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 ἄθ ...

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 c ...

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 ...

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 uprising ...

'' 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 vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...

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 St ...

, 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 int ...

fraternity. His world-class

decathlon The decathlon is a combined event in Athletics (sport), athletics consisting of ten track and field events. The word "decathlon" was formed, in analogy to the word "pentathlon", from Greek language, Greek δέκα (''déka'', meaning "ten") and ...

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 ...

(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 The 1936 Summer Olympics (German: ''Olympische Sommerspiele 1936''), officially known as the Games of the XI Olympiad (German: ''Spiele der XI. Olympiade'') and commonly known as Berlin 1936 or the Nazi Olympics, were an international multi-sp ...

(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 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 universit ...

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 ''Star Spangled Rhythm'' is a 1942 American all-star cast musical film made by Paramount Pictures during World War II as a morale booster. Many of the Hollywood studios produced such films during the war, generally musicals, frequently with flims ...

'' (1942), as a chauffeur of Rochester (Edward Anderson) and could be glimpsed in '' No Time for Love'' (1943).

Professional football career

When

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

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

(along with

Marion Motley Marion Motley (June 5, 1920 – June 27, 1999) was an American professional football player who was a halfback and linebacker for the Cleveland Browns in the All-America Football Conference (AAFC) and National Football League (NFL). He was a le ...

and Bill Willis, 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 Los Angeles metropolitan area. The Rams compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) West division. The Rams play ...

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 (AL), ...

(in fact, Robinson, Strode, and Washington had all played in the semi-professional

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 Donald George Novis (3 March 1906 – 23 July 1966) was an English-born American actor and tenor. Early life Novis was born on 3 March 1906 in Hastings, Sussex to Frederick George Novis and Charlotte Morris.California County Marriages, 1850-1 ...

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 (19th century), American Association before joining the National League in 1890. They remained in Brooklyn until 1957, after which the ...

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-old ...

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 o ...

. 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 George Raymond Wagner (March 23, 1915 – December 26, 1963) was an American professional wrestler known by his ring name Gorgeous George. In the United States, during the First Golden Age of Professional Wrestling in the 1940s–1950s, Gorgeou ...

. 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 o ...

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 di ...

'' (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) k ...

'' (1951), ''

African Treasure ''African Treasure'' is a 1952 American adventure film directed by Ford Beebe and starring Johnny Sheffield. It was the seventh in the 12-film Bomba, the Jungle Boy series. Plot Two unscrupulous geologists force the locals to work in a hidden dia ...

'' (1951) (another Bomba film), an episode of ''

Dangerous Assignment ''Dangerous Assignment'' was an NBC Radio Network, NBC Radio drama starring Brian Donlevy broadcast in the US 1949–1953, a syndicated television series distributed in the US 1951–52 (also starring Brian Donlevy), and an Australian radio series ...

'' (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 Se ...

'' (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 ...

, 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 Lo ...

''. 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 ''Demetrius and the Gladiators'' is a 1954 American biblical drama film and a sequel to '' The Robe''. The picture was made by 20th Century Fox, directed by Delmer Daves and produced by Frank Ross. The screenplay was written by Philip Dunne ...

'' (1954) and was in ''

Jungle Man-Eaters ''Jungle Man-Eaters'' is a 1954 American adventure film directed by Lee Sholem starring Johnny Weissmuller, Karin Booth and Richard Stapley. It was the last official Jungle Jim movie after Screen Gems bought the rights to make a TV series based on ...

'' (1954), a

Jungle Jim Jungle Jim is the fictional hero of a series of jungle adventures in various media. The series began on January 7, 1934, as an American newspaper comic strip chronicling the adventures of Asia-based hunter Jim Bradley, who was nicknamed Jungle ...

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 in ...

'' (1954) a Bowery Boys movie set in Africa, and ''

The Silver Chalice ''The Silver Chalice'' is a 1952 English language historical novel by Thomas B. Costain. It is the fictional story of the making of a silver chalice to hold the Holy Grail (itself here conflated with the Holy Chalice) and includes 1st century b ...

