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Woodrow Wilson Woolwine Strode (July 25, 1914 – December 31, 1994) was an American athlete and actor. He was a
decathlete The decathlon is a combined event in athletics consisting of ten track and field events. The word "decathlon" was formed, in analogy to the word " pentathlon", from Greek δέκα (''déka'', meaning "ten") and ἄθλος (''áthlos'', or � ...
and
football Football is a family of team sports that involve, to varying degrees, kicking a ball to score a goal. Unqualified, the word ''football'' normally means the form of football that is the most popular where the word is used. Sports commonly ...
star who was one of the first
Black American African Americans (also referred to as Black Americans and Afro-Americans) are an ethnic group consisting of Americans with partial or total ancestry from sub-Saharan Africa. The term "African American" generally denotes descendants of ens ...
players in the
National Football League The National Football League (NFL) is a professional American football league that consists of 32 teams, divided equally between the American Football Conference (AFC) and the National Football Conference (NFC). The NFL is one of the majo ...
in the postwar era. After football, he went on to become a film actor, where he was nominated for a Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actor for his role in ''
Spartacus Spartacus ( el, Σπάρτακος '; la, Spartacus; c. 103–71 BC) was a Thracian gladiator who, along with Crixus, Gannicus, Castus, and Oenomaus, was one of the escaped slave leaders in the Third Servile War, a major slave uprisin ...
'' in 1960. Strode also served in the
United States Army Air Corps The United States Army Air Corps (USAAC) was the aerial warfare service component of the United States Army between 1926 and 1941. After World War I, as early aviation became an increasingly important part of modern warfare, a philosophical r ...
during
World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the World War II by country, vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great power ...
.


Early life and athletic career

Strode was born in
Los Angeles Los Angeles ( ; es, Los Ángeles, link=no , ), often referred to by its initials L.A., is the largest city in the state of California and the second most populous city in the United States after New York City, as well as one of the world ...
. His parents were from New Orleans; his grandmother was African-American and " part Cherokee" and his grandfather was an African-American who claimed his own grandmother was Creek. He attended Thomas Jefferson High School in South East Los Angeles and college at
UCLA The University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) is a public land-grant research university in Los Angeles, California. UCLA's academic roots were established in 1881 as a teachers college then known as the southern branch of the California ...
, where he was a member of
Alpha Phi Alpha Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. () is the oldest intercollegiate historically African American fraternity. It was initially a literary and social studies club organized in the 1905–1906 school year at Cornell University but later evolved in ...
fraternity. His world-class
decathlon The decathlon is a combined event in athletics consisting of ten track and field events. The word "decathlon" was formed, in analogy to the word "pentathlon", from Greek δέκα (''déka'', meaning "ten") and ἄθλος (''áthlos'', or ἄ ...
capabilities were spearheaded by a plus
shot put The shot put is a track and field event involving "putting" (throwing) a heavy spherical ball—the ''shot''—as far as possible. The shot put competition for men has been a part of the modern Olympics since their revival in 1896, and women's c ...
(when the world record was ) and a
high jump The high jump is a track and field event in which competitors must jump unaided over a horizontal bar placed at measured heights without dislodging it. In its modern, most-practiced format, a bar is placed between two standards with a crash mat f ...
(the world record at time was ). "I got a cultural education—majored in history and education," he said in a 1971 interview. "Never used it, but I could walk into the White House with it now." Strode posed for a nude portrait, part of
Hubert Stowitts Hubert is a Germanic masculine given name, from ''hug'' "mind" and ''beraht'' "bright". It also occurs as a surname. Saint Hubertus or Hubert (c. 656 – 30 May 727) is the patron saint of hunters, mathematicians, opticians, and metalworkers. ...
's acclaimed exhibition of athletic portraits shown at the 1936 Berlin Olympics (although the inclusion of black and Jewish athletes caused the
Nazi Nazism ( ; german: Nazismus), the common name in English for National Socialism (german: Nationalsozialismus, ), is the far-right totalitarian political ideology and practices associated with Adolf Hitler and the Nazi Party (NSDAP) in ...
s to close the exhibit).


College career

Strode, Kenny Washington, and
Jackie Robinson Jack Roosevelt Robinson (January 31, 1919 – October 24, 1972) was an American professional baseball player who became the first African American to play in Major League Baseball (MLB) in the modern era. Robinson broke the baseball color line ...
starred on the 1939
UCLA Bruins football The UCLA Bruins football program represents the University of California, Los Angeles, in college football as members of the Pac-12 Conference at the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) level. The Bruins play their home games at the ...
team, in which they made up three of the four backfield players. They became famous nationally as "the Gold Dust gang". Along with Ray Bartlett, there were four Black Americans playing for the Bruins, when only a few dozen at all played on other college football teams. They played eventual conference and national champion
USC USC most often refers to: * University of South Carolina, a public research university ** University of South Carolina System, the main university and its satellite campuses ** South Carolina Gamecocks, the school athletic program * University of ...
to a scoreless tie with the
1940 Rose Bowl The 1940 Rose Bowl was the 26th edition of the college football bowl game, played at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California, on Monday, January 1. In a matchup of undefeated teams, the third-ranked USC Trojans of the Pacific Coast Conference ( ...
on the line. It was the first
UCLA–USC rivalry The UCLA–USC rivalry is the American collegiate athletics rivalry between the UCLA Bruins sports teams of the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) and USC Trojans teams of the University of Southern California (USC). Both univer ...
football game with national implications.


Early acting appearances

Strode made his first appearance in '' Sundown'' (1941) playing a native policeman. He had a small role in '' Star Spangled Rhythm'' (1942), as a chauffeur of Rochester (Edward Anderson) and could be glimpsed in '' No Time for Love'' (1943).


