Woodrow Wilson Woolwine "Woody" Strode (July 25, 1914 – December 31, 1994) (pronounced strowd, as in crowd) was a decathlete and football star who went on to become a popular and pioneering African-American film actor. He was nominated for a Golden Globe award for Best Supporting Actor for his role in Spartacus in 1960. He served in the United States Army during World War II.
The first time I recall seeing
Woody Strode on the screen was on the huge screen of the Skyview Drive-In in
Tarzan's Three Challenges. He was starring opposite
Jock Mahoney. Later I would see him many more times on both the Big Screen as well as television. His career spanned seven decades. From uncredited roles in 1939 to his last role as Charlie Moonlight in
The Quick and the Dead.
Woody always looked like the athlete he was, an accomplished decathlete and football player. In college he played with Jackie Robinson at UCLA. Later he would plat for a short time with the Las Angeles Rams. Even into his fifties his physique was such he was still shown shirtless. (Don't we all wish we could get away with that look in our fifties. He became widely regarded (along with Sidney Poitier and Brock Peters) as one of the most important black film actors of his time.
Woody was always a soft-spoken man but he demanded your attention due to his stature(6'4") and character. The role that defines him in my mind is as the title character in Sgt. Rutledge, which at a time when a black man in America was pretty much assumed guilty until proven innocent, Woody (Sgt. Rutledge stood strong and resolute in his innocence but prepared to accept what the society he lived in would do to him. Even as he had many opportunities to escape his sense of duty to his unit and the men under him kept him personally at peril. (Although he would eventually be proven innocent).
Strode was the son of a Creek-Blackfoot-black fatherand a black-Cherokee mother. His first wife was Princess Luukialuana Kalaeloa (a.k.a. Luana Strode), a descendant of Liliuokalani, the last queen of Hawaii. They were married until her death in 1980. In 1982, he wed Tina Tompson, and they remained married until his death.
On with the games!!
Mojo Friday Guidelines
Disclaimer; Kinda like the Pirates Code, they're just guidelines, meant for fun. They aren't hard and fast rules.
1) If you comment you have to recommend all comments. (in order to receive mojo you have to give mojo. It's only good mojo manners.)
2) Everything you say may be taken as a joke (so if you ask a question, expect a silly answer)
3) You must recommend the diary (and pimp it unapologetically)
4) You don't have to comment to recommend.
5) You can't steal my idea (right, like that ain't goin' to happen. It has in numerous forms, I'm flattered!)
6) Mojo mojo mojo mojo, mojo mojo mojo.
7) TexDem (that's me) is not bound by the guidelines. Neither are you
Mojo Friday Goals
Disclaimer; These are mostly here for nostalgia, the site has changed so much and the servers have been upgraded to the point I don't think we could fuck with the site with 1000 people participating. 2007 it ain't.
A. At least 300 different commenters and 1000 comments by 1:30 PM EST and 1500 by 5:00 PM EST Friday Night that it's posted.
B. 100 recommends for each comment, at least.
C. Stay on Recommend List at least five hours (this requires some strategic planning by you guys, refer to guideline #3)
D. At least 200 diary recommends. 300 would be better, spread the word.
E. And always, fun fun fun.
F. Have at least 75% average participation rate as seen here in the Mojo Friday Postgame Show by Woodtick and bjedward.
G. (New) Have at least 30 kossacks over 90% participation (see here for some tips).
H. Overload the servers with recommends, not to mention dominate Top Comments Mojo list. (we do tend to mess with the site with all of our recommends at one time)(also, to dominate the Top Comments Top Mojo we need at least 50 comments with over 200 recommends, see guideline B)
I. That's enough for now. (Have a suggestion? Post it.)
MKinTN posted a diary to help everyone achieve greater success called How to Succeed at Mojo Friday Without Really Trying.
For those of you new to MF (Mojo Friday) we have our own lingo about a few things. Thank's to MF'er Jez (the link will explain) go to this diary for a little more fun and explanation. Official Mojo Friday Snecktionary.