Review: Billie Jean King's story is about much more than tennis

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Meagan Good (Carolyn Cole / Los Angeles Times)

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Jon Chu (Francine Orr / Los Angeles Times)

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Celine Dion (Jay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles Times)

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Actors Forest Whitaker, left, Lupita Nyong’o, Oscar Isaacs, Harrison Ford (seated), Emma Thompson and Chiwetel Ejiofor (Kirk McKoy / Los Angeles Times)

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Geoffrey Rush (Ricardo DeAratanha / Los Angeles Times)

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Ahna O’Reilly (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)

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Chris Chalk (Liz O. Baylen / Los Angeles Times)

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Chiwetel Ejiofor (Kirk McKoy / Los Angeles Times)

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Justin Timberlake (Kirk McKoy / Los Angeles Times)

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Forest Whitaker (Kirk McKoy / Los Angeles Times)

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Sarah Paulson (Jay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles Times)

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Pharell Williams (Jay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles Times)

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Idris Elba (Al Seib / Los Angeles Times)

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Naomie Harris (Ricardo DeAratanha / Los Angeles Times)

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Bette Midler (Ricardo DeAratanha / Los Angeles Times)

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Julie Delpy and Ethan Hawke (Kirk McKoy / Los Angeles Times)

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David O. Russell (Kirk McKoy / Los Angeles Times)

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Michael Richards (Genaro Molina / Los Angeles Times)

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Bill Cosby (Jay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles Times)

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Robert Evans (Kirk McKoy / Los Angeles Times)

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Kate Winslet stars as a single mother who falls for an escaped convict in Jason Reitman’s “Labor Day.” (Jay L. Clendenin/Los Angeles Times)

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The last couple of years have been a whirlwind of concerts for Blink-182’s Travis Barker, left, Tom DeLonge and Mark Hoppus, who says they’re “in a good place.” (Rick Loomis/Los Angeles Times)

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Oscar-winner Octavia Spencer acted with a sense of responsibility toward the real-life mom she plays in “Fruitvale Station.” (Lawrence K. Ho/Los Angeles Times)

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Casey Affleck plays an Army vet turned fistfighter in “Out of the Furnace.” (Kirk McKoy/Los Angeles Times)

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Melissa Leo initially turned down the Holly Jones part in “Prisoners.” (Ricardo DeAratanha/Los Angeles Times)

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Julianne Nicholson is part of the star-packed ensemble of “August: Osage County,” the film based on the Pulitzer Prize-winning play. (Katie Falkenberg/Los Angeles Times)

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Jenji Kohan is creator of Netflix series “Orange Is the New Black.” (Jay L. Clendenin/Los Angeles Times)

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Murray Weissman has been helping the film studios go after Academy Awards for decades. (Francine Orr/Los Angeles Times)

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Actors, from left, Michael B. Jordan, Greta Gerwig, Brie Larson, Miles Teller and Dane DeHaan participate in the Young Hollywood Round Table at Mann Chinese 6 in Hollywood. (Ricardo DeAratanha / Los Angeles Times)

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Agnes Varda is inside “My Shack of Cinema” (1968-2013), part of the exhibition “Agnes Varda in Californialand” at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art. The shack, or cabana, is a form of provisional architecture that Varda has used in a series of sculptural installations. (Gary Friedman/Los Angeles Times)

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Actress Lupita Nyong’o is one of the stars of “12 Years a Slave.” (Kirk McKoy / Los Angeles Times)

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Oscar-winning director Bernardo Bertolucci, photographed at Mr. C Hotel, was in Los Angeles for AFI Fest, where a 3-D version of his Oscar-winning “The Last Emperor” was screened Nov. 10. He was later presented with the Cinema Italian Style’s 2014 CIS Award. (Ricardo DeAratanha / Los Angeles Times)

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Actor Daniel Bruhl portrays race car driver Niki Lauda in Ron Howard’s new film, “Rush.” (Jay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles Times)

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Emmy Award-winning actor and comedian Tim Conway is photographed in his Los Angeles area home. He’s written an autobiography, “What’s So Funny? My Hilarious Life.” (Jay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles Times)

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Matthew McConaughey stars in “Dallas Buyers Club.” (Liz O. Baylen / Los Angeles Times)

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“Blue Jasmine” fulfilled Cate Blanchett’s long-held goal of working in a Woody Allen film. (Jay L. Clendenin/Los Angeles Times)

