So this week, lets resolve to live in harmony with our fellow man.. He shared a story from the set of The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance, Fords 1962 film about an attorney (Stewart) who, robbed and left for dead by a notorious outlaw, is saved by a rancher (Wayne) and has to start over from scratch. > Video A Gathering of Old Men (TV) (1987) 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. 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. I do believe he love life and all Gods creations. In the interview, Marvin relates an incident where Jimmy Stewart actively opposed the racist behavior of another actor on set. 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. In the alleged interview, Woody Strode never uses the word racist to describe Jimmy Stewart. We need him!, In the end, Wayne told Strode: We gotta work together. Blacks usually sat at the back of the bus. Theyre like father and son.. '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. Woody Strode - Pro-Football-Reference Smith Goes to Washington, did not escape Fords sadism unscathed. I almost fell for that rumor , but to just listen to Mr. Stewarts interview i know in my heart that he was not a racist. Youd never see them in the big department stores. But as a key supporting player, Woody is absolutely perfect, and his many oddities are all the more welcome because of that. I once played a part written for an Irish prize fighter. His own words and actions, and the words of those who knew him, prove that Jimmy Stewart was not racist. Woody acknowledges that he has a daughter he's worried about, but it's really the "43 Twitter followers who depend on" him that cross his mind when he's worried this might be it for him. An Interview with Woody Strode - JSTOR Strode was a college track and football star at UCLA, one of the first Blacks to integrate the NFL, a professional wrestler, a Golden Globe nominated actor, and a WWII veteran. 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. Aka: The Devils Backbone Sergeant Rutledge (1960) The Black Scholar Munn claims that he and Laurence Olivier were great friends, and that Olivier nicknamed him Eminem decades before rapper Marshall Mathers adopted the moniker. All Rights Reserved. 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. American actor Woody Strode on the set of Sergeant Rutledge, directed by John Ford. Im delighted that you took the time too elaborate on its origins. TIMES STAFF WRITER. To promote Brotherhood Week, Jimmy Stewart opened and closed a 3 minute trailer that played before feature films at theaters across the United States. I find a lot of this evidence unconvincing. Stewart was never rude to mehe was never rude to anyone. The picture was about, oh, more than halfway finished. Lets go behind the origin of the rumor that Jimmy Stewart was racist, and the evidence that refutes it. He competed in track and field and played football as a tight-end at UCLA. The Quest: The Longest Drive (TV) (1976) La spina dorsale del diavolo (1971) The Man Who Made The Stars Shine Brighter: An Interview with Woody Strode Keoma (1976) A small donation would help us keep this available to all. James Stewart Described What Work was Like with John Wayne - Outsider Afterwards, Lee Marvin remembered seeing both. Wrestling: Shocking Stories from the Squared Circle; Benoit: Wrestling with the Horror That Destroyed a Family and Crippled a Sport (with Steven Johnson, Heath McCoy and Irv Muchnick); He can be emailed at goliver845@gmail.com, you can follow him on Twitter @gregmep, and visit www.oliverbooks.ca. 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. Pork Chop Hill (1959) It needed to be done. The official source for NFL news, video highlights, fantasy football, game-day coverage, schedules, stats, scores and more. Woody Strode; Ex-Athlete, Character Actor in Movies Woody Strode - Biography - IMDb Michael Munns integrity as a biographer has been questioned. Who was Woody Strode, Hollywood star who broke the NFL color barrier 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. Che! He clearly was a conservative, but I can live with that. I'm glad you made it.. Thanks for commenting. Jim spoke of his Hollywood career in a series of interviews with journalist James Bawden between 1971 and 1983 [aff. 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. Michael Munns 2005 biography, Jimmy Stewart: The Truth Behind the Legend[aff. The season seven episode "Office Space" is another memorable episode in the series' run. But after reading your entire article I know Mr. Stewart was a decent human being and my admiration for him has grown after reading your article. 