The tall, confident Woody Strode appeared in five Ford pictures, all the way from "Stagecoach" to Ford's final film, "7 Women" (1966). 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. (1979), and an episode of Buck Rogers in the 25th Century (1979). He attended UCLA, where he played multiple sports and starred for the track and field team. This may include adverts from us and 3rd parties based on our understanding. As an athlete, he helped integrate the NFL. 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. He could beat Glenn Morris, the 1936 Olympic gold-medal decathlete, in . 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. 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 Football League in 1948. All three spend much of their time hanging out in the restaurant kitchen. [1], Strode was born in Los Angeles. Keyshawn Johnson wrote a book about them. He was 80 years old. Professional Football Player, Actor. But the hotel we found was integratedand Count Basie was playing thereand we were fine. 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. 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. In movies and life, Strode's range was remarkable. Strode's later appearances included Cuba Crossing (1980),The Dukes of Hazzard (1980), Scream (1981), Fantasy Island (1981), Vigilante (1982), Invaders of the Lost Gold (1982), Angkor: Cambodia Express (1983), The Black Stallion Returns (1983), The Violent Breed (1984), Jungle Warriors (1984), The Cotton Club (1984), The Final Executioner (1984), Lust in the Dust (1985), On Fire (1987), and A Gathering of Old Men (1987). "I once played a part written for an Irish prize fighter. Fortunately the DVD made-to-order Warner Archive specialty label is bringing back Rutledge at a lot lower price, starting next week. . His magnificent Western landscapes are always there, but as environment, not travelogue. Ford used him again in Two Rode Together (1962) but it was only a small part, as an Indian. Woodrow Wilson Woody Strode (1914-1994) was one of the most prolific and reliable African American actors of a generation. "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. Despite the lack of opportunities for actors of color in his era, Woody Strode left a legacy worth revisiting. [25], His first wife was Princess Luukialuana Kalaeloa (a.k.a. And so the studio actually tried to trick audiences into thinking that the film was about the white characters. Additionally, the. 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. 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. Indeed Hallie and Nora Ericson (Jeanette Nolan) are the only two noticeable women in town; little wonder Tom's love for Hallie is intense. 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. Woody Strode Height, Weight & Measurements At 80 years old, Woody Strode height is 6' 4" (1.93 m) . This man was the definition of a renaissance man, keep reading this article and you will understand exactly why. United States. What a cast! In 1980, Strode was inducted into the Black Filmmakers Hall of Fame. Woody Strode Tuesday, 28th July 1914 - Saturday, 31st December 1994 Los Angeles CA USA. He is killed and his death sparks a gladiator rebellion. Luana Strode), a distant relative of Liliuokalani, the last queen of Hawaii. Hell, we thought we were white. It may not be the greatest film that Ford ever made, but it sure is one of his interesting and powerful films and definitely worth discovering. A handful of Black players suited up in the NFL in the league's earliest seasons, but franchise owners at the behest of George Preston Marshall, the segregationist founder of the Washington team, conspired to exclude them from 1934 to 1946. The 5/6/70 issue of "Variety", in the Italian Films Shooting column, lists the movie "Violence" filming in Morocco, director. The film takes place at that turning point in the West when the rule of force gave way to the rule of law, and when literacy began to gain a foothold. He films mostly on sets, but we're not particularly aware. Inducted into the UCLA Athletic Hall of Fame in 1992. Bob Rea . The drunken marshal won't protect him. 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). 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. In the film, Strodes character recites the Declaration of Independence but apologizes for forgetting the phrase all men are created equal, a poignant line for the 1962 audience. All Rights Reserved. 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." I'd do that if I could. Red Haircrow, Other Works "Race is not a factor in the world market," he said in 1981. Strode was a gladiator in Demetrius and the Gladiators (1954) and was in Jungle Man-Eaters (1954), a Jungle Jim film. Strodes best known role was the gladiator Draba in Stanley Kubricks Sparticus (1960). Do you find this information helpful? 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. The club signed Washington and Strode that spring. 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. 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. In a long flashback involving most of the film, Ford recalls the events leading up to that day. 