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Nico Muhly is the composer of the opera “Two Boys,” which just opened at the Metropolitan Opera in New York. (Carolyn Cole/Los Angeles Times)

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T Bone Burnett, music producer of “Inside Llewyn Davis,” knows well the hardscrabble life of the film’s musician. (Wally Skalij/Los Angeles Times)

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John Goodman, photographed at the London Hotel in Manhattan, costars in the new movie “Inside Llewyn Davis.” (Carolyn Cole / Los Angeles Times)

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Asa Butterfield stars in the new science-fiction movie “Ender’s Game,” which hit the top of the box-office chart its first weekend. Butterfield, who also starred in “Hugo” and “The Boy in the Striped Pajamas,” was photographed at the Four Seasons Hotel in Beverly Hills. (Genaro Molina/Los Angeles Times)

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B.J. Novak, left, and Jason Schwartzman, right, who play legendary Disney songwriters Richard and Robert Sherman, join the real Richard Sherman for a chat on the new movie “Saving Mr. Banks,” about the making of the 1964 “Mary Poppins” movie. (Kirk McKoy / Los Angeles Times)

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“Saturday Night Live” alumnus Will Forte stops off at the Cinefamily Theatre in Los Angeles as he promotes his new movie, “Nebraska,” with with Bruce Dern.

(Ricardo DeAratanha / Los Angeles Times)

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Actor Josh Brolin talks about his new film, “Labor Day,” at the Ritz Carlton in Toronto during the Toronto International Film Festival. (Jay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles Times)

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French actress Lea Seydoux, in mirror images, and Adele Exarchopoulos costar in the Palme d’Or-winning film “Blue Is the Warmest Color,” by Tunisian-French film director and screenwriter Abdellatif Kechiche. (Al Seib / Los Angeles Times)

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Joan Jett, of Joan Jett & the Blackhearts, has released a new album titled “Unvarnished.” (Carolyn Cole / Los Angeles Times)

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Este, from left, Alana and Danielle Haim of the group Haim before a concert at the Fonda Theatre in Hollywood. (Gary Friedman / Los Angeles Times)

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Katy Perry’s new album, “Prism,” reflects a new maturity culled from a tumultuous few years. (Jay L. Clendenin/Los Angeles Times)

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Jessica Lange, seen through a filmy veil, credits “American Horror Story” co-creator Ryan Murphy with luring her onto the show. (Brian van der Brug/Los Angeles Times)

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“Jackass” veteran Johnny Knoxville had to spend hours in makeup to turn him into “Bad Grandpa’s” Irving Zisman, 86. (Mel Melcon/Los Angeles Times)

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In “Masters of Sex,” Lizzy Caplan plays Virginia Johnson, one half of the famed sex research duo Masters & Johnson. (Jay L. Clendenin/Los Angeles Times)

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Critical appreciation for his early work, a new album and L.A. gigs: Life’s good for electro-rock pioneer Gary Numan. (Mel Melcon/Los Angeles Times)

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To promote their new song “Everybody’s Got Somebody But Me,” country stars Jason Mraz, left, and Hunter Hayes made a YouTube-exclusive video, “The Hunter Hayes YouTube Orchestra featuring Jason Mraz” ahead of the release of the song’s official music video. It’s the result of a collaboration between Warner Music and the video-sharing website. (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)

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Ricky Gervais wrote, directed and stars in “Derek,” a Netflix series, which has him playing nice for a change. (Carolyn Cole / Los Angeles Times)

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Actors Beau Bridges and Margo Martindale star together on the CBS sitcom “The Millers,” and have also appeared on Showtime’s “Masters of Sex.” (Ricardo DeAratanha / Los Angeles Times)

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Robert Redford stars in the upcoming film “All Is Lost.” (Liz O. Baylen / Los Angeles Times)

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Pet Shop Boys Chris Lowe, left, and Neil Tennant closed their American tour at the Shrine Auditorium Oct. 12. Times pop music critic Randall Roberts wrote, “A Saturday night spent with the Pet Shop Boys is better than one spent without them.” (Genaro Molina / Los Angeles Times)

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Adam Brody, who came to fame via “The O.C.,” jokingly says he’s playing the “token white guy” in “Baggage Claim,” which is aimed at black audiences. (Francine Orr / Los Angeles Times)

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Metallica promotes its “Through the Never,” which is the band’s “Apocalypse Now,” says drummer Lars Ulrich, second from left with bassist Robert Trujillo, guitarist-singer James Hetfield and guitarist Kirk Hammett. The film opened on Imax screens in late September. (Jay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles Times)

