If we are to take Michael Munns 1976 interview with Woody Strode as fact, then Munns alleged interview with Lee Marvin, another Liberty Valance star, should also be considered. debut in 1941 in Henry Hathaway' s Sundown. Strode almost singlehandedly won the 1948 Grey Cup for the team. Strode, a member of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, died of lung cancer in Los Angeles in 1994 at the age of 80. In fact, Woody was already calling someone on his cell phone: Shawn. Jim replied that he thought the costume made Strode look a bit too much like Uncle Remus.. Strode, 32 when he signed, never got a chance to prove himself and was released after one season. Once Upon A Time in the West (1968) Also, he appeared in several episodes of the 1952-1954 television series Ramar of the Jungle, where he portrayed an African warrior. Given his love of talking too much, and going entirely too in depth on the worst subjects, that's not a surprise at all. 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. Decathlete who also played football professionally in the CFL, and enjoyed a successful acting career. Over the past several decades, more and more pro wrestlers are capitalizing on their work in pro wrestling to work in Hollywood as bonafide stars in the movie industry. Then he asked Stewart to come over. Im glad that it clears up that rumor about him. The Hollywood Reporter is a part of Penske Media Corporation. There's no easier way to put it: Woody is weird. 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. Colpo in canna (1975) Jimmy Stewart worked with several black actors and entertainers throughout his career, including Hal Williams, Woody Strode, Lillian Randolph, Louis Armstrong, and Duke Ellington. He went on to play in the Canadian Football League before becoming a prolific Hollywood actor,. The leader's evil brother is plotting to prevent the youthful heir from assuming his rightful position. Noi non siamo angeli (1975) In his role as the Coroner (and later Assistant Coroner) for the Santa Barbara Police Department, Woody often gets far too involved and far too close for comfort with all of the dead bodies that come his way. Strode lived in Italy for five years and made 12 films there. The Pioneers is an on-going series looking at some of the earliest pioneers of professional wrestling as we know it, from the wrestlers to promoters to trainers who helped shape professional wrestling around the world. Ive updated the section to include more facts specific to the show. His words, actions, and moral code prove the fallacy of any rumor to the contrary. He served as a caregiver to Ford in his final years and was at Fords deathbed in 1973. Click here to subscribe. Woody Strode. As a black man I should know better by now, and am glad that I decided to look further into the matter. 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). > Sporting Connection I'm glad you made it.. I was a big James Stewart fan until I read he was racist. Aka: The Million Dollar Fire Your email address will not be published. It changed my outlook on many other things and renewed my faith in mankind, thank you. Kanters interview includes his overwhelmingly positive insights on both Jim and working on The Jimmy Stewart Show (1971-1972). Androcoles and the Lion (1952) Woody Strode and Jimmy Stewart in The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance (1962). > The Artist Canvas The Lion Hunters (1951) The FBI agent character was written out of The Jimmy Stewart Show after Stewart objected to NBC. 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 often offers his opinions and most candid thoughts at the least appropriate moments. He's a baffling combination of crass and innocent, and all of his interactions with every member of the series' primary cast are always guaranteed to bring a laugh. Subscribe for full access to The Hollywood Reporter. Aka: The Last Warrior We both gotta be professionals. The Black Stallion Returns (1983) Buruuba (1955) As Kanter recalled, Jim didnt like the idea of a black police officer lecturing him on television, and threatened to use his casting approval to get Hal Williams out of the show. Well written, thank you. Youd never see them in the big department stores. In its pages African American studies intellectuals, community activists, and national and international political leaders come to grips with basic issues confronting black America and Africa. He majored in history and education. Also Stewart even stayed up late much to director Premingers chagrin during Anatomy Of A Murder to play with Duke Ellington. Terrible rumors about Jimmy Stewarts beliefs have sprung from an interview that possibly never occurred. Kingdom of the Spiders (1977) Ford was so impressed with Strode, he gave him the starring role in 1960s Sergeant Rutledge, a Technicolor Western about a U.S. Cavalry sergeant falsely accused of raping a white woman and killing her father. To answer your question: Hal Kanter is the only primary source to say that Jimmy had issue with the casting of Hal Williams. End of story. Apparently, that tendency to over share can get even worse than what viewers are already used to. Hulk Hogan peaked with his first entry inRocky III, while Jesse The Body Ventura became a reliable sideman in films like PredatorandThe Running Man, as well as other wrestlers like Diamond Dallas Page, Edge, John Morrison, and many more. Williams has never addressed Kanters allegations, nor has he said that Jimmy mistreated him. City Beneath the Sea (1953) 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. Tarzans Three Challenges (1963) Your email address will not be published. The Alleged Woody Strode Interview Michael Munn's dangerous habit of mixing truth with exaggeration and fallacy calls his alleged interview with Woody Strode into question. 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. Hal Kanter is our only primary source on the alleged conversation. Jimmy Stewart has deserved an article like this for a long time. Aka:The Violent Breed I wanted to set the record straight, for Jim and all of us who admire his remarkable work and life. Do you find this information helpful? Horror Safari (1982) And, as my article highlights, Hal Williams was not fired from The Jimmy Stewart Show. If Jim had an issue with casting a black actor, why was Williams not fired? In 1941, he began working as a professional wrestler, and in 1946, he and Washington became the first two African-American football players to play in the NFL, when they signed with the Los Angeles Rams. Michael Munns integrity as a biographer has been questioned. A hilarious subplot within the episode finds Woody and Carlton "Lassie" Lassiter waking up snuggled up together, and left to wonder exactly what transpired between the two of them the night before. Sundown (1941). 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. 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). Strode died in his sleep at his home in Glendora, California of lung cancer on December 31, 1994. Even Munns publisher, Jeromy Robson of JR Books, admits to having seen only a few of Munns interview reference materials, and that for the most part, he must trust Munns good memory for dialogue as the only proof that any of these alleged interviews occurred. All I heard was Ford saying that Stewart didnt like Negroes, and that made me mad at Stewart, and Stewart was just even more uncomfortable around me.. Also in the Munn interview, Strode relates an incident in which. Request Permissions. The Harder They Fall, the Black Western in theaters now and on Netflix on Nov. 3, owes a tip of the Stetson to Woody Strode, one of the NFLs first Black players (he signed briefly with the Los Angeles Rams in 1946), who later found a niche playing strong, silent types in Westerns. RELATED:Psych: 10 Best Gus Nicknames, Ranked. 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. As an African American, the rumor was disturbing which is why I searched for the facts behind the rumor. I dont know if Stewart was a racist but he was a staunch supporter of Nixon, Reagan and the illegal US invasion of Vietnam. best of friends ever since they were children, Psych 2: Lassie Come Home: 10 Easter Eggs You Totally Missed. His last film was The Quick and the Dead, which starred Sharon Stone. In fact I dont think he even likes Negroes.. 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 praised Ford in a 1960 interview. you have laid my thoughts about him to rest, and that he truly was a good, good man. Required fields are marked *. Storyville (1992) Despite his romance with Dinah Shore in the 1940s Stewart was also known to express some mildly anti-Semitic views during the counterculture movement. And really, that says everything someone needs to know about Woody. The Ten Commandments (1956) As the two actors filmed an exterior shot on a horse-drawn cart, Wayne was close to losing control of the horses. The Quick & The Dead (1995) A Los Angeles native, he excelled in athletics at UCLA in the late 1930s, where he was explosive as a decathlete as well as part of the college football team that also included Jackie Robinson he, Robinson, and future NFL starKenny Washington made up three of the four backfields and were dubbed the Gold Dust Gang by the press. The episode "Last Night Gus" isn't just a real highlight for Psych but for Woody's character and his bizarre humor, too. Im delighted to put the rumors about him to rest. But Kanter says that Jimmy mixed up the roles: he explained to Jim that Hal Williams had not been cast as a police officer, but as an FBI agent in a different episode. An athlete turned actor, Strode was a top-notch decathlete and a football star at UCLA. Freedom, brotherhood, and equality were issues Jimmy Stewart clearly felt strongly about, for he returned to headline American Brotherhood Week the following year. Before judging Jimmy Stewarts character by the recollections of one man 25 years after an alleged conversation occurred, consider the facts that can be confirmed: Based on the facts that can be confirmed, Hal Kanters anecdote cannot be used as evidence that Jimmy Stewart was racist. Cutting Her Down to Size? Hal Kanter is our only primary source to say that Jimmy had an issue with the casting of Hal Williams. Terrible rumors about Jimmy Stewarts beliefs have sprung from an interview that possibly never occurred. But Kanter says that Jimmy mixed up the roles: he explained to Jim that Hal Williams had not been cast as a police officer, but as an FBI agent in a different episode. Katharine Hepburn & Woman of the Year, Roasted Sweet Potatoes with Chickpeas and Tarragon Tahini. The season eight episode "Someone's Got A Woody" finds poor Woody being held captive in the morgue, even as he works to help prove his abductor's innocence. Apr 2: WWE WrestleMania Munn says Frank Sinatra made him an honorary member of the Rat Pack after the two sang duets together for