Professional football career

When
World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the World War II by country, vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great power ...
broke out, Strode was playing for the Hollywood Bears in the
Pacific Coast Professional Football League The Pacific Coast Professional Football League (PCPFL), also known as the Pacific Coast Football League (PCFL) and Pacific Coast League (PCL) was a professional American football minor league based in California. It operated from 1940 through 194 ...
. He was drafted at age 27 and soon joined the
United States Army Air Corps The United States Army Air Corps (USAAC) was the aerial warfare service component of the United States Army between 1926 and 1941. After World War I, as early aviation became an increasingly important part of modern warfare, a philosophical r ...
and spent the war unloading bombs in
Guam Guam (; ch, Guåhan ) is an organized, unincorporated territory of the United States in the Micronesia subregion of the western Pacific Ocean. It is the westernmost point and territory of the United States (reckoned from the geographic cent ...
and the
Marianas The Mariana Islands (; also the Marianas; in Chamorro: ''Manislan Mariånas'') are a crescent-shaped archipelago comprising the summits of fifteen longitudinally oriented, mostly dormant volcanic mountains in the northwestern Pacific Ocean, betw ...
, as well as playing on the Army football team at March Field in Riverside, California. After the war, he worked at serving subpoenas and escorting prisoners for the L.A. County District Attorney's Office. Strode and Kenny Washington were two of the first African-Americans to play in major college programs and later the modern
National Football League The National Football League (NFL) is a professional American football league that consists of 32 teams, divided equally between the American Football Conference (AFC) and the National Football Conference (NFC). The NFL is one of the majo ...
(along with Marion Motley and
Bill Willis William Karnet Willis (October 5, 1921 – November 27, 2007) was an American football defensive tackle who played eight seasons for the Cleveland Browns in the All-America Football Conference (AAFC) and the National Football League (NFL). ...
, who signed with the contemporary rival
All-America Football Conference The All-America Football Conference (AAFC) was a professional American football league that challenged the established National Football League (NFL) from 1946 to 1949. One of the NFL's most formidable challengers, the AAFC attracted many of the ...
), playing for the
Los Angeles Rams The Los Angeles Rams are a professional American football team based in the Greater Los Angeles, Los Angeles metropolitan area. The Rams compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC Wes ...
in 1946. No black men had played in the NFL from 1933 to 1946. UCLA teammate Jackie Robinson would go on to break the color barrier in
Major League Baseball Major League Baseball (MLB) is a professional baseball organization and the oldest major professional sports league in the world. MLB is composed of 30 total teams, divided equally between the National League (NL) and the American League (A ...
(in fact, Robinson, Strode, and Washington had all played in the semi-professional
Pacific Coast Professional Football League The Pacific Coast Professional Football League (PCPFL), also known as the Pacific Coast Football League (PCFL) and Pacific Coast League (PCL) was a professional American football minor league based in California. It operated from 1940 through 194 ...
earlier in the decade). When out on the road with the team, Strode had his first experience with racism, something he wasn't aware of growing up in Los Angeles. "We were unconscious of color. We used to sit in the best seats at the Coconut Grove (a nightclub in the Ambassador Hotel) listening to Donald Novis sing. If someone said, 'there's a Negro over there,' I was just as apt as anyone to turn around and say 'Where?'" He also said, "On the Pacific Coast there wasn't anything we couldn't do. As we got out of the L.A. area we found these racial tensions. Hell, we thought we were white." In 1948 he signed with the
Brooklyn Dodgers The Brooklyn Dodgers were a Major League Baseball team founded in 1884 as a member of the American Association before joining the National League in 1890. They remained in Brooklyn until 1957, after which the club moved to Los Angeles, Californi ...
of the AAFC, but was released before the season started, whereupon he joined the
Calgary Stampeders The Calgary Stampeders are a professional Canadian football team based in Calgary, Alberta. The Stampeders compete in the West Division of the Canadian Football League (CFL). The club plays its home games at McMahon Stadium and are the third-o ...
of the
Western Interprovincial Football Union The West Division is one of the two regional divisions of the Canadian Football League (CFL), its counterpart being the East Division. Although the CFL was not founded until 1958, the West Division and its clubs are descended from earlier leagu ...
in Canada, where he was a member of Calgary's 1948
Grey Cup The Grey Cup (french: Coupe Grey) is both the championship game of the Canadian Football League (CFL) and the trophy awarded to the victorious team playing in the namesake championship of professional Canadian football. The game is contested be ...
Championship team before retiring due to injury in 1949. He broke two ribs and a shoulder. "It was like I had fought Joe Louis," he recalled.


Professional wrestling career

In 1941, Strode had dabbled for several months in
professional wrestling Professional wrestling is a form of theater that revolves around staged wrestling matches. The mock combat is performed in a ring similar to the kind used in boxing, and the dramatic aspects of pro wrestling may be performed both in the ring or ...
. Following the end of his football career in 1949, he returned to wrestling part-time between acting jobs until 1962, wrestling the likes of Gorgeous George. In 1952, Strode wrestled almost every week from August 12, 1952, to December 10, 1952, in different cities in California. He was billed as the Pacific Coast Heavyweight Wrestling Champion and the Pacific Coast Negro Heavyweight Wrestling Champion in 1962. He later teamed up with both
Bobo Brazil Houston Harris (July 10, 1924 – January 20, 1998) was an American professional wrestler, better known by his ring name Bobo Brazil. Credited with breaking down barriers of racial segregation in professional wrestling, Harris is considered one ...
and
Bearcat Wright Edward M. Wright (January 13, 1932 – August 28, 1982) was an American professional wrestler who became popular in the late 1950s and 1960s. Despite racial tension in the United States, he became wildly popular as a babyface. Wrestling in either ...
.


