May 3, 2011

The History of The Mack

For those of you who have learned me through the postings on my blog, this will come as no surprise.  I am a big fan of black cinemas from the late sixties and early ninety's era.  I know that's lame.  However, these were the best movies.  It also gives you the history of some of your favorite actors/actress.  For instance, "A Hero Ain't Nothing But A Sandwich" happens to be one of my top 5 must see movies.  Did you know that Cicely Tyson was the mother and Paul Wynnefield was the Stepfather of the heroin addicted child, Benji?   Well, I'm going to dedicate this post to the men who consider themselves players or ballers.  I mean that in a positive way.
A lot of upcoming hustlers are big fans of the movie, "The Mack".  What a lot of people don't know is that that the movie was based on the life of the largest drug dealer/pimp, Frank Ward.  The movie was handsomely funded by Frank Ward and he worked side by side to ensure that actor, Max Julien portrayed him correctly.  He even went as far as providing protection for the cast while filming.  Also, Cadillac driven by Goldie in the film was his personal vehicle.  If you are a true fan of "The Mack" you will remember the Player Ball and Player Picnic with the scene of the junkie nodding off at base while playing baseball.  Well, that wasn't an actor.  Frank paid fellow pimps and junkies to be involved with certain scenes for a more realistic effect.  The scene when Goldie's main chick, Lulu (Carol Speed) were teaching the rest of the girls how to boost (shoplift)  is a craft that Frank taught in his stable as well.  Shortly, after filming Carol and Frank began a brief relationship.  Fellow cast mates were leary of the couple's dating because Carol Speed was known to be a bit naive.  I guess they feared him turning her out to be a prostitute.  That was a fear that they didn't have to harbor for long.  Frank Ward and his bottom lady (main prostitute) were later shot execution style inside of his Rolls Royce.  It was rumored that  The Black Panthers were responsible for the murder.  Unfortunately, with no longer funding for protection the cast and film crew had to relocate to L.A. to finish filming the movie.  Huey Newton also insisted that benefits from the premiere went to The Black Panthers' milk fund in Oakland, CA.  The picture above below the title is actually Frank Ward, Max Julien, and Frank's Brother.  The second picture is of Frank and his brother.
Again, not enough words can tell you how thankful I am for each and everyone of you that take the time to read what is on my mind by visiting this site.  But, I will tell you that I am forever grateful for all of you.  May God bless you abundantly...Peace.....

8 comments:

  1. Tell me are they the same professsion or different motives,.what is the difference between a mack and a pimp

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  2. Very very interesting! I'm a certified The Mack fan word for word and had no idea of this shared knowledge.

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  3. Watching The Mack right now. It's one of my favorites!

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  4. Hitler as a killer, Frank Ward was a Mack, Felix Mitchell made money in 20g stack, Moses split the seas, King Tutt wore gold, and Jesus is the king so the story is told. RIP Big Pimpin

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  5. GREAT MOVIE...IM FROM OAKLAND CALIFORNIA,AND PIMP LIFE IN OAKLAND IN THE 70'S AND 80'S WAS NOTORIOUS...PIMPS IN THE 70'S WERE EXTRAVAGANT,SUITED AND BOOTED, AND HAD SPECTACULAR PERSONAILITY....TODAY'S OAKLAND PIMPS WEAR TENNIS SHOES, AND MOST OF THEM ARE YOUNG GANGSTAS....IN THE 70'S WHEN I WAS VERY YOUNG, I ALWAYS SAW PIMPS IN ORANGE, YELLOW, GREEN, AND RED SUITS, ALLIGATOR SHOES, AND FANCY HATS, PULLING UP ON THERE HOES IN WEST OAKLAND....WE LIVED THE GHETTO, SO I SAW THIS EVERYDAY....MANY OF THE PIMPS IN THE 70'S AND 80'S HAD 20 OR MORE HOES IN THERE STABLE....FRANK WARD AND THE WARD BROTHERS WERE ONE OUT OF A HOST OF OAKLAND PIMPS AT THAT TIME....IN FACT, FRANK ALOT OF WELL DESERVED ATTENTION, BUT THERE WERE MANY PIMPS IN OAKLAND WHO WERE JUST AS KNOWN AND POPULAR AS FRANK.....ALSO; RIP TO FRANK, AND RICHARD PRYOR....RICH PLAYED THE HELL OUT OF HIS ROLE....BUT IM SURE THAT IT WAS NATURAL FOR RICH, BECAUSE HE GREW UP IN A HO HOUSE.....ALSO, I CANT FORGET MAX JULIANNE, THE MOVIE WOULD HAVE NOT BEEN THE SAME WITHOUT MAX...SUPERB JOB BY MAX, AND A SUPERB BLACK CLASSIC MOVIE....MUCH LOVE AND RESPECT

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  6. GREAT MOVIE...IM FROM OAKLAND CALIFORNIA,AND PIMP LIFE IN OAKLAND IN THE 70'S AND 80'S WAS NOTORIOUS...PIMPS IN THE 70'S WERE EXTRAVAGANT,SUITED AND BOOTED, AND HAD SPECTACULAR PERSONAILITY....TODAY'S OAKLAND PIMPS WEAR TENNIS SHOES, AND MOST OF THEM ARE YOUNG GANGSTAS....IN THE 70'S WHEN I WAS VERY YOUNG, I ALWAYS SAW PIMPS IN ORANGE, YELLOW, GREEN, AND RED SUITS, ALLIGATOR SHOES, AND FANCY HATS, PULLING UP ON THERE HOES IN WEST OAKLAND....WE LIVED THE GHETTO, SO I SAW THIS EVERYDAY....MANY OF THE PIMPS IN THE 70'S AND 80'S HAD 20 OR MORE HOES IN THERE STABLE....FRANK WARD AND THE WARD BROTHERS WERE ONE OUT OF A HOST OF OAKLAND PIMPS AT THAT TIME....IN FACT, FRANK ALOT OF WELL DESERVED ATTENTION, BUT THERE WERE MANY PIMPS IN OAKLAND WHO WERE JUST AS KNOWN AND POPULAR AS FRANK.....ALSO; RIP TO FRANK, AND RICHARD PRYOR....RICH PLAYED THE HELL OUT OF HIS ROLE....BUT IM SURE THAT IT WAS NATURAL FOR RICH, BECAUSE HE GREW UP IN A HO HOUSE.....ALSO, I CANT FORGET MAX JULIANNE, THE MOVIE WOULD HAVE NOT BEEN THE SAME WITHOUT MAX...SUPERB JOB BY MAX, AND A SUPERB BLACK CLASSIC MOVIE....MUCH LOVE AND RESPECT

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  7. Right on! Being The Mack is my favorite movie of all time ( ask my wife she is sick of it! lol) I did that same research and found out a lot about OG Frank Ward and the Ward Bros. I bought the vhs twice and I have bought the dvd twice. Max Julien is a genius in everything he has done..great article!

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  8. Right on! Being The Mack is my favorite movie of all time ( ask my wife she is sick of it! lol) I did that same research and found out a lot about OG Frank Ward and the Ward Bros. I bought the vhs twice and I have bought the dvd twice. Max Julien is a genius in everything he has done..great article!

    ReplyDelete

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