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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. Weve dissected the fallacies behind the rumor that Jimmy Stewart was a racist. Born in Los Angeles in 1914, Woodrow Wilson Woolwine Strode died at age 80 on New Year's Eve 1994. The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance (1962) debut in 1941 in Henry Hathaway' s Sundown. Woody Strode was a Black Indian (his grandmother was Black Cherokee and his grandfather was Black Muscogee) and an outstanding athlete. On Fire (TV) (1987) Michael Munns 2005 biography, Jimmy Stewart: The Truth Behind the Legend[aff. This unnamed actor used the n word to refer to Woody Strode. Strode almost singlehandedly won the 1948 Grey Cup for the team. Woody 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. As a black man I should know better by now, and am glad that I decided to look further into the matter. Retro book review: Strodes story a fascinating read, WOODY STRODES MOVIES Woody Strode movie reviews & film summaries | Roger Ebert. A decorated football player at UCLA before joining teammate Kenny Washington in breaking the NFL's color barrier in 1946, Strode eventually drew the attention of . Your email address will not be published. > WrestleMania, Designed by Elegant Themes | Powered by WordPress, Hockey injury led to wrestling for Karl Von Stroheim. TIMES STAFF WRITER. Strode was born in Los Angeles on July 25, 1914, the son . In a heated confrontation toward the end of the film with one of the movie's villains, Woody identifies himself: "I'm the assistant coroner, b*tch! Michael Munns dangerous habit of mixing truth with exaggeration and fallacy calls his alleged interview with Woody Strode into question. I am so glad that I can watch his movies again! Part African American and part Native American, Strodes first big break was in 1960s Spartacus, as the Ethiopian gladiator whose death sparks a rebellion. Actors Woody Strode and Lee Marvin, who also collaborated four years earlier in "The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance," are seen chatting in Death Valley while filming director Richard Brooks . You could smell the orange blossoms. I encourage you to read my full article for further insights into the character of Jimmy Stewart. as a Black American, years ago, I read that Jimmy was racist. In fact, Woody was already calling someone on his cell phone: Shawn. In this, the last interview Strode ever gave, he expresses only respect for Jimmy Stewart, calling Jim one of the screens greatest actors.. Founded in 1969 and hailed by The New York Times as a journal in which the writings of many of todays finest black thinkers may be viewed, THE BLACK SCHOLAR has firmly established itself as the leading journal of black cultural and political thought in the United States and remains under the editorship of Robert Chrisman, Editor-In-Chief, Robert Allen, Senior Editor, and Maize Woodford, Executive Editor. I was a big James Stewart fan until I read he was racist. Tarzans Three Challenges (1963) At one point in their conversations, Jim shared that his 1934 arrival in Los Angeles was marred only by the obvious mistreatment of the black community. Con Jock Mahoney, Woody Strode, Tsu Kobayashi, Earl Cameron. Woody has appeared in key roles in bothPsych the Movie andPsych 2: Lassie Come Home, but it's one particular moment in the first film that ranks at the top of the list when it comes to his best quotes. A rumor casts a shadow on the legacy of Jimmy Stewart. For his book, Dewey interviewed the producer of Jimmys 1971 television show, writer Hal Kanter. 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. I'm glad you made it.. Cuba Crossing (1980) Shalako (1968) It was on the set of 1959s Pork Chop Hill, a Korean War film, that Strode met John Ford (though Ford was not the director; Lewis Milestone and star Gregory Peck shared the credit). The season seven episode "Office Space" is another memorable episode in the series' run. A recently posed question casts a shadow on the otherwise pristine legacy of Jimmy Stewart. Thanks for commenting. Woody Strode, Black Representation and John Ford's SERGEANT RUTLEDGE - YouTube John Ford wasn't afraid to explore bigotry in his films, but Sergeant Rutledge is a standout and the first. Strode appeared in several subsequent Ford films, though never in a starring capacity. According to the Munn interview, it took Woody Strode years to realize that it was John Fords cruel maneuverings, not anything Jimmy Stewart actually said, that created the tension Strode felt on the Liberty Valance set: I was too young at the time to realize Ford was using me to get at Stewart. Strode, a member of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, died