Acting career

Strode's acting career was re-activated when producer
Walter Mirisch Walter Mortimer Mirisch (born November 8, 1921) is an American film producer. He is president and executive head of production of The Mirisch Corporation, an independent film production company, which he formed in 1957 with his brother Marvin ...
spotted him wrestling and cast him as an African warrior in ''
The Lion Hunters ''The Lion Hunters'' is a 1951 American adventure film directed by Ford Beebe and starring Johnny Sheffield, Morris Ankrum and Ann E. Todd. It was the fifth in the 12-film Bomba, the Jungle Boy series. The film's sets were designed by the art dire ...
'' (1951), one of the
Bomba the Jungle Boy ''Bomba the Jungle Boy'' is a series of American boys' adventure books produced by the Stratemeyer Syndicate under the pseudonym Roy Rockwood. and published by Cupples and Leon in the first half of the 20th century, in imitation of the successful ...
series. They wanted him to shave his head. He was reluctant until they offered him $500 a week. “I said, ‘All right, where are the pluckers?’" Then Strode realised, “I was out in the world market with a bald head. Trapped for life. Finally, it became way of life.” He had roles in ''
Bride of the Gorilla ''Bride of the Gorilla'' is a 1951 horror B-movie film written and directed by Curt Siodmak starring Raymond Burr, Lon Chaney Jr., Barbara Payton and Tom Conway. Plot Deep in the Latin American jungles, plantation manager Barney Chavez (Burr) ...
'' (1951), '' African Treasure'' (1951) (another Bomba film), an episode of '' Dangerous Assignment'' (1952), ''
Caribbean The Caribbean (, ) ( es, El Caribe; french: la Caraïbe; ht, Karayib; nl, De Caraïben) is a region of the Americas that consists of the Caribbean Sea, its islands (some surrounded by the Caribbean Sea and some bordering both the Caribbean ...
'' (1952), and '' Androcles and the Lion'' (1952), playing the lion, "the toughest job I ever had" he said later. Strode was in '' City Beneath the Sea'' (1953) directed by
Budd Boetticher Oscar "Budd" Boetticher Jr. ( ; July 29, 1916 – November 29, 2001) was an American film director. He is best remembered for a series of low-budget Westerns he made in the late 1950s starring Randolph Scott. Early life Boetticher was born in C ...
, and ''
The Royal African Rifles '' The Royal African Rifles'' is a 1953 American Cinecolor First World War adventure film directed by Lesley Selander and starring Louis Hayward, Veronica Hurst and Michael Pate. It is set in British East Africa but filmed on location in the Los ...
''. Also, he appeared in several episodes of the 1952–1954 television series ''
Ramar of the Jungle ''Ramar of the Jungle'' is an American television series that starred Jon Hall as Dr. Tom ReynoldsMcNeil, Alex (1996). ''Total Television''. Penguin Books USA, Inc. . P. 683. (the titular "ramar" being an African title for a white medicine man). ...
'', where he portrayed an African warrior. Strode was a gladiator in '' Demetrius and the Gladiators'' (1954) and was in '' Jungle Man-Eaters'' (1954), a Jungle Jim film. He could be seen in ''
The Gambler from Natchez ''The Gambler from Natchez'' is a 1954 American Western film directed by Henry Levin and starring Dale Robertson and Debra Paget. Plot After four years away from New Orleans, Vance Colby is summoned by his gambler father. On a riverboat, a gam ...
'' (1954), ''
Jungle Gents ''Jungle Gents'' is a 1954 American comedy film directed by Edward Bernds and starring The Bowery Boys. The film was released on September 5, 1954 by Allied Artists and is the thirty-fifth film in the series and the film debut of Clint Walker i ...
'' (1954) a Bowery Boys movie set in Africa, and '' The Silver Chalice'' (1954). He was in a TV adaptation of ''
Mandrake the Magician ''Mandrake the Magician'' is a syndicated newspaper comic strip, created by Lee Falk before he created '' The Phantom''. Ron Goulart, ''The Encyclopedia of American Comics''. New York: Facts on File, 1990. . pp. 91, 249–250. ''Mandrake'' be ...
'' (1954), a pilot for a series that was not picked up, and had small parts in '' Son of Sinbad'' (1955), '' Soldiers of Fortune'' (1955), and '' Buruuba'' (1956) a Japanese film set in Africa. He appeared once on Johnny Weissmuller's 1955–1956 syndicated
television series A television show – or simply TV show – is any content produced for viewing on a television set which can be broadcast via over-the-air, satellite, or cable, excluding breaking news, advertisements, or trailers that are typically placed be ...
'' Jungle Jim'' and was in an episode of '' Private Secretary''. Cecil B. DeMille cast him in ''
The Ten Commandments The Ten Commandments (Biblical Hebrew עשרת הדברים \ עֲשֶׂרֶת הַדְּבָרִים, ''aséret ha-dvarím'', lit. The Decalogue, The Ten Words, cf. Mishnaic Hebrew עשרת הדיברות \ עֲשֶׂרֶת הַדִּבְ� ...
'' (1956) as a slave at $500 a week for five weeks. They were unable to find anyone to play the
Ethiopia Ethiopia, , om, Itiyoophiyaa, so, Itoobiya, ti, ኢትዮጵያ, Ítiyop'iya, aa, Itiyoppiya officially the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, is a landlocked country in the Horn of Africa. It shares borders with Eritrea to the ...
n king so Strode was given that role too. He had a support role in ''
Tarzan's Fight for Life ''Tarzan's Fight for Life'' is a 1958 Metrocolor action adventure film featuring Edgar Rice Burroughs' famous jungle hero Tarzan and starring Gordon Scott, Eve Brent, Rickie Sorensen, Jil Jarmyn, and Cheeta the chimpanzee. The film was directed ...
'' (1958) and a small part in '' The Buccaneer'' (1958). In 1959 he portrayed the conflicted, some would say cowardly, Private Franklin in '' Pork Chop Hill'', which brought him critical acclaim. He called it "the first dramatic thing that I had done." He guest starred on '' The Man from Blackhawk'' (1960).


