ABC ORIGINALS: MUHAMMAD ALI: KING OF THE WORLD (TV)
Summary
This made-for-television movie, based on the book "King of the World," chronicles the period during which Muhammad Ali, then known as Cassius Clay, attained prominence as a boxer and won the 1964 World Heavyweight Boxing Championship. The movie starts in 1961, as Cassius Clay first begins his career as a professional boxer under the scrutiny of his St. Louis investors. He eagerly anticipates the World Championship fight between Sonny Liston and Floyd Patterson, and he travels to Chicago to see the match firsthand. Confident about his own athletic abilities, Clay believes he is destined to defeat Patterson one day. However, Clay's life takes an unexpected turn during his visit to Chicago. Sonny Liston shocks the world by defeating Patterson, and when Cassius Clay attends the local Muslim temple, he meets Malcolm X, a Nation of Islam preacher. Meanwhile, both Liston and Clay learn the importance of building a reputation via the media. Liston is proud that he won the world title, but he is also eager to prove himself to the public that dismissed him because of his past reputation; he wants to take his place among other sports greats. At the same time, a chance encounter with a professional wrestler in Las Vegas teaches Clay how to catch the public's attention by "talking big," making noise, and creating a larger-than-life image of himself. During this period, Clay has a controversial position in the public eye with his ten-match winning streak and his uncanny ability to predict the outcome of his fights.
After living up to his prediction about his 1962 fight against Sonny Banks, Clay is called before the New York State Legislature to comment on possible corruption in the field of boxing. Clay also earns the undying support of a man named "Bundini" Brown, who soon becomes Cassius Clay's right-hand man in boxing. While Clay continues to court the media and build up his image, he also becomes increasingly involved in the Nation of Islam, and he builds a firm relationship with Malcolm X. However, the combination of these two aspects of Clay's life proves to be explosive. As the World Championship fight between Liston and Clay approaches, Clay's backers worry about the effect his association with the Nation of Islam will have on many of his white fans. In fact, the fight is almost canceled when Clay is asked to choose boxing over his commitment to the Nation of Islam and his mentor, Malcolm X. But Clay's management works out a solution with Malcolm X's help. A great deal of hype still surrounds the Liston-Clay fight because of the personal animosity that has built up between the two boxers over the past year. There are many who say that Clay is intimidated by his opponent, but Liston's wife notes Clay's sheer unpredictability and his determination to win at all costs. The movie concludes with a reenactment of the 1964 Miami Beach World Championship fight, and Clay's celebration with his new Muslim family afterward. Includes commercials, promos, and public service announcements. Includes commercials with Phil Morris for Diet Dr. Pepper, Arnold Palmer for Office Depot, Sarah Duchess of York for Weight Watchers, Reginald VelJohnson for 10-10-321, and a public service announcement with Lisa Gay Hamilton for Children First. This program is closed-captioned.
Details
- NETWORK: ABC
- DATE: January 10, 2000 9:00 PM
- RUNNING TIME: 1:56:08
- COLOR/B&W: Color
- CATALOG ID: T:59474
- GENRE: Drama, historical
- SUBJECT HEADING: Drama, historical; Biography; Boxers; Nation of Islam; African-American Collection - Drama
- SERIES RUN: ABC - TV, 2000
- COMMERCIALS:
- TV - Commercials - "Next Friday" (feature film)
- TV - Commercials - "Play It To The Bone" (feature film)
- TV - Commercials - "The Hurricane" (feature film)
- TV - Commercials - 10-10-321 telecommunications service
- TV - Commercials - Advil Cold & Sinus cold medicine
- TV - Commercials - Alamo car rental
- TV - Commercials - Aquafresh toothpaste
- TV - Commercials - Brummel & Brown spread
- TV - Commercials - Buick automobiles
- TV - Commercials - Burger King fast-food
- TV - Commercials - Burlington Coat Factory clothing store
- TV - Commercials - Buspar prescription anxiety relief medication
- TV - Commercials - Cadillac automobiles
- TV - Commercials - Carnival Cruise Lines
- TV - Commercials - Chevrolet automobiles
- TV - Commercials - Crest toothpaste
- TV - Commercials - Diet Dr. Pepper beverage
- TV - Commercials - Flo Vent prescription asthma control medication
- TV - Commercials - Folgers coffee
- TV - Commercials - GM Goodwrench car service
- TV - Commercials - Kleenex tissues
- TV - Commercials - Lever 2000 soap
- TV - Commercials - Motrin IB pain reliever
- TV - Commercials - Nicoderm CQ stop-smoking aid
- TV - Commercials - Nizoral A-D dandruff shampoo
- TV - Commercials - Office Depot office supplies
- TV - Commercials - Oral B toothbrushes
- TV - Commercials - People PC computer service
- TV - Commercials - Physique hair care products
- TV - Commercials - Pontiac automobiles
- TV - Commercials - Purina Dog Chow dog food
- TV - Commercials - Scoop Away cat litter
- TV - Commercials - Sprint communications
- TV - Commercials - Subway sandwich shop
- TV - Commercials - Therma Silk hair care products
- TV - Commercials - Tidy Cat cat litter
- TV - Commercials - Triaminic childrenÕs cold medicine
- TV - Commercials - Volkswagen automobiles
- TV - Commercials - Weight Watchers weight loss program
- TV - Commercials - WendyÕs fast-food
- TV - PSA - Children First
- TV - PSA - Disney Learning Partnership
- TV - Promos - "Dharma & Greg"
- TV - Promos - "Eyewitness News"
- TV - Promos - "Eyewitness News Salutes"
- TV - Promos - "NYPD Blue"
- TV - Promos - "Once and Again"
- TV - Promos - "Spin City"
- TV - Promos - "Sports Night"
- TV - Promos - "The 27th American Music Awards"
- TV - Promos - "The Drew Carey Show"
- TV - Promos - "The Loretta Claiborne Story"
- TV - Promos - "Twenty/ Twenty {20/20}"
- TV - Promos - "Who Wants To Be A Millionaire"
CREDITS
- Stephanie Germain … Executive Producer
- Tom Patricia … Executive Producer
- John Sacret Young … Executive Producer, Director, Writer
- George W. Perkins … Producer
- David Remnick … Based on the book by
- John Frizzell … Music by
- Terrence Howard … Cast, Clay, Cassius (See also: Ali, Muhammad)
- Steve Harris … Cast, Sonny Liston
- Chi McBride … Cast, Bundini Brown
- Gary Dourdan … Cast, Malcolm X (Malcolm Little; El-Hajj Malik El-Shabazz)
- John Ventimiglia … Cast, Angelo Dundee
- Jason Winer … Cast, Robert Lipsyte
- Rodger Boyce … Cast, Bill McDonald
- Phyllis Cicero … Cast, Geraldine Liston
- Jerry Haynes … Cast, Jimmy Cannon
- Steve Shearer … Cast, Jack Nilon
- Vince Davis … Cast, Izzy Sharnik
- Blue Deckert … Cast, Gorgeous George
- Darryl Cox … Cast, Howard Cosell
- William Hardy … Cast, Bill Faversham
- Troy Curvey … Cast, Joe Pollino
- Charles Sanders … Cast, Louisville One
- Nik Hagler … Cast, Louisville Two
- Jamie "Showtime" Stafford … Cast, Young Cassius Clay
- Vyto Ruginis … Cast
- Carmen Argenziano … Cast
- Joe Alaskey … Cast
- Brandon Smith … Cast