It would be interesting to hear Janes thoughts. Aka: Chuck Moll Another reliable source for Woody Strodes feelings towards Jimmy Stewart is a 1994 interview with Lee Marvin biographer, Dwayne Epstein. However, cinematographer William H Clothier later said: There was one reason and one reason only Paramount was cutting costs. Once Upon A Time in the West (1968) But one anecdote Kanter shared has since been used as evidence that Jimmy Stewart was racist. After handing over ME duties to Alex Richards, he remains a frequent contributor to the site. 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. 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. I refer you back to the section in my article about The Jimmy Stewart Show for the facts behind the casting of Hal Williams on the show. What is it whats the idea? And I said, I dont know!, And I didnt know, Stewart added. Woody Strode was born in Los Angeles, CA. Keoma (1976) In this, the last interview Strode ever gave, he expresses only respect for Jimmy Stewart, calling Jim one of the screens greatest actors.. I am an African American woman who had stopped watching his films when I heard about his overt racism. Thanks for your kind words, and for reading! Im glad you made it.. He had not a problem with a white guy playing the police officer giving Jimmys character a tongue-lashing. 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. 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. And he was dressed in blue overalls, a blue work shirt and boots. Posse (1993) Yet it was this famous athleteturned-actor who, with the great running back Kenny Washington, overcame the segregation hurdle in professional football when they signed with the Los Angeles Rams in the National Football League in 1946. Strode is perhaps best remembered as the stoic slave gladiator in Spartacus (1960) who tells Kirk Douglas: I dont want to be your friend. According to Strode: Stewart was never rude to mehe was never rude to anyone. 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. In 1939 Woody, Jackie Robinson and Kenny Washington led UCLA to its first undefeated football season. La spina dorsale del diavolo (1971) Tarzans Fight for Life (1958) Unlike Robinson, however, neither played much. In 2020, Bob Glauber, a Newsday reporter, wanted to write a book about Kenny Washington and Woody Strode, whose signings to the Los Angeles Rams in 1946 broke an effective ban on Black players. Cowboysan (1977) The Stampeder supporters invaded Toronto and a national party was created. Aka: Stick Em Up, Darlings According to Woody, he's even less in control of himself, and all of his faculties, when tickling is involved. Strode praised Ford in a 1960 interview. 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. An athlete turned actor, Strode was a top-notch decathlete and a football star at UCLA. Thanks for commenting Rich! As a black man I should know better by now, and am glad that I decided to look further into the matter. Warner Bros. wanted Sidney Poitier, but Ford pushed back, saying he wasnt tough enough to play Rutledge. 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. Hal Kanter is our only primary source to say that Jimmy had an issue with the casting of Hal Williams. Ford proceeded to announce to the entire company that: One of the actors here doesnt like Uncle Remus. He wasnt just an athlete on a scholarship at UCLA, he was an academic. Stewart said that he didnt like it. While his pro wrestling career lasted two decades from the 1940s to 1960s, his impact not only on the NFL and in Hollywood was a groundbreaker, making him a pioneer in many genres outside of the squared ring. It is such a terrible rumor. link]. Besides marking Calgarys first Grey Cup championship, the 1948 game proved to be a turning point in Grey Cup lore as well. Star Spangled Rhythm (1942) Strode served in the Air Force from 1942 to 1946, including time in Guam and the Marianas where he unloaded bombs. > WrestleMania, Designed by Elegant Themes | Powered by WordPress, Hockey injury led to wrestling for Karl Von Stroheim. Retro book review: Strodes story a fascinating read, WOODY STRODES MOVIES Aug 5: WWE SummerSlam, > Archives I once played a part written for an Irish prize fighter. Strode was a black cavalry officer on trial for rape and murder, and during the court-martial his story is recounted in flashback. If Jim would never say it that way, then Bill Frye should not say it that way for him. But I must say I got a little smug about it. 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 . A Gathering of Old Men (TV) (1987) Woody eventually becomes a major player in the world ofPsych, but he's also clearly not part of the main friendship group for most of the series' run. Razza violenta (1984) 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. Regarding your claim that Jimmy expressed mildly anti-Semitic views: Ive never found any evidence to support this, either. 