko Son (uncredited)

Picture of Penny Carpenter

Penny Carpenter

Benko Daughter (uncredited)

Picture of Marian Carr

Marian Carr

Alice (uncredited)

Picture of Steve Carruthers

Steve Carruthers

Reporter (uncredited)

Picture of Tina Carver

Tina Carver

Mrs. Benko (uncredited)

Picture of Edwin Chandler

Edwin Chandler

Chicago Television Announcer (uncredited)

Picture of Winnie Chandler

Winnie Chandler

Fight Fan (uncredited)

Picture of George Chester

George Chester

Fight Crowd Spectator (uncredited)

Picture of George Cisar

George Cisar

Fight Manager (uncredited)

Picture of Pat Comiskey

Pat Comiskey

Gus Dundee (uncredited)

Picture of Lillian Culver

Lillian Culver

Mrs. Wilson Harding (uncredited)

Picture of Jack Daly

Jack Daly

Reporter (uncredited)

Picture of Patricia Dane

Patricia Dane

Shirley (uncredited)

Picture of Vinnie De Carlo

Vinnie De Carlo

Joey (uncredited)

Picture of Elaine Edwards

Elaine Edwards

Vince's Girlfriend (uncredited)

Picture of Matty Fain

Matty Fain

Fight Manager (uncredited)

Picture of Adolph Faylauer

Adolph Faylauer

Fight Crowd Spectator (uncredited)

Picture of Abel Fernandez

Abel Fernandez

Chief Firebird (uncredited)

Picture of Gil Frye

Gil Frye

Minor Role (uncredited)

Picture of Robert Fuller

Robert Fuller

Minor Role (uncredited)

Picture of Ralph Gamble

Ralph Gamble

Reporter (uncredited)

Picture of Tommy Garland

Tommy Garland

Fighter (uncredited)

Picture of Eddie Garr

Eddie Garr

Fight Manager (uncredited)

Picture of Charlie Gibbs

Charlie Gibbs

Minor Role (uncredited)

Picture of Everett Glass

Everett Glass

Minister (uncredited)

Picture of Bennie Goldberg

Bennie Goldberg

San Diego Referee (uncredited)

Picture of Mickey Golden

Mickey Golden

Cornerman (uncredited)

Picture of Dorothy Gordon

Dorothy Gordon

Las Vegas Showgirl (uncredited)

Picture of Michael Granger

Michael Granger

Gus Dundee's Doctor (uncredited)

Picture of Joe Greb

Joe Greb

Joey Greb - Fighter (uncredited)

Picture of Frank Hagney

Frank Hagney

Referee (uncredited)

Picture of Stuart Hall

Stuart Hall

Party Guest (uncredited)

Picture of Tommy Herman

Tommy Herman

Tommy (uncredited)

Picture of Joe Herrera

Joe Herrera

Referee (uncredited)

Picture of Vic Holbrook

Vic Holbrook

Fight Fan (uncredited)

Picture of Tex Holden

Tex Holden

Usher (uncredited)

Picture of Bob Hopkins

Bob Hopkins

San Diego Ring Announcer (uncredited)

Picture of Charles Horvath

Charles Horvath

Fighter (uncredited)

Picture of Roy Jenson

Roy Jenson

Fighter (uncredited)

Picture of Don Kelly

Don Kelly

Minor Role (uncredited)

Picture of Kenner G. Kemp

Kenner G. Kemp

Man at Contract Signing (uncredited)

Picture of Don Kohler

Don Kohler

Reporter (uncredited)

Picture of Joseph La Cava

Joseph La Cava

Manager (uncredited)

Picture of Pat Lawler

Pat Lawler

Vince's Girlfriend (uncredited)

Picture of Peter Leeds

Peter Leeds

Dundee Fight Ring Announcer (uncredited)

Picture of Larry Leverett

Larry Leverett

Reporter (uncredited)

Picture of Harry Lewis

Harry Lewis

New York Ring Announcer (uncredited)

Picture of Mark Lowell

Mark Lowell

Minor Role (uncredited)

Picture of William Marks

William Marks

Minor Role (uncredited)

Picture of Mathew McCue

Mathew McCue

Fight Crowd Spectator (uncredited)

Picture of Joseph Mell

Joseph Mell

Ring Announcer (uncredited)

Picture of Mort Mills

Mort Mills

Reporter in Hospital (uncredited)

Picture of Frank Mitchell

Frank Mitchell

Dundee Referee (uncredited)

Picture of Irving Mitchell

Irving Mitchell

House Doctor - New York (uncredited)

Picture of Diana Mumby

Diana Mumby

Vince's Girlfriend (uncredited)

Picture of Sol Murgi

Sol Murgi

Fight Crowd Spectator (uncredited)

Picture of Matt Murphy

Matt Murphy

Sailor Rigazzo (uncredited)

Picture of Richard Norris

Richard Norris

Reporter (uncredited)

Picture of Jimmy O'Gatty

Jimmy O'Gatty

Milk Fund Referee (uncredited)

Picture of Ted Pavelec

Ted Pavelec

Fighter (uncredited)

Picture of Murray Pollack

Murray Pollack

Fight Crowd Spectator (uncredited)

Picture of Fred Rapport

Fred Rapport

Fight Crowd Spectator (uncredited)

Picture of Stafford Repp

Stafford Repp

Reporter (uncredited)

Picture of Alan Reynolds

Alan Reynolds

Reporter (uncredited)

Picture of Eli Rill

Eli Rill

Minor Role (uncredited)

Picture of Joanne Rio

Joanne Rio

Las Vegas Showgirl (uncredited)

Picture of Robert Robinson

Robert Robinson

Fight Crowd Spectator (uncredited)

Picture of William Roerick

William Roerick

Mrs. Harding's Lawyer (uncredited)

Picture of Jack Roper

Jack Roper

Fighter (uncredited)

Picture of Wally Rose

Wally Rose

Salinas Referee (uncredited)

Picture of Abe Roth

Abe Roth

Referee (uncredited)

Picture of Sandy Sanders

Sandy Sanders

Reporter (uncredited)

Picture of Cosmo Sardo

Cosmo Sardo

Fight Crowd Spectator (uncredited)

Picture of Fred Scheiwiller

Fred Scheiwiller

Fighter (uncredited)

Picture of Mark Scott

Mark Scott

Reporter (uncredited)

Picture of Carl Sklover

Carl Sklover

Referee (uncredited)

Picture of Gene Smith

Gene Smith

Minor Role (uncredited)

Picture of J. Lewis Smith

J. Lewis Smith

Brannen's Manager (uncredited)

Picture of Angela Stevens

Angela Stevens

Girl (uncredited)

Picture of Hal Taggart

Hal Taggart

Fight Crowd Spectator (uncredited)

Picture of Charles Tannen

Charles Tannen

Reporter (uncredited)

Picture of Ferris Taylor

Ferris Taylor

House Doctor - Chicago (uncredited)

Picture of Pat Valentino

Pat Valentino

Milk Fund Fighter (uncredited)

Picture of Bennie Washington

Bennie Washington

Fight Crowd Spectator (uncredited)

Picture of Russ Whiteman

Russ Whiteman

Reporter (uncredited)

Picture of Bob Whitney

Bob Whitney

Reporter (uncredited)

Picture of Ulysses Williams

Ulysses Williams

Boxer Being Knocked Out in Salinas (uncredited)

Picture of James Wilson

James Wilson

Oklahoma Referee (uncredited)

Picture of Sam Harris

Sam Harris

Fight Crowd Spectator (uncredited)

Picture of Dennis Moore

Dennis Moore

Reporter (uncredited)