'' (1954). He was in a TV adaptation of ''

Mandrake the Magician ''Mandrake the Magician'' is a syndicated newspaper comic strip A comic strip is a sequence of drawings, often cartoons, arranged in interrelated panels to display brief humor or form a narrative, often serialized, with text in balloon ...

'' (1954), a pilot for a series that was not picked up, and had small parts in ''

Son of Sinbad ''Son of Sinbad'' is a 1955 American adventure film directed by Ted Tetzlaff. It takes place in the Middle East and consists of a wide variety of characters, including over 127 women. The film was shot in 1953 and planned to be released in 3 ...

'' (1955), '' Soldiers of Fortune'' (1955), and ''

Buruuba is a 1955 adventure film directed by Shigeyoshi Suzuki. The film was a Japanese Tarzan film based on the main character Brooba. It was supposed to be shot in the jungle but was filmed in Los Angeles. Like Johnny Weissmuller who starred in class ...

'' (1956) a Japanese film set in Africa. He appeared once on

Johnny Weissmuller Johnny Weissmuller (born Johann Peter Weißmüller; June 2, 1904 – January 20, 1984) was an American Olympic swimmer, water polo player and actor. He was known for having one of the best competitive swimming records of the 20th century. H ...

'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 television, satellite, or cable television, cable, excluding breaking news, television adverti ...

'' and was in an episode of ''

Private Secretary A private secretary (PS) is a civil servant in a governmental department or ministry, responsible to a secretary of state or minister; or a public servant in a royal household, responsible to a member of the royal family. The role exists in t ...

''.

Cecil B. DeMille Cecil Blount DeMille (; August 12, 1881January 21, 1959) was an American film director, producer and actor. Between 1914 and 1958, he made 70 features, both silent and sound films. He is acknowledged as a founding father of the American cine ...

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 b ...

'' (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 ''The Man From Blackhawk'' is a Western television series about an insurance investigator starring Robert Rockwell that aired on ABC from October 9, 1959 until September 9, 1960. The series was created by Frank Barron and produced by Herb Meadow. ...

'' (1960).

Rising fame

Strode was next cast in ''

'' (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. Do ...

) 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 letter ...

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 ''The Last Voyage'' is a 1960 Metrocolor American disaster film written and directed by Andrew L. Stone. It stars Robert Stack, Dorothy Malone, George Sanders, and Edmond O'Brien, and features Tammy Marihugh. The film centers on the sinking of ...

'' (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 ...

'' (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

arry Arry is the name of the following communes in France: * Arry, Moselle, in the Moselle department * Arry, Somme, in the Somme department 'Arry is also a nickname, an example of H dropping ''H''-dropping or aitch-dropping is the deletion of the ...

Belafonte," 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 ''The Sins of Rachel Cade'' is a 1961 drama film directed by Gordon Douglas and starring Angie Dickinson in the title role as well as Peter Finch and Roger Moore. Plot During World War II, Protestant medical missionary Rachel comes to the villag ...

'' (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 ''Two Rode Together'' is a 1961 American Western film directed by John Ford and starring James Stewart, Richard Widmark, and Shirley Jones. The supporting cast includes Linda Cristal, Andy Devine, and John McIntire. The film was based upon th ...

'' (1962) but it was only a small part, as an Indian. He had a bigger role in ''

The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance ''The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance'' () is a 1962 American Western film directed by John Ford and starring John Wayne and James Stewart. The screenplay by James Warner Bellah and Willis Goldbeck was adapted from a 1953 short story written by ...

'' (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 the ...

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, ...

''. 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 ''Chinggis Khaan'' ͡ʃʰiŋɡɪs xaːŋbr />Mongol script: ''Chinggis Qa(gh)an/ Chinggis Khagan'' , birth_name = Temüjin , successor = Tolui (as regent)Ögedei Khan , spouse = , issue = , house = Borjigin , ...

