FRED WILLIAMSON
Name: Fred Williamson
Born: March 5, 1938 Gary, Indiana
Fred “The Hammer” Williamson (born March 5, 1938) is an American actor and
former professional football player, a star defensive back in the AFL during the
1960s.
After playing college football for Northwestern in the late 1950s, he played a
year for the Pittsburgh Steelers in the NFL in 1960. He then switched to the new
American Football League. Williamson played four seasons for the AFL’s Oakland
Raiders, making the AFL All-Star team in 1961, 1962, and 1963. He also played
three seasons for the AFL’s Kansas City Chiefs, .
During his time with the Chiefs, Williamson became one of football’s first self-promoters,
coining the nickname “The Hammer” — because he used his forearm to deliver
karate-style blows to the heads of opposing receivers. Prior to Super Bowl I, he
garnered national headlines by boasting that he would knock Green Bay Packers
starting receivers Carroll Dale and Boyd Dowler out of the game, stating “Two
hammers to (Boyd) Dowler, one to (Carroll) Dale should be enough”. His
prediction turned out to be ironic, because Williamson himself was knocked out
of the game in the fourth quarter, his head meeting the knee of Packer running
back Donny Anderson. Williamson finished his eight-season career in 1967 with 36
interceptions, which he returned for 479 yards and 2 touchdowns, in 104 games.
Following his retirement from football, Williamson had a career as an actor,
much in the mold of star running back Jim Brown. He also acted alongside Mr.
Brown in films such as 1974's Three the Hard Way, 1975's Take a Hard Ride, 1982's
One Down, Two to Go, 1996's Original Gangstas and 2002's On the Edge, along with
guest starring with him in a handful of episodes of various television programs.
Before Jim Brown did it in 1974, Fred posed nude for Playgirl magazine in the
October 1973 issue. One of Williamson’s early television roles was a part in The
Cloud Minders, an 1968 episode of Star Trek, playing Anka. He also played
Diahann Carroll’s love interest in the sitcom Julia. In an interview for the DVD
of Bronx Warriors, Williamson stated that the role in Julia was created for him
when he convinced the producers that the Black community was upset that Julia
had a different boyfriend every week.
Two of his early film roles were in well-received films of 1970, M*A*S*H and
Tell Me That You Love Me, Junie Moon. He also got to play, in 1973, an African-American
mafioso in Black Caesar and its subsequent sequel, Hell Up in Harlem. After this
he appeared as an actor in several films, most of which are considered to be of
the “blaxploitation” genre.
In 1974, he was selected by the ABC television network as a commentator on
Monday Night Football to replace Don Meredith, who had left (temporarily, as it
turned out) to pursue an acting and broadcasting career at rival network NBC.
Williamson was used on a few pre-season broadcasts, but was deemed unsuitable.
He was relieved of his duties at the beginning of the regular season, becoming
the first MNF personality not to endure for an entire season. He was replaced by
fellow former player (and fellow Gary native) Alex Karras.
Since then, Williamson has continued his career as an actor and director,
recently appearing in the feature film version of the 1970s television series
Starsky and Hutch.
During the mid-to-late 1980s and early 1990s, Williamson frequently appeared on
television as a spokesman for King Cobra Malt Liquor (“Don’t let the smooth
taste fool you.”)...as did fellow actor/martial artist Martin Kove.
Name: Fred Williamson
Born: March 5, 1938 Gary, Indiana
Fred “The Hammer” Williamson (born March 5, 1938) is an American actor and
former professional football player, a star defensive back in the AFL during the
1960s.
After playing college football for Northwestern in the late 1950s, he played a
year for the Pittsburgh Steelers in the NFL in 1960. He then switched to the new
American Football League. Williamson played four seasons for the AFL’s Oakland
Raiders, making the AFL All-Star team in 1961, 1962, and 1963. He also played
three seasons for the AFL’s Kansas City Chiefs, .
During his time with the Chiefs, Williamson became one of football’s first self-promoters,
coining the nickname “The Hammer” — because he used his forearm to deliver
karate-style blows to the heads of opposing receivers. Prior to Super Bowl I, he
garnered national headlines by boasting that he would knock Green Bay Packers
starting receivers Carroll Dale and Boyd Dowler out of the game, stating “Two
hammers to (Boyd) Dowler, one to (Carroll) Dale should be enough”. His
prediction turned out to be ironic, because Williamson himself was knocked out
of the game in the fourth quarter, his head meeting the knee of Packer running
back Donny Anderson. Williamson finished his eight-season career in 1967 with 36
interceptions, which he returned for 479 yards and 2 touchdowns, in 104 games.
Following his retirement from football, Williamson had a career as an actor,
much in the mold of star running back Jim Brown. He also acted alongside Mr.
Brown in films such as 1974's Three the Hard Way, 1975's Take a Hard Ride, 1982's
One Down, Two to Go, 1996's Original Gangstas and 2002's On the Edge, along with
guest starring with him in a handful of episodes of various television programs.
Before Jim Brown did it in 1974, Fred posed nude for Playgirl magazine in the
October 1973 issue. One of Williamson’s early television roles was a part in The
Cloud Minders, an 1968 episode of Star Trek, playing Anka. He also played
Diahann Carroll’s love interest in the sitcom Julia. In an interview for the DVD
of Bronx Warriors, Williamson stated that the role in Julia was created for him
when he convinced the producers that the Black community was upset that Julia
had a different boyfriend every week.
Two of his early film roles were in well-received films of 1970, M*A*S*H and
Tell Me That You Love Me, Junie Moon. He also got to play, in 1973, an African-American
mafioso in Black Caesar and its subsequent sequel, Hell Up in Harlem. After this
he appeared as an actor in several films, most of which are considered to be of
the “blaxploitation” genre.
In 1974, he was selected by the ABC television network as a commentator on
Monday Night Football to replace Don Meredith, who had left (temporarily, as it
turned out) to pursue an acting and broadcasting career at rival network NBC.
Williamson was used on a few pre-season broadcasts, but was deemed unsuitable.
He was relieved of his duties at the beginning of the regular season, becoming
the first MNF personality not to endure for an entire season. He was replaced by
fellow former player (and fellow Gary native) Alex Karras.
Since then, Williamson has continued his career as an actor and director,
recently appearing in the feature film version of the 1970s television series
Starsky and Hutch.
During the mid-to-late 1980s and early 1990s, Williamson frequently appeared on
television as a spokesman for King Cobra Malt Liquor (“Don’t let the smooth
taste fool you.”)...as did fellow actor/martial artist Martin Kove.