Muhammad Ali
Acting • Born 1942-01-17 – Died 2016-06-03
Biography
Muhammad Ali (born Cassius Marcellus Clay Jr.; January 17, 1942 – June 3, 2016) was an American professional boxer, activist, entertainer and philanthropist. Nicknamed The Greatest, he is widely regarded as one of the most significant and celebrated figures of the 20th century and as one of the greatest boxers of all time. Ali was born and raised in Louisville, Kentucky. He began training as an amateur boxer at age 12. At 18, he won a gold medal in the light heavyweight division at the 1960 Summer Olympics and turned professional later that year. He became a Muslim after 1961. He won the world heavyweight championship from Sonny Liston in a major upset on February 25, 1964, at age 22. On March 6, 1964, he announced that he no longer would be known as Cassius Clay but as Muhammad Ali. In 1966, Ali refused to be drafted into the military, citing his religious beliefs and ethical opposition to the Vietnam War. He was found guilty of draft evasion so he faced 5 years in prison and was stripped of his boxing titles. He stayed out of prison as he appealed the decision to the Supreme Court, which overturned his conviction in 1971, but he had not fought for nearly four years and lost a period of peak performance as an athlete. Ali's actions as a conscientious objector to the Vietnam War made him an icon for the larger counterculture generation, and he was a very high-profile figure of racial pride for African Americans during the civil rights movement and throughout his career. As a Muslim, Ali was initially affiliated with Elijah Muhammad's Nation of Islam (NOI). He later disavowed the NOI, adhering to Sunni Islam, and supporting racial integration like his former mentor Malcolm X. Ali was a leading heavyweight boxer of the 20th century, and he remains the only three-time lineal champion of that division. His joint records of beating 21 boxers for the world heavyweight title and winning 14 unified title bouts stood for 35 years. He is the only fighter to have been ranked as the world's best heavyweight by BoxRec twelve times. He has been ranked among BoxRec's ten best heavyweights seventeen times, the third most in history. He won 8 fights that were rated by BoxRec as 5-Star, the third most in the history of the heavyweight division. Ali is the only boxer to be named The Ring magazine Fighter of the Year six times. He has been ranked the greatest heavyweight boxer of all time, and as the greatest athlete of the 20th century by Sports Illustrated, the Sports Personality of the Century by the BBC, and the third greatest athlete of the 20th century by ESPN SportsCentury. He was involved in several historic boxing matches and feuds, most notably his fights with Joe Frazier, such as the Fight of the Century and the Thrilla in Manila, and his fight with George Foreman, known as The Rumble in the Jungle, which has been called "arguably the greatest sporting event of the 20th century" and was watched by a record estimated television audience of 1 billion viewers worldwide, becoming the world's most-watched live television broadcast at the time. Ali thrived in the spotlight at a time when many fighters let their managers do the talking, and he was often provocative and outlandish. He was known for trash-talking, and often free-styled with rhyme schemes and spoken word poetry, anticipating elements of hip hop.
Filmography
165 credits
When We Were Kings
Movie • 1996
Self
City of Ali
Movie • 2021
Pariah: The Lives and Deaths of Sonny Liston
Movie • 2019
Self (archive footage)
Ali's Comeback: The Untold Story
Movie • 2020
Self (archive footage)
Soul Power
Movie • 2009
Self (archive footage)
Black Soul
Movie • 1974
Self
Ron Lyle
Movie • 2021
Self (archive footage)
Earnie Shavers
Movie • 2021
The King of Miami Beach
Movie • 2022
Untold: Deal with the Devil
Movie • 2021
Self - Professional Boxer (archive footage)
Stand
Movie • 2023
Self (archive footage)
Muhammad and Larry
Movie • 1980
Muhammad Ali, the Greatest
Movie • 1969
Self
Black Power Salute
Movie • 2008
Self (archive footage)
In Search of Greatness
Movie • 2018
Self (archive footage)
Behind the Shield: The Power and Politics of the NFL
Movie • 2022
Self (archive footage)
The Fighters
Movie • 1974
Self
Freestyle: The Art of Rhyme
Movie • 2000
Himself
Fight of the Century
Movie • 1971
Self
The Greatest
Movie • 1977
Cassius Clay / Muhammad Ali
Doin' Time
Movie • 1985
Himself
Malcolm X
Movie • 1972
Self (archive footage)
Muhammad and Larry
Movie • 2009
Himself
Cassius Clay vs. Doug Jones
Movie • 1963
Self
Cassius Clay vs. Alonzo Johnson
Movie • 1961
Self
Larry Holmes vs. Muhammad Ali
Movie • 1980
Self
Muhammad Ali vs. Floyd Patterson I
Movie • 1965
Self
Muhammad Ali vs. Floyd Patterson II
Movie • 1972
Self
The Rumble in the Jungle: George Foreman vs. Muhammad Ali
Movie • 1974
Self
Muhammad Ali vs. Joe Frazier I
Movie • 1971
Self
Muhammad Ali vs. Joe Frazier II
Movie • 1974
Self
Say Hey, Willie Mays!
