Cagers in showbiz

Of course, you know that Benjie Paras, Bong Alvarez, Atoy Co, Francis Arnaiz and Parañaque Mayor Joey Marquez are among several local cagers who’ve tried their luck in showbiz. But did you know several Hollywood actors played hoops before finding stardom in the silver screen?

Oscar-winning actor Denzel Washington was a walk-on freshman player under coach P. J. Carlesimo at Fordham University once upon a time. Carlesimo later became known as Latrell Sprewell’s choking victim when they were still employed by the Golden State Warriors in the National Basketball Association (NBA). No wonder Washington, once a regular in the TV drama series "St. Elsewhere," likes to appear in sports-related movies like "Remember the Titans" for football, "He Got Game" for basketball, and "Hurricane" for boxing. Sports is in Washington’s blood.

Tom Selleck won an Emmy in 1984 for his work in TV’s "Magnum, P.I." The 6-4, 200-pound forward scored four points in seven games for the University of Southern California (USC) varsity in 1965-66. Selleck was scoreless in three outings the next season. He was captain of the Los Angeles Valley Community College before transferring to USC, former national coach Ron Jacobs’ alma mater.

Here’s what the USC basketball media guidebook said of Selleck: "Agile and quick performer who adds depth on frontline. Business administration major is a good jumper with fine mobility. Rapidly improving shooter has impressed coaches with his hustle in practice. Needs to work on defense."

With his scoreless showing in 1966-67, there wasn’t much of a future for Selleck in basketball. Lucky for him he found a gold mine in a showbiz career. In case you’ve forgotten, Selleck had a two-year stint on TV’s "Young and the Restless" and a cameo on "Friends."

Beau Bridges, whose late father Lloyd became a ‘60s cult hero on TV’s "Sea Hunt" averaged 0.6 point and 1.4 rebounds for the University of California at Los Angeles (UCLA) Bruins’ 1960-61 freshman squad. He was a 5-9 guard who warmed the bench more than he took to the floor. His consolation was the Bruins compiled a 20-2 record the year he was on the freshman roster.

Lou Gossett, Jr. saw action for New York University’s freshman team on an athletic scholarship in the late 1950s. The son of a porter and a househelper, Gossett suffered a leg injury that crippled his hopes for a basketball career. He won an Emmy in 1977 for his role in the TV miniseries "Roots." In 1982, Gossett was awarded an Oscar as supporting actor in the box-office hit "An Officer and a Gentleman."

Chuck Connors was Lucas McCain in the popular TV western "The Rifleman" in the 1960s. Before twirling his rifle like a six-shooter on the tube, he played basketball at Seton Hall University–the same school which Australian Olympian Andrew Gaze took to the NCAA Finals in 1989.

Connors, who died in 1992 at the age of 71, suited up for the Boston Celtics in two NBA seasons, averaging 4.5 points in 53 games. He left the NBA in 1949. During a pre-game drill with the Celtics, Connors shattered a glass backboard with a powerful dunk. That was long before notorious boardbreakers Darryl Dawkins and Billy Ray Bates forced the creation of the snap-back rim. Connors also played pro baseball with the Brooklyn Dodgers and the Chicago Cubs.

Mike Connors, the suave private detective in the TV series "Tightrope" and "Mannix" averaged 9.6 points for the UCLA freshman team in 1946-47. His show "Mannix" aired from 1967 to 1975.

Jim Luisi, now 73, was Lt. Chapman in James Garner’s TV series "Rockford Files". In 1953-54, he hit at a 2.9 clip for the Baltimore Bullets in the NBA. The 6-2, 180-pound guards was a product of St. Francis College in New York.

Ted Cassidy was better known as Lurch, that hulking 6-9 somber-faced butler on TV’s "Addams Family." In 1955, he made good use of his height by averaging 17.7 points and 10.7 rebounds at Stetson College as a senior. Cassidy later resurfaced as a member of the Hole-in-the-Wall gang in the movie "Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid."

Art Linkletter was a household name in US TV for decades as the host of "People Are Funny" and "House Party." Before breaking into showbiz, he starred at San Diego State in the early ‘30s as a hot-shooting cager. He was the Aztecs varsity’s top scorer for two seasons and finished second in scoring in the conference.

Michael Crichton never came out in movies but two of his best-selling novels "Jurassic Park" and "The Lost World" were transformed into screen blockbusters. "Jurassic Park" grossed more than $900 Million worldwide on its first release alone. In 1996, Crichton earned $102 million to rank No. 4 in the highest-paid entertainers’ ladder. He would never have bankrolled as much as a basketball player.

The 6-8 Crichton averaged 6.3 points in 12 games for Harvard’s freshman team in 1960-61. He compiled 16 points and 14 rebounds against Andover in what was his most productive game ever. As a Harvard sophomore the next season, Crichton hardly touched the ball, tallying only three points–all on free throws–in nine forgettable games. It was obvious why he didn’t pursue a career in hoops.

Conversely, there were those who jumped from the hardcourt to acting and sometimes, back to the hardcourt–like Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Mike Warren, Reggie Theus, Dennis Rodman, Allan Houston, Julius Erving, Ray Allen, and Michael Jordan.

Somehow, showbiz and basketball aren’t really worlds apart. In the field of entertainment, they’re like brothers in arms.

Postscript. Information for this piece came from Mike Douchant’s article "Star Points" in the Arizona Wildcats’ Gameday Magazine (March 6, 1999) and Floyd Corner’s book "Basketball’s Most Wanted."