Fear Strikes Out

Director: Robert Mulligan (1957)

Cast: Anthony Perkins, Karl Malden

Before Psycho, there was Fear Strikes Out for actory Anthony Perkins. His portrayal of the emotionally striken Jimmy Piersall left late 1950’s audiences more concerned about parental pressure and emotional illness. There is a happy ending and Piersall went on to have a long career in sportscasting.

Based on the life of of former Major League outfielder Jimmy Piersall, played by Anthony Perkins,The film concentrates heavily on the on Piersall's relationship with his stern father John, (played by Oscar winning actor Karl Malden),who kept pushing his son, even after making it to the Majors, to be the best player in the game. The pressure finally gets to the young player and he suffers a nervous breakdown (today it's called a bi-polar disorder) in 1952. After he recovers Jimmy returns to the Red Sox, a little more mature and much wiser.

Fun Facts: "Fear Strikes Out" first came out as a book in 1955. A Television drama of the book, starring actor Tab Hunter, premiered in 1956, followed by the film version the following year.