MY INTERVIEW WITH THE LATE, GREAT WOODY STRODE

Woody Strode!
I have often said that the best part of my job is talking to people who’s work I have long admired about the work I’ve long admired. One of the best examples of this was the interview I did with Woody Strode for Lee Marvin Point Blank way back in 1994. He welcomed me into his Glendora home, spending the day remembering his friendship with Lee Marvin and telling wonderful anecdotes about his illustrious career. I knew he wasn’t feeling well that day as he was dying of cancer at the time. In fact, he passed away just a few months after our talk. He never let on about his obvious discomfort and was so informative, FilmFax agreed to publish my talk with him in their Feb. 1999 issue. It is below for your perusal.
As a side note, it doesn’t often happen that I can do a good thing for someone by pure happenstance, but I did for Woody Strode. Shortly after our talk, I interviewed director Budd Boetticher. He asked me who I had spoken to so far and when I mentioned Woody, he lit up like a Roman candle. He then asked me if I could put him in touch with his old friend. With Woody’s permission I did just that and the two old friends were able to re-connect shortly before they both passed away.