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. Hi Pete, thanks for your comment. Aka: Black Kingpin Thanks for reading Tracy! But I could tell he preferred to be around Lee Marvin or [John] Wayne than me., Also in the Munn interview, Strode relates an incident in whichLiberty Valance director, John Ford, asked Jim what he thought of Woodys costume, which consisted of old overalls an equally old hat. It is known that Stewart made racist remarks about people in Vietnam, and he also strongly campaigned for Barry Goldwater in 1964 after the senator had voted against the Civil Rights Act of 1964. At MGM there was a separate entrance and lunchroom for the black laborers and maids. Jimmy Stewart voiced his support for this goal in a 16 second radio campaign that played the week of February 16-23, 1947. 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. Never thought of them as brothers though. 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. At the time Ford yelled: Dont hit him Woody! Williams has never addressed Kanters allegations, nor has he said that Jimmy mistreated him. 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. 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. Now, I don't know if Mr Stewart has a prejudice against Negroes, but I just wanted you all to know about it., Stewart later said he wanted to crawl into a mouse hole after that and Wayne told him: Well, welcome to the club. Strode played as an End with the Rams in 1946, playing in 10 games that season. She has a passion for character-driven stories with dynamic but flawed leads, and a special weakness for all things 1980s. Woody Strode movie reviews & film summaries | Roger Ebert. Speaking of Woody not being the most socially aware person in the world, look no further than his lack of understanding when it comes to chat speak as yet another example of that fact. The Quest: The Longest Drive (TV) (1976) He served as a caregiver to Ford in his final years and was at Fords deathbed in 1973. The show keeps things as PG as it can when it comes to his involvement with the cadavers he analyzes. Jul 1: Money in the Bank Lust in the Dust (1985) Subscribe for full access to The Hollywood Reporter. Michael Munns integrity as a biographer has been questioned. 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. In director John Fords Sergeant Rutledge (1960), a western where he depicted a soldier on trial for two murders and the rape of a white woman, when Strode bared his chest to a white woman (actress Constance Towers), even the movie audiences gasped. Thanks for reading! Pete Thodos would score shortly thereafter to seal a 12-7 Calgary win. A footnote in the life of a great man. Spartacus is probably Strodes most famous role as the warrior Kirk Douglas refuses to kill. 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). Strode played as an End with the Rams in 1946, playing in 10 games that season. Hi James, thanks for commenting. 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. Aka: We Are No Angels Stewart said: It looks a bit Uncle Remussy to me. This was a reference to the controversial fictional narrator of 19th century African-American folktales, who was later the main character in Disneys 1946 movie Song of the South a film that Disney does not make available today due to its racist stereotyping. Lets not allow an unsubstantiated rumor to tarnish the reputation of one of the few Hollywood stars worthy of our complete respect and admiration. 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. According to Peter Fonda, the sheer fact that Jimmy Stewart was best friends with Peters father. All Rights Reserved. In the interview, Marvin relates an incident where Jimmy Stewart actively opposed the racist behavior of another actor on set. For Jims take on working with John Ford and the Uncle Remus incident, listen to his 1969 account below. Producer Julian Blaustein, who produced Jims 1950 film, Jim spoke of his Hollywood career in a series of interviews with. Kanters interview includes his overwhelmingly positive insights on both Jim and working on The Jimmy Stewart Show (1971-1972). Im glad that it clears up that rumor about him. 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.. Its such a demoralizing rumor. Demetrius and the Gladiators (1954) But its possible the interview never occurred. Woody Strode weighed 205 lbs (92 kg) when playing. We dont know why Jimmy turned down Mockingbird. > Obituary Archive The answer is no. Racism comes in different shapes and forms, as does the label racist. Your article doesnt refute Kanters supposed claim that Stewarts character, even though he may have confused roles, was nonetheless uncomfortable about being lectured by a black character. 