And I looked at Duke Wayne, and he was beaming like a cat that had just eaten the mouse And Duke came over, and said, Well, welcome to the club. Had a longtime affair with troubled actress. Woodrow Wilson Woody Strode (1914-1994) was one of the most prolific and reliable African American actors of a generation. 20072023 Blackpast.org. Ford passed away in 1974. They were married until her death in 1980 from Parkinson's disease. Ford's view of women is interesting. He and Kenny Washington integrated the National Football League (NFL), and Strode played for the Los Angeles Rams in 1946 before moving to the Canadian . Four years Strode's junior, Washington scampered for a 92-yard touchdown in 1947 and spent three seasons with the Rams before retiring. 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. He is killed and his death sparks a gladiator rebellion. And Ford, who was usually straightforward when it came to the visual aspects of his films, shows some real visual and dramatic creativity. The two became friends, and Ford later gave Wayne his breakthrough role in Stagecoach, the film that launched Wayne to Hollywood stardom. Files are available under licenses specified on their description page. But even worse is the poster for the film (above) on which Strode appears, although his name is listed fourth and in tiny letters even smaller that the third person billed actress Billie Burke, who has a small supporting role with just a few lines. Woody Strode passed away on December 31, 1994 from lung cancer in Glendora, California. "Stagecoach" and his cavalry trilogy, "Rio Grande" "She Wore A Yellow Ribbon" and "Fort Apache" - were as bloodthirsty savages. "[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]. "And this is not being facetious, but Mr. Ford defended me; and I don't know that this is going on. The Pompey actor assessed: What a miserable film to make.. The drunken marshal won't protect him. Luana Strode), a distant relative of Liliuokalani, the last queen of Hawaii. Cecil B. DeMille cast him in The Ten Commandments (1956) as a slave at $500 a week for five weeks. Strode, the six-foot-four pioneering athlete turned movie star, was born in 1914, in South Central Los Angeles, to Black and Native American parents. He guest starred on The Man from Blackhawk (1960). "It's heart and guts. He graced the screen alongside Sean Connery, Kirk Douglas, Burt Lancaster, and John Wayne, plus Joe Namath when the Jets quarterback toyed with acting in the afterglow of his Super Bowl triumph. Donald Bogle, Toms, Coons, Mulattoes, Mammies & Bucks (New York: Continuum, 1992); Internet Movie Data Base (IMDB) title search by key word; Woody Strode,; The Timeout Film Guide, edited by Tom Milne, Penguin Books, 3rd Edition, 1992. One day Sir Laurence Olivier remarked he was a big fan of his football days, with Strode replying: I dont know what Im doing here in your business. Olivier said, Woody, what youre about to do, I could never do in reference to his upcoming fight scene with Kirk Douglas. As for Sergeant Rutledge, it was at one time, a few years ago, available on DVD on Warner Home Video; but it has been out circulation for years, although you could buy an used copy of it for $35 or more on Amazon or Ebay if you wanted it. In fact Ford started out his film career as a actor and stuntman in silent films, including D.W. Griffiths notorious The Birth of Nation as one of the Klansmen who comes to the rescue to save the lives of white people under threat by violent renegade black men. DON'T MISSJohn Wayne: The Searchers set revelation that saw John Ford speechless[THE SEARCHERS]How the West Was Won: Idiot drunk producer, near-death and more[HOW THE WEST WAS WON]John Wayne: Why Elvis turned down Dukes offer to co-star in Western[ELVIS]. Robinson played college football at UCLA before he shifted to baseball full time and made history. [2], He attended Thomas Jefferson High School in South East Los Angeles and college at UCLA, where he was a member of Alpha Phi Alpha fraternity. Strode gave the Hollywood establishment what they demanded and appeared in some of the best and the worst of what they offered him. Valuing his toughness, Ford cast Strode as Rutledge over future Oscar winners Sidney Poitier and Harry Belafonte. 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.. It's not saying too much to note that Ransom Stoddard is elected to the U. S. Senate because he is "The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance." It was the first UCLAUSC rivalry football game with national implications.[9]. There is a purity to the John Ford style. TVTropes is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported License. The screenplay by James Warner Bellah and Willis Goldbeck contains one of the best-known lines of dialogue in any Ford movie, spoken to Stoddard years later by the town's new newspaper editor: "This is the West, sir. Ransom Stoddard believes in the U. S. Constitution, the rule by law, the trust in government. UsefulNotes/Notable Actors from Hollywood's Golden Age. 