Is Woody Strode in the Hall of Fame? In the interview, Marvin relates an incident where Jimmy Stewart actively opposed the racist behavior of another actor on set. I can find no evidence to suggest that Jimmys support of Barry Goldwater in the 1964 presidential election was based on Goldwaters civil rights voting record. Ford discovered Wayne, then Marion Morrison, when the latter was a University of Southern California student with a summer job on a studio lot. Williams has never addressed Kanters allegations, nor has he said that Jimmy mistreated him. In 1939 Woody, Jackie Robinson and Kenny Washington led UCLA to its first undefeated football season. Shawn and Gus try to convince Woody to keep quiet, but Woody warns them that he will tell anyone who he comes across. 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. Jul 1: Money in the Bank Its such a demoralizing rumor. A rumor casts a shadow on the legacy of Jimmy Stewart. Actually, I had been rassling in the off-season anyhow, Strode told the late, great Canadian newspaper columnist Jim Proudfoot. Vigilante (1983) City Beneath the Sea (1953) And he was dressed in blue overalls, a blue work shirt and boots. At the time Ford yelled: Dont hit him Woody! It is like when people try to pretend John Wayne and Winston Churchill were not racist. In Liberty Valance, a picture I did with Duke, Stewart recounted. Your email address will not be published. Even in his later films, like Vigilante (1982) and Jungle Warriors (1984), the 70 year-old Strode looks 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. Thanks for reading, Luke. As James Stewart explained it, Woody Strode, the actor who was playing Waynes characters best friend, was part of the scene. Since 1964-when he, Examinations of masculinity in John Ford's film The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance (1962) tend to revolve around the two leading male protagonists played by John Wayne and James Stewart (Tom Doniphon, By clicking accept or continuing to use the site, you agree to the terms outlined in our. 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. Aka: Black Kingpin Released in 1960, when the U.S. was in the early stages of the Civil Rights Movement, the film confronted racial injustice head on. Bow Wow Set To Train With Rikishi To Become A Wrestler, Preview: AEW Dark (02/16/21) Jon Moxley headlines a 12 match card. 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. He was always magnificent with a no-nonsense style and quiet intellect that no athlete-turned actor has ever surpassed. The Buccaneer (1958) Thanks for clearing that up. Actor: Spartacus. Thanks for reading Tracy! To promote Brotherhood Week, Jimmy Stewart opened and closed a 3 minute trailer that played before feature films at theaters across the United States. Not many sports historians report, No one is more deserving than Frank Manchel, Emeritus Professor of English and Film at the University of Vermont, to be recognized by Film & History as a pioneer in film studies. I am so glad that I can watch his movies again! Under coach Les Lear, the young team made it to the Grey Cup, November 27, 1948, set to face the Ottawa Roughriders. Katharine Hepburn & Woman of the Year, Roasted Sweet Potatoes with Chickpeas and Tarragon Tahini. I once played a part written for an Irish prize fighter. NWA USA: Tag team main event is full of SVGS, SmackDown: Rhodes and Reigns lay WrestleMania goals, Mat Matters: Forecasting the WWE Hall of Fame Class of 2023, Drago and Aero Star showcasing lucha libre abroad. And I looked at Duke Wayne, and he was beaming like a cat that had just eaten the mouse And Duke came over, and said, Well, welcome to the club. Woody Strode - Biography - IMDb Once Upon A Time in the West (1968) Subscribe to our newsletter for new stories, tips & events. debut in 1941 in Henry Hathaway' s Sundown. Strode was in City Beneath the Sea (1953) directed by Budd Boetticher, and The Royal African Rifles. The answer is no. Goal Dust: The Warm and Candid Memoirs of a Pioneer Black Athlete and He died the following year at age 80. Woody's whispered warning - "Don't pick up" - is easily one of the series' best line deliveries. 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. Apr 16: Impact Rebellion Well researched! African Treasure (1952) Woodly Strode - CFLapedia 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? According to Kanter, Jim erroneously believed that black actor Hal Williams had been cast as a police officer in an episode where there would be a cop lashing into the professor [Jimmys] character.. The couple would have a son and a daughter to compliment Kalaeloas two sons from a previous marriage. So, Stewart didnt ask that the part be re-written. The Black Scholar Bit of a game changer." Though Woody usually means well, he's not always the . Who was Woody Strode, Hollywood star who broke the NFL color barrier Another reliable source for Woody Strodes feelings towards Jimmy Stewart is a, If we are to take Michael Munns 1976 interview with Woody Strode as fact, then Munns alleged interview with. Warner Bros. wanted Sidney Poitier, but Ford pushed back, saying he wasnt tough enough to play Rutledge. Woody Strode 22 languages View history Woodrow Wilson Woolwine Strode (July 25, 1914 - December 31, 1994) was an American athlete and actor. Working with quarterback Keith Spaith, he excelled as a receiver, and did double duty on the defensive side as an end as the Stamps compiled an unbeaten record. But it still doesn't make a whole lot of sense for him to make his first logical leap either. 