The Fred Lebow Story
2008
96 Minutes
Feature Film
Available on DVD
This film tells the story of Fischl Lebowitz, better known to the world as Fred Lebow. Fred migrated from Romania at the age of fourteen to the United States and later became obsessed with running, at the time a strange form of exercise practiced by very few New Yorkers. He organized events such as the Cherry Tree Marathon through the Bronx in 1969 and the Central Park Marathon, leading to the first-ever five-borough New York City Marathon in 1976. The story is filled with archival footage, news reports, photos, and new interviews with Lebow’s friends, family, and colleagues. Among the people who share their memories are marathoners Bill Rodgers, Frank Shorter, and Grete Waitz, former mayor Ed Koch, parks commissioners Henry Stern and Gordon Davis, past presidents and board members of the New York Road Runners Club. Lebow was one of the all-time great New York characters, forever wearing a painter’s cap and sweatsuit, doing whatever was necessary to get himself and his sport to the next level. Learn more, including specific showtime information at the official movie website Fred Lebow Movie.com. This film made it’s world premiere at the Tribeca Film Festival in late April, 2008 and was also featured at the Running Film Festival held at the 2008 US Olympic Track & Field Trials in Eugene, Oregon. Below is the film trailer:
