When I was eight years old, I developed a real interest in Greek mythology. This was a year before JASON AND THE ARGONAUTS came out, but that summer I turned nine I at least got to see Steve Reeves in THE TROJAN HORSE and Bob Mathias in THE MINOTAUR. Neither film quite captured the magic and spectacle of Greek myth the way JASON did, but still, it was nice to go to a neighborhood theater (three blocks from my apartment) at that age and see these Italian mini-epics.

I hadn't heard of Bob Mathias when I saw THE MINOTAUR but at some point right after seeing it, or maybe even just prior to seeing it, I did learn (from my older brother?) that he was an American Olympic decathlon champ. And I did know it was an Italian movie. And he is pretty good in the movie. Later I learned about the biopic in which he played himself, THE BOB MATHIAS STORY (1954), which I've never seen (has it EVER played on TV?). He has a few other movie credits, including CHINA DOLL (1958), a war movie with Victor Mature and Hong Kong star Li Li Hua, who later starred in the Shaw Bros. epic, BLOODY AVENGERS (BOXER REBELLION) in which American Eurocult star Richard Harrison also appeared.

Mathias died on Saturday and his obit is in today's New York Times. The obit doesn't mention any film/TV credit of his other than his own biopic. That annoys me. To me, he was famous for starring in THE MINOTAUR. Anyway, he was 17 years old when he won the gold in 1948, the youngest man to win an Olympic track and field title. Fascinating story.

Also in the obit section: Guy Gabaldon, an Hispanic-American who grew up with Japanese-Americans in L.A. and in the Battle of Saipan in the Pacific he used his knowledge of Japanese phrases to capture over 1000 Japanese soldiers and civilians or, rather, convince them to surrender. They made a movie about him in 1960 called HELL TO ETERNITY, starring Jeffrey Hunter as Gabaldon.

In addition to occasional stabs at acting, he also was a college football player, a U.S. Congressman, a U.S. Marine and a husband for more than 50 years. Quite likely a very interesting guy.

I drove through Mathias' hometown of Tulare last week and happened to call my Dad, who immediately name-checked Mathias with that particular piece of Central Californian real estate; yesterday when I spoke to him again, my Dad said "What the hell did you do in Tulare... Bob Mathias is dead!" We laughed about that, and then I said "He was pretty old, right?" And my Dad said "You stupid sh*t, he was two years younger than me!"

I love my Dad.

I do recall a TV airing, about 20 some years ago, of THE BOB MATHIAS STORY on a local independent station. The only thing that I can recall about the film is that it depicted Mathias as a college football player, possibly a running back.

Was "The Minotaur" released on homevideo somewhere in the world? I'm dying to see it!

Beware of Greeks bearing gifts--there is a Greek pre-recorded VHS of THE MINOTAUR, but the print runs a full 20 minutes SHORTER than the US version, and it's crap quality to boot (and may or may not be an official release). I've never heard of the film being released anywhere else, nor has Carlo Rustichelli's great score ever been anthologized, to my knowledge.