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. (He never forgot Calgary, however, and returned to the city in 1986 to aid fundraising for the financially-ailing team. Strode played as an End with the Rams in 1946, playing in 10 games that season. Wayne and Stewart felt Johnson had destroyed the United States with the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Immigration and Nationality Act of 1965. His wrestling career? Martinelli, Outside Man (TV) (1977) "I know Gus well." "Shawn." "Him too. Jim replied that he thought the costume made Strode look a bit too much like Uncle Remus.. The Man Who Made The Stars Shine Brighter: An Interview with Woody Strode. Barbara Payton - what a waste. Historian Alan Royle Woody Strode weighed 205 lbs (92 kg) when playing. Con Jock Mahoney, Woody Strode, Tsu Kobayashi, Earl Cameron. If she's not ranting about characters who deserved better or typing away at one of her many fan fiction epics, she's probably asleep. Watch the video below to hear what Jim and the other stars had to say about brotherhood: Freedom, brotherhood, and equality were issues Jimmy Stewart clearly felt strongly about, for he returned to headline American Brotherhood Week the following year. At MGM there was a separate entrance and lunchroom for the black laborers and maids. City Beneath the Sea (1953) 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). In addition to his WWII record, Jimmy was a member of The American Brotherhood of Christians and Jews, which he encouraged others to join. Munn is the author of over 25 books, most of which are built on the intimate and often shocking revelations that, according to Munn, these stars were all anxious to share with him. However, cinematographer William H Clothier later said: There was one reason and one reason only Paramount was cutting costs. Aka: Scipio the African And when we lost, we cried like babies.. Strode almost singlehandedly won the 1948 Grey Cup for the team. Semantic Scholar is a free, AI-powered research tool for scientific literature, based at the Allen Institute for AI. > The Artist Canvas 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. 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. Strode praised Ford in a 1960 interview. As James Stewart explained it, Woody Strode, the actor who was playing Waynes characters best friend, was part of the scene. La mala ordina (1972) Kingdom of the Spiders (1977) Apparently, that tendency to over share can get even worse than what viewers are already used to. Vigilante (1983) After being cut by the Rams after just a season, Strode headed north to Canada, where he suited up for the Calgary Stampeders. All Rights Reserved. Star Spangled Rhythm (1942) Jimmys words and actions prove that he was not racist. Besides marking Calgarys first Grey Cup championship, the 1948 game proved to be a turning point in Grey Cup lore as well. Her brother Peter said that Jimmy Stewart was not racist. Youre so right, Jims own words and actions prove that he was not racist. I encourage you to read my full article for further insights into the character of Jimmy Stewart. Jim was a good man through and through. Ravagers (1979) Katharine Hepburn & Woman of the Year, Roasted Sweet Potatoes with Chickpeas and Tarragon Tahini. As James Stewart explained it, Woody Strode, the actor who was playing Wayne's character's best friend, was part of the scene. Strode, a member of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, died of lung cancer in Los Angeles in 1994 at the age of 80. Released two years before To Kill a Mockingbird, Rutledge is one of the first mainstream Hollywood films to address racism frankly. An athlete turned actor, Strode was a top-notch decathlete and a football star at UCLA. Scream (1985) I read an article a few weeks ago about him being racist and I couldnt believe it. 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. Thank you thank you thank you dear for this story, I am so so grateful for this. Woody Strode - actor - biography, photo, best movies and TV shows And yet, it's impossible to get enough of him, even when he crosses every line and oversteps every boundary. Watch Jim and Duke at the piano in the scene below: Sharing hotel, meals, and a piano jam session on and off film with Duke Ellington. As the two actors filmed an exterior shot on a horse-drawn cart, Wayne was close to losing control of the horses. It was the dark side of the American dream.. 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. Also Stewart even stayed up late much to director Premingers chagrin during Anatomy Of A Murder to play with Duke Ellington. 