Historical drama

Dempsey (1983): Cast & Plot

Name: Dempsey
Genre: Drama, History
Released: 1983-09-28
Duration: 1 h 52 min
Cast: Treat Williams, Bonnie Bartlett, John McLiam, Jesse Vint, Sally Kellerman

Dempsey is a 1983 historical drama directed by Gus Trikonis, starring Treat Williams as Jack Dempsey, Bonnie Bartlett and John McLiam. It runs 1 hour 52 minutes.

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Read the plot summary

Released: September 28, 1983
Runtime: 1h 52m (112 min)
Director: Gus Trikonis
Genres: Drama , History
Original language: English
Studio: Charles Fries Productions
After the credits: No No extra scene

The story

What Is Dempsey About?

The premise of Dempsey without spoilers. The whole story is in the plot summary further down.

Nominated for two Primetime Emmy Awards in 1984, this made‑for‑TV biographical drama chronicles the true story of Jack Dempsey, the American pugilist who rose to fame in the 1920s as the world heavyweight champion and became a media sensation. The film is adapted from the book co‑written by Dempsey and Barbara Piatelli Dempsey.

Dempsey Themes & Keywords

· 16 tags

professional boxer
sweating
reference to jack dempsey
1920s
boxer
sports history
world champion
heavyweight boxer
heavyweight champion
professional sportsman
one word title
surname as title

+4 more

boxing
irish american
based on book
title spoken by character

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Cast & crew

Dempsey Cast & Characters

Treat Williams leads the cast as Jack Dempsey, with Bonnie Bartlett as Celia Dempsey and John McLiam as Hyrum Dempsey. Directed by Gus Trikonis; 27 actors are credited in all.

Director Gus Trikonis

Treat Williams as Jack Dempsey
Bonnie Bartlett as Celia Dempsey
John McLiam as Hyrum Dempsey
Jesse Vint as Bernie Dempsey

Also Starring in Dempsey

· 23 more

Sally Kellerman Maxine Cates
Sam Waterston Doc Kearns
Clay Hodges Jess Willard
John Lehne Gene Normile
Jimmy Nickerson Gene Tunney
Victoria Tennant Estelle Taylor
Michael Fox Judge Dooling
Mark L. Taylor Price
Walker Edmiston Announcer
Peter Mark Richman Tex Rickard
Terence McGovern Benson
James Noble Gavin McNab
Michael McManus Babe Ruth
Robert Harper Damon Runyon
Jack O'Leary Jerry the Greek
Glenn Robards Barbour

Show all 27 cast members

Thomas Bellin Howard Dillard
Vernon Scott Small Boy
Richard Karron Morgan
Lana Schwab Woman at Fight
Richard Winterstein Trent
Galen Thompson Eddie
Gene Normile Otto

From the director

More from Gus Trikonis

More films directed by Gus Trikonis: Christmas Snow, Malice in Wonderland, Dance of the Dwarfs and Miss All-American Beauty.

Full filmography

Plot

Dempsey Plot Summary

What happens in Dempsey from start to finish, spoilers included, with a timeline of 15 key events. The opening is below; the full summary is a 2-minute read.

Spoilers ahead

Jack Dempsey [Treat Williams] starts out fighting in bars for half the take, grinding his way up from rough venues to prove his worth. He wins his first professional fight, a milestone that signals the rise of a hard-nosed fighter with a relentless will. After a later bout, he and his manager are held up at gunpoint and robbed of the purse, a blow that could derail a hopeful career. Yet he spots the thieves later and, in a bold confrontation, beats them up to recover the cash, a moment that foreshadows the no-nonsense ring instincts that will define him.

Full summary

The whole story of Dempsey, scene by scene

Read the full summary