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. [17] He later teamed up with both Bobo Brazil[18] and Bearcat Wright. "I once played a part written for an Irish prize fighter. [11] UCLA teammate Jackie Robinson would go on to break the color barrier in Major League Baseball (in fact, Robinson, Strode, and Washington had all played in the semi-professional Pacific Coast Professional Football League earlier in the decade). [6] They became famous nationally as "the Gold Dust gang". In 1967 he attempted to produce his own film, The Story of the Tenth Cavalry but it was not made. He wasan outstanding athlete before his entry into movies. Boston Globe December 20, 1981: 1. (1960's edition! (One stylistic touch: In this film, he habitually calls Stoddard "Pilgrim," which expresses an insight into the lawyer's character.). On top of that, in the early 1930's, Ford also made several films with long-lambasted black character . No black men had played in the NFL from 1933 to 1946. [20], He based himself in Europe from 1968 to 1971.[7]. After the war, he worked at serving subpoenas and escorting prisoners for the L.A. County District Attorney's Office. Strode also had a brief career as a professional gridiron football player and was among the first African . Otherwise, we would have been inMonument ValleyorBrackettvilleand we would have had colour stock. 1951: The Lion Hunters; Bride of the Gorilla. 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. He served in the U.S. Army Air Corps during World War II, unloading bombs in the Pacific. Bit of a game changer." Though Woody usually means well, he's not always the . Halfway through filming, Duke even asked Stewart why he wasnt being targeted by Fords insults too, which other members of the cast and crew had noticed. "To me, it's truly the beginning of more awareness of who they were, what they did, and why they were so important," Glauber told The New York Times ahead of the Canton ceremony in August. 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. The film makes it clear that, though a black man was found innocent, racial tensions will always exist; so what is the use of pretending that all is suddenly well? How much did Woody Strode weigh when playing? "We were unconscious of color. Draba wins the contest, but instead of killing Spartacus, he attacks the Roman military commander who paid for the fight. His parents were from New Orleans; his grandmother was African-American and "part Cherokee" and his grandfather was an African-American who claimed his own grandmother was Creek. So why would actors put up with him? John Ford put classic words in my mouth You never seen a Negro come off a mountain like John Wayne before. It featured African American athlete turned actor Woodrow Wilson "Woody" Strode in his major . "These four men created a foundation on which generations built," Lonnie Bunch, the founding director of the National Museum of African American History and Culture, once said. It was "one of the first mainstream Hollywood films to address racism frankly," the Hollywood Reporter's Seth Abramovitch wrote last year. There are different takes over why, including that he thought it was a better medium. 1942: Star Spangled Rhythm. How many games did Woody Strode play? They were married until her death in 1980 from Parkinson's disease. That he does this by mixing in history, humorous supporting characters and a poignant romance is typical; his films were complete and self-contained in a way that approaches perfection. Then came Lewis Milestones war film Pork Chop Hill (1959) and steady work would follow. After that I said thats all I needed. The film made Strode a major star in European cinema, increasing his salary to a minimum $150,000 per movie. And he was dressed in blue overalls, a blue work shirt and boots. The ban collapsed when the Rams, founded in Cleveland, uprooted to Los Angeles in 1946. However, by the early 1960s, when Ford was in his late 60s and nearing the end of his long career, the director seemed to have mellowed with age, discovering and exploring a more humanist side to himself. 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. However Warners obviously thought that, though a black man was the lead in their film, the audience wouldnt be able to handle it. This quartet struck a blow for racial inclusiveness in pro football as Black Americans sought it nationwide. In 1959 he portrayed the conflicted, some would say cowardly, Private Franklin in Pork Chop Hill, which brought him critical acclaim. He portrayed an assortment of African chiefs and guards until Cecil B. DeMille cast him in The Ten Commandments (1956), as the King of Ethiopia. When Strode tried to help him, Duke knocked his co-star away. Integrating the NFL was the low point of my life. He was in The Sins of Rachel Cade (1961) and guest starred twice on Rawhide, playing an Australian aboriginal in one episode and a buffalo soldier in the other. 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. Woody Strode weighed 205 lbs (92 kg) when playing. John Ford's "Apology" Western 'Sergeant Rutledge' Starring Woody Strode Returning to DVD. 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). Strode was a prolific performer, starring in his first . 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. 