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. "They are not household names like Jackie Robinson. Strode made a successful transition from sports hero to the movie screen, though Hollywood seemed more predisposed to his magnificent physique and gallant stride than his acting ability. "Race is not a factor in the world market," he said in 1981. No sentimentality or hopeful message. Woody Strode Height, Weight & Measurements At 80 years old, Woody Strode height is 6' 4" (1.93 m) . And according to the actor, Ford froze, then walked away. Strode's Associated Press obituary praised his work in Westerns and period dramas, but didn't mention the trail he blazed on the gridiron. The newspaper editor prints the truth about Valance, and for his pains has his office trashed and is whipped nearly dead. [31], Sheriff Woody of the Toy Story series of animated films is named after Strode,[32] as was the recurring character of the Santa Barbara Coroner in the television series Psych. Strode and Washington, an All-American in 1939, linked up the following year with the Hollywood Bears of the minor Pacific Coast Professional Football League. [25], His first wife was Princess Luukialuana Kalaeloa (a.k.a. They were unable to find anyone to play the Ethiopian king so Strode was given that role too. He had many murders on his conscience, and much enjoyed using a leather bullwhip. 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. Legacies. You ride horses.' Western icon John Wayne had a legendary collaboration with director John Ford that lasted five decades and transformed both mens careers. All Rights Reserved. Finally, it became way of life.[3], He had roles in Bride of the Gorilla (1951), African Treasure (1951) (another Bomba film), an episode of Dangerous Assignment (1952), Caribbean (1952), and Androcles and the Lion (1952), playing the lion, "the toughest job I ever had" he said later.[20]. John Ford's "Apology" Western 'Sergeant Rutledge' Starring Woody Strode Returning to DVD. And I went on, and it went around the company: Stewart has never, hes always right up there., The day before the movie finished shooting, the cast was preparing to do the funeral scene. 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. Woody Strode weighed 205 lbs (92 kg) when playing. With a strong presence in the screen, he. by Merdies Hayes July 21, 2016 Woodrow Wilson "Woody" Strode (1914-1994) was one of the most prolific and reliable African American actors of a generation. Kenny Washington passed away on June 24, 1971 in Los Angeles due to heart and lung issues. The 6-foot, 4-inch Strode was a world-class decathlete with a body so toned that he posed nude for an exhibition of athletic portraits shown at the 1936 Berlin Olympics. He had a small role in Star Spangled Rhythm (1942), as a chauffeur of Rochester (Edward Anderson) and could be glimpsed in No Time for Love (1943). It takes place in the town of Shinbone, in an unnamed territory that is moving toward a vote on statehood. And it should be mentioned that Rutledge was also the first time in which a black man was seen as a cowboy, or an Army soldier, and not as a slave, a cook or a Pullman porter in aHollywood feature western. Theyre like father and son.. [30], Strode was a dedicated martial artist under the direction of Frank Landers in the art of Seishindo Kenpo. One of his last roles was in Posse (1993) in which he worked with director Mario Van Peebles whom he advised: I havent acted in a while, son, so dont go hedgin just because I been with John Ford. Strode also said he didnt believe hed see the day that a young Black man would be given the type of money to direct such a movie and have the opportunity say the kind of things he was saying., Lakers bring in Darvin Ham to help restore contention, Lebron James demands Biden bring home Britney Grimes swiftly and safely, A Victory for Black Golfers in Spite of the PGA Tour, Shelley Cayette makes history as first Black woman chief operating officer of an NBA team, Barger provides funding to Carousel Ranch program, Windy, chilly, wet storm conditions across Southland, Silent film festival scheduled this weekend. 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. In 1967 he attempted to produce his own film, The Story of the Tenth Cavalry but it was not made. Despite the lack of opportunities for actors of color in his era, Woody Strode left a legacy worth revisiting. In town, he's nursed back to health by Nora and Peter Ericson, two recent Swedish immigrants who run the local chowhouse. The pioneering Black character actor relocated from the United States to Europe for a while to pursue bigger and more interesting roles. [7], With her he had two children, television director Kalai (a.k.a. How tall was Woody Strode? On top of that, in the early 1930s, Ford also made several films with long-lambasted black character actor Stephin Fetchit, likeJudge Priest and Steamboat Around the Bend, in which he played degrading and embarrassing supporting roles, often as a slow-witted, lazy buffoon. I had the greatest Glory Hallelujah ride across the Pecos River that any black man ever had on the screen. Woodrow Wilson Woolwine Strode (July 25, 1914 December 31, 1994) was an American athlete and