The roller derby in pop culture: a timeline

1949
Paramount Pictures releases the short film "Roller Derby Girl," a 10-minute look at the subculture of the time.


1950
Mickey Rooney stars in "The Fireball," where he plays a runaway orphan turned roller-derby star. The film also marks the early career of Marilyn Monroe, who plays one of Rooney's love interests.


1972
Raquel Welch stars in "Kansas City Bomber" as her character tries to balance stardom and single motherhood.



1973
Charles Bukowski releases a collection of short stories, "South of No North," which includes "Christ on Roller Skates."


1989
The U.S. television series "RollerGames" is launched. Despite receiving high ratings, the show only lasted one season due to its distributor, Qintex Entertainment, going
out of business.


2006
From the creators of "Laguna Beach," A&E premieres the reality show "Rollergirls," which follows an Austin-league team.



2008
Actress-turned-director Drew Barrymore casts Ellen Page in "Whip It!," a film about a Texas teen who goes from a life of beauty pageants to one of roller derby. The film is based on screenwriter Shauna Cross' 2007 novel "Derby Girl." Barry Mendel ("The Royal Tenenbaums," "The Sixth Sense") is producing the film, which is scheduled to be released in 2009.