"We were unconscious of color. Official Sites, Impeccable musculature and towering height, Often played quiet, dignified men of action, Was one of the first four blacks who integrated professional football in 1946. Publicity Listings TVTropes is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported License. The closing credits dedicate the film to Strode, who died shortly before its release. [citation needed], Strode's acting career was re-activated when producer Walter Mirisch spotted him wrestling and cast him as an African warrior in The Lion Hunters (1951), one of the Bomba the Jungle Boy series. 109 minutes. They reunited 20 years later when he played the title role in Ford's rather neglected 1960 western 'Sergeant Rutledge', as a black Cavalry officer unfairly tried for the rape and murder of a white women and her father. Born July 28, 1914, in Los Angeles, California, Woody Strode (Woodrow Wilson Woolwine Strode) was first of the star football athletes to become a successful film actor. Another well-known role was Pompey, John Waynes servant in The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance (1962). When he walks into a bar to fetch Tom, the bartender won't serve him, and Tom slams hard on the bar: "Give him a drink." Woody Strode was born on the 25th of July, 2014. It asks the question: Does a man need to carry a gun in order to disagree or state an opinion? Woody Strode passed away on December 31, 1994 from lung cancer in Glendora, California. Whistlin' Dan: 1932: Stagecoach Man in saloon : 1939: Sundown Tribal Policeman: 1941: Star Spangled Rhythm Rochester's motorcycle chauffeur: 1942: Bride of the Gorilla Nedo - Policeman: 1951: Lion Hunters Walu: 1951: The National Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum in Oklahoma City last year enshrined him in the Hall of Great Western Performers. In a long flashback involving most of the film, Ford recalls the events leading up to that day. He wrestled professionally before rapt audiences. He said, "Well, they're not tough enough to do what I want Sergeant Rutledge to be. An athlete turned actor, Strode was a top-notch decathlete and a football star at UCLA. This page was last edited on 28 July 2021, at 02:45. Filmography - 1939: Stagecoach. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); Of course being a director from what is still called The Golden Age of Hollywood and despite the fact that Ford considered himself a political progressive (though he was close friends with actors he worked with who were often right wing reactionaries, like John Wayne and James Stewart), his films were not above dealing in negative racial stereotypes often. His composition is classical. Ray Hamel. He served in the United States Army Air Corps during World War II and later went on to have a successful career as an actor. Cuenta con una puntuacin bastante buena en IMDb: 7.8 estrellas de 10. I've done everything but play an Anglo-Saxon. "The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance," the New Yorker's Richard Brody writes, "is the greatest American political movie." Strode worked in B-movies through the '70s and '80s and acted as the narrator for Mario Van Peebles' Black Western Posse in 1993. Kenny Washington passed away on June 24, 1971 in Los Angeles due to heart and lung issues. He attended UCLA, where he played multiple sports and starred for the track and field team. By the mid 1960s Strode had become a respected craftsman and began to make his biggest imprint in Spaghetti Westerns, particularly in Sergio Leones Once Upon a Time in the West (1968). On top of that, in the early 1930's, Ford also made several films with long-lambasted black character . He was a decathlete and football star who was one of the first Black American players in the National Football League in the postwar era. What a cast! [17] He later teamed up with both Bobo Brazil[18] and Bearcat Wright. Four years Strode's junior, Washington scampered for a 92-yard touchdown in 1947 and spent three seasons with the Rams before retiring. I'd play a Viking with blue contact lenses and a blond wig.". Doubling as a defender, Strode scooped an errant lateral at midfield and returned the fumble to the opposing red zone, teeing up a TD rush. Woody Strode played 10 games over his career. 