Legendary country music favorite Kenny Rogers' legacy has continued to grow since he passed away in March 2020. I was delighted to be able to cover his memorable concert at Pacific Amphitheatre in Costa Mesa, CA in July 2017 (read my review of that show HERE). Below is a media release on the upcoming release (tomorrow, October 6th!) of his winning "Gambler" film series...Robert Kinsler
KENNY ROGERS “THE GAMBLER” DVD BOX SET
ARRIVES EXCLUSIVELY AT WALMART ON OCTOBER 6th
FROM SHOUT! FACTORY
WATCH THE NEW TRAILER HERE:
October 5, 2020 – For the first time ever, all five of the Gambler films starring Kenny Rogers are being released in one DVD collection—Kenny Rogers: The Gambler. This 6-film box set (featuring the movie Coward of the County as a bonus) is essential for Kenny Rogers fans and can be found exclusively at your local Walmart starting October 6 from Shout! Factory.
The Gambler series generated five Emmy Award nominations. Rogers made his acting debut in the original film The Gambler, which was a massive ratings hit that achieved critical success for CBS upon its original release on April 8, 1980. It was nominated for two Emmy Awards.
The film is an Old West tale inspired by one of Rogers’ most beloved songs of all time. Brady Hawkes (Kenny Rogers) is a gamblin’ man who has seen it all...except for the son he never knew. When Hawkes receives a surprising letter from his child, he sets off on a journey to finally meet the boy. In the course of his travels, Hawkes crosses paths with the impetuous Billy Montana (Bruce Boxleitner - Tron, How The West Was Won), and the two become fast friends. Billy considers himself to be a professional gambler, but he’s got a lot to learn – and Hawkes has got some very familiar advice for him.
By popular demand, Rogers returned as Brady Hawkes in The Gambler: The Adventure Continues, which premiered in November 1983 on CBS. The film was an even bigger ratings success than the first and was nominated for an additional two Emmy Awards. The Gambler Part III: The Legend Continues followed in 1987 (also on CBS), and the Emmy-nominated fourth installment of the series, The Gambler Returns: The Luck Of The Draw, starring Rogers and Reba McEntire, aired on NBC in 1991. The series moved back to CBS for the 1994 finale, Gambler V: Playing For Keeps. The first four movies of the series were directed by Dick Lowry and the last was directed by Jack Bender.
“The Gambler,” written by GRAMMY®-winning Country Music Hall of Fame songwriter Don Schlitz, was Kenny's fourth #1 solo hit and one of five consecutive songs by the music icon to hit No. 1 on the Billboard country music chart. “The Gambler" also went to #3 on the Billboard Adult Contemporary chart and #16 on the Billboard Hot 100. It was the first #1 hit Schlitz had written. The song won a 1978 Grammy for Best Country Song and became CMA’s 1979 Song of the Year. Kenny won a 1979 Grammy for Best Male Country Vocal Performance for “The Gambler,” and also earned CMA’s 1979 Male Vocalist of the Year. In addition, the album, The Gambler, won CMA honors as 1979 Album of the Year, among other accolades.
In 2018, “The Gambler” was selected for preservation in the National Recording Registry by the Library of Congress as being “culturally, historically, or artistically significant.” Following Kenny’s death on March 20, 2020, “The Gambler” hit No. 1 on Billboard’s Digital Song Sales chart.
In a career that spanned more than six decades, Kenny Rogers left an indelible mark on the history of American music. His songs have endeared music lovers and touched the lives of millions around the world. Chart-topping hits like “The Gambler,” “Lady,” “Islands In The Stream” (with Dolly Parton), “Lucille,” “She Believes In Me,” and “Through the Years” are just a handful of Kenny’s songs that continue to inspire new generations of artists and fans alike. With twenty-four number-one hits to his credit, Rogers miraculously charted a song within each of the last seven decades. He is a Country Music Hall of Fame member, twenty-one-time American Music Awards winner, eleven-time People’s Choice Awards winner, ten-time ACM Awards winner, six-time CMA Awards winner, three-time GRAMMY® Award winner, recipient of the CMA Willie Nelson Lifetime Achievement Award in 2013, CMT Artist of a Lifetime Award honoree in 2015 and was voted the “Favorite Singer of All Time” in a joint poll by readers of both USA Today and People.
Details on all of the films in the Kenny Rogers: The Gambler box set can be found here:
THE GAMBLER (1980)
The film is an Old West tale inspired by one of Rogers’ most beloved songs of all time. Brady Hawkes (Kenny Rogers) is a gamblin’ man who has seen it all...except for the son he never knew. When Hawkes receives a surprising letter from his child, he sets off on a journey to finally meet the boy. In the course of his travels, Hawkes crosses paths with the impetuous Billy Montana (Bruce Boxleitner - Tron, How The West Was Won), and the two become fast friends. Billy considers himself to be a professional gambler, but he’s got a lot to learn – and Hawkes has got some very familiar advice for him.
THE GAMBLER: THE ADVENTURE CONTINUES (1983)
Brady Hawkes is back in this rip-roaring sequel to The Gambler. When Brady's son Jeremiah is kidnapped by a vicious gang, the gambler and his sidekick Billy Montana saddle up to rescue him. With the aid of the quick-drawing Kat Muldoon (Linda Evans - Dynasty), the stakes couldn't be higher. Will this pair of aces with a queen kicker come out on top?
THE GAMBLER: THE LEGEND CONTINUES (1987)
Brady Hawkes and Billy Montana ride again in this thrilling continuation of The Gambler saga. When the Sioux Nation is threatened by corrupt U.S. Calvary and government officials, it's up to the two friends to resolve the conflict. Also starring Linda Gray, Melanie Chartoff, George Kennedy, and Jeffrey Jones.
THE GAMBLER RETURNS: THE LUCK OF THE DRAW (1991)
On the eve of a new law banning gambling is passed, Brady Hawkes finds himself struggling with a crisis of confidence…and at the end of a hangman’s rope. Rescued by the vivacious Burgundy Jones (Country superstar Reba McEntire), Hawkes discovers that his benefactor has a deal too good to pass up: the ultimate poker game, matching the greatest gamblers to ever ante up. Hawkes and Jones take to the trail in search of one last winning hand—but can they make it to the table in one piece? Featuring special appearances by some of the West’s greatest legends, including Lucas McCain (Chuck Connors), Bat Masterson (Gene Barry), and Kwai Chang Caine (David Carradine).
GAMBLER V: PLAYING FOR KEEPS (1994)
Brady Hawkes has won just about every game of chance there is, but this time he’s risking everything for the biggest stakes of them all: the love—and life—of his son Jeremiah. Estranged from his father for years, the now-grown Jeremiah has joined up with the legendary Butch Cassidy and The Sundance Kid…and it’s up to Brady to track them down before the law catches up to them. Featuring Mariska Hargitay (Law & Order: Special Victims Unit) and guest appearances by Loni Anderson and Bruce Boxleitner, Playing For Keeps wraps up the saga of Brady Hawkes in grand fashion, as The Gambler takes his place among the legends of television Westerns.
Also:
COWARD OF THE COUNTY (1981)
In the tradition of The Gambler series, Coward of the County takes its inspiration from one of Kenny Rogers' all-time greatest hits. Rogers plays a small-town preacher whose nephew has taken a pledge of pacifism at the request of his dying father. The young man's oath is tested when the Gatlin boys attack his loving wife. Featuring Frederic Lane, Largo Woodruff, and William Schreiner.
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