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Tarzan and the Perils of Charity Jones (1967) Frye admits as much at the end of the quote. 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. As an actor, Strode is forever tied to John Ford (see our Pepper Martin biography for some stories that involve both Strode and Ford). Race is not a factor in the world market, he said in a 1982 interview with the Globe and Mail. Woody Strode and Jimmy Stewart in The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance (1962). The Stampeder supporters invaded Toronto and a national party was created. Jimmy Stewart Was Not Racist. Here's Why. - Vanguard of Hollywood Storyville (1992) 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. Regarding your claim that Jimmy expressed mildly anti-Semitic views: Ive never found any evidence to support this, either. Its further worth noting that in his 1990 autobiography [ aff. The episode "Last Night Gus" isn't just a real highlight for Psych but for Woody's character and his bizarre humor, too. Strode appeared in several subsequent Ford films, though never in a starring capacity. Sergeant Rutledge - Wikipedia 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.. Jul 1: Money in the Bank But only Woody could think up this "footwear mullet," and that's what makes it great. Los tres desafos de Tarzn (1963) - IMDb 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. Im glad you made it.. Woody Strode? He Wasn't the Star But He Stole the Movie' Strode praised Ford in a 1960 interview. link]. Bride of the Gorilla (1951) Strode gave the Hollywood establishment what they demanded and appeared in some of the best and the worst of what they offered him. She has been in love with all things film and television since she saw her first movie in theatres at 2.5 years old (Muppet Treasure Island, in case you were wondering). The Ravagers, The Professionals) Fall victim to a spider attack, entomologist Diane Ashley (Tiffany Bolling, Wild Party) arrives and tries to help Rack deal with the crisis. 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. Son of Sinbad (1955) I am an African American woman who had stopped watching his films when I heard about his overt racism. In USA Network's Psych, Coroner Woody Strode is easily the weirdest character, but he also has some of the series' funniest quotes. debut in 1941 in Henry Hathaway' s Sundown. She has a passion for character-driven stories with dynamic but flawed leads, and a special weakness for all things 1980s. In the interview, Marvin relates an incident where Jimmy Stewart actively opposed the racist behavior of another actor on set. Aka: Boot Hill Two Rode Together (1961) 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. But i am so glad to find out it was not true. Once Upon A Time in the West (1968) Request Permissions. As an African American, the rumor was disturbing which is why I searched for the facts behind the rumor. He lives in Windsor, Ontario, Canada, with his wife and son. According to Strode: Stewart was never rude to mehe was never rude to anyone. Weve dissected the fallacies behind the rumor that Jimmy Stewart was a racist. Under coach Les Lear, the young team made it to the Grey Cup, November 27, 1948, set to face the Ottawa Roughriders. Hal Kanter is our only primary source on the alleged conversation. Woody Strode (1914-1994) Sign up for THR news straight to your inbox every day. One of the most memorable episodes ofPsych is "Last Night Gus," which allows the series to payhomage toThe Hangover. 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. Thats my take. At the time Ford yelled: Dont hit him Woody! Aka: We Are No Angels Thankfully, the show never subjected Woody - or viewers - to that possibility. Perhaps, Henry Fondas daughter Ms Jane Fonda would be perfect to obtain a definitive comment. A recently posed question casts a shadow on the otherwise pristine legacy of. I would have lost that role if I hadnt been in shape, and if I hadnt had a lot of experience as a wrestler, Strode told the Pittsburgh Courier in 1961. 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]. Amazon.com: Kingdom of the Spiders [Blu-ray] : William Shatner, Woody Jungle Man-Eaters (1954) 1995 Taylor & Francis, Ltd. A footnote in the life of a great man. With a bizarre range of habits and tendencies, Woody would be a lot to handle if he were either a real person, or the series' main character. I dont know if Stewart was a racist but he was a staunch supporter of Nixon, Reagan and the illegal US invasion of Vietnam. Jamie Greer joined LWOPW in 2015 and was the site's Managing Editor from 2016 through 2020. Tha Gatling Gun (1973) Woody Strode. Woody Strode movie reviews & film summaries | Roger Ebert. best of friends ever since they were children, Psych 2: Lassie Come Home: 10 Easter Eggs You Totally Missed. 