Jake LaMotta — the boxer whose dark side was exposed in the 1980 Robert De Niro film “Raging Bull” — died at 95 years old with secrets he still took to the grave!
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Jake LaMotta — the boxer whose dark side was exposed in the 1980
Robert De Niro film "Raging Bull" — died at 95 years old with secrets he still took to the grave!
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Photo credit: Getty Images
LaMotta — who passed away on Sept. 19 from pneumonia at a nursing home in Miami — found new fame with the success of "Raging Bull," even as the movie showcased his sick private life. As he watched De Niro portray him on the screen as a jealous wife-beater, LaMotta once seethed, "That wasn't me." His ex-wife Vicki replied: "No, you were worse!"
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The boxer, who became the Middleweight World Champion in the 1950s, later admitted that "Raging Bull" was an accurate look at his time with Vicki. "I was similar to what they portrayed," he agreed in 2000, "or maybe even worse." And another ex-wife agreed — blaming "Raging Bull" for their breakup!
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Debbie LaMotta — who was one of Jake's seven wives over his long life — told
The National ENQUIRER that the making of "Raging Bull" had wrecked their relationship. "I really think Bobby [De Niro] had the most damaging effect on our marriage. He was around every night, digging up the past."
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That included reigniting Jake's raging jealousy — with a kinky twist! "One night," said Debbie, "he asked me if Bobby had ever made a pass at me, if he had ever kissed me on the lips. Then he asked me to fantasize about Bobby!"
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Debbie also claimed that Jake had beaten her on two separate occasions — and she filed for divorce eight months before "Raging Bull" was released in Nov. 1980. But in addition to escaping an abusive relationship, Debbie also said that she had to get away from Jake's use of hypnotism!
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Debbie claimed Jake "used hypnotism" to help her stop smoking, but later forced her into sex via mind control. "He was telling me that I didn't have sex with him, he'd give me a headache that wouldn't go away," she said — adding: "Amazingly, they always went away after I had sex with Jake!"
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Photo credit: Getty Images
The couple would still briefly reconcile just as "Raging Bull" put Jake back in the spotlight. The boxer had insisted he was "just an amateur" hypnotist, anyway: "I only tried to make her happy, to think good thoughts. I don't know if yo'd call that hypnotism!"
Jake LaMotta — the boxer whose dark side was exposed in the 1980
Robert De Niro film "Raging Bull" — died at 95 years old with secrets he still took to the grave!
Photo credit: Getty Images
LaMotta — who passed away on Sept. 19 from pneumonia at a nursing home in Miami — found new fame with the success of "Raging Bull," even as the movie showcased his sick private life. As he watched De Niro portray him on the screen as a jealous wife-beater, LaMotta once seethed, "That wasn't me." His ex-wife Vicki replied: "No, you were worse!"
Photo credit: Getty Images
The boxer, who became the Middleweight World Champion in the 1950s, later admitted that "Raging Bull" was an accurate look at his time with Vicki. "I was similar to what they portrayed," he agreed in 2000, "or maybe even worse." And another ex-wife agreed — blaming "Raging Bull" for their breakup!
Photo credit: Getty Images
Debbie LaMotta — who was one of Jake's seven wives over his long life — told
The National ENQUIRER that the making of "Raging Bull" had wrecked their relationship. "I really think Bobby [De Niro] had the most damaging effect on our marriage. He was around every night, digging up the past."
Photo credit: Getty Images
That included reigniting Jake's raging jealousy — with a kinky twist! "One night," said Debbie, "he asked me if Bobby had ever made a pass at me, if he had ever kissed me on the lips. Then he asked me to fantasize about Bobby!"
Photo credit: Getty Images
Debbie also claimed that Jake had beaten her on two separate occasions — and she filed for divorce eight months before "Raging Bull" was released in Nov. 1980. But in addition to escaping an abusive relationship, Debbie also said that she had to get away from Jake's use of hypnotism!
Photo credit: Getty Images
Debbie claimed Jake "used hypnotism" to help her stop smoking, but later forced her into sex via mind control. "He was telling me that I didn't have sex with him, he'd give me a headache that wouldn't go away," she said — adding: "Amazingly, they always went away after I had sex with Jake!"
Photo credit: Getty Images
The couple would still briefly reconcile just as "Raging Bull" put Jake back in the spotlight. The boxer had insisted he was "just an amateur" hypnotist, anyway: "I only tried to make her happy, to think good thoughts. I don't know if yo'd call that hypnotism!"
Photo credit: Getty Images
