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That doesnt sound like a racist! Strodes family came from New Orleans and he was Black Indian many Southern Native American tribes had welcomed slaves and free folk into their communities in the 1800s. Martinelli, Outside Man (TV) (1977) Thanks for commenting Rich! 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. Strode was a gladiator in Demetrius and the Gladiators (1954) and was in Jungle Man-Eaters (1954), a Jungle . A small donation would help us keep this available to all. The evidence proves that Jim was not racist. The show keeps things as PG as it can when it comes to his involvement with the cadavers he analyzes. Strode played as an End with the Rams in 1946, playing in 10 games that season. As they were preparing to shoot, Ford came up to Stewart and asked, "What do you think of Woody's costume?" Stewart said that he didn't like it. Otherwise, we would have been inMonument ValleyorBrackettvilleand we would have had colour stock. 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 gave the Hollywood establishment what they demanded and appeared in some of the best and the worst of what they offered him. Additionally, the director kept mocking Wayne for not enlisting in World War II, which made the star feel guilty in his later years. Woody Strode was 6-3 (190 cm) tall. Even in his later films, like Vigilante (1982) and Jungle Warriors (1984), the 70 year-old Strode looks 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. The Quest: The Longest Drive (TV) (1976) Strode praised Ford in a 1960 interview. Im delighted to put the rumors about him to rest. No smog because few people could afford cars in those days. He went on to play in the Canadian Football League before becoming a prolific Hollywood actor,. The episode "Last Night Gus" isn't just a real highlight for Psych but for Woody's character and his bizarre humor, too. ", NEXT:Psych 2: Lassie Come Home: 10 Easter Eggs You Totally Missed. Saturday, 4th March 2023See today's front and back pages, download the newspaper, order back issues and use the historic Daily Express newspaper archive. 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. Woody Strode movie reviews & film summaries | Roger Ebert. 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. 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. As an African American, the rumor was disturbing which is why I searched for the facts behind the rumor. Im delighted that you took the time too elaborate on its origins. 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. Strode also played the powerful gladiator who does battle with Kirk Douglas in Spartacus (1960)." Played . Tarzans Deadly Silence (1970), Ciakmull Luuomo della vendetta (1970) 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. La mala ordina (1972) As they were preparing to shoot, Ford came up to Stewart and asked, What do you think of Woodys costume?. Subscribe to our newsletter for new stories, tips & events. He was a good man deserving of the love and admiration that so many of us have for him. For nearly two decades he remained a pio- neer against racism in the film and television industry. Terrible rumors about Jimmy Stewarts beliefs have sprung from an interview that possibly never occurred. When Strode tried to help him, Duke knocked his co-star away. 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). Jul 1: Money in the Bank > Career Records He served as a caregiver to Ford in his final years and was at Fords deathbed in 1973. In an interview given before he died, Stewart once described the toll that Fords meanness took on Wayne. Weve dissected the fallacies behind the rumor that Jimmy Stewart was a racist. And he said loudly, We have an actor here who objects to the costume on Woody Strode. He then proceeded to suggest that Stewart was prejudiced Strode, who also has since died, was African-American and added that he just wanted to share Stewarts objection to Strodes costume with the whole cast. Ford proceeded to announce to the entire company that: One of the actors here doesnt like Uncle Remus. 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. 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. Aka: The Last Warrior 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. 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. Unfortunately, anger at Jimmy Stewart is also the takeaway of less engaged readers of Michael Munns book. link]. 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. According to Woody, he's even less in control of himself, and all of his faculties, when tickling is involved. Strode almost singlehandedly won the 1948 Grey Cup for the team. 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. Your email address will not be published. Lee Marvin was impressed by Jimmys impassioned response: I liked Jimmy before that incident, but after it, I liked him a whole lot more.. Hal Kanter is our only primary source on the alleged conversation. 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. In addition to the testaments of people who knew him, Jimmy Stewarts own words and actions prove he was not racist. A recently posed question casts a shadow on the otherwise pristine legacy of Jimmy Stewart. See SERGEANT RUTLEDGE (60) on 7/31 at 10:45pm ET as we continue our spotlight Directed by John Ford.Look for this films on Watch TCM at http://tcm.com/watch.Connect with Turner Classic Movies:Visit TCM WEBSITE: http://myt.cm/TCMwebsiteFollow TCM on INSTAGRAM: http://myt.cm/TCMinstagramLike TCM on FACEBOOK: http://myt.cm/TCMfacebookFollow TCM on TWITTER: http://myt.cm/TCMtwitterSubscribe now to watch more classic film content from TCM http://spr.ly/6017cTBT Never thought of them as brothers though. I read an article a few weeks ago about him being racist and I couldnt believe it. We use your sign-up to provide content in ways you've consented to and to improve our understanding of you. 