​An athlete turned actor, Strode was a top-notch decathlete and a football star at UCLA. He became part of Hollywood lore after meeting director John Ford and becoming a part of the Ford "family," appearing in four Ford motion pictures. Strode also played the powerful gladiator who does battle with Kirk Douglas in Spartacus (1960).

Filmography

• 1995The Quick and the Dead — Charlies Moonlight
• 1993Posse — Storyteller
• 1992Storyville — Charlie Sumpter
• 1989The Bronx Executioner — Sheriff Warren (archive footage)
• 1987A Gathering of Old Men — Yank
• 1987On Fire — Woody
• 1985Lust in the Dust — Blackman
• 1984Jungle Warriors — Luther
• 1984The Cotton Club — Holmes
• 1984The Final Executioner — Sam
• 1984The Violent Breed — Polo
• 1983The Black Stallion Returns — Meslar
• 1983Vigilante — Rake
• 1982Invaders of the Lost Gold — Cal
• 1981Angkor: Cambodia Express — Woody
• 1981Scream — Charlie Winters
• 1980Cuba Crossing — Titi
• Buck Rogers in the 25th Century — Sgt. 'Big Red' MacMurthy
• 1979Jaguar Lives! — Sensei
• 1979Ravagers — Brown
• 1977Kingdom of the Spiders — Walter Colby
• 1977Oil — Ben
• 1976Keoma — George
• 1976The Quest: The Longest Drive — Tucker
• 1975Loaded Guns — Silvera
• 1975We Are No Angels — Black Bill
• 1975Winterhawk — Big Rude
• 1973Key West — Candy Rhodes
• 1972Black Rodeo — Narrator (voice)
• 1972The Italian Connection — Frank Webster
• 1972The Revengers — Job
• 1971Scipio the African — Massinissa
• 1971Tarzan and the Perils of Charity Jones — Chaka
• 1971The Gatling Gun — Runner the Scout
• 1971The Last Rebel — Duncan
• 1970Breakout — Skip Manion
• 1970Tarzan's Deadly Silence — Marshak
• 1970The Deserter — Jackson
• 1970The Unholy Four — Woody
• 1969Boot Hill — Thomas
• 1969Che! — Guillermo
• 1968Black Jesus — Maurice Lalubi
• 1968Once Upon a Time in the West — Frank's Gunman
• 1968Shalako — Chato
• Batman — Grand Mogul
• 1966The Professionals — Jake
• 19657 Women — Lean Warrior
• 1965Genghis Khan — Sengal
• 1963Tarzan's Three Challenges — Khan / Dying Leader
• The Lieutenant — Sgt. Logan Holt
• 1962The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance — Pompey
• 1961The Sins of Rachel Cade — Muwango
• 1961Two Rode Together — Stone Calf
• 1960Sergeant Rutledge — 1st Sgt. Braxton Rutledge
• 1960Spartacus — Draba
• 1960The Last Voyage — Hank Lawson
• 1959Pork Chop Hill — Pvt. Franklen
• 1958Tarzan's Fight for Life — Ramo
• 1958The Buccaneer — Toro
• 1956The Ten Commandments — King of Ethiopia
• 1955Brooba — Native Chief
• 1955Son of Sinbad — Palace Guard
• 1954Demetrius and the Gladiators — Gladiator
• 1954Jungle Gents — Malaka, head bearer
• 1954Jungle Man-Eaters — One of Native Escorts to Biplane (uncredited)
• 1954Mandrake the Magician — Lothar
• 1954The Gambler from Natchez — Josh
• 1954The Silver Chalice — Moor (uncredited)
• 1953City Beneath the Sea — Djion
• 1953The Royal African Rifles — Soldier
• 1952African Treasure — Mailman (uncredited)
• 1952Androcles and the Lion — The Lion
• 1952Caribbean — Esau
• 1951Bride of the Gorilla — Nedo
• 1951The Lion Hunters — Walu
• 1943No Time for Love — Black Sandhog (uncredited), Stunts
• 1942Star Spangled Rhythm — Rochester's Chauffeur (uncredited)
• 1941Sundown — Tribal Policeman (uncredited)

Appearances as themselves (1)

• 1987James Stewart: A Wonderful Life — Self (archive footage)