Tom Laughlin: Five films from the 'Billy Jack' star

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Kalashnikov created the AK-47, a cheap, simple, rugged assault rifle that became the weapon of choice for more than 50 standing armies as well as drug lords, street gangs, revolutionaries, terrorists, pirates and thugs the world over. He was 94. (Pat Sullivan / Associated Press)

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The Oakland-based radio preacher predicted, several times, exact dates for the end of the world. His Rapture forecasts fizzled, providing fodder for comedians and TV talk show hosts but disappointing his small band of followers. He was 92. (Rick Loomis / Los Angeles Times)

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Jailed for 27 years by a white-minority government as a terrorist, he walked free as a septuagenarian to lead South Africa to its first multiracial democracy. He was 95. (Jurgen Schadeberg / Getty Images)

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A pioneer of televangelism, Crouch founded the Trinity Broadcast Network, a broadcast empire that reached a global audience of millions. But his lavish lifestyle sparked controversy. He was 79. (Mark Boster / Los Angeles Times)

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The L.A.-born drummer helped forge the California sound dubbed “cool jazz” in the 1950s and launched the careers of a wealth of jazz artists, both as bandleader and educator. His landmark mid-’50s quintet consisted of Jim Hall, Carson Smith, Buddy Collette and Fred Katz. Hamilton was 92. (Michael Ochs Archives / Getty Images)

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A Norwegian immigrant who got rich from a business he founded in Van Nuys that makes electronic sensors used in aviation and other fields, Kavli gave millions of dollars to scientific institutions and researchers in addition to several nonprofits in the Moorpark area. He was 86. Full obituary
Notable deaths of 2012 (Lawrence K. Ho / Los Angeles Times)

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The British biochemist revolutionized DNA sequencing. He was the first person to win two Nobel Prizes in chemistry, and only the fourth ever to win two. He was 95. Full obituary
Notable deaths of 2012 (Keystone / Getty Images)

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Walt Disney’s elder daughter fought L.A. officials to ensure that architect Frank Gehry’s cutting-edge design for Disney Hall was realized. She also developed a strong relationship with the L.A. Philharmonic, becoming an honorary life director of the orchestra. She was 79. Full obituary
Notable deaths of 2012 (Randi Lynn Beach / For the Times)

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Best known for “The Golden Notebook,” a chronicle of the multiple and maddeningly contradictory roles women have, Lessing helped define early feminism. At 88, Lessing was the oldest-ever recipient of the Nobel Prize for literature. She was 94. Full obituary
Notable deaths of 2012 (Shaun Curry / AFP / Getty Images)

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Anchor of the New York rock band the Velvet Underground, Reed influenced generations of artists and resonated around the world. As a songwriter and then as a solo artist, he became a pioneer of what came to be known as art rock and punk rock. He was 71. Full obituary
Notable deaths of 2012 (Michael Ochs Archives / Getty Images)

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The unpretentious communist general masterminded the defeat of French and American forces and became known as one of the 20th century’s military geniuses. He was 102. Full obituary
Notable deaths of 2012 (AFP / Getty Images)

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The author who rocketed to fame after writing the Cold War thriller “The Hunt for Red October” was also well known for “Patriot Games,” “Clear and Present Danger,” “The Sum of All Fears” and others. A master of the techno-thriller, Clancy wrote 17 bestsellers with 100 million copies in print. He was 66. Full obituary
Notable deaths of 2012 (Brendan Smialowski / Getty Images)

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The producer of such westerns as “Young Fury” and “Waco” spent decades on the Paramount lot. A walking repository of Hollywood history, he was the last link on the lot to the studio’s golden era and to such stars as Gary Cooper, Bing Crosby, Barbara Stanwyck and Dorothy Lamour. He was 95. Full obituary
Notable deaths of 2012 (Lori Shepler / Los Angeles Times)

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The gruff and uncompromising businessman autocratically transformed Nintendo from a purveyor of playing cards to a gaming gargantuan. During his 52 years of leadership at the company, Nintendo produced hits such as “Donkey Kong,” “Super Mario Brothers” and “Legend of Zelda.” Yamauchi was 85. Full obituary
Notable deaths of 2012 (Katsumi Kasahara / Associated Press)

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Credited with developing the Toyota car company’s efficient, low-defect manufacturing processes, Toyoda, left, also helped spearhead Toyota’s aggressive push into the U.S. auto market. He was 100. Full obituary
Notable deaths of 2012 (Paul Sakuma / Associated Press)

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The winner of the 1995 Nobel Prize for literature, he was widely recognized as the greatest Irish poet since William Butler Yeats. In a career that spanned six decades, he published 13 poetry anthologies, two stage plays, essays, criticism, translations and many other works. He was 74. Full obituary
Notable deaths of 2012 (Iguana Press / Getty Images)

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A pianist, composer and host of “Piano Jazz” on NPR, McPartland was one of the genre’s most visible female instrumentalists. Her highly personal style was rich with colorful harmonies and briskly swinging rhythms. She was 95. Full obituary
Notable deaths of 2012 (Seth Wenig / Associated Press)

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His ear for dialogue and stable of oddball characters made him a bestselling author and one of Hollywood’s favorite storytellers. His work helped raise the genre of crime fiction to a literary level, winning a global audience and inspiring such popular films as “Get Shorty” and “Out of Sight.” He was 87. Full obituary
Notable deaths of 2012 (Rob Kozloff / Associated Press)

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Often with husband Steve Lawrence, Eydie Gorme sang at clubs and on television, including on Steve Allen’s ‘Tonight’ show. She was 84. Full obituary
Notable deaths of 2012 (Lennox McLendon / Associated Press)

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With a distinctive appearance, Black built a film resume that included prostitutes, murderers, waitresses, transsexuals and thieves. She was 74. Full obituary
Notable deaths of 2012 (Larry Bessel / Los Angeles Times)

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A self-taught guitarist from Oklahoma, Cale shunned the spotlight but gained fame by penning such hits as “After Midnight” and “Cocaine.” He was a laid-back pioneer of the down-home, bluesy style that came to be called the Tulsa Sound. He was 74. Full obituary
Notable deaths of 2012 (Tony Gutierrez / Associated Press)

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The Chicago police officer turned character actor cemented his second career playing gangsters, cops and other tough guys in film and TV. Farina is perhaps best known for his stint on the TV crime drama “Law & Order.” He was 69. Full obituary
Notable deaths of 2012 (Paul Buck / EPA)

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Best known for his role as Finn Hudson, a kindhearted jock who had a love for singing in the TV series “Glee,” Monteith was a heartthrob for fans known as “Gleeks.” The actor accidentally overdosed on a mix of heroin and alcohol while in Canada, according to the coroner. He was 31. Full obituary
Notable deaths of 2012 (Chris Pizzello / Associated Press)

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Gary David Goldberg rapidly shot to success in TV, producing the hit sitcom “Family Ties” and other shows colored with his warm brand of New York humor. His film work includes “Dad” with Jack Lemmon and the 2005 romantic comedy “Must Love Dogs.” He was 68. Full obituary
Notable deaths of 2012 (Michael Buckner / Getty Images)

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Winner of the 1985 Nobel Prize in chemistry, the Brooklyn-born scientist’s molecule-mapping work decades ago is still important to the pharmaceutical industry. Karle, seen here with his wife and lab partner Isabelle, was 94. Full obituary
Notable deaths of 2012 (Larry Morris / Getty Images)

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The Hall of Fame football player was one of the Los Angeles Rams’ heralded Fearsome Foursome whose outspoken persona and relentless pursuit of quarterbacks helped turn defensive linemen into stars. He is credited with coining the term “sack” for how he knocked down quarterbacks. He was 74. Full obituary
Notable deaths of 2012 (Christine Cotter / Los Angeles Times)

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The self-described “loud-mouthed Irish priest” was a noted sociologist, prolific writer and vocal critic of the Roman Catholic Church. He was also a bestselling novelist whose works made readers blush and church superiors fume. He was 85. Full obituary
Notable deaths of 2012 (Chris Walker / Chicago Tribune)

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One of the most famous drummers in jazz during his nearly three decades with Doc Severinsen’s “Tonight Show” band, he also performed with such artists as Aretha Franklin, Jimi Hendrix and Leonard Bernstein. He was 84. Full obituary
Notable deaths of 2012 (Michael Ochs Archives / Getty Images)

