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The River Niger (1976)
Character: Big Moe Hayes
An intimate look at life in the ghetto: Johnny Williams is a house painter who moonlights as a poet, struggling to financially and emotionally support his cancer-ridden wife Mattie. But times are tough and the poverty-troubled streets are even tougher, and it takes every ounce of Johnny's love and courage for the couple to make it through their strife, finding redemption in the River Niger.
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Big Time (1977)
Character: J.J.
A small time con-artist gets between the FBI and a suitcase filled with money.
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Hammerlock (2002)
Character: Sgt. James Hammer
Two prison guards team up with a convict and a drug smuggler to recapture bank robbers.
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The White Lions (1981)
Character: John Kani
A college professor, his wife, and daughter go the the wilds of Africa to live, and study the rare white lions of the region.
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I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings (1979)
Character: Bailey, Sr.
Based on writer Maya Angelou's eloquent reminiscences of her days as a gifted youngster growing up in the South during the Depression years where she and her older brother were raised by their grandmother after the divorce of their parents.
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Zora is My Name! (1990)
Character: N/A
A celebration of the life of Zora Neale Hurston, who was born at the turn of the 20th Century and grew to be an important voice with her written portrayals of Black American life in the rural south of the 1930's and 40's, and the stories, songs and folklore that were her heritage and inspiration.
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Switch (1975)
Character: Walter
In this pilot film that led to the series, an ex-con and a retired cop, partners in a private investigation agency, try to prove that a safecracker has been framed for a diamond robbery.
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The New Centurions (1972)
Character: Truck Driver
An idealistic rookie cop joins the LAPD to make ends meet while finishing law school, and is indoctrinated by a seasoned veteran. As time goes on, he loses his ambitions and family as police work becomes his entire life.
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A Thin Line Between Love and Hate (1996)
Character: Smitty
Nightclub manager Darnell Wright is a perpetual playboy who is almost as devoted to his job as he is to the pursuit of beautiful women. After he sets his sights on the ultra-classy Brandi Web, he launches an all-out assault to win her heart. Ultimately, charm, lust and passion prevail, but Darnell learns the hard way that when you play, you pay. Brandi is much harder to get rid of than she was to get--especially when she realizes that she has a rival vying for Darnell's affection. When he finally decides to call it quits, Brandi becomes an obsessed femme fatale stalking the new love of her life.
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Terminal Island (1973)
Character: Monk
After the U.S. Supreme Court banishes the death penalty, California decides to exile all convicted murderers to the remote island of San Bruno, overseen by a tyrannical camp leader who forces all female inmates into sex slavery.
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Hickey & Boggs (1972)
Character: Black activist (uncredited)
Two veteran private eyes trigger a criminal reign of terror with their search for a missing girl. | Al Hickey (Cosby) & Frank Boggs (Culp) are two jaded private investigators who get hired to find a missing woman and quickly find themselves submerged in a world of murder and untruths.
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Sweet Jesus, Preacherman (1973)
Character: Holmes / Lee
A Black hit man poses as a Baptist preacher in a ghetto church. He decides to take over the local rackets.
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Hit Man (1972)
Character: Baby Huey
Bernie Casey portrays Tyrone and Pamela Grier plays a sultry skin-flick star in this first Americanized remake of the iconic Michael Caine action film Get Carter. From Watts to the West Side, from porno parlors to a high-rise, from motel dives to a crime kingpin’s sprawling pleasure dome, from corner hangouts to a wildlife preserve, Tyrone covers a lot of real estate, busts a lot of heads.
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Drum (1976)
Character: Slave
A mid-19th century mulatto slave is torn between his success as a pit-fighter and the injustices of white society.
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Steel (1979)
Character: Lionel
Mike Catton was once a world-renowned construction foreman (at least in the construction world), but an accident left him with a serious fear of heights. Unable to climb the big skyscrapers while under construction, he retired and became a truck driver. But when an old friend needs him to help put up a building, and when the old friend gets harassed and threatened by an Evil Corporate Type, he comes out of retirement and assembles the creme de la creme of the construction world. Together, they race against time to finish the building while the Evil Corporate Type tries to stop them.
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Stay Hungry (1976)
Character: Newton
A dishonest businessman asks rich layabout Craig Blake to help him buy a gym, which will be demolished for a development project in Alabama. But after spending time with weightlifter Joe Santo and gym worker Mary Tate Farnsworth, Craig wants out of the deal. The property negotiations turn ugly, causing a brawl at the gym and a spectacle at a big bodybuilding meet, as Craig learns that it's not easy to turn your back on fair-weather friends.
