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Joe Louis: America's Hero Betrayed

7.0 75 mins Documentary   2008
HBO Sports  
Director(s): Ouisie Shapiro

Release Date: 23 Sat, Feb 2008

An American story. Traces the career of Joe Louis (1914-1981) within the context of American racial consciousness: his difficulty getting big fights early in his career, the pride of African-Americans in his prowess, the shift of White sentiment toward Louis as Hitler came to power, Louis's patriotism during World War II, and the hounding of Louis by the IRS for the following 15 years. In his last years, he's a casino greeter, a drug user, and the occasional object of scorn for young Turks like Muhammad Ali. Appreciative comment comes from boxing scholars, Louis's son Joe Jr., friends, and icons like Maya Angelou, Dick Gregory, and Bill Cosby.

Casts of Joe Louis: America's Hero Betrayed

Joe Louis

as Self (archive footage)

Dick Gregory

as Self

Jack Johnson

as Self (archive footage)

Liev Schreiber

as Narrator

Randy Roberts

as Self

Gerald Early

as Self

Maya Angelou

as Self

Bill Cosby

as Self

Jimmy Carter

as Self

Paul Schulder

as Self

Lester Rodney

as Self

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