1941:Sundown. Strode had begun his association with Ford back in 1939, with an uncredited role in his classic western 'Stagecoach'. He was billed as the Pacific Coast Heavyweight Wrestling Champion and the Pacific Coast Negro Heavyweight Wrestling Champion in 1962. Woody Strode Height, Weight & Measurements At 80 years old, Woody Strode height is 6' 4" (1.93 m) . Tom Doniphon tells him that without a gun in his hand and the experience to use it, he will sooner or later certainly be killed by Valance. He could beat Glenn Morris, the 1936 Olympic gold-medal decathlete, in all of his events except sprints. And he was dressed in blue overalls, a blue work shirt and boots. Berlinale 2023 Highlights, Part Two: Reality, Manodrome, The Adults, Inside, Golda, Angela Bassett, Jamie Lee Curtis, Brendan Fraser, Cate Blanchett, Colin Farrell and Brendan Gleeson Feted at SBIFF 2023, Revisiting Martin Scorsese's Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore, Tragically Common: Jamie Dack, Lily McInerny and Jonathan Tucker on Palm Trees and Power Lines. Strode had begun his association with Ford back in 1939, with an uncredited role in his classic western 'Stagecoach'. Sam Raimi's Western "The Quick and The Dead," starring Sharon Stone, Gene Hackman, Russell Crowe, and Leonardo DiCaprio, is dedicated to him. And Duke came up to me one day and said, Hows it come that youve gone through this whole thing and youve never been at the bottom of the list? Nationality: American. He broke this barrier with his teammate Kenny Washington and Cleveland Browns players Bill Willis and Marion Motley. In 1963, he was cast opposite Jock Mahoney's Tarzan as both the dying leader of an unnamed Asian country and that leader's unsavory brother, Khan, in Tarzan's Three Challenges. Woody Strode was born in California. "It was like I had fought Joe Louis," he recalled. 1942: Star Spangled Rhythm. Of these "Liberty Valance" was the most pensive and thoughtful. And according to the actor, Ford froze, then walked away. Producers approached him in 1950 to portray a Maasai warrior in a "Bomba, the Jungle Boy" adventure flick. As the film opens, U. S. Senator Ransom Stoddard (James Stewart) arrives in Shinbone by the new railroad with his wife Hallie (Vera Miles) to attend the funeral of a man named Tom Doniphon (John Wayne). UsefulNotes/Notable Actors from Hollywood's Golden Age. Woodrow Wilson Woody Strode (1914-1994) was one of the most prolific and reliable African American actors of a generation. The roles he was offered fell within those limited, though notable range. The 5/6/70 issue of "Variety", in the Italian Films Shooting column, lists the movie "Violence" filming in Morocco, director. He was interred with military honors at Riverside National Cemetery, east of his hometown. And Ford, who was usually straightforward when it came to the visual aspects of his films, shows some real visual and dramatic creativity. But it says a lot about them to be able to do what I would call something for the greater good," Johnson, reflecting on the Forgotten Four's feat, told CBS News this year. Fortunately the DVD made-to-order Warner Archive specialty label is bringing back Rutledge at a lot lower price, starting next week. He decided to stay in Europe. More info, The cantankerous and eccentric John Ford had filmed other Westerns with John Wayne in colour from The Searchers to She Wore a Yellow Ribbon. "And this is not being facetious, but Mr. Ford defended me; and I don't know that this is going on. He was the African antagonist in Tarzan Fights for Life (1958) and an Apache chief who took on Sean Connery in the western, Shalako (1968). Strode last appeared on screen posthumously in 1995. "It took skill to do that fight scene without actually hurting myself or hurting Douglas.". He Wasn't the Star But He Stole the Movie", "Teammates Recall Jackie Robinson's Legacy", "The man who made the stars shine brighter: An interview with Woody Strode", "Woody Strode, Ace Negro Player, Has No Axe to Grind", "Isle families trace ties to '39 Pineapple Bowl", "Woody Strode; Ex-Athlete, Character Actor in Movies", "Like the series, 'Psych' movie a comedic romp", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Woody_Strode&oldid=1141910544, This page was last edited on 27 February 2023, at 14:07. It's clear they loved him. Ford gave Strode the title role in Sergeant Rutledge (1960) as a member of