For a Fistful of Fame

Carnera at the Intersection of Sports and Entertainment

Abstract

This paper explores the figure of Primo Carnera (1906-1967) — the first Italian to win a world boxing title in 1933 — as a paradigmatic case for understanding the transformation of celebrity capital during the post-career phase, within a media environment vastly different from today’s, initially dominated by cinema and later by television. Carnera was notable not only for his athletic achievements; his public image was skillfully renegotiated and reshaped by traditional media — newspapers, cinema, and later television — which solidified his status as a prominent celebrity even after his retirement from the ring. This study focuses particularly on Carnera's ability to reinvent himself during his post-career phase, managing to retain a prominent position despite aging and physical changes, thanks to the resources offered by the media landscape of his time. His transition from the world of sports to entertainment provides a significant example of how a celebrity can adapt and remain relevant outside the original sphere of fame, preserving their celebrity capital. Through the analysis of various media narratives — from journalistic reports to films, comics, and television portrayals — this paper reveals how Carnera continued to capitalize on his fame, leveraging the main media platforms of the era. Adopting a multidisciplinary perspective, this study integrates media analysis and celebrity sociology tools to examine how self-narration — conveyed through traditional media such as cinema and television — enabled Carnera to maintain his relevance despite the passage of time.