a laugh. Munn says he regrets turning down a marriage proposal from the beautiful Lynne Frederick, the tortured widow of Peter Sellers, and that Steve McQueen opened up to him on a secret four day motorcycle off-roading excursion. This article looks at Woody Strode, an early African-American and Native American star who left pro wrestling in the early 1960s to become an actor in Hollywood for decades. He also did professional wrestling and reportedly tussled with the renowned Gorgeous George. My grandparents were not especially anti-Semitic, but admitted they would not support Jewish political candidates. Jim was boiling mad as he grabbed the actor by the shirt and threatened to beat him to an unrecognizable pulp if he ever used the word around Jim again. Jungle Man-Eaters (1954) Michael Munns 2005 biography, Jimmy Stewart: The Truth Behind the Legend[aff. After World War II Woody and Kenny Washington became the first blacks to play in the NFL. Interesting to see that there are actually people out there who are hell-bent on believing that Jimmy was racist. For terms and use, please refer to our Terms and Conditions So thank you for this I really really appreciate it. Stewart was of the same opinion. He lives in Windsor, Ontario, Canada, with his wife and son. Jamie Greer joined LWOPW in 2015 and was the site's Managing Editor from 2016 through 2020. I am a black American who was heartbroken when I heard this aweful rumor. A footnote in the life of a great man. Sergeant Rutledge (1960) The show keeps things as PG as it can when it comes to his involvement with the cadavers he analyzes. Aka: Boot Hill She's been living in a galaxy far, far away since she was 11 years old, though she makes the occasional stop in Themyscira, Hawkins, and Westeros - and she wouldn't have it any other way. link]. Bit of a game changer." Though Woody usually means well, he's not always the . Was Vera-Ellen Anorexic in White Christmas? This story first appeared in the Nov. 3 issue of The Hollywood Reporter magazine. Regarding your claim that Jimmy expressed mildly anti-Semitic views: Ive never found any evidence to support this, either. 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! I wanted to crawl into a mouse hole, Stewart recalled. 'The Harder They Fall' owes a tip of the hat to the pro footballer turned actor, who played the title role in one of the first mainstream films to plainly address racism. The stated primary focus of the 1947 campaign was: to enroll as many people as possible in the fight against racial intolerance, bigotry, and discrimination.. According to Woody, he's even less in control of himself, and all of his faculties, when tickling is involved. Well researched! I find a lot of this evidence unconvincing. It was his enduring appeal in Western films that lead to him being immortalized in tribute by Pixar films the Tom Hanks voiced cowboy toy Woody in theToy Storyseries was named Woody after Woody Strode. Reviews. As James Stewart explained it, Woody Strode, the actor who was playing Waynes characters best friend, was part of the scene. > Collectibles He's also written for Pro Wrestling Illustrated, WrestleZone, The Windsor Star, and other publications. Aug 5: WWE SummerSlam, > Archives from the bottom of my heart, thank you so much. 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 . link]. Film historian and author Donald Bogle explains Fords handling of race in the film compared to his previous work and the representation of the real life Buffalo Soldiers of the Old West. However, while on a trip to London, he caught her in bed with a wealthy night club owner named Siegi Sessler and again the relationship almost foundered. What is it whats the idea? And I said, I dont know!, And I didnt know, Stewart added. His fellow Gold Dust Gang member Jackie Robinson would break the color barrier in Major League Baseball a year later in 1947. Pork Chop Hill (1959) Katerina is a List Writer here at Screen Rant with a background in literary criticism and creative writing. Che! For Jimmy Stewart, Duke Ellington was responsible for the best part of each evening: [Duke] played for us in the dining room at night, until ten, eleven, which was great fun for us.. But as a key supporting player, Woody is absolutely perfect, and his many oddities are all the more welcome because of that. Apr 1: WWE WrestleMania A rumor casts a shadow on the legacy of Jimmy Stewart. He clearly was a conservative, but I can live with that. When Strode tried to help him, Duke knocked his co-star away. 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. While at UCLA, he met his future wife when the football team was playing the University of Hawaii in Honolulu Hawaiian princess Luukialunan Kalaeloa. How many games did . But then, towards the end of filming, the director asked the Ranse star what he made of Strodes costume for the beginning and the end of the film when their characters were portrayed as 25 years older. Additionally, the. I can go back to my original thought, that he wasnt racist. Released in 1960, when the U.S. was in the early stages of the Civil Rights Movement, the film confronted racial injustice head on. Feb 11 Mar 6, 2022. All Rights Reserved. Er verffentlichte theologische und philosophische Schriften, Arbeiten zur Musik, insbesondere zu Johann Sebastian Bach, sowie autobiographische Schriften in zahlreichen und vielbeachteten Werken.. 