Woody Strode. How tall was Woody Strode? 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 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. I might have to kill you. He appeared in any number of other films, among them The Ten Commandments (1956). 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. Strode's Associated Press obituary praised his work in Westerns and period dramas, but didn't mention the trail he blazed on the gridiron. 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. 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. 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. His more modest and more successful western, also made for Warners, and released four years earlier, in 1960, Sergeant Rutledge is remarkable and pretty advanced for its period. We heard stories about Kenny Washington where he was just battered throughout the entire football game.". Everyone in Shinbone hates Liberty Valance, but they're powerless against him and his two sidekicks, one of them a giggling fool. 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 The Legend of Woody Strode. 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. Files are available under licenses specified on their description page. Besides, there is a complication. He was billed as the Pacific Coast Heavyweight Wrestling Champion and the Pacific Coast Negro Heavyweight Wrestling Champion in 1962. 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. Strode was in Storyville (1992), and Posse (1992), working with director Mario Van Peebles. In 1980, Strode was inducted into the Black Filmmakers Hall of Fame. [23], He did The Italian Connection (1972), for which he was paid $150,000. But hes eventually taken in by his own men to face trial. Country. He served in the U.S. Army Air Corps during World War II, unloading bombs in the Pacific. (1979), and an episode of Buck Rogers in the 25th Century (1979). This is fascism against democracy: the tyranny of the strongman over the ordinary people. Not until 1946 did the two suit up for the . 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. 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)). Ford passed away in 1974. According to Disneyland Vice President Tony Baxter, "In 1954. There is a purity to the John Ford style. Prior to 1946, he played semi-pro football. The 5/6/70 issue of "Variety", in the Italian Films Shooting column, lists the movie "Violence" filming in Morocco, director. Woody lived in a modest home overlooking Glendora and the San Gabriel Valley, north east of Los Angeles about 25 miles. 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. Had a longtime affair with troubled actress. English. "It's heart and guts. And he was dressed in blue overalls, a blue work shirt and boots. [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. Youd have thought I was marrying Lana Turner, they way Whites in Hollywood acted, he recalled. I make westerns.. Who Is Woody Strode's Wife? But no pro team would draft African Americans. 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. Woodrow Wilson Woody Strode (1914-1994) was one of the most prolific and reliable African American actors of a generation. Rams owner Dan Reeves didn't like that Strode's marriage was interracial: his first wife, Luana, was descended from a Hawaiian queen. Sergeant Rutledge is a 1960 western film from Warner Brothers and the director John Ford. . I'm glad you made it.. "It had dignity. Get the latest trending sports news daily in your inbox, UCLA hires D'Anton Lynn as defensive coordinator, Harbaugh: Michigan good place to be despite challenges, Georgia's Dumas-Johnson charged with reckless driving. 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 arranges his characters within the frame to reflect power dynamics--or sometimes to suggest a balance is changing. [16], In 1952, Strode wrestled almost every week from August 12, 1952, to December 10, 1952, in different cities in California. Actor William Holden and Ernest Borgnine and Woody Strode pose for the movie "The Revengers" in 1972. The scripts for these were variable but Strode later said "Me, I didn't care. Kalaeloa, 19462014), and a daughter, June. Ransom Stoddard believes in the U. S. Constitution, the rule by law, the trust in government. He was popular for being a Football Player. Acting wasnt his first passion, however, as football at Jefferson High School and UCLA brought him initial fame. 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. 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. It asks the question: Does a man need to carry a gun in order to disagree or state an opinion? [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. After the war, he worked at serving subpoenas and escorting prisoners for the L.A. County District Attorney's Office. http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Creator/WoodyStrode. 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! 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. They were married until her death in 1980 from Parkinson's disease. Cattlemen do not. In a film with Lee Marvin's snarl, Andy Devine's squeaky voice and the accent of the Swedes, John Wayne as usual provides the calm center, never trying for an effect. Waterfield laughs and says: You sons of bitches, youre living good., Strode by then was in his early 30s and his football days were numbered. Farmers want statehood. - IMDb Mini Biography By: " [20], Strode was in Che! 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. John Ford put classic words in my mouth.". How much did Woody Strode weigh when playing? "The big studios wanted an actor like Sidney [Poitier] or [Harry] Belafonte," recalled Strode. 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). 