Jim McKay Movies
An iconic sportscaster whose legacy is deeply intertwined with that of the terrorist kidnappings at the 1972 Munich Olympics (he was one of the very first to bring both the news of the initial assaults/murders and the news of the ill-fated liberation attempt to the viewing public), Jim McKay pioneered sports broadcasting via his longstanding assignment headlining ABC's Wide World of Sports. A native of Philadelphia, McKay served in the Navy during World War II and began his occupational life as a newspaper reporter, then made the short leap to television when The Baltimore Sun paper expanded from print news into broadcasting. Their nascent station had McKay host a daily three-hour sports commentary program, The Sports Parade, which prompted CBS to recruit him for a similar New York-based program, seen on their affiliates. As indicated, however, it was through ABC Sports that McKay made his most enduring mark; the network signed him as an announcer in the early '60s, on a lifetime contract, and it is estimated that (in the days of pre-satellite, pre-digital broadcasting) he journeyed over four million miles around the globe to find interesting and compelling sporting events to cover for the said network. McKay also emceed 12 Olympics (including the aforementioned 1972 games), and was granted special permission by ABC to relinquish his contract for coverage of the 2002 Salt Lake City Winter Games with NBC -- his last Olympic assignment. McKay died of natural causes, at age 86, in June 2008. ~ Nathan Southern, All Movie Guide
- 2005
- Add Our Greatest Hopes, Our Worst Fears: The Tragedy of the Munich Games to QueueAdd Our Greatest Hopes, Our Worst Fears: The Tragedy of the Munich Games to top of Queue
Released on DVD to coincide with the theatrical premiere of Steven Spielberg's Munich, The Tragedy of the Munich Games documents the events of September 5, 1972 when Arab terrorists kidnapped Israeli athletes who were at the Olympic games. In addition to utilizing much of the footage that aired on ABC, the network covering the games, the film features interviews with some of the anchorman and reporters who were live on the scene. ~ Perry Seibert, All Movie Guide
- 2003
A veteran of more than 40 years in broadcasting, Jim McKay is much, much more than the "voice" of ABC's Wide World of Sports, as proven by this ambitious made-for-cable documentary. Born Jim McManus, McKay laboriously worked his way up the local-market mill to join ABC at a time when the perennial also-ran network was staking out its predominance in the realm of televised sports. The recipient of 12 Emmy awards, McKay is fully fleshed in contemporary interviews (both his own and those of his colleagues) and vintage film clips, none more poignantly powerful than those derived from his heartbreaking covering of the Munich massacre in 1972, and none more uplifting than his play-by-play description of the 1980 U.S. hockey team. In addition to celebrating his professional life, Jim McKay: My World in My Words is also a loving paean to McKay's wife, Margaret Dempsey McManus. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Jim McKay, Margaret Dempsey McManus, (more)
- 2001
This video highlights the illustrious career of golfer Jack Nicklaus. Concentrating on his championships and titles won up through the 2000 season, the video gives viewers a glimpse at what has made golf's "Golden Bear" one of the 20th century's most popular athletes. ~ Matthew Tobey, All Movie Guide
- 1996
Highlights from the 1996 United States, European, and World Figure Skating Championships that include individual skaters Nicole Bobek, Michelle Kwan, Tara Lipinski, Tonia Kwiatkowski, Rudy Galindo, Irina Slutskaya, Viacheslav Zagorodniuk, Elvis Stojko, Todd Eldredge, and Chen Lu, as well as skating pairs Renee Roca and Gorsha Sur, Elizabeth Punsalan and Jerod Swallow, and Jenni Meno and Todd Sand. Relive the magic moments from these championship events all over again, with commentary and insight provided by host Jim McKay. ~ Cecilia Cygnar, All Movie Guide
- 1993
Learn about the beginnings of basketball and how it has developed into such a popular sport. Major groups which sponsor competition in the game are featured as are discussions with people whose lives revolve around the game. These programs are available as a set or separately. ~ All Movie Guide
- 1990
This ABC News production is a journalistic investigation of terrorist acts around the world. Chronicled are such acts as the murder of the Israeli athletes at the Munich games to the ongoing violence in the Middle East and a discussion of the increasing use of violent terrorism by political and religious fanatics. ~ Tana Hobart, All Movie Guide
- 1989
Athletic superstars from the 1980s are featured participating in their respective sports, including Carl Lewis, Brian Boitano, Greg Louganis, and Scott Hamilton. ~ All Movie Guide
- 1989
Jim McKay narrates this exciting look at the 1988 U.S. Open Golf Championship highlighted by Curtis Strange's defeat of Nick Faldo in their sudden-death play-off. This was the first of 2 consecutive wins for Curtis Strange. ~ All Movie Guide
- 1989
Athletic superstars from the 1960s are featured participating in their respective sports, including Muhammad Ali, Peggy Fleming, Willie Mays, Roger Maris, Donna De Varona, and Arnold Palmer. ~ All Movie Guide
- 1989
This documentary focuses on an arena which is an obssession for many. The decade in sports features greats like Muhammad Ali, Joe Frazier, Steve Cauthen, Richard Petty, Lee Trevino, Arnold Schwarzenegger and many others. ~ All Movie Guide
- 1979
- PG
Despite the promise of his early career, the life of former world-class runner Michael Andropolis has been a crashing failure. The icing on his life's bitter cake was his divorce from the woman he still loves. Wanting to win back both his wife and his self-respect, Andropolis decides to start running again in hopes of making it to the Olympic marathon team. This sports-melodrama chronicles the 34-year old's heroic struggle. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Michael Douglas, Susan Anspach, (more)
One of the best of the early-1970s Disney farces, The World's Greatest Athlete stars Jan-Michael Vincent in the title role. A "wild boy" living off the land in the jungles of Africa, Vincent is discovered by coaches Tim Conway and John Amos. Cursed with a last-place college athletic lineup, Conway and Amos hope that Vincent will pull them out of their years-long slump. And he does, but not before several Disneyesque slapstick highlights, not to mention a handful of amusing special-effects gags (at one point, Conway is shrunk to mouse size by witch doctor Roscoe Lee Browne). Despite its formidable lineup of comedians-Conway, Billy DeWolfe, Nancy Walker, Vito Scotti et. al.--The World's Greatest Athlete's funniest line goes to guest star Howard Cosell! The script is the handiwork of Gerald Gardner and Dee Caruso, late of That Was the Week That Was and Get Smart. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Tim Conway, Jan-Michael Vincent, (more)
- 1956
This video is comprised of episodes from a trio of topical television shows from the 1950s. The first Stand Up and Be Counted (1956) has audience members talking about their problems with the guests. On People in Conflict (1959) a guest panel helped troubled audience members while The Verdict Is Yours centered on actual court cases. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
