February 1978

Ferguson Center

The first thing anyone noticed when meeting the actor William Marshall was his size. He was a large man – probably about 6’ 5” tall – with piercing eyes, a warm smile, and a firm handshake. When he came to the University of Alabama for Black History Week in 1978, everyone at Alabama Union Programs (formerly the University Program Council) was excited. His fame as a Shakespearean actor was well-considered, with memorable roles as Othello in particular. However, in those days he was known for something else of cultural significance. Marshall starred in a 1972 movie called “Blacula,” followed the next year by “Scream, Blacula, Scream.” The original was a horror flick about an 18th-century African prince, who was turned into a vampire by Dracula, before finding himself in modern-day Los Angeles. It co-starred Denise Nicholas (“Let’s Do It Again,” “In the Heat of the Night”) and Vonetta McGee (“Melinda, “Hammer,” Repo Man”). The ”Blacula” franchise was enormously popular with movie fans and got decidedly mixed reviews from movie critics but in the case of the first release, it was among the top-grossing films of the year. Gene Siskel of the Chicago Tribune was among the movie’s fans giving it 3 out of 4 stars at the time. For his part, Marshall was philosophical about the role, and his newfound success in a centerpiece element in a new genre of cinema known as “Blaxploitation.” The cast and crew were all veterans of mostly TV, Marshall explained, used to shooting around Los Angeles. He also knew his way around a set working on shows such “The Man From U.N.C.L.E.,” “Star Trek, “Bonanza” and many more. Marshall’s Shakespearian credentials were impeccable, however, he asked, “Would I have been invited to speak in Tuscaloosa based on those roles alone?”