"California Split"

By kiki

In 1974, I received a call from Howie Steindler, the Main Street Gym owner, who said he needed Frankie and Tony, and me the following week at the Olympic Auditorium for a movie shoot. I always wanted to be a movie star, so I said, "we'll be there, Howie."

I don't remember what day of the week, but we showed up at the Olympic auditorium the following week. Howie introduced me to the movie director, whose name I don't recall. The movie's name is "California Split," starring George Segal, Elliott Gould, and Ann Prentiss.

When we got to the Olympic Auditorium, I saw that Joe Medrano, a Jackie McCoy fighter and bantamweight champion to be Albert Davila, was also there. The movie script called for Davila to kayo Medrano in the second round of a fight; I was to play Medrano's chief cornerman. With Medrano on the floor, I was to jump into the ring and take his mouthpiece out. Frankie and Tony were to spar before Albert and Joe's fight, which they did.

We stood around for hours while the director and his people fiddled around. We were finally called into the ring. Just like in a real fight, Davila and Medrano were introduced by Jimmy Lennon. Don't remember who played the referee, but he gave instructions to Albert and Joe. In the first round, Albert and Joe went toe to toe. After the first round, I gave Joe instructions, just like in a real fight. As I was doing so, Joe said, "Frank, I don't want to get kayo" I told him he had to get kayo, that it was in the script, and that it was just a movie, then he said, "but Frank, I've never taken a dive in my life" I had to bite my tongue to keep from laughing. Joe went along with the script and took a "dive," as he was lying on the floor, I jumped in the ring, and as I went for his mouthpiece, he started laughing so hard he was rolling on the ring floor. I thought he had ruined the scene, but the director said that was fine, that he had gotten what he wanted.

We were paid in cash. I was given $1000.00.  Frankie and Tony got $300.00 each, and I kept $400.00…It was not the first time the manager kept more than the fighters.

Most of our hard-worked scenes wound up on the cutting floor. As a result, my back appears for about one 10th of a second in the movie.