Movie • 2022
Self (archive footage)
The Documented Life and Times of Muhammad Ali - The Greatest
Movie • 2002
Muhammad Ali - Through The Eyes Of The World
Movie • 2001
Himself
Ali Rap
Movie • 2006
Himself
Champions Forever - World Heavyweight Champs!
Movie • 2000
Himself
a.k.a. Cassius Clay
Movie • 1970
Self
Street Gang: How We Got to Sesame Street
Movie • 2021
Self (archive footage)
Norman Mailer: The American
Movie • 2012
Self
Cassius le grand
Movie • 1964
The Best of ABC's Wide World of Sports: The 60's
Movie • 1990
Self
The Super Fight
Movie • 1970
Himself
Black Rodeo
Movie • 1972
Self
Out From Ali's Shadow: The Larry Holmes Story
Movie • 2006
Self (Archival Footage)
O.J.: Made in America
Movie • 2016
Self (archive footage)
Mike Tyson vs Larry Holmes
Movie • 1988
Self
Muhammad Ali vs. Trevor Berbick
Movie • 1981
Self
Mike Tyson vs Trevor Berbick
Movie • 1986
Self
Body and Soul
Movie • 1981
Himself
Parkinson at 50
Movie • 2021
Self (archive footage)
Michael Jackson: 30th Anniversary Celebration
Movie • 2001
Self
Muhammad Ali's Greatest Fight
Movie • 2013
Himself (archive footage)
The Trials of Muhammad Ali
Movie • 2013
Self (archive footage)
Darts Tarts – Welcome to my World
Movie • 2006
Self (archive footage)
Rumble in the Jungle
Movie • 2009
Self
Thrilla in Manila
Movie • 2019
Self
WWE: Hulk Hogan: The Ultimate Anthology
Movie • 2006
Muhammad Ali
Cassius X: Becoming Ali
Movie • 2023
Self (archive footage)
Untold: Jake Paul the Problem Child
Movie • 2023
Self (archive footage)
Pelé
Movie • 2021
Self (archive Footage)
The Real Rocky
Movie • 2011
Self (archive footage)
McEnroe
Movie • 2022
Self (archive footage) (uncredited)
Diana
Movie • 1981
Self
I Am Ali
Movie • 2014
Self (archive footage)
Muhammad Ali The Whole Story
Movie • 1996
Self
Muhammad Ali - The Greatest Collection
Movie • 1999
Tribute to Chuck Wepner: The Legacy and Retirement of the Real Rocky Balboa
Movie • 2023
Self (archive footage)
Night of 100 Stars III
Movie • 1990
Self
Mister Candid Camera
Movie • 2021
Self (archive footage)
Requiem for a Heavyweight
Movie • 1962
Himself (as Cassius Clay)
Toni Morrison: The Pieces I Am
Movie • 2019
Self (archive footage)
Muhammad Ali: The Greatest
Movie • 1991
Franz Klammer - The Ski "Kaiser" Will Be 70
Movie • 2023
Self (archive footage)
70 Jahre Annemarie Moser-Pröll – Ein Leben als Wintermärchen
Movie • 2023
Self (archive footage)
Muhammad Ali vs. Joe Frazier III
Movie • 1975
Self
Legends of Mid-South Wrestling
Movie • 2013
Himself
My Father Muhammad Ali
Movie • 2023
Self (archive footage)
Muhammad Ali vs. Sonny Liston I
Movie • 1964
Self
Muhammad Ali vs. Sonny Liston II
Movie • 1965
Self
James Bond: The First 21 Years
Movie • 1983
Self
Andre the Giant
Movie • 2018
Self (archive footage)
Thrilla in Manila
Movie • 2008
Himself (archive footage)
WWE Hall of Fame 2024
Movie • 2024
Muhammad Ali
Sticky: A (Self) Love Story
Movie • 2016
Self
Something's Happening
Movie • 1967
Kings of the Ring: Four Legends of Heavyweight Boxing
Movie • 1995
Himself
Kings of The Ring - History of Heavyweight Boxing 1919-1990
Movie • 1995
Himself (Archival Footage)
Freedom Road
Movie • 1979
Gideon Jackson
Sugar Ray Robinson: The Bright Lights and Dark Shadows of a Champion
Movie • 1998
Himself
Money Talks
Movie • 1972
Self
When Ali Met Cathal
Movie • 2009
Muhammad Ali
TV in Black: The First Fifty Years
Movie • 2004
Self (archive footage)
Ali & Cavett: The Tale of the Tapes
Movie • 2018
Self (archive footage)
Gonzo: The Life and Work of Dr. Hunter S. Thompson
Movie • 2008
Self (archive footage)
Funny Girl to Funny Lady