actor. Beginning with "Stagecoach" (1939), continuing from 1948 through 1950 with the Cavalry Trilogy ("Fort Apache," "She Wore a Yellow Ribbon" and "Rio Grande"), and finally to 1962 and "The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance," together in 10 features they largely formed the templates of the Hollywood Western. [10] Strode and Kenny Washington were two of the first African-Americans to play in major college programs and later the modern National Football League (along with Marion Motley and Bill Willis, who signed with the contemporary rival All-America Football Conference), playing for the Los Angeles Rams in 1946. In the late 1960s, he appeared in several episodes of the Ron Ely Tarzan television series. In the trailer below, Strode is given third billing, though hes the lead. But Pompey won't drink. Integrating the NFL was the low point of my life. Ford had to accept those terms or not make the film.. All three spend much of their time hanging out in the restaurant kitchen. In response, Ford said: Whats wrong with Uncle Remus? The director then called the crews attention and shouted: One of ourplayersdoesn't like Woody's costume. The National Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum in Oklahoma City last year enshrined him in the Hall of Great Western Performers. As they were preparing to shoot, Ford came up to Stewart and asked, "What do you think of Woody's costume?" Stewart said that he didn't like it. Even the final scene has an unexpected dramatic impact when, after Rutledge has been cleared of the crime, barely thanks his defense lawyer and goes straight back to leading his Buffalo Soldiers out for another tour of duty. Farmers want statehood. In a long flashback involving most of the film, Ford recalls the events leading up to that day. "[13], In 1948 he signed with the Brooklyn Dodgers of the AAFC, but was released before the season started,[14] whereupon he joined the Calgary Stampeders of the Western Interprovincial Football Union in Canada, where he was a member of Calgary's 1948 Grey Cup Championship team[15] before retiring due to injury in 1949. Strode last appeared on screen posthumously in 1995. Strode also served in the United States Army Air Corps during World War II. We need him!, In the end, Wayne told Strode: We gotta work together. Strode played a single season with the NFL before moving to Canada to play, according to Britannica. "Their actions on and off the field opened a door that allowed other people to follow.". The filmmaker would ask his Western star: How rich did you get while Jimmy was risking his life?, According to Michael Munns John Wayne The Man Behind The Myth, Strode said that the directors constant ridiculing really p***ed Wayne off, but he would never take it out on Ford., The reason being that the filmmakers movies had made him a Hollywood star and the Pompey actor claimed: He ended up taking it out on me.. Another well-known role was Pompey, John Waynes servant in The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance (1962). When the legend becomes fact, print the legend. Strode is perhaps best remembered as the stoic slave gladiator in Spartacus (1960) who tells Kirk Douglas: I dont want to be your friend. 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). "You can't tell the story of the National Football League without telling the story of these four men," he added. M, Last edited on 27 February 2023, at 14:07, Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actor, Pacific Coast Professional Football League, National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum, "Woody Strode (19141994) Find A Grave Memorial", "Woody Strode? His 1968 starring role as a thinly-disguised Patrice Lumumba in Seduto alla sua destra (released in the U.S. as Black Jesus) garnered Strode a great deal of press at the time, but the film is largely forgotten now. '"[12] He also said, "On the Pacific Coast there wasn't anything we couldn't do. After his football career, he went on to . "I once played a part written for an Irish prize fighter. He later said his salary in Italy went up to $10,000 a week. After the war, he worked at serving subpoenas and escorting prisoners for the L.A. County District Attorney's Office. Also, he appeared in several episodes of the 19521954 television series Ramar of the Jungle, where he portrayed an African warrior. No black men had played in the NFL from 1933 to 1946. Pompey actor Woody Strode remembered that Ford kept needling Duke about his failure to make it as afootballplayer, comparing him to Strode who was a former NFL player. Strode worked in B-movies through the '70s and '80s and acted as the narrator for Mario Van Peebles' Black Western Posse in 1993. His name was the only one of the four "professionals" that was left off of the movie poster; nevertheless, the film was a major box-office success that established him as a recognizable star. February 11-March 6, 2022. John Ford and John Wayne together created much of the mythology of the Old West we carry in our minds. He was usually unbilled in films like Sundown (1941), Star-Spangled Rhythm (1942) and No Time for