Rising fame

Strode was next cast in ''
Spartacus Spartacus ( el, Σπάρτακος '; la, Spartacus; c. 103–71 BC) was a Thracian gladiator who, along with Crixus, Gannicus, Castus, and Oenomaus, was one of the escaped slave leaders in the Third Servile War, a major slave uprisin ...
'' (1960) as the Ethiopian
gladiator A gladiator ( la, gladiator, "swordsman", from , "sword") was an armed combatant who entertained audiences in the Roman Republic and Roman Empire in violent confrontations with other gladiators, wild animals, and condemned criminals. Some gla ...
Draba, in which he has to fight Spartacus (played by
Kirk Douglas Kirk Douglas (born Issur Danielovitch; December 9, 1916 – February 5, 2020) was an American actor and filmmaker. After an impoverished childhood, he made his film debut in '' The Strange Love of Martha Ivers'' (1946) with Barbara Stanwyck. D ...
) to the death. Draba wins the contest, but instead of killing Spartacus, he attacks the
Roman Roman or Romans most often refers to: * Rome, the capital city of Italy * Ancient Rome, Roman civilization from 8th century BC to 5th century AD *Roman people, the people of ancient Rome *''Epistle to the Romans'', shortened to ''Romans'', a lett ...
military commander who paid for the fight. He is killed and his death sparks a gladiator rebellion. Strode had an excellent support part in '' The Last Voyage'' (1960) playing a heroic stoker, though he was only billed fifth. While making ''Pork Chop Hill'' he became a close friend of director
John Ford John Martin Feeney (February 1, 1894 – August 31, 1973), known professionally as John Ford, was an American film director and naval officer. He is widely regarded as one of the most important and influential filmmakers of his generation. He ...
. Ford gave Strode the title role in ''
Sergeant Rutledge ''Sergeant Rutledge'' is a 1960 American Technicolor Western film directed by John Ford and starring Jeffrey Hunter, Constance Towers, Woody Strode and Billie Burke. Six decades later, the film continues to attract attention because it was one o ...
'' (1960) as a member of the Ninth Cavalry, who is greatly admired by the other black soldiers in the unit and is falsely accused of the rape and murder of a white woman. "The big studios wanted an actor like Sidney oitieror arryBelafonte," recalled Strode. "And this is not being facetious, but Mr. Ford defended me; and I don't know that this is going on. He said, "Well, they're not tough enough to do what I want Sergeant Rutledge to be." "That was a classic," he later said. "It had dignity. John Ford put classic words in my mouth... You never seen a Negro come off a mountain like John Wayne before. I had the greatest Glory Hallelujah ride across the Pecos River that any black man ever had on the screen. And I did it myself. I carried the whole black race across that river." Strode had difficulty maintaining the momentum of these roles. He was in '' The Sins of Rachel Cade'' (1961) and guest starred twice on '' Rawhide'', playing an Australian aboriginal in one episode and a buffalo soldier in the other. Ford used him again in '' Two Rode Together'' (1962) but it was only a small part, as an Indian. He had a bigger role in '' The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance'' (1962) for Ford, playing Pompey, John Wayne's hired hand. In the film, Strode’s character recites the
Declaration of Independence A declaration of independence or declaration of statehood or proclamation of independence is an assertion by a polity in a defined territory that it is independent and constitutes a state. Such places are usually declared from part or all of th ...
but apologizes for forgetting the phrase “all men are created equal,” a poignant line for the 1962 audience. Pompey/Strode physically carries and thereby saves a drunken, suicidal John Wayne from his burning home. In 1963, he was cast opposite
Jock Mahoney Jacques Joseph O'Mahoney (February 7, 1919 – December 14, 1989), known professionally as Jock Mahoney, was an American actor and stuntman. He starred in two Action/Adventure television series, ''The Range Rider'' and ''Yancy Derringer''. He ...
's Tarzan as both the dying leader of an unnamed Asian country and that leader's unsavory brother, Khan, in ''
Tarzan's Three Challenges ''Tarzan's Three Challenges'' is a 1963 British-American adventure film filmed in Metrocolor. It is a follow-up to 1962's ''Tarzan Goes to India''. The film was Jock Mahoney's second and final turn as the apeman, was produced by Sy Weintraub, wri ...
''. He guest starred on ''
The Lieutenant ''The Lieutenant'' is an American television series, the first created by Gene Roddenberry. It aired on NBC on Saturday evenings in the 1963–1964 television schedule. It was produced by Arena Productions, one of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer's most ...
'', '' The Farmer's Daughter'' and ''
Daniel Boone Daniel Boone (September 26, 1820) was an American pioneer and frontiersman whose exploits made him one of the first folk heroes of the United States. He became famous for his exploration and settlement of Kentucky, which was then beyond the we ...
'' and had roles in the features ''
Genghis Khan Genghis Khan (born Temüjin; ; xng, Temüjin, script=Latn; ., name=Temujin – August 25, 1227) was the founder and first Great Khan (Emperor) of the Mongol Empire, which became the List of largest empires, largest contiguous empire in history a ...
'' (1965) and ''
7 Women ''7 Women'', also known as ''Seven Women'', is a 1966 Panavision drama film directed by John Ford and starring Anne Bancroft, Sue Lyon, Margaret Leighton, Flora Robson, Mildred Dunnock, Betty Field, and Anna Lee, with Eddie Albert, Mike Ma ...
'' (1966), the latter the last film he made for Ford. Strode was very close to the director. "He treated me like a son," said Strode. "I had a certain amount of crudeness that went back a hundred years, and that's what he liked." During Ford's declining years Strode spent four months sleeping on the director's floor as his caregiver, and he was later present at Ford's death. In the late 1960s, he appeared in several episodes of the Ron Ely ''
Tarzan Tarzan (John Clayton II, Viscount Greystoke) is a fictional character, an archetypal feral child raised in the African jungle by the Mangani great apes; he later experiences civilization, only to reject it and return to the wild as a heroic adv ...
'' television series. Strode's other television work included a role as the Grand Mogul in the ''
Batman Batman is a superhero appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. The character was created by artist Bob Kane and writer Bill Finger, and debuted in the 27th issue of the comic book ''Detective Comics'' on March 30, 1939. I ...
'' episodes "Marsha, Queen of Diamonds" and "Marsha's Scheme of Diamonds". Strode landed a major starring role as an expert archer and soldier of fortune in the 1966 Western '' The Professionals''. His name was the only one of the four "professionals" that was left off of the movie poster; nevertheless, the film was a major box-office success that established him as a recognizable star. In 1967 he attempted to produce his own film, ''The Story of the Tenth Cavalry'' but it was not made.Colo. – It's been 15 years since Woody Strode's prime time in Hollywood ... ]: Boston Globe December 20, 1981: 1. M He based himself in Europe from 1968 to 1971.