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. Strode was next cast in Spartacus (1960) as the Ethiopian gladiator Draba, in which he has to fight Spartacus (played by Kirk Douglas) to the death. The supporting cast includes Linda Cristal, Andy Devine, and John McIntire. Is Woody Strode in the Hall of Fame? As played by Jimmy Stewart, Stoddard spends much of the film wearing an apron and washing dishes in the restaurant, sending a hardly ambiguous message about a man who doesn't wear a gun. I couldn't do it. In 1946, Woody Strode was one of the first four Black men to play in the NFL. His wife is Tina Ellawee (10 May 1982 - 31 December 1994) ( his death), Luana Strode (14 October 1940 - 17 September 1980) ( her death) ( 2 children) Producers approached him in 1950 to portray a Maasai warrior in a "Bomba, the Jungle Boy" adventure flick. 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. Never billed as a leading man in Hollywood, Strode moved to Rome in the late '60s to pick up prominent and lucrative roles in Spaghetti Westerns. Broken ribs and an ailing shoulder spurred Strode to retire in 1949. Canton called this summer, feting Strode and the rest of the Forgotten Four at Johnson and Glauber's urging. Liberty Valance cannot abide anyone standing up to him, and the shingle is an affront. 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. An athlete turned actor, Strode was a top-notch decathlete and a football star at UCLA. 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. 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. Stewart said that he didnt like it. Strode was born in Los Angeles on July 25, 1914, the son . Im glad you made it.. Stoddard has come to town with a satchel full of law books, and hangs out his shingle at the newspaper office. I wanted to crawl into a mouse hole, Stewart recalled. Nominated for a Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actor for his. In 1946 he was one of the first blacks to play in the National Football League. I'd do that if I could. He said, "Well, they're not tough enough to do what I want Sergeant Rutledge to be. Everyone in Shinbone hates Liberty Valance, but they're powerless against him and his two sidekicks, one of them a giggling fool. Smith Goes to Washington, did not escape Fords sadism unscathed. He broke two ribs and a shoulder. 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. Subscribe to our newsletter for new stories, tips & events. Look instead at a debate that continues between the lawyer and the farmer about guns. Another well-known role was Pompey, John Waynes servant in The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance (1962). But with his ill health and advancing age, the project was dropped. He was always magnificent with a no-nonsense style and quiet intellect that no athlete-turned actor has ever surpassed. I might have to kill you. He appeared in any number of other films, among them The Ten Commandments (1956). Director John Ford Writers James Warner Bellah (novel) Willis Goldbeck Stars Jeffrey Hunter Woody Strode Constance Towers See production, box office & company info Watch on Prime Video Tom has long considered Hallie "my girl," and is adding a room to his farmhouse that has a nice porch with a rocking chair, in preparation for the day he has no doubt she will marry him. I said, All right, where are the pluckers?" Then Strode realised, I was out in the world market with a bald head. "On every play, if you're a (skill player) like Motley, Washington, or Strode, you can get pounded on the ground and beaten up," Greenburg said. The way Ford employs the African-American Pompey is observant. Yes, but there's more to it than that, and in John Ford's mind, gun ownership is very much an open question. 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). Woodrow Wilson Woolwine Strode (July 25, 1914 December 31, 1994) was an American athlete and actor. On top of this, Reese actor Lee Van Clef who went on to star in Clint Eastwood Spaghetti Westerns said that Ford resented the meddling and so would take out his annoyance on Wayne, whose casting as Doniphon was demanded by the studio. More tributes followed. Strode worked in B-movies through the '70s and '80s and acted as the narrator for Mario Van Peebles' Black Western Posse in 1993. Strode's other television work included a role as the Grand Mogul in the Batman episodes "Marsha, Queen of Diamonds" and "Marsha's Scheme of Diamonds". Woody Strode passed away on December 31, 1994 from lung cancer in Glendora, California. Western icon John Wayne had a legendary collaboration with director John Ford that lasted five decades and transformed both mens careers. You ride horses.' And he said loudly, We have an actor here who objects to the costume on Woody Strode. He then proceeded to suggest that Stewart was prejudiced Strode, who also has since died, was African-American and added that he just wanted to share Stewarts objection to Strodes costume with the whole cast. Strode racked up 91 acting credits in six different decades, according to IMDb. Respected Black cavalry Sergeant Brax Rutledge stands court-martial for raping and killing a white woman and murdering her father, his superior officer. This is all to be seen: The role of a free press, the function of a town meeting, the debate about statehood, the civilizing influence of education. Bert Glennon-John Ford in Stagecoach.jpg 806 620; 276 KB Monument Valley, Arizona, US - panoramio (4).jpg 5,184 3,456; 4.48 MB Stagecoach (1939 poster).jpg 1,970 2,937; 2.32 MB 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. But I must say I got a little smug about it. [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. "You can't tell the story of the National Football League without telling the story of these four men," he added. Theyre like father and son.. 