RICHARD CHAMBERLAIN - MOVIEMAKER GAVE BOXING TRAINER A MAKEOVER FOR CHAMBERLAIN

MOVIEMAKER GAVE BOXING TRAINER A MAKEOVER FOR CHAMBERLAIN

Irish moviemaker MARK MAHON landed reclusive RICHARD CHAMBERLAIN for his violent boxing movie STRENGTH + HONOR by turning the actor's character from a small, bald trainer into a distinguished gent.
Mahon struck up an unlikely friendship with The Thorn Birds star and sent him the script for the film - just to showcase his writing talents.
Chamberlain loved what he read and asked a stunned Mahon if he'd consider him for the role of trainer Denis O'Leary in the film, opposite Michael Madsen.
Mahon says, "I got an e-mail from his manager saying Richard was very impressed with my screenplay and wanted to audition. At this stage I had nobody for the film but, when opportunity came knocking, I took it.
"At first the character of Denis O'Leary was small, bald, in his mid 70s but then he became slim, good looking, in his mid 60s to attract Richard.
"His manager had been giving Richard projects for the last three years and he said no to everything, but he loved my screenplay. I had a budget of about $700,000 and I had no money to pay him but Richard attached himself to it anyway. He's great."