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“Captain Phillip’s” star Tom Hanks, left, and director Paul Greengrass wanted to keep the film tense. Unusual casting and shooting at sea helped. (Jay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles Times)

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“A.C.O.D.” actress Catherine O’Hara, also known for “SCTV” and Christopher Guest’s comedies, credits her parents for her sense of humor. (Gary Friedman / Los Angeles Times)

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Paternal roles seem to suit Tony Danza even if he doesn’t always portray the best fatherly instincts, as in the movie “Don Jon.” (Carolyn Cole / Los Angeles Times)

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Actress Jennifer Tilly is kicking up her career, with “Curse of Chucky” and stage work. (Ricardo DeAratanha/Los Angeles Times)

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Michael C. Hall is the star of the Showtime series “Dexter,” which is ending its run after eight seasons. (Kirk McKoy / Los Angeles Times)

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Actor Daniel Bruhl is photographed during a day of media presentations for his upcoming role as race driver Niki Lauda in Ron Howard’s new film, “Rush,” at the Toronto International Film Festival. (Jay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles Times)

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Queen Latifah on her set of her new “The Queen Latifah Show” at Sony Pictures Entertainment in Culver City. (Francine Orr / Los Angeles Times)

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Actor Jake Gyllenhaal is seeking out darker roles as he carefully constructs his career path. (Jay L. Clendenin/Los Angeles Times)

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Meghan McCain’s new show, “Raising McCain,” explores issues affecting millennials. (Ricardo DeAratanha/Los Angeles Times)

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“Saturday Night Live” alum Andy Samberg returns to TV as a less-than-mature detective in “Brooklyn Nine-Nine.” (Ricardo DeAratanha/Los Angeles Times)

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Hugh Hefner, who founded Playboy in 1953 and turned it into a multimedia empire, remains the magazine’s editor in chief.

(Liz O. Baylen/Los Angeles Times)

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Actor Vin Diesel is the producer and star of the sci-fi thriller “Riddick.”

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Shane Salerno’s decade-long obsession with J.D. Salinger led to a new book and film. (Carolyn Cole/Los Angeles Times)

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“Drinking Buddies” director Joe Swanberg, rear, with his cast: Jake Johnson, Olivia Wilde and Ron Livingston. (Ricardo DeAratanha/Los Angeles Times)

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One Direction is headed to the Rose Bowl on Sept. 11. Tickets go on sale Saturday. (Jay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles Times)

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British actor David Oyelowo at SLS Hotel in Los Angeles. Oyelowo is a costar in the movie in “Lee Daniels’ The Butler.” (Francine Orr/Los Angeles Times)

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R&B singer John Legend plays the piano at his home in Los Angeles and will be coming out with a new album, “Love in the Future.” (Wally Skalij/Los Angeles Times)

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Film director Wong Kar Wai is at the Four Seasons hotel in Los Angeles to promote his new film, “The Grandmaster,” about the martial-arts expert who trained Bruce Lee. (Jay L. Clendenin/Los Angeles Times)

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Saxophonist and composer Wayne Shorter will celebrate his 80th birthday with a Hollywood Bowl concert Aug. 28. (Liz O. Baylen/Los Angeles Times)

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Actors Simon Pegg, left, and Nick Frost with director Edgar Wright, right, join up for the comedy “The World’s End.” (Ricardo DeAratanha/Los Angeles Times)

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Forest Whitaker stars in the new movie “The Butler.” (Carolyn Cole / Los Angeles Times)

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Actress Jane Seymour, in the garden of her Malibu home. (Genaro Molina / Los Angeles Times)

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Julia Louis-Dreyfus, the star of HBO’s comedy series “Veep,” talks about her 2013 Emmy nomination at Shutters Hotel in Santa Monica. (Kirk McKoy / Los Angeles Times)

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Matthew Wiener, writer and creator of the AMC series “Mad Men,” joins four of the actresses of the show for a chat about the show’s changing times as the series heads toward its seventh season. From left: Jessica Pare, January Jones, Elisabeth Moss and Kiernan Shipka, at the Beverly Hilton Hotel. (Jay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles Times)

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Actress Lake Bell stars in a new movie called “In a World.” (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)

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Anna Gunn is nominated for a supporting actress Emmy Award for her role as the long-suffering Skyler White in “Breaking Bad.” (Carolyn Cole / Los Angeles Times)

