Coley Wallace

{{short description|American actor and boxer}} [[File:Coley Wallace vs Ezzard Charles 1953.jpg|thumb|250px|Wallace (left) takes a right hand to the face from Ezzard Charles on December 16, 1953.]] '''Coley Wallace''' (April 5, 1927 – January 30, 2005) was an American actor and heavyweight boxer who once outpointed Rocky Marciano in a very close split decision three-round amateur fight.

Although Wallace, a Jacksonville, FL native, had a respectable record as a professional (20-7-0), his claim to fame came in 1948 when, as an amateur, he once defeated in a very close split decision future heavyweight champion Rocky Marciano in the finals of the New York Golden Gloves Tournament. The decision was not welcomed by crowd and many considered it drawn. Wallace fought Ezzard Charles in his professional career, among others.

Wallace's contract was "owned" under the table by the notorious Frank "Blinky" Palermo, a member of the Philadelphia crime family. Palermo was imprisoned in 1961 for conspiracy and extortion for the covert ownership of prizefighters.<ref>{{cite web|title=Blinky Palermo, Mobster who ran boxing dies!|url=http://ringtalk.com/blinky-palermo-mobster-who-ran-boxing-dies|publisher=Ring Talk|accessdate=9 September 2011|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20120225041904/http://ringtalk.com/blinky-palermo-mobster-who-ran-boxing-dies|archivedate=25 February 2012}}</ref>

After boxing career, Wallace acted in four movies, twice portraying the boxer Joe Louis.

Wallace died on January 30, 2005, of heart failure in New York City.

== Filmography == *''The Joe Louis Story'' (1953) - Joe Louis *''Carib Gold'' (1957) - Ryan *''Marciano'' (1979 TV movie) - Joe Louis *''Raging Bull'' (1980) - Joe Louis - Cerdan Fight *''Rooftops'' (1989) - Lester (final film role)

==References== {{reflist}}

== External links == * {{boxrec|id=10361}} *{{IMDb name|0908577}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Wallace, Coley}} Category:1927 births Category:2005 deaths Category:Male actors from Jacksonville, Florida Category:Boxers from Florida Category:Heavyweight boxers Category:National Golden Gloves champions Category:Sportspeople from Jacksonville, Florida Category:Winners of the United States Championship for amateur boxers Category:American male boxers Category:Rocky Marciano