woody strode stagecoach
(1979), and an episode of Buck Rogers in the 25th Century (1979). Strode landed a major starring role as an expert archer and soldier of fortune in the 1966 Western The Professionals. I make westerns.. Strode was a gladiator in Demetrius and the Gladiators (1954) and was in Jungle Man-Eaters (1954), a Jungle Jim film. Woody Strode passed away on December 31, 1994 from lung cancer in Glendora, California. Strode takes it up from there: Bob Waterfield and some guys came looking for us because theyd made arrangements for us back at the hotel, he explained. Following Cat Ballou (Oscar) this is one of 4 Westerns . Additionally, the director kept mocking Wayne for not enlisting in World War II, which made the star feel guilty in his later years. 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. Filmography - 1939: Stagecoach. [29] He is buried at Riverside National Cemetery in Riverside, California. Woody lived in a modest home overlooking Glendora and the San Gabriel Valley, north east of Los Angeles about 25 miles. Strode racked up 91 acting credits in six different decades, according to IMDb. Strode appeared in at least 90 films, from Sunrise in 1941 to his last, The Quick and the Dead, released in 1995. I carried the whole black race across that river."[3]. Strode was very close to the director. He is Tom's farmhand and seems to be his only confidant, a protective presence; he always has Tom's back. The one awkward movement in the film comes at the big climax when the real killer reveals himself during the trial, in a scene so overwrought and overacted that it produces more guffaws than shock. You can unsubscribe at any time. Indeed Hallie and Nora Ericson (Jeanette Nolan) are the only two noticeable women in town; little wonder Tom's love for Hallie is intense. 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. 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: Race is not a factor in the world market," Strode said. How many games did Woody Strode play? "But the producers answered, 'Not necessary. Of these "Liberty Valance" was the most pensive and thoughtful. That same year, Strode played the eponymous soldier in "Sergeant Rutledge" - director John Ford's Technicolor Western - who is falsely accused of murder and rape. But Stewart, an Oscar winner known for such timeless hits as The Philadelphia Story, Vertigo and Mr. 1941:Sundown. Cattlemen do not. Strodes filmography lists 68 appearances. As a showdown between Stoddard and Valance Ford begins to seem inevitable, Ford creates considerable tension. Roger Ebert was the film critic of the Chicago Sun-Times from 1967 until his death in 2013. 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. Professional Football Player, Actor. Woody lived in a modest home overlooking Glendora and the San Gabriel Valley, north east of Los Angeles about 25 miles. "[7], "That was a classic," he later said. 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]. 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. Western icon John Wayne had a legendary collaboration with director John Ford that lasted five decades and transformed both mens careers. Broken ribs and an ailing shoulder spurred Strode to retire in 1949. German director Leni Riefenstahl called Strode the greatest physique of any athlete I have ever seen.. BlackPast.org is a 501(c)(3) non-profit and our EIN is 26-1625373. 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. Woodrow Wilson Woolwine Strode (July 25, 1914 December 31, 1994) was an American athlete and actor. However, cinematographer William H Clothier later said: There was one reason and one reason only Paramount was cutting costs. 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. According to Disneyland Vice President Tony Baxter, "In 1954. As James Stewart explained it, Woody Strode, the actor who was playing Waynes characters best friend, was part of the scene. 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. Stoddard has come to town with a satchel full of law books, and hangs out his shingle at the newspaper office. John Ford's "Apology" Western 'Sergeant Rutledge' Starring Woody Strode Returning to DVD. Kalaeloa, 19462014), and a daughter, June. Cuenta con una puntuacin bastante buena en IMDb: 7.8 estrellas de 10. 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. [16], In 1952, Strode wrestled almost every week from August 12, 1952, to December 10, 1952, in different cities in California. 20072023 Blackpast.org. Valance gives him a choice: Leave town, or face him in a shootout on Main Street. Producers approached him in 1950 to portray a Maasai warrior in a "Bomba, the Jungle Boy" adventure flick. When a meeting is held to vote on statehood, Pompey sits outside on the porch. 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. Four years Strode's junior, Washington scampered for a 92-yard touchdown in 1947 and spent three seasons with the Rams before retiring. Strode and teammate Kenny Washington were among the best-known college football players in the nation. He signed with the Los Angeles Rams in 1946 alongside Kenny Washington, an electrifying rusher and college teammate at UCLA. Strodes best known role was the gladiator Draba in Stanley Kubricks Sparticus (1960). Acting wasnt his first passion, however, as football at Jefferson High School and UCLA brought him initial fame. Inducted into the National Multicultural Western Heritage Museum and Hall of Fame in 2012-13. 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) (1960's edition! 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). He appeared once on Johnny Weissmuller's 19551956 syndicated television series Jungle Jim and was in an episode of Private Secretary. TVTropes is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported License. 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. 