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The keyboardist for the Doors was responsible for the piercing electric organ sound on “Light My Fire” and most of the L.A. group’s cornerstone songs. Influenced by John Coltrane, he added a jazz component to the band’s rock sound. Manzarek was 74. Full obituary
Notable deaths of 2012 (Michael Ochs Archives / Getty Images)

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The popular TV psychologist publicly addressed what were then borderline taboo subjects, such as sexual fulfillment and infidelity. By the ‘70s, she was a fixture of TV, radio, film and print. She was 85. Full obituary
Notable deaths of 2012 (NBCU Photo Bank / Getty Images )

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The stop-motion animation legend known for creating special effects for “The Beast From 20,000 Fathoms,” “Jason and the Argonauts” and other science fiction film classics became a cult figure who inspired later generations of filmmakers including Steven Spielberg, George Lucas and James Cameron. He was 92. Full obituary
Notable deaths of 2012 (Hulton Archive / Getty Images)

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The singer charted dozens of hits over a long career marked by struggles with alcohol and drugs, broken marriages and, finally, redemption. His ‘“He Stopped Loving Her Today” is regarded by many as the greatest country song ever recorded. He was 81. Full obituary
Notable deaths of 2012 (Mark Humphrey / Associated Press)

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The veteran folk singer’s frenetic guitar strumming and impassioned vocals made him one of the defining voices and faces of Woodstock. His performance of “Freedom/Motherless Child” became a landmark anthem of the 1969 music festival and cultural phenomenon. He was 72. Full obituary
Notable deaths of 2012 (Neilson Barnard / Getty Images)

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The French biologist shared the 1965 Nobel prize for medicine with colleagues Jacques Monod and Andre Lwoff. They identified messenger RNA which carries the blueprint for a protein from cellular DNA to the ribosome. Their achievement ushered in the modern age of molecular biology. Jacob was 92. Full obituary
Notable deaths of 2012 (Keystone / Getty Images)

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The newspaper mogul was regarded as a latter-day Citizen Kane. In 1982, his $1-billion gamble called USA Today earned derision, but it endured to become the nation’s largest-circulation newspaper. He was 89. Full obituary
Notable deaths of 2012 (Dave Eggen / Associated Press)

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Known for his deep, resonant voice, Pat Summerall was half of one of the best known announcing teams in television sportscasting history as John Madden’s broadcasting partner for more than two decades of NFL games. He was 82. Full obituary
Notable deaths of 2012 (Ronald Martinez / Getty Images)

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The British biologist, left, helped pioneer in vitro fertilization, eventually giving an infertile British couple their daughter, Louise Brown, and millions more children to parents worldwide. He was 87. Full obituary
Notable deaths of 2012 (Keystone / Getty Images)

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Regarded by many as the country’s most important peacetime leader of the 20th century, Thatcher transformed Britain with a conservative free-market revolution. The ‘Iron Lady’ was known as much for her formidable persona as her polarizing policies. She was 87. Full obituary
Photos: Margaret Thatcher | 1925 - 2013
Notable deaths of 2012 (Johnny Eggitt / AFP/Getty Images)

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The most adored of Walt Disney’s original 24 Mouseketeers, Funicello later starred in a series of ‘60s beach movies and was a spokeswoman for treatment of multiple sclerosis. She was 70. [For the record: 10:10 a.m. PST, May 12: A previous version of this caption incorrectly listed Funicello’s age as 77]. Full obituary | Photos
Notable deaths of 2012 (Graham Barclay / Associated Press)

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Ginsburg, Monica Lewinsky’s attorney, was a skilled medical malpractice attorney defending unpopular clients before representing the White House intern during the Clinton sex scandal. He was 70. Full obituary
Notable deaths of 2012 (Rick Meyer / Los Angeles Times)

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Ramone, veteran record producer, was one of the most revered figures in the music business, working closely with Frank Sinatra, Tony Bennett, Barbra Streisand and Billy Joel among others, shaping their sounds and crafting hits. He won 14 Grammy Awards. He was 79.
Full obituary | An appreciation: Phil Ramone’s golden ear for the hits | Photos
Notable deaths of 2012 (Genaro Molina / Los Angeles Times)