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Heart Condition (1990)
Character: Captain Wendt
Racist police officer Jack Moony has a vendetta against Napoleon Stone, a charismatic black lawyer who is sleeping with Jack's old flame Crystal Gerrity. Jack has a heart attack, but his life is saved when he receives Stone's heart, since Stone died mysteriously the same night as Jack was stricken. Stone is not completely gone, however, and as a ghost he is all too happy to give Jack advice on how he should do his job and live his life.
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Semi-Tough (1977)
Character: Puddin
A three-way friendship between two free-spirited professional football players and the owner's daughter becomes compromised when two of them become romantically involved.
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Pentathlon (1994)
Character: John Creese
When East German Eric Brogar wins a gold medal in the pentathlon, he escapes to freedom in the west with the help of a beautiful American athlete. But his demanding coach, Heinrich Mueller vows revenge and Eric's best friend and his father pay the ultimate price for his freedom when they are killed by the Secret Police. In Los Angeles, Eric starts to train for the gold again. But when Mueller comes to America, Eric must win the most deadly game of all… the fight for his life.
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McQ (1974)
Character: Rosey
Police Lieutenant Lon McQ investigates the killing of his best friend and uncovers corrupt elements of the police department dealing in confiscated drugs.
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Attica (1980)
Character: Frank Green
Acclaimed dramatization recreating the incidents surrounding the 1971 revolt in New York's Attica State Prison that lasted for 23 days and resulted in the greatest casualty toll between Americans since the Civil War.
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Pray TV (1980)
Character: Willie Washington / Leroy Washington
A failing television station is bought out by a slick TV evangelist and starts making mountains of money in the guise of religious programming, which is actually just an excuse to sell merchandise.
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Darktown Strutters (1975)
Character: Mellow
When a prominent abortion clinic owner goes missing along with a string of other black community leaders, her singing daughter and her fellow female biker gang members investigate.
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Letters from a Killer (1998)
Character: Horton
A man is falsely convicted of the murder of his wife. During his time in jail, he finds comfort from four women with whom he corresponds. After his second court appearance, he is finally freed from prison only to be framed for yet 2 more murders which he did not commit. With the help of his former prison guard, he once again sets out to clear his name
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Leadbelly (1976)
Character: Huddie Ledbetter
The life of Blues and folk singer Huddie Leadbetter, nicknamed Leadbelly is recounted. Covering the good times and bad from his 20s to 40s. Much of that time was spent on chain gangs in the south. Even in prison he became well known for the songs he had composed and sung during and before the time he spent there.
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Unlawful Entry (1992)
Character: Officer Roy Cole
Happily married Michael and Karen Carr call the police after Karen is held at knife point during a failed robbery attempt in their home. Before long, one of the responding officers, Officer Pete Davis, helps arrange the installation of a new security system, taking extra interest in the couple's case. As a result, the grateful Carrs invite him to stay for dinner and they strike up an unexpected friendship. However, as the lonely policeman develops an intense fixation on Karen, his take on friendship develops into a dangerous obsession soon becoming the Carrs' worst nightmare.
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The Greatest (1977)
Character: Sonny Liston
Muhammad Ali's life story up to the late 1970s, which includes his Olympic boxing triumphs as Cassius Clay, his conversion to Islam, his refusal of the Army draft and the legal battle after being stripped of his World Title.
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The Other Side of Hell (1978)
Character: Jim Baker
A disturbed, but highly intelligent man is sent to a criminally insane hospital to serve time and rehabilitate. But when he arrives, he discovers it's in fact a closed world where brutality is an everyday occurrence.
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The Jericho Mile (1980)
Character: "Cotton" Crown
A runner, serving a life sentence at Folsom Prison, works at becoming the world's fastest miler and wins a chance to compete for a spot on the Olympic team.
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Cruise Into Terror (1978)
Character: Nathan
An Egyptian sarcophagus that is cargo on a pleasure cruise ship has a secret - it contains the son of Satan, and its effects start to make the ship's passengers behave strangely.
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The Mack (1973)
Character: Olinga
A recently-released convict becomes the most powerful pimp in Oakland, but tragedy ensues when his activities draw the ire of two corrupt cops and the crime lord he once worked for.
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