of lung cancer in Los Angeles in 1994 at the age of 80. In USA Network's Psych, Coroner Woody Strode is easily the weirdest character, but he also has some of the series' funniest quotes. I want to thank you for your research into one of my favorite actors. For nearly two decades he remained a pioneer against racism in the film and television industry. Stewart was never rude to mehe was never rude to anyone. It took skill to do that fight scene without actually hurting myself or hurting Douglas., Kirk Douglas faces off with Woody Strode in Spartacus, He left for Italy in 1969, frustrated with the lack of meaty roles as an African-American. He played in the Pacific Coast Football League for the Hollywood Bears prior to enlisting in the US Air Force during World War II. Every old Hollywood fan should read this. Thanks for reading, Luke. For Jims take on working with John Ford and the Uncle Remus incident, listen to his 1969 account below. Strode was a gladiator in Demetrius and the Gladiators (1954) and was in Jungle Man-Eaters (1954), a Jungle . Woody Strode has not been elected into the Hall of Fame. She has a passion for character-driven stories with dynamic but flawed leads, and a special weakness for all things 1980s. To answer your question: Hal Kanter is the only primary source to say that Jimmy had issue with the casting of Hal Williams. Son of Sinbad (1955) Im so glad you searched for the facts and came across my article. Holmes. but i had also read the story of him sticking up for Strode, so I didnt know what to believe. American Brotherhood Week, sponsored by the National Conference of Christians and Jews, was meant to encourage not just religious tolerance, but acceptance and equality for all races and nationalities. Im delighted to put the rumors about him to rest. Kanters interview includes his overwhelmingly positive insights on both Jim and working on The Jimmy Stewart Show (1971-1972). If the interview did in fact occur, Munn quotes Strode as saying that, on the set of The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance, Jimmy Stewart was too decent a person to be a hard-case racist, but that Strode believed Jim was uncomfortable around him. Im so glad you found my article, and Im beyond happy to hear that you can enjoy Jimmys films once more. Two teammates at UCLA were Jackie Robinson and Kenny Washington. 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]. He served as a caregiver to Ford in his final years and was at Ford's deathbed in 1973. I can go back to my original thought, that he wasnt racist. 20072023 Blackpast.org. And strangely enough, Duke Wayne who, over the years, you know, has made lots of pictures with Ford Duke Wayne has been at the bottom of the list, in the barrel, more than anybody else. Sharing hotel, meals, and a piano jam session on and off film with Duke Ellington. debut in 1941 in Henry Hathaway' s Sundown. Aka: Scipio the African 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). Its further worth noting that in his 1990 autobiography [ aff. Thanks again for reading, and thanks so much for commenting! Actor: Spartacus. Jim hit it off particularly well with Duke Ellington during filming of 1959s Anatomy of a Murder, for which Ellington made history as the first black musician to compose the score for a major Hollywood production. Jamie Greer joined LWOPW in 2015 and was the site's Managing Editor from 2016 through 2020. Horror Safari (1982) But in the early 1960s, it was Woody Strode who really broke the mold for professional wrestlers to appear in Hollywood films without just portraying pro wrestlers. Id play a Viking with blue contact lenses and a blond wig if I could. (Proving the point: In Androcles and the Lion, Strode actually dressed as the lion.). 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. One of the most memorable episodes ofPsych is "Last Night Gus," which allows the series to payhomage toThe Hangover. > Music I am so glad that I read this article. The Hollywood Reporter is a part of Penske Media Corporation. > Canadian Hall of Fame This may include adverts from us and 3rd parties based on our understanding. Euer Weg fhrt durch die Hlle (1984) Your donation is fully tax-deductible. (1969) (See The American Creed video in my article above.). Stewart was of the same opinion. 