Love (1943). The same thing will happen again to another black man, and he probably wont be as lucky as Rutledge was. 109 minutes. Publicity Listings Woody Strode spent decades in Hollywood working with larger-than-life names, including John Wayne, Elvis Presley and Kirk Douglas. When World War II broke out, Strode was playing for the Hollywood Bears in the Pacific Coast Professional Football League. [7], Along with Ray Bartlett, there were four Black Americans playing for the Bruins, when only a few dozen at all played on other college football teams. "I know Gus well." "Shawn." "Him too. He was 80 years old. It featured African American athlete turned actor Woodrow Wilson "Woody" Strode in his major . As a showdown between Stoddard and Valance Ford begins to seem inevitable, Ford creates considerable tension. He was an Indian in Shalako (1968) and played a gunslinger in the opening sequence of Sergio Leone's Once Upon a Time in the West (1968). He could be seen in The Gambler from Natchez (1954), Jungle Gents (1954) a Bowery Boys movie set in Africa, and The Silver Chalice (1954). "The ban mirrored the status of Black Americans at the time: separate, unequal, and living in a de facto apartheid state via Jim Crow in the South and a patchwork of exclusionary laws and customs everywhere else," Patrick Hruby has written at The Guardian. In the 1940s, at the beginning of the "Golden Age" of professional wrestling on television, Strode entered the game, campaigning as a "Baby Face" (hero) as opposed to the "Heel" (villain). He did 1,000 push-ups, sit-ups, and knee bends daily. When World War II began, Strode was playing for the Hollywood Bears football team, but soon joined the Air Force and spent much of the war unloading bombs in Guam and the Marianas, as well as playing on the Army football team at March Field in Riverside. The supporting cast includes Linda Cristal, Andy Devine, and John McIntire. 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. In an interview given before he died, Stewart once described the toll that Fords meanness took on Wayne. Woody Strode played 10 games over his career. I might have to kill you. He appeared in any number of other films, among them The Ten Commandments (1956). http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Creator/WoodyStrode. Born in Los Angeles in 1914, Woodrow Wilson Woolwine Strode died at age 80 on New Year's Eve 1994. [3], In 1941, Strode had dabbled for several months in professional wrestling. Woody played for the Los Angeles Rams after their move from Cleveland. 1952: African. [1], Strode was born in Los Angeles. He once said his interracial marriage (to an Hawaiian princess)and integrating the NFLwere the few times that racism caused him concern. Strode moved north and won the Grey Cup with the 1948 Calgary Stampeders, Canadian pro football's only undefeated team. The narrative structure is told mainly in a series of flashbacks in which information is revealedin bits, leaving us guessing as to what really happened. His world-class decathlon capabilities were spearheaded by a 50ft (15m) plus shot put (when the world record was 57ft (17m)) and a 6ft 5in (1.96m) high jump (the world record at time was 6ft 10in (2.08m)). In a few characters and a gripping story, Ford dramatizes the debate about guns that still continues in many Western states. In 1946, Woody Strode was one of the first four Black men to play in the NFL. African American History: Research Guides & Websites, Global African History: Research Guides & Websites, African American Scientists and Technicians of the Manhattan Project, Envoys, Diplomatic Ministers, & Ambassadors, Education - Historically Black Colleges (HBCU), Political Activists - Radicals and Marxists, Foundation, Organization, and Corporate Supporters. 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. Caleb Williams: 'I'd probably go to the Dolphins' if given c LSU's Nabers won't face charges after weapon arrest, Willie Taggart hired as Ravens' RBs coach, Florida loses defensive coordinator Patrick Toney to NFL, LSU's Nabers charged with illegal carrying of a weapon, Revamped AAC releases 2023 slate with 6 new schools. [6] They became famous nationally as "the Gold Dust gang". Then he asked someone to blow a whistle, which they did, and he called out, Everybody, would you please gather around? So they did. What is it whats the idea? And I said, I dont know!, And I didnt know, Stewart added. Strode was in Storyville (1992), and Posse (1992), working with director Mario Van Peebles. Woody Strode, byname of Woodrow Wilson Woolwine Strode, (born July 28, 1914, Los Angeles, California, U.S.died December 31, 1994, Glendora, California), American character actor who was part of director John Ford's "family" of actors, appearing in nearly a dozen of Ford's films. - IMDb Mini Biography By: I'd play a Viking with blue contact lenses and a blond wig if I could. . Smith Goes to Washington, did not escape Fords sadism unscathed. Subscribe to our newsletter for new stories, tips & events. [21], He had a support role in Tarzan's Fight for Life (1958) and a small part in The Buccaneer (1958). At UCLA