Europe

His 1968 starring role as a thinly-disguised Patrice Lumumba in ''Seduto alla sua destra'' (released in the U.S. as '' Black Jesus'') garnered Strode a great deal of press at the time, but the film is largely forgotten now. He was an Indian in ''
Shalako Shalako is a series of dances and ceremonies conducted by the Native American Zuni people for the Zuni people at the winter solstice, typically following the harvest. The Shalako ceremony and feast has been closed to non-native peoples since 1990 ...
'' (1968) and played a gunslinger in the opening sequence of
Sergio Leone Sergio Leone (; 3 January 1929 – 30 April 1989) was an Italian film director, producer and screenwriter credited as the pioneer of the Spaghetti Western genre and widely regarded as one of the most influential directors in the history of cin ...
's '' Once Upon a Time in the West'' (1968). He decided to stay in Europe. "I had five pairs of blue jeans, I was lonely, and I didn't speak the language," he said. "But the producers answered, 'Not necessary. You ride horses.' " Strode was in ''
Che! ''Che!'' is a 1969 American biographical film directed by Richard Fleischer and starring Omar Sharif as Marxist revolutionary Ernesto "Che" Guevara. It follows Guevara from when he first landed in Cuba in 1956 to his death in Bolivia in 1967, a ...
'' (1969) and supported Terence Hill and Bud Spencer in '' Boot Hill'' (1969) shot in Italy. He stayed in Europe to make another Western '' The Unholy Four'' (1970) and went back to Hollywood to do a TV movie '' Breakout'' (1970) and two Westerns '' The Deserter'' (also known as "The Devil's Backbone") (1971), and ''
The Gatling Gun ''The Gatling Gun'' originally titled ''King Gun'' is a Western shot in 1969 in New Mexico that features then New Mexico Governor David Cargo in a small role.p.144 Cargo, David Francis ''Lonesome Dave'' Sunstone Press, 1 May 2010 The final fi ...
'' (1971). The scripts for these were variable but Strode later said "Me, I didn't care. If the money was right, I'd play Mickey Mouse.” Strode went to Europe to make ''
Scipio the African ''Scipio the African'' ( it, Scipione detto anche l'Africano "Scipio, also called the African") is a 1971 Italian comedy film directed by Luigi Magni. Plot Years after the Second Punic War, Scipio Africanus finds himself generally unliked, de ...
'' (1971) and did some more Westerns: ''
The Last Rebel ''The Last Rebel'' is the seventh studio album by American rock band Lynyrd Skynyrd, released in 1993. It is the last album to feature drummer Kurt Custer and guitarist Randall Hall. Track listing # "Good Lovin's Hard to Find" ( Ed King, Gary R ...
'' (1971), and '' The Revengers'' (1972) (a "regular knockdown, drag‐out western” said Strode). He later said his salary in Italy went up to $10,000 a week. He did ''
The Italian Connection ''The Italian Connection'' ( it, La mala ordina, lit=The mob orders, also released as ''Manhunt in the City'' and ''Manhunt in Milan'') is a 1972 italian '' noir''-''thriller'' film co-written and directed by Fernando Di Leo; starring Mario Adorf ...
'' (1972), for which he was paid $150,000. "Race is not a factor in the world market," he said in 1981. "I once played a part written for an Irish prize fighter. I've done everything but play an Anglo-Saxon. I'd do that if I could. I'd play a Viking with blue contact lenses and a blond wig if I could. My dream is to play a Mexican bandit in the international market." He was also in ''
Key West Key West ( es, Cayo Hueso) is an island in the Straits of Florida, within the U.S. state of Florida. Together with all or parts of the separate islands of Dredgers Key, Fleming Key, Sunset Key, and the northern part of Stock Island, it cons ...
'' (1973), ''
Loaded Guns ''Loaded Guns'' (Italian: ''Colpo in canna'') is a 1975 Italian crime film written and directed by Fernando di Leo and starring Ursula Andress. Plot A flight attendant finds herself in the middle of fighting between rival gangs in Naples. Cast ...
'' (1975), ''
The Manhunter ''The Manhunter'' is an American crime drama that was part of CBS' lineup for the 1974–1975 television season. The series was produced by Quinn Martin and starred Ken Howard as Dave Barret, a 1930s-era private investigator from Idaho. Syno ...
'' (1975), '' We Are No Angels'' (1975), '' Winterhawk'' (1975), ''
Keoma Keoma is a hamlet in southern Alberta under the jurisdiction of Rocky View County. Keoma is located approximately 35 km (21 mi) northeast of Downtown Calgary, on Highway 566, 2.0 km (1.2 mi) east of Highway 9 and 19 km (12 mi) north of the ...
'' (1976), episodes of '' The Quest'' (1976) and '' How the West Was Won'' (1977), '' Oil'' (1977), '' Martinelli, Outside Man'' (1977), '' Kingdom of the Spiders'' (1977), '' Cowboy-San!'' (1978), '' Ravagers'' (1979), ''
Jaguar Lives! ''Jaguar Lives!'' is a 1979 American action film directed by Ernest Pintoff and starring Joe Lewis, Christopher Lee, Donald Pleasence and Barbara Bach. Its plot follows a secret agent who battles an international drugs ring. Plot Cast * J ...
'' (1979), and an episode of '' Buck Rogers in the 25th Century'' (1979).


