It's not how big the gross, but how gross the humiliation that often determines how quickly a woman moves from a supporting player to leading lady. Like her "sisters", Mitzi Gaynor learned to fight; but like many other young women her career was nearly derailed by a love affair. In Mitzi's case, the object of her affection is her manager and agent, Nikki Spade.
Read how Mitzi is recruited into fighting after a dressing room fight with former champion Marilyn Monroe, then follow her career as she meets other struggling young actresses. She will also have impromptu fights that weren't arranged ahead of time. You'll discover that Mitzi, like any actress, does better when she has a script and has rehearsed her role before someone calls for "action."
Classic Hollywood Fights Links to stories of Hollywood fights featuring women from (whenever) to the 1960's.
Below, we included some photo albums. Click on the link to check them out. We add to them (infrequently) so don't think you've seen it all if you've only seen it once.
The Hollywood Champions up to and including Mitzi's era.
Photo album of Mitzi, her girlfriends and her opponents. (In the order they appear in the Mitzi in Hollywood stories)
Small photo album of the top Black women fighters of Mitzi's era.
Photo album of the best European female fighters of the 1950's and 60's.
A HREF="http://www.reelclassics.com/Audio_Video/Videos6/mitzi_southpacific_washthatman.mov"
A Quicktime movie w/Mitzi singing "Wash That Man Right Out of Your Hair" from the movie, South Pacific!
A HREF="mitzi-jane.mpg" An mpeg movie; purportedly of Mitzi fighting with Jane Russell.
Mitzi Chapter One - Mitzi vs. Marilyn Monroe Mitzi fights Marilyn Monroe in her dressing room. There, she discovers the joy - and the heartbreak - of fighting.
Mitzi Chapter Two - Mitzi meets Nikki Spade Mitzi meets P.I. Nikki Spade and signs for her first fight - against Debra Paget. We meet Debra's devious manager, the veteran Gretchen Curry and hear Mitzi's account of her second fight with Marilyn Monroe.
Mitzi Chapter Three - Mitzi vs. Debra Paget Mitzi has her first fight in a ring and finds there's more to winning a fight than just beating your opponent.
Mitzi Chapter Four - Mitzi vs. Bettie Page At a Hollywood party, Mitzi gets into a scrap with the tough bondage and wrestling model Bettie Page. Mitzi discovers Bettie knows more about it than she learned posing for photos.
Mitzi Chapter Five - Pre-fight Jitters Mitzi prepares to face Bettie Page in the ring while Bettie and her manager, Gretchen Curry try to intimidate Mitzi and her lover/manager Nikki. Meanwhile, Shirley MacLaine is fighting Mitziï' training partner, Juliet Prowse.
Mitzi Chapter Six - Mitzi vs. Bettie Page (Rematch) In the ring this time against Bettie Page, Mitzi vows not to be humiliated again. However, Bettieï's new manager, Gretchen Curry, has ideas of her own for both Mitzi and Nikki.
Mitzi Chapter Seven - Restaurant: Tasty Morsels To pay off their bet, Mitzi and Nikki join Gretchen and Shirley at a restaurant. On the way, they discuss Mitzi�s previous fight (Sheree North) and Shirley�s (Mamie van Doren.) Gretchen and Shirley set their plan in motion to ruin Mitzi.
Mitzi Chapter Eight - Restaurant: Chicken Breasts Gretchen ambushes Nikki and forces her to sign a contract for a boxing match between Mitzi and Shirley for their next fight. Mitzi, fed up with Shirley�s taunts, decides to settle matters right there in the restaurant.
Mitzi Chapter Nine - Restaurant: Whipped Cream Puff Shirley works Mitzi over in front of a group of her cheering fans as Gretchen keeps Nikki under control. After, Mitzi meets Major Sarah Brown but she loses Nikki.
