gans has footage, langford has footage, johnson has footage, fitz has footage, tunney has footage, why the f*ck doesn't greb have any footage?
Lots of guys from that era were filmed that dont have footage. Here is a list I compiled a while back (it needs to be updated) of known filmed fights which have been lost. Notice the names on there of which no footage exists: Al Corbett Vs Red Chapman Archie Bradley Vs Harry Stone Arthur Pelkey Vs. Luther McCarty Battling Nelson Vs Terry McGovern Battling Nelson Vs. Dick Hyland Benny Bass Vs Harry Blitman Benny Bass Vs Red Chapman Bill Squires Vs. Mike Williams Billy Conn Vs. Tony Zale Billy Papke Vs Georges Bernard Billy Papke Vs Jim Sullivan Billy Wells Vs Bandsman Blake Bob Fitzsimmons Vs Gus Ruhlin Bob Fitzsimmons Vs Jack O'Brien Carl Morris Vs Mike Schreck Dave Shade Vs. Jimmy Slattery Eddie McGoorty Vs Dave Smith Emile Griffith Vs. Manuel Gonzalez 2 Billy Soose Vs Ernie Vigh (this was a home movie) Fernand Quendreux Vs Astier Frank Klaus Vs Marcel Moreau Frank Moran Vs Billy Wells Frankie Genaro Vs Bushy Graham Fred Fulton Vs Carl Morris Fred Fulton Vs Charlie Weinert Fred Fulton Vs Frank Moran Freddie Welsh Vs Willie Ritchie Georges Carpentier Vs Billy Wells Georges Carpentier Vs George Gunther Georges Carpentier Vs Gunboat Smith Georges Carpentier Vs Jim Sullivan Georges Carpentier Vs Joe Jeanette Gunboat Smith Vs Arthur Pelkey Harry Greb Vs. Mickey Walker Harry Greb Vs. Ted Moore Harry Greb Vs. Tom Gibbons Harry Wills Vs Jack Sharkey Harry Wills Vs. Charlie Weinert Henry Armstrong Vs. Paul Junior Henry Armstrong Vs. Lew Jenkins Hughie Mehegen Vs Matt Wells Jack Delaney Vs Tony Marullo Jack Dempsey Vs Fred Fulton jack Dempsey Vs Carl Morris Jack Johnson exhibition while in prison Jack Johnson Vs Bob Roper Jack Sharkey Vs. Jimmy Maloney 2 Jim Coffey Vs Jim Flynn Jim Corbett Vs Jim Jeffries Jim Corbett Vs Kid McCoy (not sure if this is the staged fight they did before a back drop or the real one) Jim Jeffries Vs Bob Fitzsimmons (The lighting was too bad to make the film commercially successful) Jimmy Britt Vs Johnny Summers Jimmy Clabby Vs Frank Logan Jimmy Slattery Vs Jack Lynch Jimmy Slattery Vs Jack Burke Joe Bonds Vs Dick O'Brien Joe Louis Vs Lou Nova Johnny Kilbane Vs George Chaney Johnny Risko Vs Victorio Campollo Kid McCoy Vs Peter Maher Luis Firpo Vs Sailor Maxted Luis Firpo Vs Jack McAuliffe Maxie Rosenbloom Vs Leo Kelly 1 Maxie Rosenbloom Vs Leo Kelly 2 Maxie Rosenbloom Vs George Simpson Marcel Cerdan Vs. Holman Williams Mickey Walker Vs Dave Shade Mike Gibbons Vs Soldier Bartfield Mike Gibbons Vs Young Ahearn Packey McFarland Vs Matt Wells Paul Berlenbach Vs Mike McTigue Paul Berlenbach Vs Young Stribling Pete Latzo Vs Joe Dundee Ray Bronson Vs Sid Sullivan Rocky Kansas Vs Jimmy Goodrich Saint Didier Vs Joe Gans (not that Joe Gans) Ruby Goldstein Vs Tony Vaccarelli Sam Langford Vs Iron Hague Sam Langford Vs Jack Lester Sam Langford Vs Sam McVea Paris 1911 Sam Langford Vs Sam McVea Sydney 1912 Stanislaus Loayza Vs Phil McGraw Ted Kid Lewis Vs Marcel Thomas Terry McGovern Vs George Dixon Terry McGovern Vs Young Corbett Tiger Flowers Vs Ray Neuman Tom Heeney Vs Otto Von Porat Tom Sharkey Vs Kid McCoy Tommy Burns Vs Bill Squires 2 Young Griffo Vs Battling Charles Barnett Young Griffo Vs Campbell Young Kloby Vs Eddie Shevlin 1 Young Kloby Vs Eddie Shevlin 2 Willie Ritchie-Harlem Tommy Murphy (maybe) Tuffy Griffiths-Leo Lomski Freddy Sallus-Johnny Venchell 1918 Interallied Boxing Tournament Jimmy Wilde Vs Digger Evans Cal Delany Vs E. J. Swinnerton Augie Ratner Vs S. I. Fullerton Bomb. Billy Wells Vs. Joe Beckett Mike O'Dowd Vs Sgt W. Ring Eddie Couldon Vs Peakes Johnny Basham Vs Tierney Pal Moore Vs Jimmy Wilde Bomb. Billy Wells Vs Eddie McGoorty Joe Beckett Vs R. G. Stephenson Mike O'Dowd Vs Dick SMith
