Death Journey

Death Journey is a 1976 action crime film written by Abel Joney and directed by Fred Williamson, who also stars as Jesse Crowder.

Death Journey
Directed byFred Williamson
Written byAbel Joney
StarringFred Williamson
CinematographyRobert Caramico
Edited byJames E. Nownes
Production
company
Po' Boy Productions
Distributed byAtlas Films
Release date
May 1976
Running time
74 minutes
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish

Plot

Jesse Crowder is hired to transport a witness from Los Angeles to New York but instead befriends him and helps him evade his foes.

Cast
  • Fred Williamson - Jesse Crowder
  • Bernard Kirby – Finley
  • Art Maier – District Attorney Virgil Riley
  • Lou Bedford – Assistant D.A. Jonas
  • Heidi Dobbs - Agent
  • Stephanie Faulkner - Agent
  • Ed Kovins - Stern, the mouthpiece
  • Patrick McCullough - Jack Rosewald, gang leader
  • Emil Farkas - Karate Instructor
  • Sam Coppola - Detective Johnson
  • Geoffrey Land - Judge
  • James B. Campbell - Judge
  • D'Urville Martin - Detective Don
  • Tony Brubaker - Gas Station Attendant
  • Jack Oliver - Detective Don
  • Alexis Tramunti - Alice
  • Jean Dancy - Woman at Gas Station

Sequel

Fred Williamson returned as Jesse Crowder in No Way Back.[1]

Jesse Crowder character

The Jesse Crowder character would be used in four or five films featuring Williamson.[2][3] He first appeared in Death Journey[4] then returned in No Way Back.[5] He would be used again in Efren C. Piñon's Blind Rage, which was released in 1976. He was finally used in The Last Fight which was released in 1983.[6]

According to The Hammer: an American Hero by Harold D. Edmunds, Williamson actually knew a guy in high school called Jesse Crowder. Crowder was a tough no-nonsense guy that nobody messed with. After the name was used in Williamson's films, Crowder took legal action against Williamson. The case went to court and Williamson's lawyer placed some phone books on the table and asked him which Crowder he was. Crowder realized he didn't have anywhere to go with this. In the end Williamson decided to cease using the Crowder character.[7]

References
  1. https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/39186169/
  2. Imdb - Jesse Crowder (Character)
  3. Tales from the Cult Film Trenches, By Louis Paul - Page 288
  4. https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/39186169/
  5. Trying to Get Over: African American Directors after Blaxploitation, 1977-1986, By Keith Corson - Page 95
  6. The Encyclopedia of Martial Arts Movies, By Bill Palmer, Karen Palmer, Ric Meyers - Page 27 207. Blind Rage (1978)
  7. The Hammer: an American Hero, By Harold D. Edmunds - 2 The Early Years
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