Mitzi Chapter Ten - Nikki�s Nightmare While Mitzi recovers from what happened in the restaurant, Nikki finds out Gretchen is a stern task mistress indeed. Meet Eva and Karin, Gretchen�s nieces as well as some of the many movie starlets who hang out at Gretchen�s.
Mitzi Chapter Eleven - Mitzi�s Mission Mitzi recovers under the tender care of Major Sarah Brown and her "friendly" staff - including Adelaide the masseuse. Frank and Ethel visit and try to put Mitzi on "The Road to Wellville."
Mitzi Chapter Twelve - Mitzi in Korea Gretchen tells Nikki a story about a fight Mitzi had with Sheree North in Korea in 1952. Is it true?
Mitzi Chapter Thirteen - The Birthday Party Frank�s birthday party brings everyone together and there's hardly room for all the egos in the room. Naturally, Nikki is there with Gretchen, much to Mitzi's discomfort. Mitzi meets the woman who may become her new manager.
Mitzi Chapter Fourteen - The Birthday Party - The Fight Card Several fights are scheduled for entertainment during Frank's party, including a special "grudge match between Debbie Reynolds and Liz Taylor. In the highlight, Mitzi and Shirley arm wrestle.
Mitzi Chapter Fifteen - Ladies First Mitzi gets into a fight with Debra Paget in the ladies room during Frank's party. With a surprise challenge at the end of the story.
Mitzi Chapter Sixteen - Something About Cyd Under the guidance of Cyd Charisse, Mitzi trains for her boxing match but intrique swirls around the training facility. Who in her entourage is a friend and who's pretending? Watch for the reappearance of Adelaide the masseuse from Ch. 11.
Mitzi Chapter Seventeen - The Weigh-in Mitzi wraps up her training and Gretchen hatches a nefarious plot to influence the outcome of the fight. At the weigh-in, sparks fly when the two boxers come face-to-face.
Mitzi Chapter Eighteen - Boxing Shirley Mitzi's first boxing match. More than pride is at stake when she gets in the ring with brutal Shirley MacLaine. Mitzi's lover Nikki's future is at stake too since Gretchen has promised to free her in the unlikely event Mitzi wins.
Mitzi Chapter Nineteen - Return to Sender. In the aftermath of the boxing match one woman re-enters Mitzi's life as another departs. (Includes a short description of Rita Moreno's title defense against Sheree North). This lays the groundwork for several up-coming events, so while there's not a LOT of action, it helps explain what follows.
Mitzi Chapter Twenty - Sex, Lies & Audio Tape Rising tensions in Mitzi's camp as she approaches the Moreno fight as Nikki again visits Gretchen.
Mitzi Chapter Twenty One - Battle for the Belt (Pt. 1) Mitzi challenges champion Rita Moreno against a background of increasing tension in Mitzi's entourage.
Mitzi Chapter Twenty Two - Battle for the Belt (Pt. 2) The conclusion of the championship bout and Nikki's secret revealed.
Mitzi Chapter Twenty Three - The Victory Party It's not all sweetness and light after the Moreno fight. Nikki confronts Cyd in public and Ethel takes Nikki to task.
Mitzi Chapter Twenty Four - First Title Defense After winning the title, Mitzi now has to defend it! Cyd and Ethel conspire to get Mitzi an "easy" opponent for her first title defense, but will Anne Francis be as soft a touch as she appears?
Mitzi Chapter Twenty Five - Alfred in the 'bat' cave The night before her next fight, Mitzi is invited to a seedy bar to meet Alfred Hitchcock who is interested in Mitzi for a new film. But Kim Novak also shows up and things go from bad to worse...!
There will be OVER FIFTY (50) chapters in Mitziï's adventure. We try to put up a new one every several(LOL) months! Some events may take 2-3 chapters, so please be patient. Check back often or watch our Discussion Board for notices and updates.
The Mitzi Gaynor page on the "Celebrity Legs Gallery" A site dedictated to the greatest legs of all time!