^ that is one comprehensive and exhaustive list. Thanks for posting. Very sad so many are gone but I have a feeling a couple may pop up eventually.
I know from different threads, that this is a labor of love of yours. Very commendable, I am sure it has taken years to track and verify some of these obscure films. I wish more people were as diligent and dedicated as yourself, I know some of these movies are out there! I hope for historical purposes a Greb Film is uncovered, it would be a significant find for the sport. I know many collectors wish to keep their films private and I understand that and respect it but I think Greb supersedes that for the historical perspective. Speaking of Greb have you ever looked into a lead for him airing in New York City, in the neighborhood of Yorkville? My uncle is 85 and he remembers German movie houses playing Schmeling fights. I know Greb is American but maybe they might have shown a bout or two of his. There is a new show coming to history channel about lost American Treasures I have messaged the show on the topic of Lost boxing films and left them a way to contact me regarding such a topic. I will continue to try and investigate the subject matter and share any information I come across.
If the BBC can throw away entire episodes of popular TV shows of the 1960s and '70s, such as Dr.Who and Dad's Army (some which remain lost), it's no surprise that boxing films of the 1920s got binned, lost, or ruined.
Klompton, do you know which bout it was between Greb and Gibbons that was filmed? I read that his 1922 fight was the best Greb ever looked, and that it was a like his peak. Was it this one that was filmed? Or was it one of the earlier ones?
Klompton, you know more about Greb than anyone else that I have ever seen on forums. I was just wondering if you have footage yourself of Greb beyond what is uploaded on youtube? Anyway, maybe Harry Greb's lineage have all of the footage, or the lineage of his promoter or trainer.
Some interesting fights on that list. Greb of course is first and foremost, but there are several other fights that hopefully one day are re-discovered. I wouldn't mind seeing Dempsey-Fulton. Any action of Fulton would be nice. Wills - Sharkey. McGovern Nelson. Tiger flowers. If I had to guess I would think Carpentier footage may come to light he was huge in France I would think someone has his fights.
In addition to the training and signing footage for the Walker fight I have one clip of Greb in the ring in street clothes prior to another boxing contest where he was shaking hands with the fighters. Its taken from about 10 rows back and you wouldnt even know it was him if you didnt know who/what to look for. I also have the pre-fight footage of Dempsey-Miske which some accounts say Greb was in the ring for helping in Dempsey's corner. If thats true hes in that footage (again shot from very far away) but some accounts say that he did not work Dempsey's corner because he intended to challenge the winner of the contest. So its hard to say if hes actually in that footage. Other than that I dont have anything else on Greb.
McFarland-Wells would be so sweet. Packey probably looked like a god that night. McGovern-Dixon would, too, be something unearthly.