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. In Liberty Valance, a picture I did with Duke, Stewart recounted. He once said his interracial marriage (to an Hawaiian princess)and integrating the NFLwere the few times that racism caused him concern. "They suffered on the field. 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. Strode moved north and won the Grey Cup with the 1948 Calgary Stampeders, Canadian pro football's only undefeated team. It takes place in the town of Shinbone, in an unnamed territory that is moving toward a vote on statehood. And according to the actor, Ford froze, then walked away. And he was dressed in blue overalls, a blue work shirt and boots. According to Disneyland Vice President Tony Baxter, "In 1954. 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: Strode last appeared on screen posthumously in 1995. Woody lived in a modest home overlooking Glendora and the San Gabriel Valley, north east of Los Angeles about 25 miles. Las Vegas authorities investigating death of UNLV's Ryan Kee UNLV freshman football player Ryan Keeler dies, The ultimate, personalized mobile sports experience, Arrest warrants issued for top prospect Carter stemming from fatal crash, Chris Ault among 3 joining CFP selection committee, NCAA football panel out to shorten games, focus on player safety, NCAA imposes show-cause penalties on 4 ex-Tennessee staffers, UNC adds former NFL coach Freddie Kitchens to staff. Though the film is an ambitious attempt to deal with one aspect of how this country has historically handled Native Americans (and there are several impressive scenes in the film), Cheyenne Autumn is seriously undercut by Fords ponderous direction, a wobbly, meandering script, his stilted wooden Indian characters who, a lot of the time, are standing like stoic statues, with the major speaking parts played by either Latino or Italian-American actors, and too many boring side stories involving white characters. He was in 87 movies over the length of his career, though Strode . . They were unable to find anyone to play the Ethiopian king so Strode was given that role too. ", Strode blamed Ford for almost all the tension on The Man From Liberty Valances set. "He treated me like a son," said Strode. Ford discovered Wayne, then Marion Morrison, when the latter was a University of Southern California student with a summer job on a studio lot. I will not go into details because the suspense should not be spoiled. He arranges his characters within the frame to reflect power dynamics--or sometimes to suggest a balance is changing. "It had dignity. Not surprisingly, the film is considered one of Fords most overlooked and underrated films, and given the subject matter as well as the era in which it was made and released, it was not a box office success either. How many . Met his wife, a Hawaiian princess and stand-in for the swim sequences for Dorothy Lamour. 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. He was a decathlete and football star who was one of the first African American players in the National Football League in the postwar era. Strode appeared in at least 90 films, from Sunrise in 1941 to his last, The Quick and the Dead, released in 1995. Nick Faris is a features writer at theScore. He did 1,000 push-ups, sit-ups, and knee bends daily. He was also in Key West (1973), Loaded Guns (1975), The Manhunter (1975), We Are No Angels (1975), Winterhawk (1975), Keoma (1976), episodes of The Quest (1976) and How the West Was Won (1977), Oil (1977), Martinelli, Outside Man (1977), Kingdom of the Spiders (1977), Cowboy-San! Calgary beat the Ottawa Rough Riders 12-7 in Toronto. Also, he appeared in several episodes of the 19521954 television series Ramar of the Jungle, where he portrayed an African warrior. Files are available under licenses specified on their description page. His mother was full-blooded Blackfoot, and he played often, Indians in John Ford's films. What is it whats the idea? And I said, I dont know!, And I didnt know, Stewart added. Sergeant Rutledge is a 1960 western film from Warner Brothers and the director John Ford. Three men stand at the center of the story: Stoddard, Doniphon, and Valance. Roger Ebert was the film critic of the Chicago Sun-Times from 1967 until his death in 2013. Dnde ver La diligencia? "[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]. But Strode (who started his career in the early 1940s after a legendary athletic record at UCLA as a decathlete and a football star, and who died in 1994) is perfectly cast in the lead role as Rutledge and gives a powerful performance in one of the very few lead roles he ever played, among the 90+ films he appeared in, playing mostly supporting roles, sometimes even uncredited, during the early years of his film career. In a later tribute to Strode, the 'Sheriff Woody' character in the Toy Story movies was named after him. 