So, I was watching the 1974 blaxploitation film, Willie Dynamite the other night, and suddenly it dawned on me who was playing the flamboyant pimp, Willie. I nearly choked on my Cheerios. I rushed to IMDb to be sure my memory was correct, and indeed it was.First, let me tell you a little bit about the character and the movie. The central character is a flamboyant and ruthless pimp who smacks around his "bitches" to keep them in line. There may be a lot of pimps and hoes in NYC, but Willie D. is the best and his "stable" (as he calls his ladies) is the finest in the city.
Jealousy from rival pimps and pressure from the NYPD always keeps Willie on his toes. A social worker with a heart of gold tries to rehabilitate Willie and his hoes, but this pimp is no pushover. As the tagline for the movie reads: "Ain't no one crosses WILLIE D!" And that ain't no lie.
Thus, you can imagine my surprise upon discovering that Willie Dynamite is played by none other than Roscoe Orman. Who's that you ask? This dude played Gordon on Sesame Street from 1974 - 2008! I grew up with this guy - I grew up with friggin' Willie Dynamite! Yes!
Willie Dynamite - front row next to Bert.
