Fred Williamson

For the Consul-General of Kashgar, see Frederick Williamson.

Fred Williamson
Williamson in 2010
Born
Frederick Robert Williamson

(1938-03-05) March 5, 1938 (age 86)[1][2][3]
Gary, Indiana, U.S.[1]
Other names
  • The Hammer
  • Black Caesar
EducationFriedrich Froebel High School[4]
Alma materNorthwestern University
Occupations
  • Actor
  • film director
  • producer
Years active1968–present
Spouses
Ginette Lavonda
​
​
(m. 1960; div. 1967)​
[5]
Linda Williamson
​
(m. 1988)​
[5]
Children3[6] or 6[4]
American football career
No. 24
Position:Defensive back
Personal information
Height:6 ft 3 in (1.91 m)
Weight:220 lb (100 kg)
Career information
College:Northwestern
Undrafted:1960
Career history
Career highlights and awards
Career NFL statistics
Interceptions:36
Player stats at PFR

Frederick Robert Williamson (born March 5, 1938),[1][2] nicknamed "the Hammer", is an American actor, filmmaker, and former professional football defensive back who played mainly in the American Football League (AFL) during the 1960's.[7][8] He was a top sports star during the decade, and become a leading man in blaxploitation and action films beginning in the 1970's.[2]

WIlliamson played in college at Northwestern University, and played in the National Football League (NFL) with the Pittsburgh Steelers for one season. In the AFL, Williamson played with the Oakland Raiders for four seasons, becoming a three-time AFL All-Star (1961, '62, '63). He then played three seasons with the Kansas City Chiefs, where was a one-time AFL Champion ('66). During his football career, he earned the nickname "the Hammer" for his aggressive playing style, which incorporated martial arts techniques.[9]

After retiring from football in 1968, Williamson made a string of a guest and supporting roles on television and in films. He played his first leading role in the blaxploitation Western The Legend of Nigger Charley (1972), which he reprised in two sequels. He stared as Tommy Gibbs in the 1973 crime drama film Black Caesar and its sequel Hell Up in Harlem.[2] Williamson also had roles in other 1970s blaxploitation films such as Hammer (1972), That Man Bolt (1973)[2] and Three the Hard Way (1974). Later in the decade, he worked extensively in Italian cinema, and also began to direct and produce his own films.

  1. ^ a b c Cite error: The named reference Bo was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  2. ^ a b c d e Melvin Donalson (2010). Black Directors in Hollywood. UOT. ISBN 9780292782242. Retrieved January 25, 2018.
  3. ^ Vincent LoBrutto. TV in the USA: A History of Icons, Idols, and Ideas [3 volumes]. ISBN 9781440829734. Retrieved January 25, 2018.
  4. ^ a b "Indiana Football Hall of Fame". Indiana Football. 1996. Retrieved January 25, 2018.
  5. ^ a b Harold D. Edmunds (2015). The Hammer: An American Hero. Xlibris Corporation. ISBN 9781524515034. Retrieved January 25, 2018.
  6. ^ "At Home, Fred's A Nice, Nice Guy". Google Books. EBONY Magazine/Johnson Publishing Company. January 1975. Retrieved January 25, 2018.
  7. ^ Roger Ebert (May 17, 1983). "Fred Williamson: "I Like the Life."". The Chicago Sun-Times. Archived from the original on March 29, 2013. Retrieved December 30, 2008.
  8. ^ "Fred Williamson". Movies & TV Dept. The New York Times. 2007. Archived from the original on October 12, 2007.
  9. ^ Cite error: The named reference Nor was invoked but never defined (see the help page).