Athletes: Sporting life to reel life

Gina Carano is a muy thai fighter who competed in mixed martial arts and was the face of the sport. She has scored notable roles including a part in “Fast & Furious 6” and two upcoming comic book titles. She is pictured here with director Steven Soderbergh on the set of “Haywire.”  (Claudette Barius / Relativity Media)

Abdul-Jabbar played professional basketball for 20 years. He made his film debut in Bruce Lee’s “Game of Death,” released in 1978, five years after Lee’s death. He’s best known for his turn as a co-pilot in the 1980 classic “Airplane!”  (Rob Schumacher / Associated Press)

The colorful football player, pictured with actress Raquel Welch, was the star quarterback who led the New York Jets to an upset victory over the Baltimore Colts in Super Bowl III in 1969. “Broadway Joe” debuted in 1970’s “Norwood.”   (Fotos International / Getty Images)

The Los Angeles native was a teen swimming champion who was in training for the 1940 Olympics, canceled because of World War II. Williams made her film debut as a love interest for Mickey Rooney in 1942’s “Andy Hardy’s Double Life.” Among her biggest films was “Neptune’s Daughter.”   (Keystone / Getty Images)