I just viewed one of my favorite adventure movies, "The Professionals," for the I-have-no-idea-how-many times. It is the only motion picture I have seen in the theater more than once. When it came out, Dave Levitt and I saw it twice consecutively the first Saturday it was shown.

Principle featured actors are among the finest collection likely to be in one motion picture. And then I got to thinking about what the were before they became competent actors. Excluding sports movies such as "Paper Lions," the featured actors are probably the toughest group ever to have been in a single motion picture.

Burt Lancaster - professional acrobat

Robert Ryan - light-heavyweight boxing champion in the army

Woody Strode - professional football player and professional wrestler

Jack Palance - successful professional heavyweight boxer

And the runt of the litter, Lee Marvin - Marine Corps combat rifleman
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No wonder they were convincing as mercenaries and leader of a guerrilla band.

All gentlemen to be admired. The movie was a snore. Hate to say it.

Remember seeing the Trailer for it at the Drive In Theater , ummm ,a long time ago, the part that stuck in my mind was Lee Marvin with the Browning MG ,was years later before i got to see the whole Movie