Paul Newman’s breakout role as boxer Ro✅cky Graziano in the acclaimed 1956 film by Robert Wise

The role of 1947 Middleweight Champion Graziano was originally intended for🎶 James Dean, but the actor’s death allowed the opportunity for Newman to step in. It was to be a transformative experience for Newman, who assumed the major lead for the first time, trained with the boxer and was 🌞fortunate to work with director Robert Wise. It was Wise that chose to shoot in black and white and use real locations rather than sterile film sets, placing a young Newman to his best advantage. Nominated for three Academy Awards and had Steve McQueen in a small and unbilled role.

Wise and Newman remained lifelong friends and it was the director who accepted Newman’s Oscar for The Color of Money at the Academy Awards ceremony.