Who Are Those Guys? - Sherman Bergman

Sherman Art Berman was born in Miami Beach, Florida in 1958. Bergman began his amateur boxing career in 1973. He was trained by his father Hyman Hank Bergman [1919-2010] from 1973-1979. Bergman then went on to train with Jose Maceo, former pro boxer Eddie Ludlow and Gary Ritter, Isaac Sved, and former World Lightweight Champion Beau Jack. He earned the nickname "Big Train" for his locomotive-like fighting style. One of Bergman's early matches was a fight with Phillip Rourke who would go on to a movie career as Mickey Rourke, who on August 20, 1973 in Miami,Florida, Rourke climbed off the canvas to knock out Bergman in 31 seconds of the first round. Sherman Bergman's biggest amateur bout was in 1981 against Larry Byrd in the Southern Regional Golden Gloves in Coconut Grove, Florida. The Miami Herald reported that 600 fans turned out for the bout. In a slugfest which started at the bell, Byrd knocked down Bergman twice to score a TKO victory in 33 seconds. Bergman worked for a short time as a sparring partner for future World Heavyweight Champion Ken Norton, and heavyweight contender Rodney Bobick at the 5th Street Gym. Following a defeat to Willie McGee at the 1983 Golden Gloves, Bergman retired from amateur boxing with a record 17 wins (all by knockout) and 4 defeats.

Bergman then became a kick-boxer and the highlight of this career included a 1979 fight between, Bergman and Jean-Claude Van Damme in a sanctioned full-contact match in Tampa, Florida. Bergman knocked Van Damme down moments into their match, but Van Damme arose to knockout Bergman with an axe-kick at 56 seconds of the 1st round. At the Sunshine State Tournament in 1980, Bergman lost by points to future PKA World Light Heavyweight Champion Gary Daniels. In 2009, Bergman officially announced his retirement with a record of 56-8 (56 KOs). However, in March 2010, Bergman returned for a one fight comeback, which resulted in a 3-round draw with Igor "The Refrigerator" Romanov.

Bergman then studied acting with the drama teacher Jay W. Jensen. Jensen's students included Andy García, Brett Ratner, and Mickey Rourke. As a child, Bergman appeared on the television shows: ‘The Skipper Chuck Show’, ‘Jumping Jack’, ‘Charlie Baxter's Big Top’, and ‘Banjo Billy’. He also acted in the stage play “10,000 Baskets” directed by Lois Brooks. He appeared in a number of "B" films in Italy in the 1980s. Among the movies he acted in were “Get Mean” (1975), “Warriors of the Wasteland (1983), and “Any Given Sunday” (1999).

In 2012, Bergman was performing in Dinner Theater shows. He acted in “Feeling Again”, “This Romantic Life”, and “Rainy Night”

BERGMAN, Sherman ‘Big Train’ (aka Sherman Bergman, Sherman A. Bergman, Ricardo Solanas) (Sherman Art Bergman) [1958, Miami Beach, Florida, U.S.A. -     ] - kickboxer, stage actor, stuntman.

Get Mean - 1975 (Viking)

RIP Peter Gilmore

German born, British actor Peter Gilmore died in London Sunday February 3, 2013. Gilmore was born in the German city of Leipzig on August 25, 1931. At the age of six, he moved to Nunthorpe, near Middlesbrough, where he was raised by relatives, later attending the Friends' school in Great Ayton, north Yorkshire. From the age of 14 he worked in a factory, but later studied at Rada. While undertaking national service in 1950 he discovered a talent for singing and after his discharge joined singing groups who performed all over the country.

During the 1950s and 60s he became a stalwart of British stage musicals, appearing in several largely unsuccessful shows, including one called Hooray for Daisy! in which he was the chief human in a drama about a pantomime cow. He even released a single in 1960 as a spin-off from his performance in Follow That Girl, Susan Hampshire's only foray into musicals. In 1958 he appeared on the pop program Cool for Cats, where he met the actress Una Stubbs [1937- ], then one of the Dougie Squires Dancers, who were weekly tasked with interpreting hit songs in movement. The couple were married from 1958 until 1969.

