The training sequences are particularly effective and memorable; Urich was well cast and up to the demanding athletic requirements. Rocky Bleier thought he made peace with what happened in a rice paddy in Vietnam on Aug. 20, 1969. Take a look back at the TV series that took home Golden Globe Awards for Best Television Series in the categories of Drama and Comedy. The doctors told him that he would never be able to walk again but he didn't let that stop him. View Extended/Alternate Bio. Fighting Back Robert Patrick “Rocky” Bleier is a former National Football League halfback who played for the Pittsburgh Steelers in 1968 and from 1971 to 1980. Rocky Bleier was born on March 5, 1946 in Appleton, Wisconsin, USA as Robert Patrick Bleier. 50 years after he was wounded in Vietnam, Appleton native and Super Bowl Champion, Rocky Bleier returns to the rice paddy where he was ambushed. *FREE* shipping on qualifying offers. Fighting Back [Bleier, Rocky, O'Neil, Terry] on Amazon.com. And the guys would come into the bar and say 'Bob, how's that new kid of yours?' He was nicknamed "Rocky" as a baby. He authored the autobiographical work, Fighting Back: The Rocky Bleier Story. The fairly routine comeback story is enlivened by the now-deceased but highly likable Urich, who is especially poignant given his own personal tragedy, which mirrors Bleier's unexpected health setbacks. Jerry McNeely, Get a sneak peek of the new version of this page. Rocky Bleier’s inspiring achievements have been the subject of an ABC-TV movie of the week, the title of which was taken from his well-received autobiography, Fighting Back. August 18, 2019 1:55 pm. The hard lessons Rocky Bleier learned early in his life that helped him overcome adversity and reach his goals, have paid off after football. The summer of 1969 was one of the most transformational periods in U.S. history with events such as Apollo 11, Woodstock and the Vietnam War. Had Bleier been a Philadelphia Eagle, he … It was made into a television movie in 1980, with Robert Urich starring as Bleier. For an enhanced browsing experience, get the IMDb app on your smartphone or tablet. So after that, that's how I got it. Not very groundbreaking but ultimately entertaining and better than most TV-movies thanks to Urich, who is very sympathetic. It tells the story of Rocky Bleier, who, after becoming a running back for the Pittsburgh Steelers in 1968 was then drafted by the U.S. Army during the Vietnam War. Then Rocky started to play football again and he was not as tall and not as big as all of the other people. BOOKS Search For A Book. LATROBE (KDKA) — It’s been 50 years since former Steeler Rocky Bleier was injured in the Vietnam War and on Thursday, an ESPN-produced … Fighting Back: The Rocky Bleier Story (1980) [Full TV Movie] He wrote a book called Fighting Back: The Rocky Bleier Story, which later became a television movie. We don't have a biography for Rocky Bleier. Bleier said "As the first born of the family, my dad was proud, as all parents are." With the […] Share this article 76 shares share tweet text email link Marek Mazurek. He is 74 years old and is a Pisces. A little less tearjerking than Something For Joey, a little less relevant and socially conscious than Brian's Song, Fighting Back still belongs in the same mold. | They have two children. He is a writer, known for Fighting Back: The Story of Rocky Bleier (1980), The NFL on CBS (1956) and Backstreet Justice (1994). | Rocky Bleier returns to Vietnam for the first time since 1969 in the ESPN SC Featured film “The Return” that airs Aug. 17-18 and 20, according to a release from ESPN. Rocky then won a super bowl with the Steelers and still kept playing football. In the months following August of 1969, it looked like the Rocky Bleier story would be a tragedy. | Rocky Bleier was born on March 5, 1946 in Appleton, Wisconsin, USA as Robert Patrick Bleier. Rocky Bleier's story is one of the most gripping tales of courage and determination that I have ever heard. As Rocky himself (played very well by the late Robert Urich) points out in the movie, it wasn't just courage, but fear that motivated him to overcome the near loss of his foot in Viet Nam to become one of the NFL's star players. His casual style makes the book an easy read. It stuck." Bleier is featured in the 2014 feature documentary "Project 22", which chronicles the cross-country motorcycle journey of two young veteran… Fighting Back The Story Of Rocky Bleier 1980 Directed by Robert Lieberman and Starring Robert Urich / Bonnie Bedelia / Richard Herd / Howard Cosell / Art Carney , box office chart history, UK gross, US gross and world gross, related news, BBFC certificates | Salty Popcorn Bleier hasn’t shied away from sharing his story. Rocky Bleier thought he made peace with what happened in a rice paddy in Vietnam on Aug. 20, 1969. Terry O'Neill (book). Rocky Bleier