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. Great Movies Collections TV/Streaming Interviews Movie Reviews Chaz's Journal Contributors Cast and Crew Woody Strode Find on IMDB. Western icon John Wayne had a legendary collaboration with director John Ford that lasted five decades and transformed both mens careers. Of course, Robinson would go on to break major league baseballs colour barrier in 1947. (After she died in 1980, Strode would marry Tina in 1982, and they were together until his death.). Ravagers (1979) Lust in the Dust (1985) Seduto alla sua destra (1968) I really cried for days because hes one of my favorite actors and I am African-American. you have laid my thoughts about him to rest, and that he truly was a good, good man. 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. 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. In addition to his WWII record, Jimmy was a member of The American Brotherhood of Christians and Jews, which he encouraged others to join. 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. How much did Woody Strode weigh when playing? '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. Aug 5: WWE SummerSlam, > Archives That means everything, working with a man like that." Santa Barbara Coroner Woodrow "Woody" Strode may have been a late addition to the world ofPsych, but there's no denying that he's arguably one of the series' weirdest and most memorable characters. > Music How tall was Woody Strode? 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. Its such a disheartening rumor, and Im so glad you did your own research and came across my article. 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). In 1946, Jimmy Stewart led a small group of stars who vocalized their support for brotherhood among all Americans. The Quick & The Dead (1995) 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.. Before becoming one of the first big, black movie stars thanks in large part to legendary director John Fords faith in him Woody Strode was a star on the gridiron. Jims daughter, Kelly Stewart Harcourt, also knew her father was not racist: There were not a lot of black people in Dads life, but he was not a racist.. Strode played college football for the UCLA Bruins, the most integrated collegiate team in the nation in 1939, which included future NFL running back Kenny Washington and future Baseball Hall of Fame inductee Jackie Robinson. Jim was a good man through and through. link]. but i had also read the story of him sticking up for Strode, so I didnt know what to believe. > Photo Galleries Terrible rumors about Jimmy Stewarts beliefs have sprung from an interview that possibly never occurred. Released in 1960, when the U.S. was in the early stages of the Civil Rights Movement, the film confronted racial injustice head on. In Liberty Valance, a picture I did with Duke, Stewart recounted. Sergeant Rutledge (1960) To promote Brotherhood Week, Jimmy Stewart opened and closed a 3 minute trailer that played before feature films at theaters across the United States. An athlete turned actor, Strode was a top-notch decathlete and a football star at UCLA. (He never forgot Calgary, however, and returned to the city in 1986 to aid fundraising for the financially-ailing team. Producer Julian Blaustein, who produced Jims 1950 film, Broken Arrow, also knew that Jimmy Stewart was not racist: I never knew Jimmy to do or say anything that was racist.. Its such a demoralizing rumor. Woody Strode's extraordinary career led him from football field to wrestling ring to Hollywood. 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. 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In the trailer, Jim, Van Johnson, Shirley Temple, Eddie Cantor, Jennifer Jones, Ingrid Bergman, Walter Pidgeon, Katharine Hepburn, and Edward G. Robinson encouraged Americans to stand together in support of freedom for all, a message particularly relevant in the wake of World War II. Aka: Chuck Moll Woody Strode has not been elected into the Hall of Fame. Strode served in the Air Force from 1942 to 1946, including time in Guam and the Marianas where he unloaded bombs. The Buccaneer (1958) De Mille (The Ten Commandments as the King of Ethiopia); Stanley Kubrick (Spartacus); and Sergio Leone (Once Upon a Time in the West). Kingdom of the Spiders (1977) It is such a terrible rumor. But Ford had a cruel streak, PBS reports, and it emerged on the set of his movies. 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. 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.. In the interview, Marvin relates an incident where Jimmy Stewart actively opposed the racist behavior of another actor on set. Hi Wyman! In 1990, Strodes autobiography, Goal Dust, was published. He clearly was a conservative, but I can live with that. Every old Hollywood fan should read this. And he was dressed in blue overalls, a blue work shirt and boots. Despite his romance with Dinah Shore in the 1940s Stewart was also known to express some mildly anti-Semitic views during the counterculture movement. 