Maxie Rosenbloom

Max Everitt Rosenbloom (November 6, 1906 – March 6, 1976) was an American professional boxer, actor, and television personality. Nicknamed "Slapsy Maxie", he was inducted into The Ring's Boxing Hall of Fame in 1972, the International Jewish Sports Hall of Fame in 1984, the World Boxing Hall of Fame in 1985, the International Boxing Hall of Fame in 1993., and the National Jewish Sports Hall of Fame and Museum in 2026. He was sometimes billed as Slapsy Maxie Rosenbloom for film appearances.

Early life and boxing career Rosenbloom was born in Leonard Bridge, Connecticut. As a professional boxer, Rosenbloom relied on hitting and moving to score points. He was very difficult to hit cleanly with a power punch and his fights often went the distance. His open-gloved style earned him the nickname "Slapsie Maxie". The many punches he received to the head eventually led to the deterioration of his motor functions, giving his nickname a second level of meaning.

Legendary trainer Cus D'Amato later recalled that watching Rosenbloom's ring performances inspired him to attempt to create a perfect fighter, developing a unique boxing technique, later known as the peek-a-boo: Rosenbloom was probably the cleverest fighter I've ever seen, defensively. You just couldn't hit the man. He developed a sort of a radar, a sense of anticipation of blows, and ability to react to that, and act on it.

Light Heavyweight Champion On June 25, 1930, Rosenbloom won the NYSAC and vacant Ring Magazine light heavyweight titles when he faced off against Jimmy Slattery at Bison Stadium for the undisputed title. Slattery, being the reigning NYSAC champion and Rosenbloom being listed by some sources as the incumbent NBA light heavyweight champion. Since the fight was between the number one and number two fighters in the division, the vacant The Ring light heavyweight title was also on the line. He reigned as the NYSAC and Ring magazine champion until he was defeated by Bob Olin on November 16, 1934. Throughout his reign, he made 7 defenses of his titles and held the undisputed crown two separate times as he had been stripped by the National Boxing Association, a title which he was awarded outside the ring in September 1930 during the NBA's yearly meeting. On June 6, 1931, Rosenbloom was stripped for failing to defend the title in a timely manner. After being stripped in 1931, he went on to continue defending his NYSAC and Ring titles, eventually defeating Bob Godwin via fourth-round technical knockout in Madison Square Garden on March 24, 1933. His second reign as the undisputed champion was just as short lived. He was subsequently stripped by the National Boxing Association on September 17, 1934, during their annual meeting. "The delegates ruled that Maxie Rosenbloom, generally recognized as champion of the class, had violated every law of boxing by his slapping and flicking tactics in the ring."

Films, radio, and television In 1937, two years before he announced his permanent retirement from boxing, Rosenbloom accepted a role in a Hollywood film. He became a character actor, usually portraying comical or sympathetic "big guys" in movies such as Each Dawn I Die starring James Cagney and George Raft. He continued acting in films as well as on radio and television, where he again portrayed big, clumsy, often punch-drunk-but-lovable characters. In 1950 producer-director Jules White hired Rosenbloom to team with another veteran champ, Max Baer, for a brief series of slapstick-comedy short subjects. The Baer & Rosenbloom shorts were released by Columbia Pictures through 1952, and reissued to theaters in 1959–60. In 1955 Rosenbloom was featured in Abbott and Costello Meet the Keystone Kops.

Maxie Rosenbloom appeared as himself in a number of radio episodes of The Fred Allen Show, including in a skit with Marlene Dietrich. He was also cast in an important part in television's first 90-minute drama, Requiem for a Heavyweight. Written by Rod Serling and starring Jack Palance, Keenan Wynn and Ed Wynn, that teleplay presents the story of a boxer at the end of his career. Rosenbloom portrays a character whose life revolves around his retelling old boxing stories night after night to other ex-boxers who gather in a down-and-out bar. That life looms as the same fate for "Mountain" McClintock (Palance's character) if he cannot adjust to a new way of life outside the ring.

Slapsy Maxie's, Rosenbloom's nightclub, is prominently featured in a 2013 crime film, Gangster Squad, which is set in 1949. The original club operated in San Francisco. The club moved to 7165 Beverly Blvd in Los Angeles. From 1943 to 1947 it was located at 5665 Wilshire Blvd.

