The Leather Saint

1956's "The Leather Saint" became one of the oddest footnotes in the 20 year history of Pittsburgh's Chiller Theater, appearing Feb 21 1970, preceding second feature 1962's "The Brain," during a season where straight titles alternated with more typical genre fare. A rarely seen, long forgotten Paramount programmer, John Derek stars as an Episcopalian priest who decides to resume his college boxing career as a lucrative sideline to finance an iron lung and swimming pool for the polio-stricken children of his congregation. His unsuspecting manager (Paul Douglas) and promoter (Cesar Romero) are unaware of his day job, only able to box on Saturdays, while the boozing Pearl Gorman (Jody Lawrance) takes a good look between swallows at the handsome newcomer, whose ability to knock out opponents with one blow earn him his trademark 'Sunday Punch.' Robert Cornthwaite plays a sympathetic doctor, Thomas Browne Henry plays against type as the Bishop, while Ernest Truex purposely sounds like Barry Fitzgerald in "Going My Way" (he is only told that the money is a weekly charitable donation). Coming off a starring role in the British sci fi curiosity "The Gamma People," Paul Douglas again enjoys top billing, shortly before his untimely death at 52 just three years later. On the heels of his Joshua in the classic "The Ten Commandments," John Derek again displays his magnificent physique, completing this film the very year future bride Bo Derek was born.