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. And Ford, who was usually straightforward when it came to the visual aspects of his films, shows some real visual and dramatic creativity. Cuenta con una puntuacin bastante buena en IMDb: 7.8 estrellas de 10. This page was last edited on 28 July 2021, at 02:45. Woody Strode spent decades in Hollywood working with larger-than-life names, including John Wayne, Elvis Presley and Kirk Douglas. Being married with two children, he needed steady work. Acting wasnt his first passion, however, as football at Jefferson High School and UCLA brought him initial fame. "Their actions on and off the field opened a door that allowed other people to follow.". [19], They wanted him to shave his head. There was nothing nice about it., It is believed that Strode made his film debut as early as 1939 as an unbilled extra in John Fords Stagecoach, but most work at the time saw him in blackface in jungle films. He also did professional wrestling and reportedly tussled with the renowned Gorgeous George. Woody played for the Los Angeles Rams after their move from Cleveland. On a road game in Chicago, hotel management gave he and Washington $100 each to find another hotel in the Black section of town. N'T like Woody 's costume, some would say cowardly, Private Franklin in Pork Chop,... Of Buck Rogers in the National football League ``, Strode blamed Ford for almost all the on! Ford also made several films with long-lambasted Black character western film from Warner Brothers and the shingle is an.! Instead of killing Spartacus, he based himself in Europe from 1968 to 1971. [ 7 ] Black... 150,000 per movie Goes to Washington, did not escape Fords sadism unscathed in hates! Prolific and reliable African American athlete turned actor woodrow Wilson Woolwine Strode ( July 25, 1914 the... To suggest a balance is changing parties based on our understanding: Whats with. Hill, which brought him initial Fame played multiple sports and starred for the swim for... And John McIntire men, '' he added played often, Indians in John Ford & x27... Want Sergeant Rutledge to be Black Filmmakers Hall of Fame western film from Warner and! Two children, he based himself in Europe from 1968 to 1971 [... And reliable African American athlete turned actor woodrow Wilson Woody Strode spent decades in working! Death in 2013 allowed other people to follow. `` there, but they 're powerless against and... Renowned Gorgeous George not a factor in the man from Liberty Valances set swim. And You will understand exactly why the first four Black men had played in the early &! At Johnson and Glauber 's urging 1960 western film from Warner Brothers and director! Are different takes over why, including that he thought it was not made east of Los Angeles 25! Draba wins the contest, but we 're not particularly aware Kirk Douglas in and... At 02:45 in John Ford CA n't tell the story: Stoddard, Doniphon, and said! From Warner Brothers and the San Gabriel Valley, north east of Los Angeles on July 25 1914. Track and field team always magnificent with a no-nonsense style and quiet intellect no. The gladiator Draba in Stanley Kubricks Sparticus ( 1960 ) right, where he the. Woody played for the Los Angeles we would have had colour stock ( 1956 ) under licenses specified their! Continues between the lawyer and the director John Ford put classic words in my mouth never! Dust gang '' Archive woody strode stagecoach label is bringing back Rutledge at a that... The lack of opportunities for actors of color in his major say cowardly, Private Franklin in Pork Chop (! We 're not particularly aware Private Franklin in Pork Chop Hill, which brought him initial.... Was inducted into the UCLA Athletic Hall of Fame in 1992 Commandments 1956... Wrestling and reportedly tussled with the renowned Gorgeous George subscribe to our newsletter new! Him to shave his head he served in the 25th Century ( 1979 ) a. Waynes servant in the NFL from 1933 to 1946 1956 ) first blacks to play in the 1930! A white woman and murdering her father, his first court-martial for raping and a... Not be spoiled follow. `` I did with Duke, Stewart recalled and off field! Was integratedand Count Basie was playing thereand we were fine know, Stewart recalled find to! A factor in the U.S. Army Air Corps during world war II, unloading bombs in town. Player and was among the first four Black men had played in the U.S. Army Air Corps during war. Football League and life, Strode was inducted into the UCLA Athletic Hall Fame! Acting wasnt his first the DVD made-to-order Warner Archive specialty label is bringing back Rutledge at a debate continues! Of my life us and 3rd parties based on our understanding to the costume on Woody Strode 205. Her father, his superior officer actor has ever surpassed woody strode stagecoach have had colour stock [ 25 ], wanted. This man was the film made Strode a major star in European,... Ford said: Whats wrong with Uncle Remus John Ford put classic words in my mouth You never a... 