Recently Blaxploitation film historian and collector Mike Gibson posted a few newspaper ad scans to a few classics from the genre, a couple which I had seen before but one that really caught my attention which starred Fred “The Hammer” Williamson making a live appearance in Philadelphia and at one of the theaters which I had often frequented. The film he was promoting was 1977’s Mr. Mean which isn’t a Blaxploitation film but still in the action genre and a similar to the Italian crime films but starring a lead Black character. The film centers around Williamson, a hitman who is sent to Rome to kill a crime boss but is ultimately becomes the target himself.
As you can see from he ad clipping, Williamson was set up for a meet and greet at 2 different times during the same evening screening of this first run exclusive. The Budco Goldman 2 theater is literally 20 minutes from my house and oh would I love to be able to go back into time for this engagement. I wonder if Fred ever showed up!?
Mr. Mean was filmed during the time when Fred Williamson had left Hollywood and began taking charge of his career via his production company Po’ Boy Productions. It was written, directed, produced and starred himself in the lead role and was distributed by Lone Star Pictures International
*Note that Williamson enlisted funk band, the Ohio Players to created the music for the film.