By Frank Miller
The Bob Mathias Story
Brief Synopsis
The story of the first man to win two Olympic Gold Medals in the Decathlon.
Cast & Crew
Read More
Francis D. Lyon
Director
Bob Mathias
Himself
Ward Bond
Coach Jackson
Melba Mathias
Herself
Ann Doran
Mrs. Lillian Mathias
Howard Petrie
Dr. Charles Mathias
Film Details
Also Known As
The Flaming Torch
Genre
Drama
Biography
Sports
Release Date
Oct
24,
1954
Premiere Information
not available
Production Company
Allied Artists Pictures Corp.; Mathlon Productions, Inc.; William E. Selwyn Productions, Inc.
Distribution Company
Allied Artists Pictures Corp.
Country
United States
Technical Specs
Duration
1h 20m
Sound
Mono
Color
Black and White
Film Length
7,197ft
Synopsis
In 1948, in Tulare, California, Bob Mathias, a seventeen-year-old high school student and star athlete, is persuaded by his coach to try out for the Olympic Games. He will attempt to qualify for the grueling decathlon event which is comprised of the the 100, 400 and 1,500 meters races, the broad jump, the 16lb. shot put, the high jump, the 110 meters high hurdles, the javelin, the pole vault and the discus. Although Bob's parents, Dr. Charles and Lillian Mathias, are concerned that he might not have the necessary stamina due to an earlier bout of anemia, eventually they and his sweetheart, Melba, give him their total encouragement. Although he has only a month to prepare, Bob competes in the trials at Bloomfield, New Jersey and is selected to be a member of the U.S. team for the Summer Games in London, England. Bob's parents accompany him to London and proudly see him win the event and the Gold Medal. Bob receives a congratulatory letter from President Harry S. Truman and "Welcome Home" parades in San Francisco and Tulare. Bob had wanted to study at Stanford University to become a doctor, like his father, but Stanford rejects his application for lack of sufficient units. His parents then enroll him in Kiski Preparatory School in Pennsylvania. Although Melba says she will wait for him, Bob tells her that he does not want to go steady anymore and they break up. In subsequent months, Bob breaks more athletic records and enters Stanford. Anticipating the 1952 Olympics, Bob goes out for the Stanford football team and becomes a star player. One day, on campus, Bob and Melba literally bump into each other and eventually resume their courtship. Later, Bob decides not to compete in the Olympics and discusses marriage with Melba. However, Coach Jackson tells him that the Russians will be competing for the first time at the Helsinki Games and that he feels Bob can win the decathlon for a second time. After local citizens and children also campaign for him to go to Helsinki, Bob participates and again wins the Gold Medal. After winning, Bob phones Melba and tells her they are going to marry immediately.
Director
Francis D. Lyon
Director
Cast
Bob Mathias
Himself
Ward Bond
Coach Jackson
Melba Mathias
Herself
Ann Doran
Mrs. Lillian Mathias
Howard Petrie
Dr. Charles Mathias
Diane Jergens
Pat
Paul Bryar
Bill Andrews
Harry Lauter
Irving Mondschein
Ann Kimbell
Sally
Charles Mathias
Lillian Mathias
Pat Mathias
Eugene Mathias
James Mathias
Nancy Wiser
Crew
Richard Collins
Story and Screenplay
William Cooley
Makeup
Charles Cooper
Recording
James L. Fallon
Executive Producer
Ellsworth Fredricks
Director of Photography
Bud Friend
Set Decoration
Walter Hannemann
Film Editor
Fred Hartsook
Set Construction
Charles Keehne
Wardrobe
Hal Klein
Assistant Director
Richard Mayberry
Production Manager
Dave Milton
Art Director
William E. Selwyn
Producer
Leith Stevens
Music Composition and Conducting
Jack Wheeler
Sound Editing
Allen K. Wood
Production Manager
Ernestine Wood
Wardrobe
Paul Wurtzel
2d Assistant Director
Film Details
Also Known As
The Flaming Torch
Genre
Drama
Biography
Sports
Release Date
Oct
24,
1954
Premiere Information
not available
Production Company
Allied Artists Pictures Corp.; Mathlon Productions, Inc.; William E. Selwyn Productions, Inc.
