Rafer Johnson

African American athlete Rafer Johnson was but a few years out of UCLA when he distinguished himself at the 1960 Olympics, scoring 8,392 points in the Olympic Decathalon. A film career followed posthaste, first in flicks like Elvis' Wild in the Country (1961), then in outdoor adventures like Pirates of Tortuga (1961) and None But the Brave (1965). Because truly good roles for black performers were still hard to come by in the mid-1960s, Rafer occasionally had to accept demeaning "fierce native" assignments in films like Tarzan and the Great River (1967). He was also a semi-regular on the "blaxploitation" film scene of the 1970s, acting as producer of 1974's Buck Six. In 1979, Rafer Johnson enjoyed a more dignified role in the TV miniseries Roots: The Next Generation.

~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide