When Did The Gambler Come Out

Celebrate the anniversary of the classic Kenny Rogers iconic song that inspired a TV-movie franchise.

Forty-four years ago today – Nov. 15, 1978 – was a life-changing and career-defining day for Kenny Rogers: It was on that date that the late entertainer’s multi-platinum-selling album The Gambler was released.

As The Boot noted last year: “Rogers was already one of the most successful male vocalists in country music by the time he released The Gambler, but the record catapulted him to superstar status, becoming a worldwide hit and even launching a string of TV movies... The title track of The Gambler, which became Rogers’ fourth No. 1 hit, made the now-country icon into a worldwide star.” Today, The Gambler is one of the most well-known classic country songs.

“I think I’ve had songs that were bigger in sales,” Rogers said, “but none that were bigger in identity for me. I go to Korea, and people say, ‘Oooh, “The Gambler.”’ And it’s really sweet. It’s really cute. I think those are career-making songs.”

So today might a good time to celebrate the occasion by watching Kenny Rogers as The Gambler, the popular 1980 TV-movie – inspired by Rogers’ smash-hit recording of the great song written by Don Schlitz – that spawned four sequels over a 14-year period. It’s now available on various streaming platforms.

Rogers stars as Brady Hawkes, a Wild West cardsharp who sets out to meet the son he never knew he had. During his journey, he befriends Billy Montana (Bruce Boxleitner), a novice gambler - who like the hit song says - needs to learn when to hold ‘em, when to fold ‘em, when to walk away – and when to run.

In a 2011 interview with C&I, Rogers admitted that, despite his success in the Gambler franchise and other movies, “I never really wanted to be an actor. It’s like I told somebody the other day: ‘There are actors, and then there are people who can act.’ You give an actor unbelievable dialogue, and they can make it believable. If you give me believable dialogue, I can keep it believable. There are a lot of people who can’t do that.

“There’s a great story about an old western actor who went to join a Beverly Hills country club. They told him, ‘We’re very sorry, sir, but we don’t let actors in here.’ And he said, ‘I’m no actor — and I’ve got 42 movies to prove it.’ That’s how I feel.”

Still, Rogers has fond memories of playing cowboy in the first Gambler film. “I loved riding the horses,” he said, “and I loved being out in the West. And being in gunfights where I knew I couldn’t really get shot. It was a great time, and I’m so glad that I did that.”

Later films in the Gambler franchise — including Kenny Rogers as The Gambler: The Adventure Continues (1983), Kenny Rogers as The Gambler, Part III: The Legend Continues (1987), The Gambler Returns: The Luck of the Draw (1991), and Gambler V: Playing for Keeps (1994) — also are available on various streaming platforms.

Explore the latest news and everything western.