Woody Strode

Woodrow Wilson Woolwine Strode, better known as Woody Strode, was a trailblazing American athlete, actor and author whose career spanned more than five decades. Born on July 25, 1914 in Los Angeles, California, he grew up in a mixed‑heritage family with African‑American, Cherokee and Cree ancestry, an upbringing that later informed his outspoken views on race and identity. At Thomas Jefferson High School he excelled in track and field before earning a scholarship to UCLA, where he became a star on the 1939 Bruins football team—often called the “Gold Dust Gang”—and also placed fourth in the shot put at the 1938 NCAA championships, showcasing his decathlon‑level talent. After a stint with the Hollywood Bears, Strode served in the United States Army Air Corps during World War II, unloading bombs in the Pacific and playing on the March Field service team, before returning to civilian life and briefly working for the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office. In 1946 he broke the NFL color barrier with the Los Angeles Rams, joining Kenny Washington as one of the first Black players in the modern league; he later won a Grey Cup with the Calgary Stampeders in 1948 before a career‑ending injury forced his retirement. Transitioning to entertainment, Strode’s rugged presence landed him supporting roles in B‑movies before a breakthrough performance as the Ethiopian gladiator Draba in "Spartacus" (1960) earned him a Golden Globe nomination. His collaborations with John Ford produced memorable characters such as Sergeant Rutledge and Pompey in "The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance", cementing his reputation as a dignified, physically commanding screen actor. Throughout the 1960s and 1970s he alternated between Hollywood and European productions, appearing in westerns like "Once Upon a Time in the West" and the politically charged "Seduto alla sua destra". In addition to his screen work he authored the memoir Goal Dust and was inducted into the Black Filmmakers Hall of Fame (1980) and the Hall of Great Westerners (2021). Strode died of lung cancer on December 31 1994 in Glendora, California, leaving behind a legacy of athletic excellence, barrier‑breaking performances, and a body of work that helped reshape representation of Black men in American cinema.