Later career

Strode's later appearances included '' Cuba Crossing'' (1980),'' The Dukes of Hazzard '' (1980), '' Scream'' (1981), ''
Fantasy Island ''Fantasy Island'' is an American fantasy drama television series created by Gene Levitt. It aired on ABC from 1977 to 1984. The series starred Ricardo Montalbán as the mysterious Mr. Roarke and Hervé Villechaize as his assistant, Tatto ...
'' (1981), ''
Vigilante Vigilantism () is the act of preventing, investigating and punishing perceived offenses and crimes without legal authority. A vigilante (from Spanish, Italian and Portuguese “vigilante”, which means "sentinel" or "watcher") is a person who ...
'' (1982), '' Invaders of the Lost Gold'' (1982), '' Angkor: Cambodia Express'' (1983), '' The Black Stallion Returns'' (1983), '' The Violent Breed'' (1984), ''
Jungle Warriors ''Jungle Warriors'', also called ''The Czar of Brazil'' (Euer Weg führt durch die Hölle, "Your Path Leads Through Hell", in Germany) is an action film, released in the United States in November 1984. The film was shot in Mexico and the old West ...
'' (1984), '' The Cotton Club'' (1984), ''
The Final Executioner ''The Final Executioner'' ( it, L' Ultimo Guerriero) is an Italian post-apocalyptic film released in 1984. Synopsis The resulting fallout from a nuclear war has contaminated most of the cities except for a few isolated towns. The remaining societ ...
'' (1984), '' Lust in the Dust'' (1985), ''On Fire'' (1987), and ''
A Gathering of Old Men ''A Gathering of Old Men'' is a novel by Ernest J. Gaines published in 1983. Set on a 1970s Louisiana cane farm, the novel addresses racial discrimination and a bond that cannot be usurped. Plot summary One afternoon, Candy Marshall, a whi ...
'' (1987). Strode was in '' Storyville'' (1992), and '' Posse'' (1992), working with director
Mario Van Peebles Mario Van Peebles (born January 15, 1957) is an American film director and actor best known for directing and starring in ''New Jack City'' in 1991 and '' USS Indianapolis: Men of Courage'' in 2016. He is the son of actor and filmmaker Melvin V ...
. His last film was '' The Quick and the Dead'' (1995), which starred
Sharon Stone Sharon Vonne Stone (born March 10, 1958) is an American actress. Known for primarily playing femme fatales and women of mystery on film and television, she became one of the most popular sex symbols of the 1990s. She is the recipient of various ...
,
Gene Hackman Eugene Allen Hackman (born January 30, 1930) is an American retired actor and former novelist. In a career that has spanned more than six decades, Hackman has won two Academy Awards, four Golden Globes, one Screen Actors Guild Award, two BAFTAs ...
, Leonardo DiCaprio, and
Russell Crowe Russell Ira Crowe (born 7 April 1964) is an actor. He was born in New Zealand, spent ten years of his childhood in Australia, and moved there permanently at age twenty one. He came to international attention for his role as Roman General Maxi ...
. The closing credits dedicate the film to Strode, who died shortly before its release. In 1980, Strode was inducted into the Black Filmmakers Hall of Fame. In 2021, he was inducted into the
Hall of Great Westerners The Hall of Great Westerners was established by the National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum in 1958. Located in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, U.S., the Hall was created to celebrate the contributions of more than 200 men and women of the American ...
of the
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.


Personal life

His first wife was Princess Luukialuana Kalaeloa (a.k.a. Luana Strode), a distant relative of Liliuokalani, the last queen of
Hawaii Hawaii ( ; haw, Hawaii or ) is a state in the Western United States, located in the Pacific Ocean about from the U.S. mainland. It is the only U.S. state outside North America, the only state that is an archipelago, and the only stat ...
. "You'd have thought I was marrying Lana Turner, the way the whites in Hollywood acted," he later said. With her he had two children, television director Kalai (a.k.a. Kalaeloa, 1946-2014), and a daughter, June. They were married until her death in 1980 due to
Parkinson's disease Parkinson's disease (PD), or simply Parkinson's, is a long-term degenerative disorder of the central nervous system that mainly affects the motor system. The symptoms usually emerge slowly, and as the disease worsens, non-motor symptoms beco ...
. In 1982 at the age of 68, he wed 35-year-old Tina Tompson, and they remained married until his death of
lung cancer Lung cancer, also known as lung carcinoma (since about 98–99% of all lung cancers are carcinomas), is a malignant lung tumor characterized by uncontrolled cell growth in tissues of the lung. Lung carcinomas derive from transformed, mali ...
on , 1994, in Glendora, California, aged 80. He is buried at
Riverside National Cemetery Riverside National Cemetery (RNC) is a cemetery located in Riverside, California, dedicated to the interment of United States military personnel. The cemetery covers , making it the largest cemetery managed by the National Cemetery Administratio ...
in
Riverside, California Riverside is a city in and the county seat of Riverside County, California, United States, in the Inland Empire metropolitan area. It is named for its location beside the Santa Ana River. It is the most populous city in the Inland Empire an ...
. Strode was a dedicated martial artist under the direction of Frank Landers in the art of Seishindo Kenpo.


Tributes

Sheriff Woody Sheriff Woody Pride is a fictional, pull-string cowboy doll who appears in the Disney–Pixar ''Toy Story'' franchise. In the films, Woody is the main protagonist, alongside Buzz Lightyear. He is primarily voiced by Tom Hanks, who voices him ...
of the '' Toy Story'' series of animated films is named after Strode, as was the recurring character of the Santa Barbara Coroner in the television series ''
Psych ''Psych'' is an American detective comedy-drama television series created by Steve Franks for USA Network. The series stars James Roday as Shawn Spencer, a young crime consultant for the Santa Barbara Police Department whose "heightened obser ...
''.


Championships and accomplishments

* Cauliflower Alley Club **Iron Mike Mazurki Award (1992)


