Joe Louis full-length films and two shorts, including a starring role in the 1938 movie "Spirit of Youth", in which he played a boxer with many similarities to himself. In 1953, Robert Gordon directed a movie about Louis's life, "The Joe Louis Story". Filmed in Hollywood, it starred Golden Gloves fighter Coley Wallace in the role of Louis. In all, Louis made 25 defenses of his heavyweight title from 1937 to 1948, and was a world champion for 11 years and 10 months. Both are still records in the heavyweight division, the former in any division. His most remarkable record is that
The Rise and Fall of Legs Diamond the lead for "The George Raft Story" that Danton also played. Danton reprised his role as Legs Diamond in "Portrait of a Mobster" (1961). From Howard Thompson of "The New York Times": After he saw the film, guitarist Hank Marvin was inspired to give the name of the film to his "The Rise and Fall of Flingel Bunt". In 2008, the American Film Institute nominated this film for its Top 10 Gangster Films list. The film was remade as a musical entitled "Legs Diamond" which debuted on Broadway at the Mark Hellinger Theatre on December 26, 1988, and closed on