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. And he was dressed in blue overalls, a blue work shirt and boots. In an interview given before he died, Stewart once described the toll that Fords meanness took on Wayne. "I had a certain amount of crudeness that went back a hundred years, and that's what he liked. I've done everything but play an Anglo-Saxon. [24], In 2021, he was inducted into the Hall of Great Westerners of the National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum. Stoddard believes so firmly in the law that he is willing to lose his life for his principles. Meanwhile, Motley ran rampant as a Browns halfback and Willis was an All-Pro defensive tackle, which landed them Hall of Fame nods as players. "I'll continue to work in Europe because I'm a star there," Strode said in 1982, per TCM. Robinson debuted in the majors with the Brooklyn Dodgers on April 15, 1947, breaking the color barrier in that sport several months after his Bruins teammates reached the NFL. Woodrow Wilson Woolwine Strode (July 25, 1914 - December 31, 1994) was an American athlete and actor. In 1975, he won the Pulitzer Prize for distinguished criticism. Subscribe to our newsletter for new stories, tips & events. 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. He guest starred on The Man from Blackhawk (1960). The others were Bill Willis and. Also, he appeared in several episodes of the 19521954 television series Ramar of the Jungle, where he portrayed an African warrior. When the legend becomes fact, print the legend. I don't know if they ever will be. It takes place in the town of Shinbone, in an unnamed territory that is moving toward a vote on statehood. It's clear they loved him. If you're a nice guy, you can walk into a room anywhere in the world. As they were preparing to shoot, Ford came up to Stewart and asked, What do you think of Woodys costume?. I will not go into details because the suspense should not be spoiled. 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). "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." Strode had difficulty maintaining the momentum of these roles. Broken ribs and an ailing shoulder spurred Strode to retire in 1949. After football, he went on to become a film actor, where he was nominated for a Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actor for his role in Spartacus in 1960. Woody Strode weighed 205 lbs (92 kg) when playing. Woody Strode (1914-1994) 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. He was both successful and a popular draw, but he gave up wrestling due to his popularity in motion pictures. 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.. 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. "Race is not a factor in the world market," he said in 1981. "You'd have thought I was marrying Lana Turner, the way the whites in Hollywood acted," he later said. Stagecoach (1939 trailer screenshots) (11 F) Media in category "Stagecoach (1939 film)" The following 4 files are in this category, out of 4 total. 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. Forego a bottle of soda and donate its cost to us for the information you just learned, and feel good about helping to make it available to everyone. Woody Strode played 10 games over his career. Never thought of them as brothers though. Woody played for the Los Angeles Rams after their move from Cleveland. Woody played for the Los Angeles Rams after their move from Cleveland. Two Rode Together is a 1961 American Western film directed by John Ford and starring James Stewart, Richard Widmark, and Shirley Jones. At 6-foot-4 and 210 pounds, Strode was an athletic marvel in his prime. 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. A small donation would help us keep this available to all. 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. What a cast! 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. After his football career, he went on to become a film actor, where he was nominated for a Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actor for his role in Spartacus in 1960. "[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]. Reveling in the win postgame, Strode rode a horse into the lobby of the team hotel. Played for the Calgary Stampeders in the Canadian Football League from 1948-49 before moving back to the US and beginning his film career. Producers approached him in 1950 to portray a Maasai warrior in a "Bomba, the Jungle Boy" adventure flick. No sentimentality or hopeful message. This quartet struck a blow for racial inclusiveness in pro football as Black Americans sought it nationwide. Strode was very close to the director. 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. This past August in Canton, Ohio, family members accepted the Ralph Hay Pioneer Award on the players' behalf at the enshrinement gala that precedes the NFL season. 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. 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. Strode had an excellent support part in The Last Voyage (1960) playing a heroic stoker, though he was only billed fifth. More tributes followed. Another well-known role was Pompey, John Waynes servant in The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance (1962). 1951: The Lion Hunters; Bride of the Gorilla. - IMDb Mini Biography By: He also did professional wrestling and reportedly tussled with the renowned Gorgeous George. But the hotel we found was integratedand Count Basie was playing thereand we were fine. He could beat Glenn Morris, the 1936 Olympic gold-medal decathlete, in . In town, he's nursed back to health by Nora and Peter Ericson, two recent Swedish immigrants who run the local chowhouse. 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." 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? '"[12] He also said, "On the Pacific Coast there wasn't anything we couldn't do. 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. He was also a professional wrestler, wrestling the likes of Gorgeous George. 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: 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. Boston Globe December 20, 1981: 1. In 1946 he was one of the first blacks to play in the National Football League. John Ford has gone down as one of the greatest directors ever in film history. Otherwise, we would have been inMonument ValleyorBrackettvilleand we would have had colour stock. 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