Filmography

* '' Sundown'' (1941) as Tribal Policeman (uncredited) * '' Star Spangled Rhythm'' (1942) as Woodrow – Rochester's Motorcycle Chauffeur (uncredited) * '' No Time for Love'' (1943) as Black Sandhog (uncredited) * ''
The Lion Hunters ''The Lion Hunters'' is a 1951 American adventure film directed by Ford Beebe and starring Johnny Sheffield, Morris Ankrum and Ann E. Todd. It was the fifth in the 12-film Bomba, the Jungle Boy series. The film's sets were designed by the art dire ...
'' (1951) as Walu * ''
Bride of the Gorilla ''Bride of the Gorilla'' is a 1951 horror B-movie film written and directed by Curt Siodmak starring Raymond Burr, Lon Chaney Jr., Barbara Payton and Tom Conway. Plot Deep in the Latin American jungles, plantation manager Barney Chavez (Burr) ...
'' (1951) as Nedo – Policeman * '' African Treasure'' (1952) as Mailman (uncredited) * ''
Caribbean The Caribbean (, ) ( es, El Caribe; french: la Caraïbe; ht, Karayib; nl, De Caraïben) is a region of the Americas that consists of the Caribbean Sea, its islands (some surrounded by the Caribbean Sea and some bordering both the Caribbean ...
'' (1952) as Esau, MacAllister Guard * '' Androcles and the Lion'' (1952) as The Lion * '' City Beneath the Sea'' (1953) as Djion * ''
The Royal African Rifles '' The Royal African Rifles'' is a 1953 American Cinecolor First World War adventure film directed by Lesley Selander and starring Louis Hayward, Veronica Hurst and Michael Pate. It is set in British East Africa but filmed on location in the Los ...
'' (1953) as Soldier * '' Jungle Man-Eaters'' (1954) as One of Native Escorts to Biplane (uncredited) * '' Demetrius and the Gladiators'' (1954) as Gladiator (uncredited) * ''
The Gambler from Natchez ''The Gambler from Natchez'' is a 1954 American Western film directed by Henry Levin and starring Dale Robertson and Debra Paget. Plot After four years away from New Orleans, Vance Colby is summoned by his gambler father. On a riverboat, a gam ...
'' (1954) as Josh * ''
Jungle Gents ''Jungle Gents'' is a 1954 American comedy film directed by Edward Bernds and starring The Bowery Boys. The film was released on September 5, 1954 by Allied Artists and is the thirty-fifth film in the series and the film debut of Clint Walker i ...
'' (1954) as Malaka (uncredited) * ''
Jungle Gents ''Jungle Gents'' is a 1954 American comedy film directed by Edward Bernds and starring The Bowery Boys. The film was released on September 5, 1954 by Allied Artists and is the thirty-fifth film in the series and the film debut of Clint Walker i ...
'' (1954) as Moor (uncredited) * '' Son of Sinbad'' (1955) as Palace Guard (uncredited) * '' Buruuba'' (1955) as Native Chief * ''
The Ten Commandments The Ten Commandments (Biblical Hebrew עשרת הדברים \ עֲשֶׂרֶת הַדְּבָרִים, ''aséret ha-dvarím'', lit. The Decalogue, The Ten Words, cf. Mishnaic Hebrew עשרת הדיברות \ עֲשֶׂרֶת הַדִּבְ� ...
'' (1956) as
King of Ethiopia The emperor of Ethiopia ( gez, ንጉሠ ነገሥት, nəgusä nägäst, "King of Kings"), also known as the Atse ( am, ዐፄ, "emperor"), was the hereditary ruler of the Ethiopian Empire, from at least the 13th century until the abolition ...
and Bythia’s bearer * ''
Tarzan's Fight for Life ''Tarzan's Fight for Life'' is a 1958 Metrocolor action adventure film featuring Edgar Rice Burroughs' famous jungle hero Tarzan and starring Gordon Scott, Eve Brent, Rickie Sorensen, Jil Jarmyn, and Cheeta the chimpanzee. The film was directed ...
'' (1958) as Ramo * '' The Buccaneer'' (1958) as Toro * '' Pork Chop Hill'' (1959) as Pvt. Franklin * '' The Last Voyage'' (1960) as Hank Lawson * ''
Sergeant Rutledge ''Sergeant Rutledge'' is a 1960 American Technicolor Western film directed by John Ford and starring Jeffrey Hunter, Constance Towers, Woody Strode and Billie Burke. Six decades later, the film continues to attract attention because it was one o ...
'' (1960) as 1st Sgt. Braxton Rutledge * ''
Spartacus Spartacus ( el, Σπάρτακος '; la, Spartacus; c. 103–71 BC) was a Thracian gladiator who, along with Crixus, Gannicus, Castus, and Oenomaus, was one of the escaped slave leaders in the Third Servile War, a major slave uprisin ...
'' (1960) as Draba * '' The Sins of Rachel Cade'' (1961) as Muwango * '' Two Rode Together'' (1961) as Stone Calf * '' The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance'' (1962) as Pompey * ''
Tarzan's Three Challenges ''Tarzan's Three Challenges'' is a 1963 British-American adventure film filmed in Metrocolor. It is a follow-up to 1962's ''Tarzan Goes to India''. The film was Jock Mahoney's second and final turn as the apeman, was produced by Sy Weintraub, wri ...
'' (1963) as Khan / Dying Leader * ''
Genghis Khan Genghis Khan (born Temüjin; ; xng, Temüjin, script=Latn; ., name=Temujin – August 25, 1227) was the founder and first Great Khan (Emperor) of the Mongol Empire, which became the List of largest empires, largest contiguous empire in history a ...
'' (1965) as Sengal * ''
7 Women ''7 Women'', also known as ''Seven Women'', is a 1966 Panavision drama film directed by John Ford and starring Anne Bancroft, Sue Lyon, Margaret Leighton, Flora Robson, Mildred Dunnock, Betty Field, and Anna Lee, with Eddie Albert, Mike Ma ...
'' (1966) as Lean Warrior * ''
Daniel Boone (1964 TV series) ''Daniel Boone'' is an American action- adventure television series starring Fess Parker as Daniel Boone that aired from September 24, 1964, to May 7, 1970, on NBC for 165 episodes, and was produced by 20th Century Fox Television, Arcola En ...
'' - Goliath - S3/E3 "Goliath" (1966) * '' The Professionals'' (1966) as Jake * '' Seduto alla sua destra'', aka ''Black Jesus'', aka ''Super Brother'' (1968) as Maurice Lalubi * ''
Shalako Shalako is a series of dances and ceremonies conducted by the Native American Zuni people for the Zuni people at the winter solstice, typically following the harvest. The Shalako ceremony and feast has been closed to non-native peoples since 1990 ...
'' (1968) as Chato * '' Once Upon a Time in the West'' (1968) as Stony – Member of Frank's Gang * ''