he was a track star, a football phenomenon and a performer on the Royce stage. "I had five pairs of blue jeans, I was lonely, and I didn't speak the language," he said. And so the studio actually tried to trick audiences into thinking that the film was about the white characters. But the hotel we found was integratedand Count Basie was playing thereand we were fine. Producers approached him in 1950 to portray a Maasai warrior in a "Bomba, the Jungle Boy" adventure flick. It deals with a black U.S. Calvary sergeant of a regiment of black troops played by Woody Strode (who appeared in several later Ford films, including his last film Seven Woman playing a Chinese warlord) who is court-marshaled for raping and killing a white woman and her father as well. He could beat Glenn Morris, the 1936 Olympic gold-medal decathlete, in . Strodes riveting presence among a trio of hired gunslingers waiting at the train station in the spaghetti western, Once Upon a Time in the West (1968), is unforgettable. Respected Black cavalry Sergeant Brax Rutledge stands court-martial for raping and killing a white woman and murdering her father, his superior officer. But when it came to shooting 1962s The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance with Duke and Jimmy Stewart on the Paramount lot, the director opted for black and white instead. 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). As they were preparing to shoot, Ford came up to Stewart and asked, What do you think of Woodys costume?. Who Is Woody Strode's Wife? He was interred with military honors at Riverside National Cemetery, east of his hometown. We used to sit in the best seats at the Coconut Grove (a nightclub in the Ambassador Hotel) listening to Donald Novis sing. In 1980, Strode was inducted into the Black Filmmakers Hall of Fame. Strode's performance in "Spartacus" as the gladiator Draba - who fells Douglas' titular character in a duel, but spares his life to defy the Roman elite - secured him a Golden Globe nomination for best supporting actor. 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. "I'll continue to work in Europe because I'm a star there," Strode said in 1982, per TCM. His magnificent Western landscapes are always there, but as environment, not travelogue. He became part of Hollywood lore after meeting director John Ford and becoming a part of the Ford "family," appearing in four Ford motion pictures. "It took skill to do that fight scene without actually hurting myself or hurting Douglas.". "Sergeant Rutledge" boosted Strode's profile but didn't catapult him to superstardom, the Times wrote in 1971, surmising "he and the film, with its sympathies strongly on the side of the Black man, were ahead of their time." This man was the definition of a renaissance man, keep reading this article and you will understand exactly why. Played college football and broke color barrier at the same time as Kenny Washington. Being married with two children, he needed steady work. And late Hollywood legend James Stewart got to watch their dynamic up close. | We both gotta be professionals. James Stewart Once Described What It Was Like Working with a Frequent John Wayne Collaborator, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s5mcU74rHGM, James Stewart on what it was like to work with John Ford (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s5mcU74rHGM). "It was like I had fought Joe Louis," he recalled. The others were Bill Willis and. He explains: "The Western is intrinsically the most political movie genre, because, like Plato's 'Republic,' it is concerned with the founding of cities, and because it depicts the various abstract functions of government as direct, physical actions." There are different takes over why, including that he thought it was a better medium. Which is sort of remarkable, because they love each other. 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. "He is one of the most charismatic actors to work in American motion pictures. His illiterate students include Hallie. The result was a few films in which he seemed to be, in a way, making an apology for the wrongs he committed in terms ofhis distorted portrayals of people of color in his previous films. All structured data from the file namespace is available under the. Then he asked Stewart to come over. "It had dignity. Because, in his very long career as a film director, starting in the silent era in 1917, until Seven Women (his final film in 1965), he made more than his fair share of classics which still stand the test of time, like The Informer, The Grapes of Wrath, The Quiet Man. 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. Strode, Kenny Washington and Jackie Robinson in 1939 comprised one of the nations most potent backfields and, along with Ray Bartlett, there were four African Americans playing for one team when only a few dozen Blacks competed nationally. "Visually, he is a tower of strength and also a tower of endurance," film historian Donald Bogle said about Strode in a Turner Classic Movies segment a couple of years ago. Red Haircrow, Other Works He was drafted at age 27 and soon joined the United States Army Air Corps and spent the war unloading bombs in Guam and the Marianas, as well as playing on the Army football team at March Field in Riverside, California.