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Weider popularized bodybuilding worldwide, creating a multimillion-dollar empire of magazines such as Muscle & Fitness, Men’s Fitness and Shape, and discovered Arnold Schwarzenegger. He was 93. Full obituary | Photos: Joe Weider | 1919 - 2013
Notable deaths of 2012 (Harry Chase / Los Angeles Times)

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Rise Stevens was an American mezzo soprano celebrated for her earthy interpretation of “Carmen,” whose career also encompassed television and movie appearances alongside matinee idols Bing Crosby and Nelson Eddy. She was 99. Full obituary
Notable deaths of 2012 (Raul Fornezza / Associated Press)

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Reems starred with Linda Lovelace in the 1972 pornographic film “Deep Throat” and became a cause celebre in Hollywood after he was convicted on federal obscenity charges related to the movie. He was 65. Full obituary
Notable deaths of 2012 (Ron Frehm / Associated Press)

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The Venezuelan president launched a socialist revolution in his country and galvanized anti-American sentiment in the region. He was 58.
Full obituary | Photos
Notable deaths of 2012 (Jorge Santo / Associated Press)

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Cliburn, a young Texan, won the first International Tchaikovsky Competition in Moscow in 1958 and was given a hero’s welcome back in the United States. He went on to a long and acclaimed career. He was 78.
Full obituary | Photos
Notable deaths of 2012 (Sergey Ponomarev / Associated Press)

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Using his post of surgeon general as a bully pulpit, Koop had a significant effect on attitudes toward smoking and AIDs, infuriating the conservatives who supported his nomination. He was 96.
Full obituary
Notable deaths of 2012 (Joe Marquette / Associated Press)

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The entrepreneur founded the Mikasa china company and the Kenwood electronics firm. During World War II, he and his future wife were interned along with many relatives in U.S. camps. He was 95. Full obituary
Notable deaths of 2012 (Annie Wells / Los Angeles Times)

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The country singer was found dead on her front porch, the victim of a single, self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head, according to officials in Arkansas. She was 37. Full obituary | Photos
Notable deaths of 2012 (Mark Humphrey / Associated Press)

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Artistic advisor to the Pasadena Symphony and Pops and one of the few African American conductors to lead major orchestras in the United States and abroad, DePreist overcame polio in his 20s to pursue a conducting career that took him to stages from Sweden to Japan over four decades. He was 76. Full obituary
Notable deaths of 2012 (Jay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles Times)

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A legend in moviemaking for his makeup work in “2001: A Space Odyssey,” Freeborn went on to create looks for “Star Wars” characters Yoda, Chewbacca, the Ewoks and Jabba the Hutt. His pioneering career spanned seven decades. He was 98. Full obituary
Notable deaths of 2012 (Lucasfilm / Los Angeles Times Archives)

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In 2003 the retired L.A. schoolteacher unburdened herself of a secret: She, a black woman, was the daughter of Sen. Strom Thurmond, the legendary South Carolina politician who had built a career as a champion of segregation. She was 87. Full obituary
Notable deaths of 2012 (Lori Shepler / Los Angeles Times)

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Writing as Abigail Van Buren, Phillips was the original “Dear Abby” whose no-nonsense advice was dispensed to newspaper readers around the world for over 40 years. Her identical twin also wrote an advice column, as Ann Landers. Phillips was 94. Full obituary
Notable deaths of 2012 (Genaro Molina / Los Angeles Times)

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The Orange County treasurer’s bad bets on exotic Wall Street investments resulted in what at the time was the largest municipal bankruptcy in U.S. history. The county was forced to postpone repayments on bonds it had sold, but eventually repaid its creditors in full. He was 87. Full obituary
Notable deaths of 2012 (Kevin P. Casey / Los Angeles Times)

By Susan King

Dec. 15, 2013 3:32 PM PT

Tom Laughlin, who came to fame as the half-Native American, half-white ex-Green Beret in the 1971 indie blockbuster “Billy Jack,” died Thursday at age 82.