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. He had a problem with a black guy doing that. Thats my take. The Black Scholar Che! For terms and use, please refer to our Terms and Conditions Strode also had a brief career as a professional gridiron football player and was among the first African . He played in the Pacific Coast Football League for the Hollywood Bears prior to enlisting in the US Air Force during World War II. According to Kanter, Jim was chagrined by his mixup. He made more than sixty movies including his last film, The Quick and The Dead [1995]. The Revengers (1972) I'm glad you made it.. 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. Key West (TV) (1973) Ravagers (1979) 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. Shawn and Gus have been the best of friends ever since they were children, and maybe even since they were infants. debut in 1941 in Henry Hathaway' s Sundown. In USA Network's Psych, Coroner Woody Strode is easily the weirdest character, but he also has some of the series' funniest quotes. Due to the intense love and fandom ofPsych fans (known as Psych-os) all around the world,Psych has evolved from being a series to being a franchise that shows no sign of slowing down. 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. Woody Strode, byname of Woodrow Wilson Woolwine Strode, (born July 28, 1914, Los Angeles, California, U.S.died December 31, 1994, Glendora, California), American character actor who was part of director John Ford's "family" of actors, appearing in nearly a dozen of Ford's films. Strode was a black cavalry officer on trial for rape and murder, and during the court-martial his story is recounted in flashback. I want to thank you for your research into one of my favorite actors. The Cotton Club (1984) Im so happy you came across my article. While Bill Fryes comment cannot be used as evidence that Jimmy Stewart was uncomfortable with racial advancement and equality, theres abundant evidence that Jim was not racist. > Music Given his love of talking too much, and going entirely too in depth on the worst subjects, that's not a surprise at all. In an interview given before he died, Stewart once described the toll that Fords meanness took on Wayne. Actually, I had been rassling in the off-season anyhow, Strode told the late, great Canadian newspaper columnist Jim Proudfoot. According to Peter Fonda, the sheer fact that Jimmy Stewart was best friends with Peters father, Henry Fonda, proves that Jim was not racist. Apr 2: WWE WrestleMania But Ford had a cruel streak, PBS reports, and it emerged on the set of his movies. Jimmy Stewart worked with several black actors and entertainers throughout his career, including Hal Williams, Woody Strode, Lillian Randolph, Jim hit it off particularly well with Duke Ellington during filming of 1959s. Strode was born in Los Angeles on July 25, 1914, the son . You could smell the orange blossoms. Storyville (1992) 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]. Period. Your email address will not be published. Ford discovered Wayne, then Marion Morrison, when the latter was a University of Southern California student with a summer job on a studio lot. RELATED:Psych: Ranking The Main Characters By Intelligence. The couple would have a son and a daughter to compliment Kalaeloas two sons from a previous marriage. Woody Strode has not been elected into the Hall of Fame. Thank you for reading! Cuibul salamandrelor (1976) That never happens in a more hilarious manner than during a conversation with Henry Spencer about his sonwho Woody believes is Gus. He also did professional wrestling and reportedly tussled with the renowned Gorgeous George. 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. Woody Strode, the square-jawed, muscular former UCLA athlete who became a character actor with supporting roles in films for nearly a half century, has . This story first appeared in the Nov. 3 issue of The Hollywood Reporter magazine. > Career Records Euer Weg fhrt durch die Hlle (1984) God bless. 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. He would retire from pro football after that first season. Jimmy Stewart has deserved an article like this for a long time. 