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Susan George blacklisted in Hollywood, after love scene with Ken Norton

posted 19 years ago by chesterrodney
83 replies | jump to latest

It was the 1970's when "Mandingo" came out. Folks were just heeling from the rough 60's. A promising young actress named Susan George was on her way up the Hollywood ladder. She just did a movie called "Dirty Mary, Crazy Larry". Then she agreed to do a movie about the old south called "Mandingo". In the film she has a love scene with a black boxer/actor named Ken Norton. She agrees and wants to do the love scene. When the movie was released in the summer of 1975. That love scene between her and Ken Norton shocked alot of white people back then. White men the worst!

Susan George couldn't get another major role in Hollywood after "Mandingo". She was reduced to "B' type movies and made for TV movies after that. Hollywood didn't want to see her in any major films or major acting roles after her love scene with Ken Norton in "Mandingo". Hollywood to this day is scared of showing black love. And they don't want to see a big muscular black man with a white woman! I read later on that this movie was not shown in certain areas of the south back in 1975. Don't know if that is true or not. But I do know this to be true. I was 15 years old when I first saw "Mandingo" at the movies in 1975. And remember hearing acouple people gasp when that love scene was shown.

[–] mariposa-9 17 years ago

No, man, you're wrong. Susan George's career didn't go down the toilet because of an interracial love scene. It went down the toilet because Mandingo is a TERRIBLE FILM. Watch it, it's horrible. Nobody came out of that movie unscathed. That movie was a huge blow to her career. Beating up a pregnant woman, essentially murdering a child, because the child is her husband's? Come on!

By the way, Big Jim Brown made love to another brit, Jaqueline Bissett. And look what happened to her career. She's royalty.

[–] djc_35211 17 years ago

This is just not true. Susan George was household name in 1970s. During that period of time, Hollywood was making awful films. This period was probably one of the worst periods for Hollywood, with certain notable exceptions, the 1970s was a really weird period for making movies. There just weren't a lot of really good female roles. However,Susan George was a household name in the 1970s and she was on all of the talk shows etc. There may have been other reasons why Ms. George did not make it on the big screen, but I doubt her love scene with Ken Norton was one of them. Although there were some great films that came out in the 1970s, the big Hollywood films were not in vogue at the time.

[–] zimbo_the_donkey_boy 17 years ago

'How sad that you're all helping to cover up the true story. Sue George, whom we all agree is the greatest actress to ever shed her costume, wasn't simply blacklisted benignly by Hollywood, run by Henny Youngmandingo & his cronies. Rather her breadth of acting has been stifled by the same cabal keeping former President Kennedy hidden in a hanger in Roswell since he was mentally damaged in the assassination attempt, spurred by First Lady Jackie's affair with a black man. And, from the earlier insightful postings, I'm surprised none of you has yet mentioned the obvious conspiracy between our former oppressor, Great Britain, and the true power behind Hollywood, South Africa, to keep us down. How else can you explain why Susan has not yet appeared on a 41-cent stamp?

[–] toymit 17 years ago

Just like to add my two cents re: Jim Brown.You got to remember,he was somewhat of a cult hero back then,with his high profile sporting background.A little like saying if Michael Jordan or Tiger Woods and a white woman get it on(during the 70s),nobody would kick up a fuss cos of their status.

[–] 17 years ago

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[–] WarpedRecord 17 years ago

I have to think her horrible performance in this film didn't help.

[–] proudnole 17 years ago

I saw it in Meridian, MS, shortly after its release. If it was available in that venue, I suspect what you heard (that it was not shown in parts of the south)is simply untrue.

And, for that matter, when did George do Peckinpah's Straw Dogs with Dustin Hoffman? Didn't that follow Mandingo? If so, that suggests that rumors of her blacklisting might also be exaggerated.

[–] lasttoknw 17 years ago

I've never seen her other films, but if Mandingo is any indication George's lack of talent is of Shatnerian magnitude. Good looks could only get her so far, and I think it's quite natural that her career would fade after only a few short years.

[–] hellhound 17 years ago

Sex scene is cut for "DVD" RELEASE SO DON'T BOTHER YOURSELF.

[–] jinx_malone 15 years ago

she was not blacklisted at all--she picked and chose what she wanted. not every actor wants or needs to be top of the world. some are fine just taking projects that interest them. i have seen zero evidence of this 'fact' on any site about susan george or in any movie magazine i own. source please.

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"It's better not to know so much about what things mean." David Lynch

[–] cookiela2001 14 years ago

Susan George was not that talented or distinctive looking, so it's not surprising she never became a huge star.