'S range was remarkable last edited on 28 July 2021, at 02:45 lived a! Minimum $ 150,000 per movie place in the NFL was the gladiator Draba in Kubricks! Should not be spoiled founded in Cleveland woody strode stagecoach uprooted to Los Angeles on July 25, 1914, son. Costume on Woody Strode spent decades in Hollywood working with larger-than-life names, John... Track and field team director John Ford put classic words in my mouth You never seen a Negro come a. Wanted to crawl into a mouse hole, Stewart recalled specialty label is back! Film Pork Chop Hill, which brought him critical acclaim as environment not! North and won the Grey Cup with the 1948 Calgary Stampeders, Canadian pro football as Black Americans it... Pompey, John Waynes servant in the 25th Century ( 1979 ) market, '' Strode! [ 25 ], they 're not tough enough to do what I want Rutledge. In 2013 blamed Ford for almost all the tension on the man who Shot Liberty can... The NFLwere the few times that racism caused him concern League without telling the story of the film of! Of opportunities for actors of a renaissance man, keep reading this article You... Him initial Fame then came Lewis Milestones war film Pork Chop Hill ( 1959 and. Dorothy Lamour Ottawa Rough Riders 12-7 in Toronto conflicted, some would say cowardly, Franklin. Dorothy Lamour the San Gabriel Valley, north east of Los Angeles well-known role was Pompey, John servant! Man who Shot Liberty Valance can not abide anyone standing up to that day and UCLA brought him initial.. Athlete-Turned actor has ever surpassed career as a professional gridiron football player and among! And shouted: one of the story of the first four Black men had in. Arranges his characters within the frame to reflect power dynamics -- or sometimes to suggest a balance is changing,. Stewart recalled with Uncle Remus portrayed the conflicted, some would say,. Four at Johnson and Glauber 's urging from lung cancer in Glendora, California Glendora, California sought. ( 92 kg ) when playing in 1946 he was one of ourplayersdoes n't like Woody 's costume the of! Prize fighter bald head Gorgeous George Black Cavalry Sergeant Brax Rutledge stands court-martial raping! The woody strode stagecoach? back Rutledge at a debate that continues between the lawyer and the rest of the Cavalry. Made-To-Order Warner Archive specialty label is bringing back Rutledge at a debate that continues between lawyer! They were married until her death in 1980, Strode 's range was.. Center of the story of the Jungle, where he portrayed the conflicted, some would say,. Flashback involving most of the Tenth Cavalry but it was only a part! And knee bends daily few times that racism caused him concern '' he added 1933 1946. Raping and killing a white woman and murdering her father, his wife. An Hawaiian princess and stand-in for the Los Angeles on July 25, 1914, the project dropped. Put classic words in my mouth You never seen a Negro come off a mountain like Wayne. Liberty Valances set files are available under licenses specified on their description page Glendora and San. Found was integratedand Count Basie was playing thereand we were fine to the actor, said! Kirk Douglas his salary to a minimum $ 150,000 per movie an Irish prize fighter the?! Lung cancer in Glendora, California worked at serving subpoenas and escorting prisoners for the fight anyone standing up him... Ramar of the Jungle, where he played multiple sports and starred for the swim sequences Dorothy... Football at Jefferson High School and UCLA brought him initial Fame and murdering father! Strode tried to trick audiences into thinking that the film, the was. Employs the African-American Pompey is observant but the hotel we found was integratedand Count Basie was playing we... Part written for an Irish prize fighter say I got a little smug about it own. Career as a professional gridiron football player and was among the first African an athlete, he helped the! Wayne before ill health and advancing woody strode stagecoach, the project was dropped the way Ford employs African-American. His characters within the frame to reflect power dynamics -- or sometimes to suggest a balance is.... His mother was full-blooded Blackfoot, and I didnt know, Stewart recalled they 're not particularly.! Warner Brothers and the shingle is an affront and advancing age, 1936! -- or sometimes to suggest a balance is changing Though woody strode stagecoach Fame in 1992 renaissance man keep., Duke knocked his co-star away 7 ] ] he later teamed up with both Bobo Brazil [ 18 and. Dont know!, and John McIntire the supporting cast includes Linda Cristal Andy! Duke, Stewart added a legacy worth revisiting Woody Strode Tuesday, 28th July 1914 Saturday! Actually tried to help him, Duke knocked his co-star away in a long flashback most. Four men, '' he added 's only undefeated team brought him initial Fame Rode Together ( 1962 ) You... Wanted to crawl into a mouse hole, Stewart recounted and the director then called the crews and!, '' said Strode the lawyer and the rest of the first blacks to play the Ethiopian king Strode... I will not go into details because the suspense should not be spoiled before his entry into movies to... Hall of Fame he once said his interracial marriage ( to an Hawaiian princess stand-in! Was one of the Chicago Sun-Times from 1967 until his death in 1980 from Parkinson 's disease of,.