'' (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 Mazurk ...

'' (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 Ronald Pierce Ely (born June 21, 1938) is an American actor and novelist born in Hereford, Texas, and raised in Amarillo. Ely is best known for having portrayed Tarzan in the 1966–1968 NBC series ''Tarzan'' and for playing the lead role in ...

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 Detective Comics 27, the 27th issue of the comic book ''Detective Comics'' on ...

'' 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 Patrice Émery Lumumba (; 2 July 1925 – 17 January 1961) was a Congolese politician and independence leader who served as the first prime minister of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (then known as the Republic of the Congo) from June u ...

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 1 ...

'' (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 ''Once Upon a Time in the West'' ( , "Once upon a time (there was) the West") is a 1968 epic Spaghetti Western film directed by Sergio Leone, who co-wrote it with Sergio Donati based on a story by Dario Argento, Bernardo Bertolucci, and Leone ...

'' (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!'' (1969) and supported Terence Hill and Bud Spencer in ''

Boot Hill Boot Hill, or Boothill, is the given name of many cemeteries, chiefly in the Western United States. During the 19th and early 20th century it was a common name for the burial grounds of gunfighters, or those who " died with their boots on" (i.e ...

'' (1969) shot in Italy. He stayed in Europe to make another Western ''

The Unholy Four ''A Stranger Came Home'' is a 1954 British film noir directed by Terence Fisher and starring Paulette Goddard, William Sylvester and Patrick Holt. The film was produced by Hammer Films at Bray Studios with sets designed by the art director ...

'' (1970) and went back to Hollywood to do a TV movie '' Breakout'' (1970) and two Westerns ''

The Deserter The Deserter or Deserter (s) may refer to: Film and television * ''The Deserter'' (1912 film), a silent film by Thomas H. Ince * ''The Deserter'' (1933 film), a film by Vsevolod Pudovkin * ''The Deserter'' (1971 film), a film by Burt Kennedy ...

'' (also known as "The Devil's Backbone") (1971), and '' The Gatling Gun'' (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 Ado ...

'' (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. Cas ...

'' (1975), '' The Manhunter'' (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 An oil is any nonpolar chemical substance that is composed primarily of hydrocarbons and is hydrophobic (does not mix with water) & lipophilic (mixes with other oils). Oils are usually flammable and surface active. Most oils are unsaturated ...

'' (1977), '' Martinelli, Outside Man'' (1977), ''

Kingdom of the Spiders ''Kingdom of the Spiders'' is a 1977 American science fiction horror film directed by John "Bud" Cardos and produced by Igo Kantor and Jeffrey M. Sneller. The screenplay is credited to Richard Robinson and Alan Caillou, from an original story ...

'' (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 ''Cuba Crossing'', also known as ''Assignment: Kill Castro'', ''Kill Castro'', and ''Sweet Dirty Tony'', is a 1980 German/American international co-production action film directed by Chuck Workman and distributed by Troma Entertainment. It was pro ...

'' (1980),''

The Dukes of Hazzard ''The Dukes of Hazzard'' is an American action comedy TV series created by Gy Waldron, that was aired on CBS from January 26, 1979, to February 8, 1985, with a total of 147 episodes produced, spanning seven seasons. It was consistently among ...

'' (1980), ''

Scream Scream may refer to: *Screaming, a loud vocalization Amusement rides * Scream (Heide Park), a gyro drop tower in Soltau, Germany * Scream! (ride), a tower ride at Six Flags Fiesta Texas and Six Flags New England * Scream! (roller coaster), at ...

'' (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, Tattoo. Gu ...

'' (1981), ''

Vigilante Vigilantism () is the act of preventing, investigating and punishing perceived offenses and crimes without Right, legal authority. A vigilante (from Spanish, Italian and Portuguese “vigilante”, which means "sentinel" or "watcher") is a pers ...

