Tough Guys
Synopsis
10 years before the debut of the Ultimate Fighting Championship. In 1979, Bill Viola and Frank Caliguri dreamed up a contest pitting barroom bigmouths against wrestlers, martial artists, boxers, bouncers and brawlers, billed as no-holds-barred new type of competitive fighting. When the fights succeeded beyond their wildest expectations, they were swept up in a chain of events that ended in the first mixed-martial arts ban in the nation. “Tough Guys” chronicles the inception of Caliguri and Viola’s first bouts and the colorful, crazy cast of fighters who made them a hit as well as the politicians who brought it all crashing down. The film brings to life a moment when the national martial arts craze was building to a crescendo as the economies of Pennsylvania steel towns were plummeting to levels of unemployment never seen, breeding desperate men looking for a chance to prove their worth and make some money in the ring.
Trailers, Teasers & Extra Featurettes
Official promotional previews, behind-the-scenes footage, and exclusive clips.
TOUGH GUYS | September 15 on SHOWTIME
Type: Trailer • Published 2017-09-08
Top Cast
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Key Information & Fast Facts
- Director
- W.B. Zullo, Henry Roosevelt
- Original Title
- Tough Guys
- Country of Origin
- United States of America
- Spoken Languages
- English
- Runtime
- 1h 16m
- Production Studios
- Warrior Poets, Fictionless, MinusL Productions
Creative Leadership & Key Crew
W.B. Zullo, Henry Roosevelt
Morgan Spurlock
Department Leadership Roster
W.B. Zullo
Director
Henry Roosevelt
Director
Age Classification & Content Advisories
Official viewer rating standards and content warnings across international classification boards.
NR: Not Rated — Evaluated outside standard classification boards.
International Certification Matrix
Not Rated — Evaluated outside standard classification boards.
Production Stills & Gallery
Official cinematic photography and background stills for Tough Guys.
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Frequently Asked Questions About Tough Guys
Quick factual answers about cast, synopsis, director, box office, and release information.
What is Tough Guys about?
10 years before the debut of the Ultimate Fighting Championship. In 1979, Bill Viola and Frank Caliguri dreamed up a contest pitting barroom bigmouths against wrestlers, martial artists, boxers, bouncers and brawlers, billed as no-holds-barred new type of competitive fighting. When the fights succeeded beyond their wildest expectations, they were swept up in a chain of events that ended in the first mixed-martial arts ban in the nation. “Tough Guys” chronicles the inception of Caliguri and Viola’s first bouts and the colorful, crazy cast of fighters who made them a hit as well as the politicians who brought it all crashing down. The film brings to life a moment when the national martial arts craze was building to a crescendo as the economies of Pennsylvania steel towns were plummeting to levels of unemployment never seen, breeding desperate men looking for a chance to prove their worth and make some money in the ring.
Who directed Tough Guys?
Tough Guys was directed by W.B. Zullo, Henry Roosevelt.
Who stars in Tough Guys?
The principal cast of Tough Guys includes Bill Viola, Frank Caliguri, Dann Carr, Jacquet Bazemore, Jimmy Cvetic.
When was Tough Guys released and how long is it?
Tough Guys was released in 2017 with a total runtime of 1h 16m.
What is the age rating and content advisory for Tough Guys?
Tough Guys holds official age classifications: US: NR (Not Rated — Evaluated outside standard classification boards.).