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. A small donation would help us keep this available to all. In 1962, he retired from pro wrestling to concentrate on his film career, which exploded after his role in John Fords Sergeant Rutledge, and then his first starring role in the Western The Professionalsthat starred Lee Marvin and Burt Lancaster in 1966. Munn insists that he was the confidant of nearly every great Classic Hollywood Star, a declaration he made only after all of these stars passed. Besides marking Calgarys first Grey Cup championship, the 1948 game proved to be a turning point in Grey Cup lore as well. So this week, lets resolve to live in harmony with our fellow man.. Six decades later, the film continues to attract attention because it was one of the first mainstream films in the U.S. to treat racism frankly and to give a starring role to an African-American actor. Aka: Chuck Moll Son of Sinbad (1955) Thanks so much for your kind words, and for reading! All Rights Reserved. Im so glad that you decided to do your own research, and that you came across my article. Vigilante (1983) Woody Strode was 6-3 (190 cm) tall. It would be interesting to hear Janes thoughts. Tarzans Fight for Life (1958) Demetrius and the Gladiators (1954) 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.). He played in the Pacific Coast Football League for the Hollywood Bears prior to enlisting in the US Air Force during World War II. In an interview given before he died, Stewart once described the toll that Fords meanness took on Wayne. As they were preparing to shoot, Ford came up to Stewart and asked, What do you think of Woodys costume?. He had a problem with a black guy doing that. as a Black American, years ago, I read that Jimmy was racist. According to Peter Fonda, the sheer fact that Jimmy Stewart was best friends with Peters father. He was interred with military honors at Riverside National Cemetery, east of his hometown.. Woody's whispered warning - "Don't pick up" - is easily one of the series' best line deliveries. Excellent points Dennis, thanks for commenting! Jim spoke of his Hollywood career in a series of interviews with journalist James Bawden between 1971 and 1983 [aff. Regarding your claim that the FBI agent character was written out of The Jimmy Stewart Show after Stewart objected to NBC: in my extensive research on the subject, Ive never found any evidence to support this. Thanks for reading, Luke. The Revengers (1972) Of course, Robinson would go on to break major league baseballs colour barrier in 1947. Cuba Crossing (1980) 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. They broke the NFLs modern colour barrier the year before, suiting up for the Los Angeles Rams. Angkor: Cambodia Express (1982) 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. She has a passion for character-driven stories with dynamic but flawed leads, and a special weakness for all things 1980s. It was Donald Deweys 1997 biography of Jimmy Stewart [aff. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Scipione detto anche lafricano (1971) Im delighted that you took the time too elaborate on its origins. Aka: Scipio the African But Woody's own behaviors raise plenty of questions about his intentions, including his admission that he's "been playing with dead things since [he] was a toddler.". Afterwards, Lee Marvin remembered seeing both. Tarzans Deadly Silence (1970), Ciakmull Luuomo della vendetta (1970) Strode also played the powerful gladiator who does battle with Kirk Douglas in Spartacus (1960)." Michael Munns dangerous habit of mixing truth with exaggeration and fallacy calls his alleged interview with. Tha Gatling Gun (1973) That means everything, working with a man like that. Ford and Strode would also work together on Two Rode Together, and The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance. Jimmy Stewart was not racist. "I know Gus well." "Shawn." "Him too. Woody Strode, the football player turned actor who had supporting roles in John Wayne films and costume period epics such as "Spartacus" and "The Ten Commandments," has died at age 80. Strode played as an End with the Rams in 1946, playing in 10 games that season. He was always magnificent with a no-nonsense style and quiet intellect that no athlete-turned actor has ever surpassed. Retro book review: Strodes story a fascinating read, WOODY STRODES MOVIES For Jims take on working with John Ford and the Uncle Remus incident, listen to his 1969 account below. Youre so right, Jims own words and actions prove that he was not racist. > Obituary Archive He died the following year at age 80. Every old Hollywood fan should read this. 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. The sheer fact that he shares the anecdote is evidence that Jim did not have any racist behavior to hide. The two became friends, and Ford later gave Wayne his breakthrough role in Stagecoach, the film that launched Wayne to Hollywood stardom. According to Woody, he's even less in control of himself, and all of his faculties, when tickling is involved. 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. Michael Munns books are unreliable. I refer you back to my section on The Jimmy Stewart Show for the facts behind the casting of Hal Williams. Bill Fryes exact words to biographer Marc Elliot about Jim turning down Mockingbird were: He turned down To Kill a Mockingbird because he felt the racial thing was too controversialtoo liberal really, but he would never say it that way..
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