Trivia for
The Hustler (1961)

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• When Fast Eddie prepares for his first matchup against Minnesota Fats, his manager sits down in front of a poster depicting Willie Mosconi, 14-time world champion in billiards from 1941 to 1957. About ten minutes later, Willie himself makes a cameo as the guy who holds onto the bet money. His character name is also Willie.
  
  
• All the pool shots in the movie are performed by the actors themselves (Paul Newman and Jackie Gleason) except one: the massé shot (cue ball sends two object balls into the same pocket), performed by Willie Mosconi.
  
  
• Fast Eddie is from Oakland, California.
  
  

• When first approached to play the role of Fast Eddie Felsen, Paul Newman couldn't accept it because he was scheduled to begin filming Two for the Seesaw (1962) with Elizabeth Taylor. When Taylor was held up with the filming of Cleopatra (1963), "Seesaw" was postponed and Paul was able to do this film.
  
  
• While at the Kentucky Derby, the race announcer lists some of the horses racing. One of the horses named is "Stroke of Luck". "Stroke of Luck" was one of the titles considered for the film as a result of studio fears that the title "The Hustler" would create negative connotations with prostitution.
  
  
• The words Sarah writes on the mirror are "perverted", "twisted" and "crippled".
  
  
• There's a misconception that the character Minnesota Fats is based on the real Minnesota Fats (Rudolf Wanderone Jr.). Actually, the character appeared in the book and the film before Wanderone, who up until this time had called himself "New York Fats", appropriated the name.
  
  
• Cliff Robertson lost the role that went to Paul Newman, Jack Lemmon having already declined the part.
  
  
• Kim Novak told Larry King on his television show that she turned down the role of Sarah Packard eventually played by Piper Laurie.
  
  
• Ranked #6 on the American Film Institute's list of the 10 greatest films in the genre "Sports" in June 2008.
  
  
• William Duell's film debut.
  
  

• SPOILER: In the first big game, Eddie uses massé to change the cue ball direction and pocket two balls on a single shot. In the final game of the movie, he does it again. This is actually the same shot filmed from different angles. Although the shot is impressive, it is very risky and would give Eddie no discernible advantage.
  
  

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