Fred Williamson: 'Original Gangstas' Made $40M, Orion Pictures Stole All My Money (Part 13)

Watch Full Interview

--------

Fred 'The Hammer' Williamson disclosed how he transitioned from acting to producing and directing about 50 films in his career. Williamson emphasized the importance of anticipating changes and continually developing in the film industry to remain relevant. He shared his unique strategy of raising money through foreign sales rather than a distribution deal, selling directly to individual countries like France and Germany. This allows him to maintain control over his product and profits. The highest-budget film he produced was valued at $2.5 million using this method. However, he reported being disadvantaged when the film was taken over by Orion, who went into bankruptcy just three weeks into distribution after netting almost $40 million, leaving Williamson without his earnings.