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Porn star James Deen makes his dramatic feature debut in “The Canyons.” (Robert Gauthier/Los Angeles Times)

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Shailene Woodley and Miles Teller star in “The Spectacular Now.” (Robert Gauthier/Los Angeles Times)

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Earl Sweatshirt, of the rap collective Odd Future, has a solo album entitled “Doris.” (Genaro Molina/Los Angeles Times)

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For “Elysium” director Neill Blomkamp, the cerebral sci-fi thriller is becoming a specialty. (Gary Friedman/Los Angeles Times)

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Henry Jaglom is the author of “My Lunches With Orson: Conversations Between Henry Jaglom and Orson Welles.” Jaglom is an actor, film director and playwright. (Gary Friedman/Los Angeles Times)

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Ex-Disney star Selena Gomez is flaunting an edgier side on the EDM-inflected “Stars Dance,” plus a role in “Spring Breakers.” (Ricardo DeAratanha/Los Angeles Times)

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Stephen Moyer of the vampire series “True Blood” takes a role in the musical “Chicago” at the Hollywood Bowl. (Francine Orr/Los Angeles Times)

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Actress-producer Lisa Kudrow has two series -- Showtime’s “Web Therapy” and TLC’s “Who Do You Think You Are?”. (Genaro Molina/Los Angeles Times)

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Hugh Jackman says his latest film, “The Wolverine,” reveals more of the mutant character’s inner pain and thoughts. (Kirk McKoy / Los Angeles Times)

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Actress Helen Mirren returns as the sniper Victoria in the sleuth spoof sequel “Red 2.” (Robert Gauthier/Los Angeles Times)

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First-time filmmaker Ryan Coogler wrote and directed “Fruitvale Station.” (Jay L. Clendenin/Los Angeles Times)

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“The Talk” host Aisha Tyler in her dressing room at CBS Studios in Studio City. (Brian van der Brug/Los Angeles Times)

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J. Cole, seen here looking through a prism of mirrors, has released his second album, “Born Sinner.” (Bethany Mollenkof / Los Angeles Times)

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Michael B. Jordan stars in “Fruitvale Station,” portraying 22-year-old Oscar Grant, who was shot by a BART police officer in Oakland in 2009 in an event that sparked outrage among community activists. “Fruitvale Station” won numerous awards at the Sundance Film Festival, and Jordan is considered an early front-runner for lead actor awards. (Al Seib / Los Angeles Times)

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Harry Connick Jr. returns to songwriting on his latest album, “Every Man Should Know,” a 12-track set he describes as a “musical trip down a winding back road of my desire.” (Carolyn Cole / Los Angeles Times)

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Director Guillermo del Toro, in the mixing studio at Warner Bros. in Burbank, has a new movie coming out called “Pacific Rim,” a shot of which is on in the background, about an alien attack threatening the Earth’s existence. Giant robots piloted by humans are deployed to fight off the menace.

(Ricardo DeAratanha / Los Angeles Times)

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Melissa McCarthy, left, and Sandra Bullock are photographed in advance of their new comedy, “The Heat,” at the Four Seasons hotel in Los Angeles. Bullock plays an uptight FBI special agent paired with feisty Boston cop McCarthy to take down a ruthless drug lord. (Jay L. Clendenin/Los Angeles Times)

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Comedian Don Rickles will be given the Friars club tribute in New York as he is photographed at the Four Seasons Hotel in Beverly Hills. (Wally Skalij/Los Angeles Times)

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Actress Antje Traue, a villain in the movie “The Man of Steel,” is photographed in West Hollywood at the London Hotel (Liz O. Baylen/Los Angeles Times)

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James Gandolfini at the Roxy. The veteran TV, film and stage actor died at age 51. (Robert Gauthier/Los Angeles Times)

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Michael Douglas’ career got a boost after he starred as Liberace in the HBO film “Behind the Candelabra.” (Carolyn Cole/Los Angeles Times)

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Reality series hosts Mark Cuban, left, (“Shark Tank”), Cat Deely (“So You Think You Can Dance”), Jeff Probst (“Survivor”) and Carson Daly (“The Voice”). (Kirk McKoy/ Los Angeles Times)

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Henry Cavill, star of “Man of Steel,” is now the face of Superman, and no pair of glasses could disguise that. (Kirk McKoy/Los Angeles Times)