10 Witty Buddy Comedies To Watch If You Love 'Psych', Psych: Ranking The Main Characters By Intelligence. I dont know if Stewart was a racist but he was a staunch supporter of Nixon, Reagan and the illegal US invasion of Vietnam. Though Woody usually means well, he's not always the most aware of what's going on in the world around him. Im glad that it clears up that rumor about him. > Video Keoma (1976) The picture was about, oh, more than halfway finished. Aka: Black Jesus You can unsubscribe at any time. 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. 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. Scipione detto anche lafricano (1971) 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. Shalako (1968) Angkor: Cambodia Express (1982) 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. Never had so much fun as I did in Canada. 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. Semantic Scholar is a free, AI-powered research tool for scientific literature, based at the Allen Institute for AI. When we won, we all got drunk. God bless. Hal Kanter is our only primary source to say that Jimmy had an issue with the casting of Hal Williams. 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. The Stampeder supporters invaded Toronto and a national party was created. After World War II Woody and Kenny Washington became the first blacks to play in the NFL. 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. John Wayne was a supporter of Israel, but is known to have made several anti-Semitic remarks. 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! This man was the definition of a renaissance man, keep reading this article and you will understand exactly why. 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. 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. Excellent points Dennis, thanks for commenting! And I agree, it would be illogical to assume that Jimmy Stewart was racist based on his support of Nixon, Reagan, and US troops in Vietnam. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Strode lived in Italy for five years and made 12 films there. 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.". It is like when people try to pretend John Wayne and Winston Churchill were not racist. Regarding your claim that Jimmy expressed mildly anti-Semitic views: Ive never found any evidence to support this, either. Was Hal Williams ever contacted regarding the contriversy kanter mentioned? However, cinematographer William H Clothier later said: There was one reason and one reason only Paramount was cutting costs. Im so glad that you decided to do your own research, and that you came across my article. Thanks for reading, James. And according to the actor, Ford froze, then walked away. 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. They broke the NFLs modern colour barrier the year before, suiting up for the Los Angeles Rams. Hi James, thanks for commenting. Decathlete who also played football professionally in the CFL, and enjoyed a successful acting career. The Man Who Made The Stars Shine Brighter: An Interview with Woody Strode. She has a passion for character-driven stories with dynamic but flawed leads, and a special weakness for all things 1980s. Greg Oliver has been writing about pro wrestling since 1985, and is the author of wrestling books: The Pro Wrestling Hall of Fame: The Storytellers (with Steven Johnson), The Pro Wrestling Hall of Fame: Heroes & Icons (with Steven Johnson and Mike Mooneyham); The Pro Wrestling Hall of Fame: The Heels (with Steven Johnson); The Pro Wrestling Hall of Fame: The Tag Teams (also with Johnson); The Pro Wrestling Hall of Fame: The Canadians; SLAM! American actor Woody Strode on the set of Sergeant Rutledge, directed by John Ford. But its possible the interview never occurred. 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. Interesting to see that there are actually people out there who are hell-bent on believing that Jimmy was racist. Youd never see them in the big department stores. That year, he would head to Canada to work for Stu Hart in his Klondike Wrestling promotion in Calgary, Alberta (later renamed Stampede Wrestling), before returning to the US to work for his hometown NWA Los Angeles. 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. 1936 Strode posed for one of two paintings commissioned by Adolf Hitler for the 1936 Olympic Games in Berlin. You could smell the orange blossoms. But Stewart, an Oscar winner known for such timeless hits as The Philadelphia Story, Vertigo and Mr. Thank you thank you thank you dear for this story, I am so so grateful for this. The Sins of Rachel Cade (1961) 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. The couple would have a son and a daughter to compliment Kalaeloas two sons from a previous marriage. But I gradually learned L.A. was heavily segregated. 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. Aka: Scipio the African Stewart was of the same opinion. Buruuba (1955) Jaguar Lives! Your donation is fully tax-deductible. Retro book review: Strodes story a fascinating read, WOODY STRODES MOVIES There are different takes over why, including that he thought it was a better medium. Strode continued acting for decades his final film was as Charlie Moonlight in the 1995 film,The Quick and the Deadthat also featured Leonardo Di Caprio, Sharon Stone, and Gene Hackman sadly, Strode passed away from lung cancer in late 1994 before the film was released and the film was dedicated to him upon release. Michael Munns 2005 biography, Jimmy Stewart: The Truth Behind the Legend[aff. 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).