Che! ''Che!'' is a 1969 American biographical film directed by Richard Fleischer and starring Omar Sharif as Marxist revolutionary Ernesto "Che" Guevara. It follows Guevara from when he first landed in Cuba in 1956 to his death in Bolivia in 1967, a ...
'' (1969) as Guillermo * '' Boot Hill'' (1969) as Thomas * ''
Chuck Moll ''The Unholy Four'' (Italian: ''Ciakmull (L'uomo della vendetta)'', lit. "Ciakmull (The vengeful man)"), also known as ''Chuck Moll'', is a 1970 Italian Spaghetti Western. The film represents the directorial debut of Enzo Barboni, who was, until ...
'' (1970) as Woody * '' The Deserter'' (1971) as Jackson * ''
The Gatling Gun ''The Gatling Gun'' originally titled ''King Gun'' is a Western shot in 1969 in New Mexico that features then New Mexico Governor David Cargo in a small role.p.144 Cargo, David Francis ''Lonesome Dave'' Sunstone Press, 1 May 2010 The final fi ...
'' (1971) as Runner the Scout * ''
Scipio the African ''Scipio the African'' ( it, Scipione detto anche l'Africano "Scipio, also called the African") is a 1971 Italian comedy film directed by Luigi Magni. Plot Years after the Second Punic War, Scipio Africanus finds himself generally unliked, de ...
'' (1971) as Massinissa – re di Numidia * ''
The Last Rebel ''The Last Rebel'' is the seventh studio album by American rock band Lynyrd Skynyrd, released in 1993. It is the last album to feature drummer Kurt Custer and guitarist Randall Hall. Track listing # "Good Lovin's Hard to Find" ( Ed King, Gary R ...
'' (1971) as Duncan * '' Black Rodeo'' (1972, Documentary) as Narrator * '' The Revengers'' (1972) as Job * ''
The Italian Connection ''The Italian Connection'' ( it, La mala ordina, lit=The mob orders, also released as ''Manhunt in the City'' and ''Manhunt in Milan'') is a 1972 italian '' noir''-''thriller'' film co-written and directed by Fernando Di Leo; starring Mario Adorf ...
'' (1972) as Frank Webster * ''
Loaded Guns ''Loaded Guns'' (Italian: ''Colpo in canna'') is a 1975 Italian crime film written and directed by Fernando di Leo and starring Ursula Andress. Plot A flight attendant finds herself in the middle of fighting between rival gangs in Naples. Cast ...
'' (1975) as Silvera * '' We Are No Angels'' (1975) as Black Bill * '' Winterhawk'' (1975) as Big Rude * ''
Keoma Keoma is a hamlet in southern Alberta under the jurisdiction of Rocky View County. Keoma is located approximately 35 km (21 mi) northeast of Downtown Calgary, on Highway 566, 2.0 km (1.2 mi) east of Highway 9 and 19 km (12 mi) north of the ...
'' (1976) as George * '' Oil!'' (1977) as Ben * '' Kingdom of the Spiders'' (1977) as Walter Colby * '' Cowboy-San!'' (1978) as Baddie * '' Ravagers'' (1979) as Brown * ''
Jaguar Lives! ''Jaguar Lives!'' is a 1979 American action film directed by Ernest Pintoff and starring Joe Lewis, Christopher Lee, Donald Pleasence and Barbara Bach. Its plot follows a secret agent who battles an international drugs ring. Plot Cast * J ...
'' (1979) as Sensei * '' Cuba Crossing'' (1980) as Titi * '' Scream'' (1981) as Charlie Winters * '' Angkor: Cambodia Express'' (1982) as Woody * '' Invaders of the Lost Gold'' (1982) as Cal * ''
Vigilante Vigilantism () is the act of preventing, investigating and punishing perceived offenses and crimes without legal authority. A vigilante (from Spanish, Italian and Portuguese “vigilante”, which means "sentinel" or "watcher") is a person who ...
'' (1983) as Rake * '' The Black Stallion Returns'' (1983) as Meslar * '' The Violent Breed'' (1984) as Polo * ''
The Final Executioner ''The Final Executioner'' ( it, L' Ultimo Guerriero) is an Italian post-apocalyptic film released in 1984. Synopsis The resulting fallout from a nuclear war has contaminated most of the cities except for a few isolated towns. The remaining societ ...
'' (1984) as Sam * ''
Jungle Warriors ''Jungle Warriors'', also called ''The Czar of Brazil'' (Euer Weg führt durch die Hölle, "Your Path Leads Through Hell", in Germany) is an action film, released in the United States in November 1984. The film was shot in Mexico and the old West ...
'' (1984) as Luther * '' The Cotton Club'' (1984) as Holmes * '' Lust in the Dust'' (1985) as Blackman, Hard Case Gang * ''
A Gathering of Old Men ''A Gathering of Old Men'' is a novel by Ernest J. Gaines published in 1983. Set on a 1970s Louisiana cane farm, the novel addresses racial discrimination and a bond that cannot be usurped. Plot summary One afternoon, Candy Marshall, a whi ...
'' (1987) as Yank * '' The Bronx Executioner'' (1989) as Sheriff Warren (archive footage) * '' Storyville'' (1992) as Charlie Sumpter * '' Posse'' (1993) as Storyteller * '' The Quick and the Dead'' (1995) as Charlie Moonlight (final film role)


Author

* Strode wrote an autobiography titled ''Goal Dust'' ().


References


Citations


Sources

* * *


External links

* *
1940 Yearbook Photo
{{DEFAULTSORT:Strode, Woody 1914 births 1994 deaths 20th-century American male actors African-American male actors African-American male professional wrestlers African-American male track and field athletes African-American United States Army personnel African-American players of Canadian football American football tight ends American male decathletes American male film actors American male professional wrestlers American male television actors American people of Blackfoot descent American people of Cherokee descent Burials at Riverside National Cemetery Calgary Stampeders players Deaths from lung cancer in California Jefferson High School (Los Angeles) alumni Los Angeles Rams players Male Spaghetti Western actors Male Western (genre) film actors Male actors from Los Angeles American people of Muscogee descent Native American professional wrestlers Players of American football from Los Angeles Stampede Wrestling alumni Track and field athletes from California UCLA Bruins football players United States Army Air Forces personnel of World War II United States Army Air Forces soldiers University of California, Los Angeles alumni 20th-century African-American sportspeople Sportspeople from Los Angeles African Americans in World War II