'' (1982), ''

Invaders of the Lost Gold ''InVader'' is the fourth album by Finnish glam metal band Reckless Love, released on 4 March 2016 through Spinefarm Records. Track listing All songs written by Olli Herman, Pepe Reckless, and Ikka Wirtanen, unless otherwise noted. Reception W ...

'' (1982), '' Angkor: Cambodia Express'' (1983), ''

The Black Stallion Returns ''The Black Stallion Returns'' is a 1983 film adaptation of the book of the same name by Walter Farley, and is a sequel to ''The Black Stallion''. It is the only film directed by Robert Dalva. It was produced by Francis Ford Coppola for MGM/UA En ...

'' (1983), ''

The Violent Breed ''Keoma'' is a 1976 Italian Spaghetti Western film directed by Enzo G. Castellari and starring Franco Nero. It is frequently regarded as one of the better 'twilight' Spaghetti Westerns, being one of the last films of its genre, and is known for ...

'' (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 ''Lust in the Dust'' is a 1985 Western comedy film starring Tab Hunter, Divine, Cesar Romero, and Lainie Kazan, and directed by Paul Bartel. Plot Dance-hall girl Rosie Velez, lost in the desert, is helped to safety by gunman Abel Wood. In the ...

'' (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 white ...

'' (1987). Strode was in '' Storyville'' (1992), and ''

Posse Posse is a shortened form of posse comitatus, a group of people summoned to assist law enforcement. The term is also used colloquially to mean a group of friends or associates. Posse may also refer to: Arts and entertainment * ''Posse'' (1975 ...

'' (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 Va ...

. 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 The Black Filmmakers Hall of Fame, Inc. (BFHFI), was founded in 1974, in Oakland, California. It supported and promoted black filmmaking, and preserved the contributions by African-American artists both before and behind the camera. It also sponso ...

. 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 W ...

of the

National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum The National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum is a museum in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, United States, with more than 28,000 American West, Western and Native Americans in the United States, American Indian art works and Artifact (archaeology), ar ...

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 Lana Turner ( ; born Julia Jean Turner; February 8, 1921June 29, 1995) was an American actress. Over the course of her nearly 50-year career, she achieved fame as both a pin-up model and a film actress, as well as for her highly publicized per ...

, 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 becom ...

. 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 tissue (biology), tissues of the lung. Lung carcinomas derive from tran ...

on , 1994, in

Glendora, California Glendora is a city in the San Gabriel Valley in Los Angeles County, California, east of Los Angeles. As of the 2020 census, the population of Glendora was 52,558. Known as the "Pride of the Foothills", Glendora is nestled in the foothills o ...

, 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 Administration ...

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 ''Toy Story'' is a 1995 American computer-animated comedy film directed by John Lasseter (in his feature directorial debut), produced by Pixar Animation Studios and released by Walt Disney Pictures. The first installment in 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 observ ...

''.

Championships and accomplishments

Cauliflower Alley Club The Cauliflower Alley Club is a non-profit fraternal organization, which includes a newsletter and website, comprising both retired and active professional wrestlers and boxers in North America. Established in 1965 by Mike Mazurki and Art Abram ...

**Iron Mike Mazurki Award (1992)

Filmography

* '' Sundown'' (1941) as Tribal Policeman (uncredited) * ''

'' (1942) as Woodrow – Rochester's Motorcycle Chauffeur (uncredited) * '' No Time for Love'' (1943) as Black Sandhog (uncredited) * ''

'' (1951) as Walu * ''

'' (1951) as Nedo – Policeman * ''

'' (1952) as Mailman (uncredited) * ''

'' (1952) as Esau, MacAllister Guard * '' Androcles and the Lion'' (1952) as The Lion * '' City Beneath the Sea'' (1953) as Djion * ''

'' (1953) as Soldier * ''

'' (1954) as One of Native Escorts to Biplane (uncredited) * ''

