| The Black Six | |
| Director: | Matt Cimber |
| Producer: | George Theakos Matt Cimber Jefferson Richard |
| Starring: | Gene Washington Lem Barney Mercury Morris Joe Greene Willie Lanier Carl Eller |
| Cinematography: | William Swenning |
| Editing: | Robert Carlson |
| Music: | David Moscoe |
| Distributor: | Cinemation Industries |
| Runtime: | 94 min |
| Country: | United States |
| Language: | English |
The Black Six is a 1974 American blaxploitation and outlaw biker film written by George Theakos and directed by Matt Cimber.[1] It starred several National Football League stars in the title roles.[1] [2] It was one of the first all-black biker films.[3]
The plot involves an African American veteran of the Vietnam War, played by Gene Washington, who returns home to find that his brother (played by Robert Howard) has been killed. The killing was done by a white supremacist motorcycle gang, led by Ben "Thor" Davidson, who objected to the fact that Howard had been dating Thor's sister. Washington and his motorcycle gang, known as the Black Six, vow to avenge his brother's death. The Six encounter a number of obstacles, including hostile motorcycle gangs (particularly Thor's), and racist policemen. The movie climaxes with an inconclusive battle royal between the Six and Thor's Caucasian-supremacist biker gang, in which Thor (apparently) blows them and himself up by igniting the gas tank of his own motorcycle. The film concludes with the caption Honky, look out...Hassle a brother, and the Black 6 will return!.[2] [4]
The titular "Black Six" was played by six then-current National Football League stars:
The players' teams appeared with the actors' names in the film's credits. In addition, the cast includes Ben Davidson, who had recently retired from football, as a member of a motorcycle gang opposing the Black Six.[2] Maury Wills, a recently retired Major League Baseball star, also has a role in the film.[1]
Washington was given the lead role due to him having previous acting experience; he and several other cast members (many of whom did more acting afterwards) later criticized how poorly the script had been written. All six protagonists (and Davidson) were All-Pro, while Greene, Barney, Lanier and Eller have since been inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
Filmed on location in Frazier Park, CA. Several of the football players were disappointed with elements in the original script, especially that the black motorcyclists would be killed in the end, despite the fact that they stood for truth, justice and the American way.[2] As a result of their protests, an inconclusive ending was shot.[2]
The Black Six was released on DVD on October 12, 2004.