1951: The Lion Hunters; Bride of the Gorilla. Strode moved north and won the Grey Cup with the 1948 Calgary Stampeders, Canadian pro football's only undefeated team. Stoddard believes so firmly in the law that he is willing to lose his life for his principles. His magnificent Western landscapes are always there, but as environment, not travelogue. "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." - IMDb Mini Biography By: 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. He wrestled professionally before rapt audiences. It was the only picture I did with Sergio Leonethe close ups were great, Strode said. I might have to kill you. He appeared in any number of other films, among them The Ten Commandments (1956). The film was based upon the 1959 novel Comanche Captives by Will Cook . ), TCM Remembers 1995 in Chronological Order, American actors who appeared in spaghetti westerns. He was billed as the Pacific Coast Heavyweight Wrestling Champion and the Pacific Coast Negro Heavyweight Wrestling Champion in 1962. But I must say I got a little smug about it. Strode is perhaps best remembered as the stoic slave gladiator in Spartacus (1960) who tells Kirk Douglas: I dont want to be your friend. "I once played a part written for an Irish prize fighter. Strode was a prolific performer, starring in his first . He simply does not have to say a word.". 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. 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. He had many murders on his conscience, and much enjoyed using a leather bullwhip. The newspaper editor prints the truth about Valance, and for his pains has his office trashed and is whipped nearly dead. He stayed in Europe to make another Western The Unholy Four (1970) and went back to Hollywood to do a TV movie Breakout (1970) and two Westerns The Deserter (also known as "The Devil's Backbone") (1971), and The Gatling Gun (1971). "It took skill to do that fight scene without actually hurting myself or hurting Douglas.". Born in Los Angeles, he was an athlete and a football star in his youth. 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. "You can't tell the story of the National Football League without telling the story of these four men," he added. It's clear they loved him. He also did professional wrestling and reportedly tussled with the renowned Gorgeous George. I said, All right, where are the pluckers?" Then Strode realised, I was out in the world market with a bald head. ", - IMDb Mini Biography By: 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. He once said his interracial marriage (to an Hawaiian princess)and integrating the NFLwere the few times that racism caused him concern. 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. Theyre like father and son.. We used to sit in the best seats at the Coconut Grove (a nightclub in the Ambassador Hotel) listening to Donald Novis sing. Strode had difficulty maintaining the momentum of these roles. Decathlete who also played football professionally in the CFL, and enjoyed a successful acting career. 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. Reveling in the win postgame, Strode rode a horse into the lobby of the team hotel. 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 . Bit of a game changer." Though Woody usually means well, he's not always the . 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. His last film was The Quick and the Dead (1995), which starred Sharon Stone, Gene Hackman, Leonardo DiCaprio, and Russell Crowe. Your donation is fully tax-deductible. 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. 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 United States. Despite the lack of opportunities for actors of color in his era, Woody Strode left a legacy worth revisiting. Played for the Calgary Stampeders in the Canadian Football League from 1948-49 before moving back to the US and beginning his film career. Years ago Shinbone was held in a grip of terror by the sadistic Liberty Valance (played by Lee Marvin in a performance evoking savage cruelty). 1942: Star Spangled Rhythm. Woody Strode spent decades in Hollywood working with larger-than-life names, including John Wayne, Elvis Presley and Kirk Douglas. How many . His regular portrayal of Native Americansin most of his western films like The Searchers, Stagecoach and his cavalry trilogy, Rio Grande She Wore A Yellow Ribbon and Fort Apache were as bloodthirsty savages. 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.. [2] Following the end of his football career in 1949, he returned to wrestling part-time between acting jobs until 1962, wrestling the likes of Gorgeous George. 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. And he was dressed in blue overalls, a blue work shirt and boots. "He is one of the most charismatic actors to work in American motion pictures. Legacies. While some reviewers and historians claim he could have been a more well-known and cast minority actor if not for his size and physically strong appearance, more along the lines of Sidney Poitier, a near contemporary, Hollywood of the past and present still has few positive roles outside of the stereotypical for ethnic males. 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. Woody Strode was a Black Indian (his grandmother was Black Cherokee and his grandfather was Black Muscogee) and an outstanding athlete. My dream is to play a Mexican bandit in the international market."[20]. Woody Strode Height, Weight & Measurements At 80 years old, Woody Strode height is 6' 4" (1.93 m) . If you're a nice guy, you can walk into a room anywhere in the world. 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). When World War II broke out, Strode was playing for the Hollywood Bears in the Pacific Coast Professional Football League. Strode last appeared on screen posthumously in 1995. 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World War II broke out, Strode said you ca n't tell story! 29 ] he is Tom 's farmhand and seems to be his only confidant, a protective presence ; always... The Gorilla best friend, was part of the scene of other,!