A lot of his films are on DVD and on streaming services. If you want to go back to his earliest films, check out “The Delinquents” (1957) -- which was directed by Robert Altman -- “South Pacific” (1958) and even “Gidget” (1959).

And for those who want to revisit his best-known films, or perhaps see them for the first time, here are five:

PHOTOS: Tom Laughlin, filmmaker who drew huge following for ‘Billy Jack,’ dies

“The Born Losers”: Laughlin first introduced Billy Jack in this low-budget 1967 biker film, which American International Pictures released in 1968.

You can tell it’s an AIP film by its poster tag line: “Kitten on Wheels With Her Bike ... Her Boots and Bikini! Out for kicks ... in for trouble? She’s going to Join the Born Losers.”

Besides Laughlin, Jeremy Slate and Jane Russell also starred. Laughlin’s wife, Delores Taylor, who was one of the producers, and two of their children were featured in cameos.

“Billy Jack”: Laughlin’s website at billyjackrights.com called this 1971 movie the “most independent film ever made” since it went through three studios before it was released. The film sold 58 million tickets, the site said.

Laughlin’s Billy Jack is living on a reservation in Arizona when he becomes interested in the local progressive Freedom School and an idealistic woman named Jean (Taylor), who runs it. But when small-town bigots threaten the students, karate master Billy Jack kicks into action. According to the Laughlin’s site, the film was among the first to “introduce martial arts, specifically hapkido karate, to American audiences.”

PHOTOS: Notable deaths of 2013

Reviewers loved or hated the film. The Washington Post proclaimed it was “a horrendously self-righteous and devious action movie.” The Los Angeles Times described the film as “rude and sensational, yet urgent and pertinent [and] ... in its unique, awkward way one of the year’s more important pictures.”

Taylor received a Golden Globe nomination as most promising newcomer; Laughlin won the grand prize at the 1971 Taormina film festival in Italy.

The film’s theme song, “One Tin Soldier (The Legend of Billy Jack),” performed by Coven, was a top 40 hit in 1971.

And here’s a bit of trivia. Funnyman Howard Hesseman also appeared in the film

“The Trial of Billy Jack”: The third in the series also brought in a lot of jack at the box office. According to the Laughlin site, the 1974 film broke a box-office record with $30 million in 30 days.

Clocking in at nearly three hours, the film finds Billy Jack being released from prison and going on a vision quest four years after he is sentenced for involuntary manslaughter. Meanwhile, Freedom School, run by Taylor, is expanding. But it isn’t long before the townspeople start to abuse the students and the local Native Americans, and once again Billy Jack must come to the rescue.

Trivia: Kathy Cronkite, Walter Cronkite’s daughter, appeared in the film.

PHOTOS: Tom Laughlin, filmmaker who drew huge following for ‘Billy Jack,’ dies

Besides having a strong national advertising campaign, Laughlin and Taylor opened the film wide in more than 1,000 screens across the country -- unheard of at the time.

Critics were less than kind. Leonard Maltin described it as an “awful, pretentious film.”

“Billy Jack Goes to Washington”: This 1977 remake of “Mr. Smith Goes to Washington” proved to be the death knell for the Billy Jack series. The film had only limited theatrical screenings, including a showing in L.A. in April 1977.

But fans can catch it on VHS and DVD. The film features such veterans as E.G. Marshall, Sam Wanamaker and Pat O’Brien, as well as Lucie Arnaz, William Wellman Jr. and even Suzanne Somers. The latter two actors’ scenes were edited out of the DVD.

TV Guide described it as a “long, arduous and sometimes agitating rip-off” of “Mr. Smith.”

“The Master Gunfighter”: After “The Trial of Billy Jack” and before “Billy Jack Goes to Washington,” Laughlin starred in, produced and wrote this 1975 western. His son, Frank Laughlin, directed.

The film finds Tom Laughlin playing the world’s fastest gun, who also could wield a mean samurai sword.

Ron O’Neal, Lincoln Kilpatrick and Barbara Carrera, who earned a Golden Globe nomination for best acting debut, also star. Burgess Meredith supplied the narration.

Roger Ebert was no fan. “I don’t think there’s any way an intelligent moviegoer could sit through this mess and accurately describe the plot afterward.”

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