the Ninth Cavalry, who is greatly admired by the other black soldiers in the unit and is falsely accused of the rape and murder of a white woman. "But the producers answered, 'Not necessary. Who Is Woody Strode's Wife? All structured data from the file namespace is available under the. Rams owner Dan Reeves didn't like that Strode's marriage was interracial: his first wife, Luana, was descended from a Hawaiian queen. "[7], "That was a classic," he later said. Woody Strode has not been elected into the Hall of Fame. As they were preparing to shoot, Ford came up to Stewart and asked, What do you think of Woodys costume?. But Stewart, an Oscar winner known for such timeless hits as The Philadelphia Story, Vertigo and Mr. He enabled the Stamps to score twice in the title game. Being married with two children, he needed steady work. He arranges his characters within the frame to reflect power dynamics--or sometimes to suggest a balance is changing. After his football career, he went on to . Decathlete who also played football professionally in the CFL, and enjoyed a successful acting career. As James Stewart explained it, Woody Strode, the actor who was playing Waynes characters best friend, was part of the scene. Thankfully, the show never subjected Woody - or viewers - to that possibility. I don't know if they ever will be. Now, I don't know if Mr Stewart has a prejudice against Negroes, but I just wanted you all to know about it., Stewart later said he wanted to crawl into a mouse hole after that and Wayne told him: Well, welcome to the club. When Ford cast Strode in Sergeant Rutledge (1960), the actor remembers the legendary director telling him: You know, Woody, its pretty rough to make a star out of you, but Im going to make you a character actor and youll make some money.. How many . He later said his salary in Italy went up to $10,000 a week. Professional Football Player, Actor. Strode appeared in at least 90 films, from Sunrise in 1941 to his last, The Quick and the Dead, released in 1995. The others were Bill Willis and. Perseverance. According to Disneyland Vice President Tony Baxter, "In 1954. I wanted to crawl into a mouse hole, Stewart recalled. Born in Los Angeles, he was an athlete and a football star in his youth. He was reluctant until they offered him $500 a week. He guest starred on The Man from Blackhawk (1960). Strode was a prolific performer, starring in his first . Lee Marvin moves into full blown stardom - becoming a legitimate box office titan - in one of the greatest Westerns ever made (My Favorite) starring along side Western Film Greats Burt Lancaster, Jack Palance, Robert Ryan, Woody Strode, Claudia Cardinale, Ralph Belamy . Do you find this information helpful? [33], Colo. It's been 15 years since Woody Strode's prime time in Hollywood ]: [4] Ford used him again in Two Rode Together (1962) but it was only a small part, as an Indian. I never got a close up in Hollywood, and Sergio framed me on the screen for five minutes. Local sportswriter Halley Harding, a retired Negro Leagues shortstop, led a civic campaign that pressured the Rams to integrate as a condition of playing in the publicly funded L.A. Actor William Holden and Ernest Borgnine and Woody Strode pose for the movie "The Revengers" in 1972. Strode played a single season with the NFL before moving to Canada to play, according to Britannica. Im glad you made it.. This story first appeared. The corpse is being held in a plain pine box, and when he views it Stoddard is angered to see the boots have been stolen. The retired NFL wideout, in tandem with his co-author Bob Glauber, persuaded the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2022 to recognize the so-called Forgotten Four as pathfinders. Ford discovered Wayne, then Marion Morrison, when the latter was a University of Southern California student with a summer job on a studio lot. He was in a TV adaptation of Mandrake the Magician (1954), a pilot for a series that was not picked up, and had small parts in Son of Sinbad (1955), Soldiers of Fortune (1955), and Buruuba (1956) a Japanese film set in Africa. "Their actions on and off the field opened a door that allowed other people to follow.". [21], He had a support role in Tarzan's Fight for Life (1958) and a small part in The Buccaneer (1958). [23], He did The Italian Connection (1972), for which he