Timothée Chalamet's 'Marty Supreme' Character Based on Real Ping-Po...

The character Marty Mauser, portrayed by Timothée Chalamet in the new sports drama Marty Supreme, is loosely based on the real-life 1950s table tennis champion Marty Reisman. The film, directed by Josh Safdie, follows a talented but impulsive player determined to reach the top of the world rankings while navigating side hustles and personal distractions.

Reisman, who died in 2012, was a legendary figure in the table tennis world, known for his creative shots and charismatic personality. He won 22 titles over a career spanning from the late 1940s to 2002. The film's depiction of Mauser's mischievous antics and unique playing style serves as an homage to Reisman's larger-than-life biography.

Marty Reisman discovered his talent for ping-pong at a young age in New York City's Lower East Side. He became a junior champion at just 13 years old. His thin frame earned him the nickname "The Needle," and a 1977 Sports Illustrated profile described him as "the James Bond of table tennis" due to his creative shots and charismatic style.

Reisman's competitive career was marked by significant achievements. He won five bronze medals at the World Table Tennis Championships and two United States Open titles. His most notable victory came at the 1949 British Open at London's Wembley Stadium. During this tournament, he performed a shot between his legs and forehand shots clocked at 115 mph, which the British press dubbed "The Atomic Blast."

Beyond competitive play, Reisman toured with the Harlem Globetrotters, entertaining tens of thousands of fans worldwide with trick-filled performances. By the 1970s, he established the Riverside Table Tennis Club in New York City. The club became a hub for top players and celebrities such as Dustin Hoffman, Walter Matthau, and chess champion Bobby Fischer.

Reisman was known for his constant hustle, devising ways to make money while traveling the globe. His entrepreneurial schemes were as varied as they were bold. On his first trip to London, he returned with a bag full of nylon stockings that he sold on the streets of New York for five times the purchase price.

His international travels often involved high-risk ventures. During trips to Hong Kong, Reisman smuggled gold bars out of the country, earning $1,000 each time. He claimed to have performed this smuggling run 25 times. When he returned to New York City for good in the late 1950s, he passed through customs with two dozen Rolex watches hidden on his person.

Reisman's most famous scheme involved seeking revenge on his nemesis, Japanese player Hiroji Satoh. After losing to Satoh at the 1952 world championships in Bombay—where Satoh used a revolutionary foam rubber paddle—Reisman plotted his return. He and his partner Doug Cartland traveled from Bombay through the Far East, hustling and performing exhibitions until they reached Tokyo.

The duo challenged Satoh and world doubles champion Nobi Hayashi to a match in Osaka. The event was held on the stage of a movie theater and broadcast on national radio to a 5,000-seat venue. The showdown came down to a singles match between Reisman and Satoh. Reisman won the match, causing such embarrassment for Satoh that he never played international competition again.

Marty Reisman was a master of trick shots, a trait that heavily influenced the character of Marty Mauser in Marty Supreme. Reisman's repertoire included playing with a shoe for a paddle or hitting the ball with the handle end of his paddle. During his time with the Globetrotters, he and Cartland would play with five balls simultaneously or use pots and pans to play the melody of "Mary Had a Little Lamb."

One of his most famous tricks involved a cigarette. According to actor Matthew Broderick, Reisman would stand a cigarette on the far end of the table and smash the ball with such power and accuracy that it would break the cigarette in two. Although Reisman attempted this trick live on The Late Show with David Letterman, he did not succeed on that occasion.

The film Marty Supreme incorporates several of Reisman's signature moves. In one scene, Mauser blows a ping pong ball into the air in the middle of a match. This specific shot was taken directly from Reisman's actual repertoire.

The character of Marty Mauser serves as a tribute to the complex and exciting life of Marty Reisman. By blending Reisman's athletic achievements with his notorious side hustles and showmanship, Marty Supreme captures the essence of a man who was much more than just a table tennis player. The film highlights how Reisman's real-life story was just as cinematic as the fiction created on screen.