The legends surrounding Moe Norman are legendary.
For example, instead of lying up to avoid a creek, he once hit a drive across a bridge to get to the green. Or how Norman teed off with a 9-iron and found the green with his driver off the deck after a caddie told him he could reach the green with a nice shot and a 9-iron.
The biopic of former Canadian professional golfer Moe Norman will be co-produced by hockey icon Wayne Gretzky and his wife, actress Janet Gretzky, and will begin filming in the summer of 2022.
“We first learned of Moe through my father (Walter), who was his close friend and always recounted fantastic stories of this larger-than-life man,” the Gretzkys said in a statement. “His colorful, sometimes torn attire, old shoes and visors, his repetitious speech, and unusual demeanor frequently overshadowed Moe’s actual genius and basic life ideas.” His experience demonstrates one of life’s most important lessons: “Be yourself.”
Paulina, Wayne and Janet’s daughter, is engaged to Dustin Johnson, a 24-time PGA Tour winner and two-time major champion.
Norman gained the respect of everyone from Sam Snead to Tiger Woods, who once told longtime golf journalist Jaime Diaz that “only two players have ever completely owned their swings: Moe Norman and Ben Hogan.” Norman was a self-taught player who never took a lesson.
Norman was recognized into Canada’s Sports Hall of Fame in 2006 after winning consecutive Canadian Amateur Championships in 1955 and 1956. He also had 55 professional wins.
The joint US-Canadian production will be executive produced by David Steinberg and Robyn Todd, with casting by Valorie Massalas.
“It’s critical to tell stories about acceptance of others and triumph over adversity in these times,” Steinberg and Todd added. “This is a lovely, heartfelt film about a Canadian underdog that deserves to be shared.”
