Fred Williamson, aka The Hammer, has been an action icon ever since he burst onto the screens in such '70s exploitation classics as HAMMER (1972), BLACK CAESAR (1973), HELL UP IN HARLEM (1973), THAT MAN BOLT (1973), BOSS NIGGER (1975), BUCKTOWN (1975) and THE INGLORIOUS BASTARDS (1978). More recently he appeared in films such as FROM DUSK TILL DAWN (1996), ORIGINAL GANGSTAS (1996), BLACKJACK (1998) and STARSKY AND HUTCH (2004). An ex-professional football player, Williamson is renowned for throwing himself into his action roles, and for his unflappable composure, sex appeal and physical toughness on and off-screen. Now 80 years old, Williamson shows no signs of slowing down, with a new adventure movie, NAZI DOOMSDAY DEVICE (aka ATOMIC EDEN), out now on VOD through Amazon and Vimeo. In the film Williamson is the head of a group of mercenaries out to find a secret weapon created by the Nazis during WWII. I spoke with Williamson about the film and his career.
What attracted you themost about your new film NAZI DOOMSDAY DEVICE?
I got involved with thefilm because I was a friend of the director Nico Sentner. I alwaystry to help fellow actors or directors because I know how hard it isto be noticed in this business. I read the script and saw that theperson he wanted me to play was in line with the image I have in allmy films. Money wasn’t the motivation since there was none. Helpinga friend was my motivation.
What impressed you themost about working with Nico?
Nico is a good directorand with more experience he will become a better director.
What was it likeworking with the cast, which includes Lorenzo Lamas?
Working with the castwas interesting. There were only two or three really professionalactors in the film, but they did a good job. It made me work harderto make the film believable.
You are now 80 yearsold, but you look much much younger. What is the secret to staying insuch great shape?
What!! You mean I’m80? There must have been a mistake at the hospital. I feel the sameas when I was 30. It must be my black jelly bean diet - not thecolored one but the black only. That’s my story and I’m stickingto it.
What did you learnfrom your career in football that came in useful when you came toHollywood and began acting?
What I learned fromfootball is that hard work pays off, and also that fans are fickle.Live by your own assessment of yourself not the praise fans lay onyou 'cause it can change like the wind.
How easy a transitionwas it for you when you began acting?
There was notransition I had to make to become an actor, only to learn the trade,as I did to become a football player. The only negative I experiencedwas the so called big sport stars before me had failed at becomingHollywood stars and I knew I would be viewed the same way. It was myconfidence that came thru to allow them to give me a chance.
In Star Trek. |
Did you look to JimBrown as an example of how to mold a career?
I never had anyconversations with Jim Brown until I had done a tv series (Julia) andthe movie M*A*S*H (1970). Being in the right place at the right time, I wasat a resturant when someone walked up to me and said. ''Are you theHammer?'' I said yes. He said ''I’m doing a film. I have a footballgame in it. Would you put the game together, cast real footballplayers and play a role?'' The film was M*A*S*H and the guy talkingto me was Robert Altman.
It's almost thirtyyears since you acted in the Star Trek episode The Cloud Minders (1969).What is your strongest memory of the experience?
Star Trek happened thesame way. I was approached by someone with the same question, and Isaid yes. They said ''We need someone to beat up Captain Kirk''. Isaid ''I’m the man''. This happened while I was still playingfootball.
After you made HAMMER,did you realise that you now had a strong persona that you couldcapitalise on?
It was not thebeginning of my strong persona. That came the day I was born. Whenthe doc held me up and slapped my bottom, I peed on him.
You were one of thekings of the blaxploitation genre in the 70s. Did you feel aresponsibility to portray strong role models for black audiences?
My approach to themovies is what I’m talking about. I just played me. I was luckythat fans enjoyed this character, so it was no big stretch for me toportray these cool and tough characters. My approach had a longerspan than the other black actors in the 70’s because they fell forthe 'Let’s get Whitey' payback movies. In my movies I kicked everyone's ass. Black. White. Colored. Pink. Purple. Yellow. If you werethe bad guy, you had to go down. Therefore my films did not fit intothis so called Blaxploitation era. They tried, but the genre didn’twork. This era only lasted about four years, then it went away. But Ididn’t.
What did you bestenjoy about working with Larry Cohen on the three pictures (BLACK CAESAR, HELL UP IN HARLEM, ORIGINAL GANGSTAS) you madetogether?
I learned from LarryCohen that guerilla film making is a lot of fun.
What inspired you tomake the move to directing? What did you learn from some of thedirectors you worked with?
I started to direct,produce and write for many reasons, but probably the main one beingthat at that time in the 70’s it was 'Kill the black within 5minutes of the film, then spend the rest of the story with the whiteguy avenging his death'. I thought 'Forget my death being avenged.Let me avenge HIS death'. That was not to be, as we had no blackheroes at that time, so my goal was to give my fans a hero regardlessof the color.
You always threwyourself into your action scenes. Did doing so many action scenescome with any physical cost?
Being physical is partof my being me. 10 years of pro football certainly prepared me forany lumps and bruises I get from making movies. I have no stuntdouble because all the stuntmen that are black are much smaller thanme, so I very happy to do my own stunts and double me. Good fun.
How does it feel to beloved by directors such as Robert Rodriguez and Quentin Tarantino?How was working with them on FROM DUSK TILL DAWN?
Quentin and Rodriguezare both great. You know what makes great directors? The ones thatlisten to the key actors they hired. Great ideas sometimes come fromthe actors about their characters. These two guys listen and digestthese ideas and sometimes add their own touch which makes it better.That’s how it should work. Making FROM DUSK TILL DAWN was a lot offun. All that stuff that happens in that movie could never have beenwritten as a script. It was Robert and Quentin's ideas that kept themovie going at its fast pace, along with ideas from the professionalcast.
Does it surprise youthat your legacy continues to grow?
Everything I approach,I do so with the attitude to be the best, and so far so good.
What other projects doyou have coming up?
Next projects are asequel to ORIGINAL GANGSTAS and I am preparing to shoot an actionfilm in Italy with Enzo Castellari directing. Hopefully itwill happen soon but fingers and toes crossed may help.