Death Rosenbloom died of Paget's disease of bone on March 6, 1976, at age 69, at the Braewood Convalescent Hospital in South Pasadena, California. He is interred at the Valhalla Memorial Park Cemetery in North Hollywood, California.

Accolades The Ring Boxing Hall of Fame (1972) International Jewish Sports Hall of Fame (1984) World Boxing Hall of Fame (1985) International Boxing Hall of Fame (1993)

Selected filmography

Mr. Broadway (1933) – 'Slapsy' Maxie King for a Night (1933) – Maxie Muss 'em Up (1936) – Snake Kelly the Second (1936) – Butch Flynn Two Wise Maids (1937) – Max Handler, Champ Marry the Girl (1937) – Boxer (uncredited) Big City (1937) – Himself Nothing Sacred (1937) – Max Levinsky The Kid Comes Back (1938) – Stan Wilson Mr. Moto's Gamble (1938) – Horace Wellington Gangs of New York (1938) – Tombstone The Amazing Dr. Clitterhouse (1938) – Butch The Crowd Roars (1938) – Himself (uncredited) Submarine Patrol (1938) – Marine Sentry Sgt. Joe Duffy His Exciting Night (1938) – 'Doc' McCoy Slapsie Maxie's (1939, short) – Himself Women in the Wind (1939) – Stuffy McInnes The Kid from Kokomo (1939) – Curley Bender Naughty but Nice (1939) – Killer Each Dawn I Die (1939) – Fargo Red 20,000 Men a Year (1939) – Walt Dorgan Private Detective (1939) – Brody Grandpa Goes to Town (1940) – Al Passport to Alcatraz (1940) – Hank Kircher Public Deb No. 1 (1940) – Eric The Lady and the Lug (1940, Short) – Himself Ringside Maisie (1941) – Chotsie The Stork Pays Off (1941) – 'Brains' Moran Harvard, Here I Come! (1941) – Maxie Louisiana Purchase (1941) – The Shadow aka Wilson Slick Chick (1941) To the Shores of Tripoli (1942) – Okay Jones Smart Alecks (1942) – Butch Brocalli The Boogie Man Will Get You (1942) – Maxie – the Powder Puff Salesman The Yanks Are Coming (1942) – Butch My Son, the Hero (1943) – Kid Slug Rosenthal Here Comes Kelly (1943) – Trixie Bell Swing Fever (1943) – 'Rags' Follow the Boys (1944) – Himself Allergic to Love (1944) – Max Three of a Kind (1944) – Maxie Irish Eyes Are Smiling (1944) – Stanley Ketchel Crazy Knights (1944) – Maxie Night Club Girl (1945) – Percival J. Percival Trouble Chasers (1945) – Maxie Penthouse Rhythm (1945) – Health Spa Proprietor Men in Her Diary (1945) – Moxie Kildorff The Perils of Pauline (1947) – Maxie (uncredited) Hazard (1948) – Truck Driver Mr. Universe (1951) – Big Ears, the Trainer Skipalong Rosenbloom (1951) – Skipalong Rosenbloom Abbott and Costello Meet the Keystone Kops (1955) – Hinds Requiem for a Heavyweight (1956, TV Series) – Steve Hollywood or Bust (1956) – Bookie Benny I Married a Monster from Outer Space (1958) – Max Grady – Bartender The Beat Generation (1959) – The Wrestling Beatnik The Bellboy (1960) – Maxie – Gangster Two Guys Abroad (1962) – Nightclub co-owner Don't Worry, We'll Think of a Title (1966) – Foreign Agent (scenes deleted) The Spy in the Green Hat (1967) – 'Crunch' Battaglia Cottonpickin' Chickenpickers (1967) – Maxie the Mailman My Side of the Mountain (1969) – Flint Seller (final film role)

Professional boxing record All information in this section is derived from BoxRec, unless otherwise stated.

Official record

All newspaper decisions are officially regarded as "no decision" bouts and are not counted in the win/loss/draw column.

Unofficial record

Record with the inclusion of newspaper decisions in the win/loss/draw column.

Titles in boxing Major world titles NYSAC light heavyweight champion (175 lbs) NBA (WBA) light heavyweight champion (175 lbs) (2×)

The Ring magazine titles The Ring light heavyweight champion (175 lbs)

Regional/International titles California heavyweight champion (200+ lbs)

Undisputed titles Undisputed light heavyweight champion (2×)