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. Though well into middle-age in films like Once Upon a Time in the West (1968) and The Deserter (1971), Strode still looks extraordinarily vital, fitter than most men half his age. The Black Stallion Returns (1983) This story first appeared in the Nov. 3 issue of The Hollywood Reporter magazine. Decathlete who also played football professionally in the CFL, and enjoyed a successful acting career. Ford proceeded to announce to the entire company that: One of the actors here doesnt like Uncle Remus. Angkor: Cambodia Express (1982) Thanks for your kind words, and for reading Damon! Strode appeared in at least 90 films, from Sunrise in 1941 to his last, The Quick and the Dead, released in 1995. The Legend of Woody Strode - Museum of the Moving Image This unnamed actor used the n word to refer to Woody Strode. While at UCLA, he met his future wife when the football team was playing the University of Hawaii in Honolulu Hawaiian princess Luukialunan Kalaeloa. 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). I read that Stewart was a racist a few weeks ago and fell for it hook line and sinker. According to Strode, John Ford then called the whole cast and crew over, and twisted the comment into something Jimmy Stewart never said. WOODY STRODE TRIBUTE SPANISH FILMS 11K views James Caan on John Wayne filmSCHOOLarchive 2.4M views Jimmy Stewart is Delightfully Funny, FULL Interview on Johnny Carson's Tonight Show 1989. link], Goal Dusta book that accurately presents Strodes words and thoughtshe never calls Jimmy Stewart a racist, neither does he relate any of the incidents about Jim described in Munns book. May he forever RIP. That tendency to be excluded, either intentionally or unthinkingly, clearly plays a major part in his excitement whenever he's actually looped into any episodic adventure - even if it means the friendship group may have killed someone. So, Stewart didnt ask that the part be re-written. Im so happy you came across my article. Spartacus (1960) So it's not entirely out of the ordinary for Woody to believe that they're siblings. Released in 1960, when the U.S. was in the early stages of the Civil Rights Movement, the film confronted racial injustice head on. Or taken out of the script altogether. Pompey actor Woody Strode remembered that Ford kept needling Duke about his failure to make it as afootballplayer, comparing him to Strode who was a former NFL player. This man was the definition of a renaissance man, keep reading this article and you will understand exactly why. To promote Brotherhood Week, Jimmy Stewart opened and closed a 3 minute trailer that played before feature films at theaters across the United States. Thanks for commenting Rich! Retro book review: Strodes story a fascinating read, WOODY STRODES MOVIES Here's why. Given his love of talking too much, and going entirely too in depth on the worst subjects, that's not a surprise at all. End of story. Los tres desafos de Tarzn: Dirigido por Robert Day. We both gotta be professionals. In an interview given before he died, Stewart once described the toll that Fords meanness took on Wayne. Was Hal Williams ever contacted regarding the contriversy kanter mentioned? How much did Woody Strode weigh when playing? Williams has never addressed Kanters allegations, nor has he said that Jimmy mistreated him. Great Movies Collections TV/Streaming Interviews Movie Reviews Chaz's Journal Contributors Cast and Crew Woody Strode Find on IMDB. Jimmy Stewart has deserved an article like this for a long time. The fame he had built through football and movies helped open up wrestling as well, and Strode wrestled white grapplers in Texas in the early 50s. Keyshawn Johnson Wants the N.F.L. to Remember Its 'Forgotten Four' John Ford wasnt afraid to explore bigotry in his films, but Sergeant Rutledge is a standout and the first big-budget Western to feature a black man as the hero played by Woody Strode. Where was Woody Strode born? Excellent points Dennis, thanks for commenting! Woody Strode: Pioneer of ring, field and screen | Slam Wrestling Lets not allow an unsubstantiated rumor to tarnish the reputation of one of the few Hollywood stars worthy of our complete respect and admiration. 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. 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. 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