His success at this time in British and US TV commercials led him to be cast in comedies, with 11 appearances in Carry On films, two of which – Carry On Jack (1963) and Carry On Cleo (1964) – gave him early nautical roles. In 1970 he married Jan Waters [1937- ], with whom he starred in both stage and television productions of The Beggar's Opera, he playing the highwayman Captain Macheath.

The Onedin Line brought Gilmore the fame that had eluded him. In 1976, he and Jan divorced and he started living with Anne Stallybrass [1938- ], whom he married in 1987. In 1984 a new generation of viewers saw Gilmore as Brazen, the security chief of a distant human colony called Frontios in Doctor Who's 21st series. Brazen died heroically while helping the Doctor escape. Gilmore made his last stage appearance in 1987 in Michael Frayn's Noises Off and his last screen one in the 1996 television movie On Dangerous Ground.

Peter Gilmore appeared in only one Euro-western, Carry on Cowboy (1965) in the role of Curly.

Ramsbottom Rides Again

Ramsbottom Rides Again – U.K. title

A 1956 British production [Jack Hykton Productions (London)]

Producer: John Baxter

Director: John Baxter

Story: Harold G. Roberti

Screenplay: Arthur Askey, John Baxter, Glenn Melvyn, Geofrey Orme, Basil Thomas

Cinematography: Arthur Green [black & white]

Music: Billy Ternent (William Ternent)

Song: “Ride, Ride, Ride Again” sung by Frankie Vaughan (Frank Abelson)

Song: “This is the Night” sung by Shani Wallis, Frankie Vaughan (Frank Abelson)

Running time: 92 minutes

Cast:

Bill Ramsbottom – Arthur Askey

Charlie – Glenn Melvyn

Black Jake – Sid Kames  (Solomon Cohen)

Joan Ramsbottom – Betty Marsden

Elmer – Frankie Vaughan (Frank Abelson)

Florrie Ramsbottom – Betty Marsden (Beatrice Marsden)

Blue Eagle – Jerry Desmonde (James Sadler)

Girl – Sabrina (Norma Sykes)

Danny – Danny Ross

Susie Ramsbottom – Anthea Askey

Reuben – Bill Percy

Tombstone – Gary Wayne

Dan – Dennis Wyndham

Captain – Donald Stewart (Donald Wintermute)

Bella – June Grant

With: Beckett Bould (William Bould), John Carson (John Dremann), Deryck Guyler, Sam Kydd (Samuel Kidd), Marne Maitland (James Maitland), Campbell Singer (Jacob Singer), Leonard Williams, Edie Martin

Bill Ramsbottom sells his English pub and drags his family off to Canada where he has inherited a ranch from his grandfather Wild Bill Ramsbottom a crusty old sheriff. He ends up tangling with outlaw Black Jake, an Indian chief Blue Eagle, and the local law.

YouTube link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s99qPSQyHnU

Remembering Giancarlo Prete

Giancarlo Prete was born in Rome, Italy on February 5, 1943. After working in the cinema as a stuntman, Prete went to Alessandro Fersen's acting school (where he later returned as a teacher) and began to act in many films and in TV serials under the stage names Timothy Brent, Philip Garner and Philippe Garnier. Prete appeared in over 50 films and TV series from 1967-1999. In later years he worked as a dubbing director and acted only in TV productions. Prete appeared in four Euro-westerns: “The Ballad of Dango”, “A Fistful of Death”, “The Price of Death” (all 1971) and “Sting of the West” (1972).  He was married to actress Elizabete Jacinto [1964- ] and they had a son named Alexander. Prete died from a brain tumor March 9, 2001 in Rome at the age of 58. Today we remember Giancarlo Prete on what would have been his 70^th birthday.