I can tell you that 1972's "Fat City" was based on a book, that it was one of Jeff Bridges' first major roles, and that he owes it to his big brother Beau.

Beau Bridges auditioned for the role of Ernie, a fresh young kid with a natural talent for boxing, but he said (in an interview on the podcast "WTF With Marc Maron") that he was told he was too old. And so he recommended his little brother Jeff in his stead.

Jeff, of course, fit the bill perfectly. At the time, he was just starting to gain fame playing innocent-looking kids, most notably in "The Last Picture Show," released the previous year. 

He shared top billing with another relative newcomer, Stacy Keach, who played an aging boxer who develops a friendship, and rivalry, with Bridges' character.

They both ended up being good choices, as "Fat City" is now considered a classic. It was helped by its source material -- the 1969 novel of the same name by Leonard Gardner, which was a finalist for the National Book Award in 1970.

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