Fred “The Hammer” Williamson is an American actor and former professional football player. He was born on March 5, 1938 in Gary, Indiana. His father was a welder and his mother was a homemaker. Williamson has two older sisters. He attended Washington High School in Gary, where he was a star football player. After high school, Williamson attended Northwestern University on a football scholarship. He played for the Northwestern Wildcats from 1956 to 1959. Williamson was drafted by the Pittsburgh Steelers in the 1960 NFL Draft. He played for the Steelers from 1960 to 1961. In 1962, Williamson was traded to the Oakland Raiders. He played for the Raiders from 1962 to 1965. In 1966, Williamson retired from football and began his acting career.
Williamson’s first film role was in the 1967 film The Dirty Dozen. He has since appeared in over 70 films. Some of his most notable film roles include Black Caesar (1973), Hell Up in Harlem (1973), Three the Hard Way (1974), Mandingo (1975), Mean Johnny Barrows (1976), From Dusk till Dawn (1996), and Django Unchained (2012). Williamson has also appeared in numerous television shows, including The A-Team, Miami Vice, and The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air.
Williamson is a member of the Black Stuntmen’s Association and the Stuntmen’s Association of America. He has been married four times and has three children. His net worth is estimated to be $10 million.
General Info
Full Name
Fred Williamson
Net Worth
$15 million
Date Of Birth
March 5, 1938
Height
1.91 m
Weight
98 kg
Profession
Screenwriter, Film producer, Architect, Film director, Football player, Actor
Education
Northwestern University
Nationality
American
Family
Spouse
Linda Williamson
Accomplishments
Awards
John Scott Legacy Medal and Premium, Playgirl Man of the Month
Movies
Hell Up in Harlem, From Dusk till Dawn, Original Gangstas, Three the Hard Way, The Black Cobra, The Inglorious Bastards, Starsky & Hutch, One Down, Two To Go, Black Caesar, Boss Nigger, That Man Bolt, The Legend of Nigger Charley, Bucktown, 1990: The Bronx Warriors, The New Barbarians, Take a Hard R...
TV Shows
Julia, Half Nelson, Sexual Predator Alert, Fast Track
Is typically seen with his trademark cigar, either in film or in person during private interviews.
2
Perpetually wears his Super Bowl I ring, never taking it off
Quotes
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Quote
1
'There's only two things that I demand of my scripts, and they're the same things my audiences demand. First, I have to get the girl. And second, I have to win all the fights. We don't need suspense. With those two ingredients, the picture is assured of being a hit.'
Facts
#
Fact
1
Has three sons, Fred Jr. Frank, and Jeff.
2
Living on the family ranch near Portales, New Mexico. [2003]
3
Signed with Oakland Raiders [1961]
4
Traded to Kansas City Chiefs. Played in Super Bowl I vs Green Bay. [1965]
5
Played in the CFL [1968]
6
Signed by San Francisco 49ers. Traded before the start of the 1960 season and played for the Pittsburgh Steelers. [1960]
7
Speaks Italian fluently.
8
Played for the Kansas City Chiefs against the Green Bay Packers in Super Bowl I in January of 1967.
9
Turned down a role in I'm Gonna Git You Sucka (1988) because he didn't want to parody the "cool hero" image he had developed in films during the 1970s.
10
Was one of the judges in the Miss Universe pageant in 1976.
11
Has black belts in the following martial arts: Kenpo, Shotokan Karate, and Tae-Kwon-Do.
12
Got the nickname Hammer while playing football because he was known to hit hard. "Put the hammer on you".
13
1959 Northwestern University graduate.
14
Graduated from high school in 1955.
15
Appeared (mostly) nude in October 73 issue of Playgirl Magazine.