was paid $150,000. Every day, someone was at the bottom of the list in the barrel, as you say, Stewart said of Fords tendency to take his frustrations out on his underlings. In 1967 he attempted to produce his own film, The Story of the Tenth Cavalry but it was not made. Sheriff Woody, the beloved "Toy Story" protagonist, was said to be named after Strode. He could beat Glenn Morris, the 1936 Olympic gold-medal decathlete, in . Strode encountered racism in the NFL. Valance and his two sidekicks hold up a stagecoach on the way to town, and when one of the passengers, Ransom, stands up to him Liberty nearly whips him to death. Despite the lack of opportunities for actors of color in his era, Woody Strode left a legacy worth revisiting. [4][5], Strode, Kenny Washington, and Jackie Robinson starred on the 1939 UCLA Bruins football team, in which they made up three of the four backfield players. "[20], During Ford's declining years Strode spent four months sleeping on the director's floor as his caregiver, and he was later present at Ford's death.[22]. Subscribe to our newsletter for new stories, tips & events. But it must have made a real impact on Ford himself, since, in the early 1970s, he planned to come out of retirement with a new film about the life of the first black graduate of West Point, Henry Flipper. We also meet Link Appleyard (Andy Devine), the drunken town marshal; Doc Willoughby (Ken Murray), the drunken town doctor, and Dutton Peabody (Edmond O'Brien), the editor of the paper. At 6-foot-4 and 210 pounds, Strode was an athletic marvel in his prime. Strode was born in Los Angeles on July 25, 1914, the son . I'd play a Viking with blue contact lenses and a blond wig if I could. Additionally, the. ), TCM Remembers 1995 in Chronological Order, American actors who appeared in spaghetti westerns. . Needless to say, the crime sets the townspeople aflame with hatred, and theres a lynch mob just itching to take matters into their hands. In director John Fords Sergeant Rutledge (1960), a western where he depicted a soldier on trial for two murders and the rape of a white woman, when Strode bared his chest to a white woman (actress Constance Towers), even the movie audiences gasped. Inducted into the National Multicultural Western Heritage Museum and Hall of Fame in 2012-13. Trapped for life. In 1975, he won the Pulitzer Prize for distinguished criticism. Tom could stand up to Valance, but it would suit him to have Stoddard out of the way so that he could bring Hallie home to that porch with its rocking chair. Often typecast as a physical specimen, commentators tended to dwell on Strode's athleticism and chiseled figure, ignoring his acting prowess, the film scholar Frank Manchel once wrote in the Journal of Black Studies. Strode is perhaps best remembered as the stoic slave gladiator in Spartacus (1960) who tells Kirk Douglas: I dont want to be your friend. Reveling in the win postgame, Strode rode a horse into the lobby of the team hotel. He guest starred on The Lieutenant, The Farmer's Daughter and Daniel Boone and had roles in the features Genghis Khan (1965) and 7 Women (1966), the latter the last film he made for Ford. In comparison, Ford had made combat documentaries for the Office of Strategic Services and had been wounded at the Battle of Midway, while Ranse star Stewart had been a bomber pilot who served with distinction. An old black cowboy named Pompey ( Woody Strode) takes Hallie on a buckboard ride into the countryside where they regard the burned-out remains of Doniphon's cottage. His illiterate students include Hallie. Strode gave the Hollywood establishment what they demanded and appeared in some of the best and the worst of what they offered him. "It's heart and guts. He died the following year at age 80. Strode made his first appearance in Sundown (1941) playing a native policeman. Also, he appeared in several episodes of the 19521954 television series Ramar of the Jungle, where he portrayed an African warrior. And on occasion, he was even known to actually physically attack them when he was not playing his patented sadistic practical jokes on them, or when he wasnt on one of his regular drinking binges, which would last for days. And Bearcat Wright shirt and boots Coast Heavyweight Wrestling Champion in 1962, actors... 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