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Andrew Lincoln of “The Walking Dead” talks about the incredible popularity of the series and why the television academy can’t seem to wrap its arms around a genre TV show about zombies. (Kirk McKoy/Los Angeles Times)

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We gather actors in TV dramas for a free-ranging conversation about their work. From left, Kevin Bacon (“The Following”), Connie Britton (“Nashville”), Andrew Lincoln (“Walking Dead”), Elisabeth Moss (“Mad Men”), Bryan Cranston (“Breaking Bad”). (Kirk McKoy/Los Angeles Times)

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Michael Shannon stars in “Man of Steel” as Kryptonian supervillain General Zod. Shannon is often known by the nickname “Bugeyes,” for his distinctive appearance and acting style. (Kirk McKoy/Los Angeles Times)

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Ringo Starr addresses the media to talk about his new exhibition at the Grammy Museum in downtown Los Angeles. (Wally Skalij/Los Angeles Times)

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Vera Farmiga stars in the A&E series “Bates Motel,” a prequel to the movie “Psycho,” exploring the relationship that movie character Norman Bates has with his mother. Farmiga is photographed at the Four Seasons. (Genaro Molina/Los Angeles Times)

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Monica Potter stars in the NBC show “Parenthood.” She is photographed at a Studio City home. (Allen J. Schaben/Los Angeles Times)

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Director Zack Snyder directed the movie “Man of Steel,” the latest Superman movie. (Carolyn Cole/Los Angeles Times)

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Christopher Guest created a new “mockumentary” series for HBO called “Family Tree.” (Robert Gauthier/Los Angeles Times)

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Neil Gaiman has written a new novel, “The Ocean at the End of the Lane.” (Carolyn Cole/Los Angeles Times)

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The members of the boy band Big Time Rush (Logan Henderson, left, James Maslow, Kendall Schmidt and Carlos Pena Jr.) at Center Staging in Burbank. (Mel Melcon/Los Angeles Times)

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Writer, director and Golden Globe-winning actress Lena Dunham. photographed in Brooklyn. (Jay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles Times)

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Lena Dunham, creator of the HBO series “Girls,” in Brooklyn. (Jay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles Times)

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Comedy series stars, from left, Mindy Kaling (“The Mindy Project”), Don Cheadle (“House of Lies”), Jake Johnson (“New Girl”), Jon Cryer (“Two and a Half Men”) and Matt LeBlanc (“Episodes”) gather for an Envelope Round Table discussion. (Kirk McKoy / Los Angeles Times)

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The cast of CBS’ “The Big Bang Theory” find a relative facsimile of Einstein as they visit Griffith Observatory. From left: Simon Helberg, Melissa Rauch, Mayim Bialik, Kunal Nayyar, Jim Parsons, Johnny Galecki and Kaley Cuoco. (Ricardo DeAratanha / Los Angeles Times)

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Robin Wright and Kevin Spacey star in “House of Cards,” Netflix’s tense tale of a rigged political game. (Kirk McKoy/Los Angeles Times)

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Kerry Washington of ABC’s “Scandal” says she’s often left in suspense about the show herself. (Jay L. Clendenin/Los Angeles Times)

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Some of the top TV show runners -- Alex Gansa (“Homeland”), left, Terence Winter (“Boardwalk Empire”), David Benioff (“Game of Thrones”), Vince Gilligan (“Breaking Bad”) and Glen Mazzara (“Walking Dead”) -- got together to talk about what makes their shows work. (Kirk McKoy/Los Angeles Times)

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Julianna Margulies, formerly of “ER” and now on CBS’ “The Good Wife,” has received Emmys for her performance in both shows. (Jay L. Clendenin/Los Angeles Times)

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David Cross, left, Portia de Rossi, Jessica Walter and Jason Bateman star in Netflix’s revival of “Arrested Development.” (Jay L. Clendenin/Los Angeles Times)

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Joelle Carter and Walton Goggins portray a complicated couple in the FX drama “Justified.” (Ricardo DeAratanha/Los Angeles Times)

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Jenna Louise Coleman’s life hasn’t changed too much from starring on “Doctor Who” -- yet. (Ricardo DeAratanha/Los Angeles Times)

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Chris Pratt’s lovable doofus Andy Dwyer and Aubrey Plaza’s disinterested hipster April Ludgate are quite a pair on “Parks and Recreation.” (Jay L. Clendenin/Los Angeles Times)

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Singer Eve acted in her own TV show and developed a clothing line during her long break between albums. (Kirk McKoy/Los Angeles Times)