Distribution Company
Allied Artists Pictures Corp.
Country
United States
Technical Specs
Duration
1h 20m
Sound
Mono
Color
Black and White
Film Length
7,197ft
Articles
The Bob Mathias Story
Sports movies based on real-life figures and events have been a mixed bag. For every classic Pride of the Yankees (1942) or Eight Men Out (1988), there's a noted bomb like The Babe Ruth Story (1948) or The Bear (1988). One problem can be the casting. Gary Cooper as Lou Gehrig sounds great, but the decidedly unathletic William Bendix (or later John Goodman) as Babe Ruth just doesn't work. For this rarely seen 1954 independent film, however, producer James L. Fallon got it right twice. Not only did he cast two-time gold medal winner Bob Mathias as himself, but he cast Mathias's wife, Melba, as his leading lady. Not only did he get an attractive starring couple, but he also discovered a pair of charming, totally natural actors. Mathais had made history as the first man to gold medal in the Olympic Decathlon twice and, at 17, the youngest athlete to win a gold medal in any track and field event. He and Fallon created Mathlon Productions, Inc. to produce the film, raising the low $180,000 budget through family members and residents of Mathias's home town, Tulare, California. Then they intercut footage of his two winning games, in London and Helsinki, to make the film look more expensive than it was.
By Frank Miller
By Frank Miller
The Bob Mathias Story
Sports movies based on real-life figures and events have been a mixed bag. For every classic Pride of the Yankees (1942) or Eight Men Out (1988), there's a noted bomb like The Babe Ruth Story (1948) or The Bear (1988). One problem can be the casting. Gary Cooper as Lou Gehrig sounds great, but the decidedly unathletic William Bendix (or later John Goodman) as Babe Ruth just doesn't work. For this rarely seen 1954 independent film, however, producer James L. Fallon got it right twice. Not only did he cast two-time gold medal winner Bob Mathias as himself, but he cast Mathias's wife, Melba, as his leading lady. Not only did he get an attractive starring couple, but he also discovered a pair of charming, totally natural actors. Mathais had made history as the first man to gold medal in the Olympic Decathlon twice and, at 17, the youngest athlete to win a gold medal in any track and field event. He and Fallon created Mathlon Productions, Inc. to produce the film, raising the low $180,000 budget through family members and residents of Mathias's home town, Tulare, California. Then they intercut footage of his two winning games, in London and Helsinki, to make the film look more expensive than it was.
By Frank Miller
Quotes
Trivia
Notes
As depicted in the film, Bob Mathias (1930-2006), who was born in Tulare, CA, was the first person to win the Olympic Decathlon event twice, winning his consecutive gold medals in London in 1948 and in Helsinki in 1952. A June 20, 1954 New York Times news item reported that Mathias had been persuaded to make a film about his life by James L. Fallon, a Los Angeles advertising agency employee. He and Mathias formed a production company, Mathlon Productions, Inc. The news item also stated that forty-five residents of Tulare had invested in the production of the film and represented forty percent of the stockholders of the picture. Many Tulare residents, including Mathias family members, appeared as extras in crowd scenes. A Hollywood Reporter news item on October 6, 1954 reported that the film's final cost was around $180,000. The film utilizes extensive footage of the London and Helsinki Games, including actual footage of Mathias' triumphs. The Flaming Torch was the film's British release title.
Mathias, who served in the U.S. Marine Corps from July 1954 until 1956, continued to act until the 1960s, appearing in a number of films, including Frank Borzage's 1958 film China Doll (see below). He also co-starred with Keenan Wynn on the 1959 television series Troubleshooters. Mathias later became a Republican congressman from his home county, serving four terms, and was director of the U.S. Olympic Training Center. The film also marked the screen debut of Diane Jergens.
Miscellaneous Notes
Released in United States Fall October 1954
Released in United States Fall October 1954