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. The Man Who Made The Stars Shine Brighter: An Interview with Woody Strode. Weve dissected the fallacies behind the rumor that Jimmy Stewart was a racist. Id do that if I could. I am so glad that I read this article. link], repeats The Jimmy Stewart Show casting misunderstanding, citing it as evidence of, in Munns own words, Jims racist spirit. Munn also claims that a 1976 interview he conducted with black actor Woody Strode, Jims co-star in 1962s The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance, further proves that Jimmy Stewart was a racist. Your email address will not be published. He is wearing cowboy. Excellent points Dennis, thanks for commenting! And he was dressed in blue overalls, a blue work shirt and boots. The FBI agent character was written out of The Jimmy Stewart Show after Stewart objected to NBC. Er verffentlichte theologische und philosophische Schriften, Arbeiten zur Musik, insbesondere zu Johann Sebastian Bach, sowie autobiographische Schriften in zahlreichen und vielbeachteten Werken.. 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. The sheer fact that he shares the anecdote is evidence that Jim did not have any racist behavior to hide. Released two years before To Kill a Mockingbird, Rutledge is one of the first mainstream Hollywood films to address racism frankly. Despite his romance with Dinah Shore in the 1940s Stewart was also known to express some mildly anti-Semitic views during the counterculture movement. Decathlete who also played football professionally in the CFL, and enjoyed a successful acting career. 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. Martinelli, Outside Man (TV) (1977) debut in 1941 in Henry Hathaway' s Sundown. 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.. Cutting Her Down to Size? This man was the definition of a renaissance man, keep reading this article and you will understand exactly why. 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. Strode also played the powerful gladiator who does battle with Kirk Douglas in Spartacus (1960)." Played . Its a trip McQueens wife insists never happened, but nonetheless forms the basis of Munns biography on McQueen, which critics have called preposterous. And when David Nivens son asked for the tapes that Munn swears he recorded of Nivens deathbed confessions, Munn ultimately admitted that his tape recorder had, conveniently, chewed them up years ago. 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. Il Giustiziere del Bronx (1989) The official source for NFL news, video highlights, fantasy football, game-day coverage, schedules, stats, scores and more. On top of this, Reese actor Lee Van Clef who went on to star in Clint Eastwood Spaghetti Westerns said that Ford resented the meddling and so would take out his annoyance on Wayne, whose casting as Doniphon was demanded by the studio. And, as my article highlights, Hal Williams was not in fact fired from The Jimmy Stewart Show, and he does play a police officer in episode 6. After World War II Woody and Kenny Washington became the first blacks to play in the NFL. 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. Click here to subscribe. Lets go behind the origin of the rumor that Jimmy Stewart was racist, and the evidence that refutes it. Where was Woody Strode born? RELATED:Psych: 10 Best Gus Nicknames, Ranked. Its such a disheartening rumor, and Im so glad you did your own research and came across my article. Cuba Crossing (1980) All Rights Reserved. Ive updated the section to include more facts specific to the show. 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. 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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). The same year he broke into pro wrestling, he also got his start in Hollywood, making his debut in the 1941 filmSundown. 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. 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. Regarding your claim that Jimmy made racist remarks about people in Vietnam: in my extensive research, Ive never found any evidence to support this. Afterwards, Lee Marvin remembered seeing both John Wayne and Jimmy Stewart lunge for the offending actor. from the bottom of my heart, thank you so much. But that's what makes him such a great character. The two became friends, and Ford later gave Wayne his breakthrough role in Stagecoach, the film that launched Wayne to Hollywood stardom. Tarzan is summoned to protect him and he must face three tests of strength. Strode also played the powerful gladiator who does battle with Kirk Douglas in Spartacus (1960)." Aka: Boot Hill And why was he cast as Lieutenant Quigley? For nearly two decades he remained a pioneer against racism in the film and television industry. LUltimo guerriero (1984) 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. Angkor: Cambodia Express (1982) Woody Strode was born in California on July 25, 1914. 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. Was Vera-Ellen Anorexic in White Christmas? (A small role in 1941s Sundown marked his actual debut.)
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