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. Though he was a conservative unlike his friend Henry Fonda who was a liberal and despised racism, I doubt if their life long friendship wouldve lasted if Fonda discovered he had racist views. LUltimo guerriero (1984) If Michael Munns interview with Woody Strode did take place, its craftily presented, with Munns own words inserted in key places to suggest that Jimmy Stewart was a racist. I do believe he love life and all Gods creations. I wanted to set the record straight, for Jim and all of us who admire his remarkable work and life. As the two actors filmed an exterior shot on a horse-drawn cart, Wayne was close to losing control of the horses. Munn claims that he and Laurence Olivier were great friends, and that Olivier nicknamed him Eminem decades before rapper Marshall Mathers adopted the moniker. Part African American and part Native American, Strodes first big break was in 1960s Spartacus, as the Ethiopian gladiator whose death sparks a rebellion. End of story. However Dewes book was published early in 1996 when Stewart was still alive. A recently posed question casts a shadow on the otherwise pristine legacy of Jimmy Stewart. Woody Strode was born in California on July 25, 1914. 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. Woody Strode was a Black Indian (his grandmother was Black Cherokee and his grandfather was Black Muscogee) and an outstanding athlete. RELATED:Psych: 10 Best Gus Nicknames, Ranked. Strode was born in Los Angeles on July 25, 1914, the son . The official source for NFL news, video highlights, fantasy football, game-day coverage, schedules, stats, scores and more. Hi Cheryl, thanks for reading! But its possible the interview never occurred. Unfortunately, anger at Jimmy Stewart is also the takeaway of less engaged readers of Michael Munns book. According to Peter Fonda, the sheer fact that Jimmy Stewart was best friends with Peters father, Henry Fonda, proves that Jim was not racist. Strode was a gladiator in Demetrius and the Gladiators (1954) and was in Jungle Man-Eaters (1954), a Jungle . I am so glad that I read this article. Key West (TV) (1973) Ford was so impressed with Strode, he gave him the starring role in 1960's Sergeant Rutledge, a Technicolor Western about a U.S. Cavalry sergeant falsely accused of raping a white woman and . He would find several extras roles over the decade, before turning to pro wrestling on a more full-time basis in 1949. For terms and use, please refer to our Terms and Conditions 1995 Taylor & Francis, Ltd. But Ford had a cruel streak, PBS reports, and it emerged on the set of his movies. debut in 1941 in Henry Hathaway' s Sundown. Click here to subscribe. On Fire (TV) (1987) This item is part of a JSTOR Collection. The Last Rebel (1971) Her brother Peter said that Jimmy Stewart was not racist. Jan. 3, 1995 12 AM PT. Among other dubious claims, Munn insists that at age 17, he and Ava Gardner became lovers, not long after George Raft ran Munn over with his Rolls Royce, at which point they became close. Jim and Duke upset distributors of the film for a scene in which the two are seated next to each other on a piano bench, jamming at the piano of a bar filled with dancers. 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. Tarzan is summoned to protect him and he must face three tests of strength. His own words and actions, and the words of those who knew him, prove that Jimmy Stewart was not racist. Aug 5: WWE SummerSlam, > Archives Strode was a star in Italy, where he lived between 1969 and 1973. Despite these flaws, Kanters anecdote is cited as evidence that Jimmy Stewart was racist. 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. The Revengers (1972) Tha Gatling Gun (1973) You could smell the orange blossoms. 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. This may include adverts from us and 3rd parties based on our understanding. Period. He majored in history and education. 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. Pompey actor Woody Strode remembered that Ford "kept needling Duke about his failure to make it as a football player", comparing him to Strode who was a former NFL player. We both gotta be professionals. 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. According to Kanter, Jim was chagrined by his mixup. 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.