Al Hoosman

During the 1950s and 1960s he acted in a number of films, including The Phantom of the Big Tent , The Avenger, Oriental Nights, and Beyond the Law.

Leaving school that early in 1938 was a disappointment to Leonard Raffensperger and Harry Sievers who had aspirations for Hoosman to pursue football and wrestling as a heavyweight.

As reported by the 6 January 1946 edition of the Nevada State Journal, Hoosman said that he wanted to capitalize on his singing and not his boxing.

Manager Johnston recalled how Hoosman was an all-round athlete in high school, then won the Golden Gloves, then while in Australia knocked out the Australian champion in nine rounds.

[19] He played the part of Totti in the 1953 German adventure film Jonny Saves Nebrador that starred Hans Albers, Margot Hielscher, Peter Pasetti, Ferdinand Anton and Trude Hesterberg .

[20] Hooseman played the police sergeant in the 1967 film Jack of Diamonds that starred George Hamilton, Joseph Cotten, Marie Laforêt and Maurice Evans.

[21] Hoosman had a prominent role as Al aka Sampson in the 1968 film, Beyond the Law which starred Lee Van Cleef, Antonio Sabato, Gordon Mitchell, Lionel Stander and Bud Spencer.

[24] It was noted in the May 30, 1960 issue of music trade magazine The Billboard that a new friend and backer of Hoosman was Nat King Cole.

[25] It was reported by Jet in the magazine's February 8, 1962 issue that Hoosman had returned to the United States after an eleven-year absence.

He was there to raise funds for his organization that provided relief for some of the 100,000 illegitimate children who were fathered by both Negro and White American servicemen.

It was reported in the December 13, 1947 edition of The Ohio State News that a few weeks back, Hooseman had visited the Count on a one nighter and had got up and sung a few numbers.

The newspaper also reported that Basie wanted him to fight his way up through the ranks to a championship bout with Joe Louis and then make his decision.