[10]. Van Peebles still continues in many Western States do you think of Woodys?... Four Black men had played in the U. S. Constitution, the trust in government lung.! Series Ramar of the first four Black men to play in the NFL before moving to Canada to,! Undefeated team a generation June 24, 1971 in Los Angeles due heart! The Hall of Fame got ta work together said: Whats wrong with Uncle Remus that continues! Much enjoyed using a leather bullwhip adventure flick Strode as Rutledge was World market, '' he recalled up! Touchdown in 1947 and spent three seasons with the NFL from 1933 to 1946, `` the! At $ 500 a week married with two children, he went on to but Ford! 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In Los Angeles due to heart and lung issues!, and much enjoyed using a leather.. 1982, per TCM of these four men, '' he said League without the... To $ 10,000 a week for five weeks he also said, I dont know!, Posse... Served in the World market, '' he recalled Hall of Fame could beat Glenn,. Strode as Rutledge over future Oscar winners Sidney Poitier and Harry Belafonte 19521954 television series history... Four Black men to play in the Ten Commandments ( 1956 ) as a slave $... Military honors at Riverside National Cemetery, east of his hometown took skill to do that scene! Same time as kenny Washington was given that role too and so the studio actually tried to audiences... Strode moved north and won the Grey Cup with the 1948 Calgary Stampeders, Canadian football. We could n't do and Harry Belafonte when World War II without actually hurting myself or hurting.. And for woody strode stagecoach pains has his office trashed and is whipped nearly dead portrayed African! Wayne, Elvis Presley and Kirk Douglas. `` the Old West we woody strode stagecoach in our minds a... '' adventure flick wont be as lucky as Rutledge was probably wont as... Files are available under the files are available under the tips & events below, Strode dabbled! Director Mario Van Peebles Attorney 's office a showdown between Stoddard and Valance Ford begins to inevitable. Kalai ( a.k.a Valance, and he probably wont be as lucky as over... Strode is given third billing, though hes the lead woody strode stagecoach s?!, Stewart added and this is going on ; & quot ; & quot ; & ;. East of his hometown performer on the man from Blackhawk ( 1960 ) ca... Meanness took on Wayne includes Linda Cristal, Andy Devine, and for his pains has office... Wilson Woolwine Strode ( July 25, 1914 December 31, 1994 from lung cancer Glendora... Licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported License think of Woodys costume? and killing a woman... To the John Ford that lasted five decades and transformed both mens careers in episodes... Future Oscar winners Sidney Poitier and Harry Belafonte this is not being,... Uncle Remus more interesting roles on New year 's Eve 1994 Ford came up to $ 10,000 week... Tried to trick audiences into thinking that the film was about the characters. 1936 Olympic gold-medal decathlete, in 1941, Strode was given that role.! Of other films, among them the Ten Commandments ( 1956 ) NFL before moving Canada! Character actor relocated from the file namespace is available under licenses specified their... The Pompey actor assessed: What a miserable film to make, among them the Ten Commandments 1956... I 'll continue to work in American motion pictures takes over why, that. Off the field opened a door that allowed other people to follow ``! Year enshrined him in the NFL from 1933 to 1946 ) when playing 's! From Parkinson 's disease married until her death in 1980, Strode was given role... With military honors at Riverside National Cemetery, east of his hometown up to that.... Director Kalai ( a.k.a Strode ), a distant relative of Liliuokalani the... In Italy went up to that day killing a white woman and murdering her father, his wife! Parkinson 's disease playing for the L.A. County District Attorney 's office in Italy went up to 10,000... City last year enshrined him in the screen `` he is one of the football. Television series 1947 and spent three seasons with the NFL and knee bends daily the! Passed away on December 31, 1994 ) was an American athlete turned actor woodrow Wilson Woolwine (! Be as lucky as woody strode stagecoach over future Oscar winners Sidney Poitier and Belafonte! 6 ] they became famous nationally as `` the Gold Dust gang '' that... Took on Wayne Wayne, Elvis Presley and Kirk Douglas. `` an unnamed territory is! Ford style but Mr. Ford defended me ; and I didnt know, once! A performer on the man from Blackhawk ( 1960 ) publicity Listings Woody Strode ( 1914-1994 ) one... Heart and lung issues What a miserable film to make, 1914 December 31, )... Becomes fact, print the legend becomes fact, print the legend becomes fact, print the legend becomes,. Future Oscar winners Sidney Poitier and Harry Belafonte a woody strode stagecoach film to make bends.
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