Movie • 1975
Self
Facing Ali
Movie • 2009
Self
The Last Round: Chuvalo vs. Ali
Movie • 2003
Himself
Africa Rising
Movie • 2019
Self - Boxer (archive footage)
Jack Paar: Smart Television
Movie • 2003
Self
Les vendredis d'Apostrophes
Movie • 2015
Self (archive footage)
Tyson
Movie • 2008
Self (archive footage)
Ali-Frazier I: One Nation... Divisible
Movie • 2000
Self
Leon Spinks vs Muhammad Ali II
Movie • 1978
Boxing's Greatest Champions
Movie • 1995
Self
WWE: Undertaker 20-0 - The Streak
Movie • 2012
Self (archive footage)
Legends Never Die
Movie • 2006
Self (archive footage)
Muhammad Ali: The Greatest
Movie • 2014
Self (Archival Footage)
Muhammad Ali: Made in Miami
Movie • 2008
Himself
The Journey of the African-American Athlete
Movie • 1996
Self (archive footage)
Muhammad Ali - Rumble in the Jungle
Movie • 2016
Self (archive footage)
Champions Forever
Movie • 1989
Self
B.B. King: Live In Africa '74
Movie • 1998
Self
James Brown - The Night James Brown Saved Boston
Movie • 2008
Self (archive footage)
Naked Sport: Welcome to the Sewer
Movie • 1993
Self
Da 5 Bloods
Movie • 2020
Self (archive footage) (uncredited)
Ali's Dozen
Movie • 2006
Self
The Best of the Dean Martin Celebrity Roasts
Movie • 1998
Self - Roastee (archive footage)
WrestleMania
Movie • 1985
Muhammad Ali (Enforcer)
WCW Halloween Havoc 1994
Movie • 1994
Himself (Ringside)
The Fight
Movie • 1974
Himself
The Champ and the King
Movie • 2018
Self (archive footage)
Black Is Beltza
Movie • 2018
Self (voice) (archive footage)
Muhammad Ali, the Greatest
Movie • 2001
Self (archive footage)
Blood Brothers: Malcolm X & Muhammad Ali
Movie • 2021
Self (archive footage)
Muhammad Ali: Fighting Spirit
Movie • 2009
himself
Beatles '64
Movie • 2024
Self (archive footage)
Wake Up and Apologise
Movie • 1972
Self
Monday Night Mayhem
Movie • 2002
Self (archive footage)
When Ali Came to Britain
Movie
American Made
Movie • 2017
Self (archive footage) (uncredited)
Atlanta 1996: Games of the XXVI Olympiad - Opening Ceremony
Movie • 1996
Self
Pelé Forever
Movie • 2004
Self (archive footage)
United We Stand: The Ali Summit
Movie • 2018
archival footage
Ali: The Mission
Movie • 2013
Self (archive footage)
Best of Enemies
Movie • 2015
Self (archival)
Robbed
Movie • 2014
Self
Kings of the Square Ring
Movie • 1978
When Boxing Ruled The World
Movie • 2001
Self
The Summer of Love
Movie • 2017
Boxing Crazy
Movie • 1997
70 Years of Youth Revolt
TV • 2020
Self (archive footage)
The Merv Griffin Show
TV • 1962
Self
Bill Russell: Legend
TV • 2023
Self (archive footage)
Shut Up and Dribble
TV • 2018
Self (archive footage)
O.J.: Made in America
TV • 2016
Self (archive footage)
Muhammad Ali
TV • 2021
Self (archive footage)
Ali's 65
TV • 2007
A Life in Ten Pictures
TV • 2021
Self (archive footage)
Explained
TV • 2018
Self (archive footage)
The Mike Douglas Show
TV • 1961
Self
Die Muhammad Ali Story
TV • 1996
Muhammad Ali
The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson
TV • 1962
Self
Wogan
TV • 1982
Self
What's My Line?
TV • 1950
Self - Mystery Guest
1971: The Year That Music Changed Everything
TV • 2021
Self (archive footage)
Touched by an Angel
TV • 1994
Self
What's My Name | Muhammad Ali
TV • 2019
Self (archive footage)
Bambi
TV • 1948
Self (archive footage)
Apostrophes
TV • 1975
Self
The Dick Cavett Show
TV • 1968
Self - Guest
The Century of Icons
TV • 2022
Self (archive footage)
Der Sport-Spiegel
TV • 1963
Self
The Seventies
TV • 2015
Self (archive footage)
Mid-South Wrestling
TV • 1981
Muhammad Ali (Fan - Archive Footage)
The Captain and Tennille
TV • 1976
Self - Guest