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. He wasnt just an athlete on a scholarship at UCLA, he was an academic. I am a black American who was heartbroken when I heard this aweful rumor. We dont know why Jimmy turned down Mockingbird. We need him!, In the end, Wayne told Strode: We gotta work together. ), Wrestling was next on his resume. By 1960, he was starting to garner more attention from Hollywood producers, and after roles inPork Chop Hill (1959), The Last Voyage (1960), andSpartacus(1960), Hollywood deemed he was no longer an extra and deserved more attention. The Last Rebel (1971) Which is sort of remarkable, because they love each other. Where was Woody Strode born? How tall was Woody Strode? And yet, it's impossible to get enough of him, even when he crosses every line and oversteps every boundary. Well, perhaps desperately isn't the right word. Thanks again for reading! Under coach Les Lear, the young team made it to the Grey Cup, November 27, 1948, set to face the Ottawa Roughriders. Western icon John Wayne had a legendary collaboration with director John Ford that lasted five decades and transformed both mens careers. During the interview, when we are alone, Strode is relaxed and easy to talk with almost as if he had discovered a long lost relative and was eager to reconstruct the past. Shawn and Gus try to convince Woody to keep quiet, but Woody warns them that he will tell anyone who he comes across. Click here to subscribe. In 1990, Strodes autobiography, Goal Dust, was published. 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). Jim replied that he thought the costume made Strode look a bit too much like Uncle Remus.. He would retire from pro football after that first season. Aka: Chuck Moll Also, his agent Bill Frye, in Jimmy Stewart: A Biography, says that Stewart turned down the role of Atticus Finch in Mockingbird because he was uncomfortable with the liberal racial tone (though without using those words). Thankfully, the show never subjected Woody - or viewers - to that possibility. In the alleged interview, Woody Strode never uses the word racist to describe Jimmy Stewart. Race is not a factor in the world market, he said in a 1982 interview with the Globe and Mail. The sheer fact that he shares the anecdote is evidence that Jim did not have any racist behavior to hide. In the Grey Cup game, Strode grabbed a misplayed lateral pass by Ottawa quarterback Peter Karpuk off the ground, and lumbered almost to the end zone. Jimmy Stewart has deserved an article like this for a long time. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. ", NEXT:Psych 2: Lassie Come Home: 10 Easter Eggs You Totally Missed. I have watched his films since I was a teenager and hoped that this rumor was untrue. Of course, Robinson would go on to break major league baseballs colour barrier in 1947. But as a key supporting player, Woody is absolutely perfect, and his many oddities are all the more welcome because of that. ", Strode blamed Ford for almost all the tension on The Man From Liberty Valances set. His recollection of several details that are easily checked is inaccurate. Woodrow Wilson Woolwine "Woody" Strode (July 25, 1914 - December 31, 1994) born in Los Angeles, was a football and track star at UCLA, playing alongside Jackie Robinson on the Bruins squad. Noi non siamo angeli (1975) Michael Munns books are unreliable. There are different takes over why, including that he thought it was a better medium. American actor Woody Strode on the set of Sergeant Rutledge, directed by John Ford. By the late 1960s, he moved to Europe and became a regular in the Italian (Spaghetti) Western genre. That never happens in a more hilarious manner than during a conversation with Henry Spencer about his sonwho Woody believes is Gus. De Mille (The Ten Commandments as the King of Ethiopia); Stanley Kubrick (Spartacus); and Sergio Leone (Once Upon a Time in the West). Jims plea underscores his belief in peace, freedom, and equality for all: This is Jimmy Stewart reminding you that this is Brotherhood week; a week reminding us all that the world of the future must be built on the recognition of the rights of each individual, whatever his color, creed, or national background. And Duke came up to me one day and said, Hows it come that youve gone through this whole thing and youve never been at the bottom of the list? Spartacus (1991) You can always count on LWOPW to be on top of the major news in the wrestling world, as well as to provide you with analysis, previews, videos, interviews, and editorials on the wrestling world. His wrestling career? Building on two centuries' experience, Taylor & Francis has grown rapidlyover the last two decades to become a leading international academic publisher.The Group publishes over 800 journals and over 1,800 new books each year, coveringa wide variety of subject areas and incorporating the journal imprints of Routledge,Carfax, Spon Press, Psychology Press, Martin Dunitz, and Taylor & Francis.Taylor & Francis is fully committed to the publication and dissemination of scholarly information of the highest quality, and today this remains the primary goal.