Wiki: Salary, Married, Wedding, Spouse, Family Robert Patrick "Rocky" Bleier (born March 5, 1946) is a former National Football League halfback who played for the Pittsburgh Steelers in 1968 and from 1971 to 1980. I was pleasantly surprised to get a bit of an inside look into how the NFL works (managing players and such), how much work really goes into the off season, and how much interaction the players have with the head coach. What the former Pittsburgh Steelers running … Rocky's story of making a comeback to play professional football after getting injured in VIetnam is quite compelling. Injured by a bullet to the thigh and a hand grenade to the lower right leg, Rocky is told that he will never walk again. Wounded by a hand grenade overseas, Bleier returns to the ... See full summary ». Bleier scored four career postseason touchdowns and retired after the 1980 season with four rings. It was released on 7 December 1980. He has been married to Jan Gyurina since April 13, 1996. Fighting Back: The Rocky Bleier Story is a 1980 made-for-television movie about the life of Pittsburgh Steelers running back Rocky Bleier, starring Robert Urich. Rocky Bleier played at Notre Dame and for the Pittsburgh Steelers. Based on Bleier's 1975 autobiography of the same name, it tells the story of how, after becoming a running back for the Steelers in 1968, he was then drafted by … Yet, the motivational message behind it, detailing how ordinary people can become extraordinary achievers, defines success in the new American century. Bleier wrote a book of his struggle to recover from his war wounds called Fighting Back: The Rocky Bleier Story, and it was made into a television movie in 1980, with Robert Urich starring as Bleier, Richard Herd as Steelers coach Chuck Noll, Art Carney as team owner Art Rooney, and many of Bleier's teammates (including Matt Bahr and "Mean Joe" Greene) as themselves. His former wife, ALETA WHITAKER, said in a countersuit that Bleier … Notre Dame great Rocky Bleier returns to Vietnam for ESPN documentary. In December 2016, with the backing of the minority owner of the Steelers, movie producer Thomas Tull, Rocky starred in a one man show called “The Play” about his life from Appleton to Notre Dame to the Steelers. Rocky Bleier's relentless pursuit of his dreams pushed him from his days as a wounded veteran to four-time Super Bowl champion with the Steelers. So they'd come back in the bar and they'd say 'Hey Bob, how's that little rock of yours?' He has been married to Jan Gyurina since April 13, 1996. After the Steelers win their first playoff game in December 1972 with the famous "Immaculate Reception", Rocky as narrator says, "We figured it was our year for the Super Bowl, so we went tearing into Miami for the League Championship Game." He's got all these muscles.' Not only does he walk again after a long rehabilitation, Rocky returns to train with the Steelers. Some of those lessons are seen between the lines in the popular book on his life, Fighting Back, and an ABC-TV movie of the week by the same name. Fighting Back: The Rocky Bleier Story is a 1980 made-for-television movie about the life of Pittsburgh Steelers running back Rocky Bleier, portrayed by Robert Urich.. Based on Bleier's 1975 autobiography of the same name, it tells the story of how, after becoming a running back for the Steelers in 1968, he was then drafted by the U.S. Army during the Vietnam War. Fighting Back: The Rocky Bleier Story is a 1980 made-for-television movie about the life of Pittsburgh Steelers running back Rocky Bleier, portrayed by Robert Urich.. Based on Bleier's 1975 autobiography of the same name, it tells the story of how, after becoming a running back for the Steelers in 1968, he was then drafted by the U.S. Army during the Vietnam War. Based on Bleier's 1975 autobiography of the same name, it tells the story of how, after becoming a running back for the Steelers in 1968, he was then drafted by the U.S. Army during the Vietnam War. Not Rated Focus on Sport/Getty Images Rocky Bleier’s story explores both structural and emotional aspects for individuals and organizations to reach their greatest potential. What the former Pittsburgh Steelers running … The story of Rocky Bleier is a story of courage and perseverance, and this movie is rather poignant despite its, "Movie of the week," trappings. Fighting Back Rocky Bleier is a football player who was in the army and got shot. Rocky Bleier was born in Appleton on Tuesday, March 5, 1946 (Baby Boomers Generation). Biography, Drama, Sport, Football jock Rocky Bleier makes it all the way to the pros with the Pittsburgh Steelers, only to be drafted in the Vietnam War. Rocky Bleier: Pos: RB, Career: 140 G, 25 TD, 3865 Yds, 4.2 Y/A, Steelers 1968-1980, born WI 1946 Acting. 2016: Night of the Living Steelers View production, box office, & company info, Rocky Bleier (book),