"He says that they're payin' homage to me. How can you pay homage to me in a comedy? I don't do comedy. How you gonna pay homage to me? ... I have no idea what the hell 'black exploitation' means, but if you want to call it that, fine. But I don't do comedy, and you can't pay homage to me by doing comedy."
-- 1970s Film icon Fred Williamson on Michael Jai White's new movie 'Black Dynamite.' (EURweb.com)
2008 Deaths
Odetta Holmes
"The Voice of the Civil Rights Movement" was a singer, actress, guitarist, songwriter and activist.
December 31 1930 - December 2 2008.
Ray Tamarra , Getty
Bernie Mac
Comedian, Actor
Oct. 5, 1957 - Aug. 9, 2008.
AP
Isaac Hayes
Singer, songwriter, record producer, composer and actor.
August 20, 1942 - August 10, 2008
Reuters
Miriam Makeba, "Mama Africa"
South African folk singer and anti-apartheid activist.
March 4, 1932 - November 10, 2008.
Reuters
Jennifer Hudson's 57-year-old mother, Darnell Donerson, brother, Jason, and 7-year-old nephew, Julian King, were killed in 2008.
AP
Shakir Stewart
The Island Def Jam executive who became head of the legendary rap label following Jay-Z's departure, killed himself on Nov. 1. He was 34 years old.
Getty
George Carlin
Stand-up comedian, actor and author.
May 12, 1937 - June 22, 2008
Getty Images
Madelyn Dunham
Barack Obama's grandmother
October 26, 1922 - Nov 3, 2008.
Getty Images
Levi Stubbs
Oct. 17: The iconic lead singer, second from left, who gave voice to Four Tops classics like "Reach Out I'll Be There" and "Baby I Need Your Loving" died at 72 from complications of cancer and a stroke. Abdul Fakir, far left, is now the sole living member of the original quartet.
Corbis
Dee Dee Warwick
Oct. 18: The soul songstress died after months of declining health. Warwick, the sister of soul legend Dionne, also achieved a great deal of success, both as a solo artist as well as with her sister.
Corbis
Comments: (22)
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By: sharkchops on 10/18/2009 6:22AM
Nice huh? How about a little more gratitude, Fred? At least someone remembers your work. Some of those blaxploitation flix are intentional comedies as it is. Especially alot of the ones Williamson did. I guess he forgot his comical role in From Dusk till Dawn. Killing vampires with a pencil. I always thought he was the man back in the day but heard he was an arrogant SOB and hard to work with.
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By: Peter S. on 10/18/2009 9:21AM
I enjoyed many of those movies but didn't think
of them as serious drama. They were spoofs on
themselves. I can understand if Fred might resent
the fact that he was not fully recognized for his
hard work. He had quite a following back in the
day but the film establishment looked down on
these works.
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By: reva on 10/18/2009 10:42AM
didn't Fred play in I'm gonna git you sucka, wasn't that a comedy, a spoof on Black films? Be thankful they used you and not another out of work actor to portray. This brings more publicity to you and your movies. Hopefully, you will get a little recognition and some tv time like right now LOL
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By: Sheryl on 10/19/2009 2:25AM
OK? I think they should cut off his royalties to that move! I mean since he doesn't do comedy. I always heard he was an arrogant SOB as well.
He would want to be happy that someone even remembers his tired behind.
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By: Zie on 10/18/2009 11:51AM
Wish I could say what I really want to say.
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By: david on 10/18/2009 12:04PM
I agree with fread, why are the trying to catergorise him and the other super heros in to something that they were not, sounds like player haten to me
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By: Joe on 10/18/2009 1:55PM
There were and are still millions of us who GLADLY gave our money to see Fred, Jim Brown, Tamara Dobson and all the other Black actors who entertained us on the big screen. We DID NOT CARE that they played cops, pimps, detectives, hookers (roles that Whites also played) we were happy to see them on screen. And the more ass they kicked, the happier we were. They did great shooting scenes, dying scenes, going out of windows. And don't mention PAM GRIER -- we'd have given that woman all our money to see her on screen...and all the other beautiful black women. I believe Judy Pace was in Cotton Comes To Harlem. When I saw her dance I fell in love with all Black women everywhere. For all of you who fail to understand the hole in our soul that was filled with performances by these Black actors, the hunger that they fed for us to see our own images on screen, and joy and laughter they brought when we cracked up over something corny, or revenge, or whatever it happened to be -- I feel sorry for you for missing out on the pleasure, pride, and happiness these actors and actresses brought to people like me who were starving to be entertained by our own...and didn't even know how hungry we were until they came along. I thank ALL OF THEM. EVERY SINGLE BLACK ACTOR AND ACTRESS -- EVERYWHERE!
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By: pauline on 10/18/2009 2:27PM
I never watched fred's movies, because he aways got the girl. that would be ok if the girl wasn't always white. at a time when black actresses had a hard time finding work. shame on you fred'
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By: BRAD NICHOLLS on 10/18/2009 3:31PM
I AGREE WITH PAULINE. FRED NEEDS TO RECOGNIZE WHAT THESE MOVIES WERE. VEHICLES DESIGNED TO DRAIN THE BLACK COMMUNITY OF THEIR MOVIE GOING MONEY BY DEPICTING WHAT WHITE HOLLYWOOD FELT WAS WHAT THE BLACK COMMUNITY WANTED TO SEE.REGARDLESS OF THE FACT THAT THESE IMAGES WERE EXTREMELY STEREOTYPICAL, DEMEANING AND NOT UPLIFTING TO THE BLACK COMMUNITY. CALL THEM WHAT THEY WERE....JUST ENTERTAINMENT. NOTHING ELSE. AND FRED WILLIAMSON WITH HIS NON ACTING SELF WAS ONE OF THE BIGGEST BLAXPLOITATION STARS. TAKE THE RECOGNITION AND HOMAGE AND BE QUIET FRED!
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