'' (1954) as Gladiator (uncredited) * ''

'' (1954) as Josh * ''

'' (1954) as Malaka (uncredited) * ''

'' (1954) as Moor (uncredited) * ''

'' (1955) as Palace Guard (uncredited) * ''

'' (1955) as Native Chief * ''

'' (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 * ''

'' (1958) as Ramo * '' The Buccaneer'' (1958) as Toro * '' Pork Chop Hill'' (1959) as Pvt. Franklin * ''

'' (1960) as Hank Lawson * ''

'' (1960) as 1st Sgt. Braxton Rutledge * ''

'' (1960) as Draba * ''

'' (1961) as Muwango * ''

'' (1961) as Stone Calf * ''

'' (1962) as Pompey * ''

'' (1963) as Khan / Dying Leader * ''

'' (1965) as Sengal * ''

'' (1966) as Lean Warrior * ''

Daniel Boone (1964 TV series) ''Daniel Boone'' is an American Action (genre), action-Adventure (genre), 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 Centu ...

'' - Goliath - S3/E3 "Goliath" (1966) * '' The Professionals'' (1966) as Jake * ''

Seduto alla sua destra ''Black Jesus'' ( it, Seduto alla sua destra, lit. "Sitting to his right") is a 1968 Italian drama film co-written and directed by Valerio Zurlini and starring Woody Strode. It is inspired by the finals days of the first Prime Minister of the Dem ...

'', aka ''Black Jesus'', aka ''Super Brother'' (1968) as Maurice Lalubi * ''

'' (1968) as Chato * ''

'' (1968) as Stony – Member of Frank's Gang * '' Che!'' (1969) as Guillermo * ''

'' (1969) as Thomas * '' Chuck Moll'' (1970) as Woody * ''

'' (1971) as Jackson * '' The Gatling Gun'' (1971) as Runner the Scout * ''

'' (1971) as Massinissa – re di Numidia * ''

'' (1971) as Duncan * ''

Black Rodeo ''Black Rodeo'' is a 1972 documentary by filmmaker Jeff Kanew. Overview ''Black Rodeo'' captures the events surrounding the first-time performance of an all African-American rodeo at Triborough Stadium on Randall's Island, N.Y. The documentary ...

'' (1972, Documentary) as Narrator * '' The Revengers'' (1972) as Job * ''

'' (1972) as Frank Webster * ''

'' (1975) as Silvera * '' We Are No Angels'' (1975) as Black Bill * '' Winterhawk'' (1975) as Big Rude * ''

'' (1976) as George * ''

Oil! ''Oil!'' is a novel by Upton Sinclair, first published in 1926–27 and told as a third-person narrative, with only the opening pages written in the first person. The book was written in the context of the Harding administration's Teapot Dome Sca ...

'' (1977) as Ben * ''

'' (1977) as Walter Colby * '' Cowboy-San!'' (1978) as Baddie * '' Ravagers'' (1979) as Brown * ''

'' (1979) as Sensei * ''

'' (1980) as Titi * ''

'' (1981) as Charlie Winters * '' Angkor: Cambodia Express'' (1982) as Woody * ''

'' (1982) as Cal * ''

'' (1983) as Rake * ''

'' (1983) as Meslar * ''

'' (1984) as Polo * ''

'' (1984) as Sam * ''

'' (1984) as Luther * '' The Cotton Club'' (1984) as Holmes * ''

'' (1985) as Blackman, Hard Case Gang * ''

'' (1987) as Yank * ''

The Bronx Executioner ''The Bronx Executioner'' is the English title of the Italian cyborg film, ''Il Giustiziere del Bronx'', released in 1989. Plot In the post-apocalyptic Bronx, warring races of evil androids and humanoids battle each other for supremacy. Trivia ...

'' (1989) as Sheriff Warren (archive footage) * '' Storyville'' (1992) as Charlie Sumpter * ''

'' (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
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