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Charlie Watts, June 2, 1941 – August 24, 2021.

The Big Combo was released in the US on 13 February 1955 (some sources have a March release date).

Philip Yordan's script, The Hoodlum, was in high demand (he had received an Academy Award nomination for 1951's Detective Story, and would receive the Oscar for Best Story in March 1955 for Broken Lance) before Cornel Wilde and Jean Wallace bought it for their newly-formed production company (Wallace changed the title of Yordan's script to The Big Combo).

Spencer Tracy was approached to star, and Wilde took over when Tracy declined. Jack Palance was cast as the gangster Mr. Brown, but dropped out wanting to take a break from a busy shooting schedule (he would have 3 films released in in 1955). Richard Conte replaced Palance.

Earl Holliman (who had appeared in Broken Lance) and Lee Van Cleef were cast as Mingo and Fante, along with Brian Donlevy, and Helen Walker in her final screen performance.

Happy 82nd, Jean-Pierre Léaud.