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Sarah Polley was 28 when she learned the man she thought was her biological father actually wasn’t. “Stories We Tell” explores her childhood and the effect the secret had on her identity. (Gary Friedman/Los Angeles Times)

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Will.i.am -- the founder and frontman of L.A.’s Black Eyed Peas -- has a need to create that extends way beyond his music. (Allen J. Schaben/Los Angeles Times)

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Robert Downey Jr., star of “Iron Man 3,” and its director, Shane Black, at the Four Seasons Hotel. (Robert Gauthier/Los Angeles Times)

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Colin Firth and Emily Blunt star in the new drama “Arthur Newman,” which debuted at the Toronto Film Festival. (Carolyn Cole/Los Angeles Times)

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Actors Chris Pine and Zachary Quinto are Kirk and Spock, respectively in the new movie “Star Trek Into Darkness.” (Ricardo DeAratanha/Los Angeles Times)

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Paul Feig, director of the cop comedy “The Heat,” at his home in Burbank. (Mel Melcon/Los Angeles Times)

By Mary McNamara, Los Angeles Times Television Critic

Sept. 9, 2013 5:38 PM PT

Forty years ago, Billie Jean King played Bobby Riggs in the most famous tennis match in American history. Dubbed “The Battle of the Sexes,” it was as much a contest of ideologies as athleticism.

King represented the fight for women’s rights, and Riggs, who proudly identified himself as a male chauvinist pig, stood in for the patriarchy. Millions tuned into the wildly hyped telecast, many of whom had never seen a tennis match.

When King soundly beat Riggs (who, though a former champion himself, was 26 years her senior) in three straight sets, women around the world cheered and an icon was born.

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But that match, which King had participated in only reluctantly, was certainly not the most significant contribution King made to women’s tennis, the women’s movement or American culture, as “American Masters: Billie Jean King” makes very clear.

James Erskine’s inspiring documentary, which airs Tuesday, marks the first time “American Masters” has profiled an athlete, but then King is much more than an athlete. What Jackie Robinson was to the battle against institutionalized racism, King is to the fight against sexism.

Although raised in an open-minded, supportive home in Long Beach, King had few outlets for her natural athleticism. Beyond shooting hoops with her brother and father, there were few competitive teams for girls.

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Then a friend introduced her to tennis, a sport King instantly recognized as being the definition of elitist — the clothes were all white, the players were all white and a membership to a country club was all but required. But King found free classes at a local park, worked odd jobs to buy a racket and was soon claiming she would become the best player in the world.

When she did, she realized that wasn’t enough.

Women’s tennis was still viewed as an afterthought, a ladies auxiliary to the real game. Prize money was often one-tenth what it was for the men because, as the argument went, not enough people would pay to see women play.

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But, King and a few of her peers argued, part of the problem was prestige — high stakes made for more thrilling games, which in turn brought more fans. And if women couldn’t make a living playing tennis, even the top players would drop out before they had completely mastered their craft.

So King and some of her peers formed the Virginia Slims Circuit and later the Women’s Tennis Association, changing the sport, and women’s athletics, forever.

Passionate, funny and insightful, King is the best teller of her own tale. Archival and original interviews with her form the film’s spine. But her brother and ex-husband share anecdotes and memories, as do King’s tennis peers including Rosie Casals, Margaret Court and Chris Evert.

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Also on hand to frame the importance of King are current champions, including Venus and Serena Williams and Maria Sharapova, as well as non-tennis admirers former Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton, former Obama advisor Valerie Jarrett and Elton John.

Of course, King’s influence did not end with women’s tennis, or even women’s rights. After being outed during a palimony suit, King became one of the first openly gay American athletes.

Although after her outing, her endorsements vanished almost overnight, her influence did not. She soon became a spokesperson for the LGBT community as well. In 2009, she became the first female athlete awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom.

There may not be anything new in “Billie Jean King” — among other things, she is one of the better documented female athletes in history — but it is a story worth retelling. And it is told very well here.

While this generation of girls often drives their parents to distraction (and the ends of the earth) with their commitments to tennis and track, basketball and soccer, it’s easy to forget that just a generation or two ago, even a girl as naturally gifted as Billie Jean King had to fight just to find a sport to play.

And we should all be grateful she did.

[email protected]

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‘American Masters: Billie Jean King’

Where: KOCE

When: 8 p.m. Tuesday

Rating: TV-PG (may be unsuitable for young children)