Terry Malloy

"You don't understand! I could've had class. I could've been a contender. I could've been somebody, instead of a bum, which is what I am."

- Terry's most famous quote. Terry Malloy is the main protagonist of the 1954 film, ''On the Waterfront. ''He's a former boxer who retired after he lost a fixed fight, and has to work in the union with Michael Skelly.

Early Life
Terry and his brother Charley used to be very close to each other, during their childhood years. Then one day, their father was tragically murdered, forcing the Malloy brothers to end up in a childcare service called the Children's Home. Terry couldn't stand having to stay there and wait to get adopted, and he ran out of the service and hoped to find a job.

Eventually, a decided to take a job as a boxer. He managed to keep his hopes up for something good to happen to him. He also got a temporary career as a boxer. Charley on the other hand, ended up becoming cold and hardened by his father's death and ended up getting an education when he went to college for a few years. Charley became a union employee and worked under Michael J. Skelly around the waterfront. Charley later found out about Terry's career as a boxer and Johnny ended up betting that he would lose the fight to Wilson - his opponent, and sent Charley to make sure Terry lost. On the day of the actual fight, Charley went to Terry and said told him it wasn't his night, as he paid Terry to lose the boxing match. Terry ended up blowing his chance to be a boxing master and his career ended early. Friendly and his goons got paid for "winning" the bet. Terry ended up having no choice but to go to Johnny Friendly for a career on the waterfront.

During the film
Terry's first seen when Michael Skelly had sent Terry to lure Joey Doyle onto the roof, and convinced him that he was simply going to roughen him up or talk since into, but when Terry had a brief conversation when Joey, Friendly had sent his goons to push him off the multi-story roof and kill him.

Inside the bar, Johnny and his goons were watching a prizefight on a TV. Terry was surprised by this turn of events as he thought Johnny was going to push him or talk sense into him. He loses his temper on Big Mac after he stated he never got educated. Johnny explains to Terry how he became head of the local union and continues to maintain the operation and calmly rationalizes to Terry about the death of Joey Doyle - a waterfront dockworker who might have threatened the entire business.

Friendly gives Terry a fifty-dollar bill, and promises a prime work area at the docks at the next morning's shape-up. Charley reinforces Johnny's kind gesture to his brother with a warning to not try and cross him.

The next day on his rooftop, Terry looks at his pigeons and tells a 14-year old boy named Tommy that his thinks his pigeons have the life. Terry suddenly hears a ship's whistle brings and hurries to the docks, where hundreds of men mill around on the pier. Some of the longshoremen are muttering about Joey Doyle's death, because he didn't stay quiet.