John Quade

Lore & Background

John Quade was born in Kansas City, Kansas, and attended Perry Rural High School before transferring to Highland Park High School in Topeka on September 7, 1954. At Highland Park, he played football as a tackle and participated in basketball and track, and was a member of the Stamp, Radio, and Chess/Checkers clubs. After graduating in May 1956, he attended Washburn University for one semester and worked at the Santa Fe Railway repair shop in Topeka. He met an engineer building missile silos in Kansas, which led to a job in California at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory as an aerospace engineer; some parts he constructed are still on the moon. While at a restaurant in Pasadena, a talent scout approached him about acting.

Quade began acting on television in 1968 with a part on *Bonanza* and made his first film in 1972. His gruff look led to roles as brutish villains or ruthless authority figures. He appeared opposite Clint Eastwood in *High Plains Drifter*, *The Outlaw Josey Wales*, *Every Which Way but Loose*, and *Any Which Way You Can*. Quade's wife stated that Clint hired him for his face and later said he felt he got a bonus because John could act. He appeared in *Papillon* with Steve McQueen and Dustin Hoffman, played Sheriff Briggs in the mini-series *Roots*, and was in the 1986 western mini-series *Dream West*. He starred in two short-lived television series, *Flatbush* (1979) and *Lucky Luke* (1992).

Quade made many guest appearances on television shows including *Kojak*, *Gunsmoke*, *Starsky & Hutch*, *Vega$*, *The Rockford Files*, *Bionic Woman*, *The Dukes of Hazzard* (in the episode 'Hazzard Connection'), *Knight Rider* (in the pilot episode 'Knight of the Phoenix'), *Buck Rogers in the 25th Century* (as Quince, a telekinetic supervillain), *Galactica 1980* (as a town sheriff), *The A-Team*, and *On the Air*. He also appeared in the TV miniseries *Roots*, *Dream West*, and *Return to Lonesome Dove*.

Reader's Guide

John Quade's significance lies in his distinctive presence as a character actor in American film and television from the late 1960s through the early 1990s. His most enduring legacy is his portrayal of Cholla, the leader of the Black Widows motorcycle gang, in two Clint Eastwood films—*Every Which Way but Loose* and *Any Which Way You Can*—which gave him a memorable place in popular culture. Quade's career was shaped by his unusual path: he worked as an aerospace engineer at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory before being discovered by a talent scout, and his rugged, intimidating appearance led to a steady stream of villainous roles. He appeared in major films such as *High Plains Drifter*, *The Outlaw Josey Wales*, *Papillon*, and *The Sting*, as well as iconic television series like *Bonanza*, *Gunsmoke*, *Knight Rider*, and *Buck Rogers in the 25th Century*. His work in the mini-series *Roots* and *Dream West* further showcased his range. Quade's death from a heart attack at age 71 in Rosamond, California, marked the end of a career that spanned over four decades and left a catalog of tough-guy performances.

Did You Know?

• He was a football tackle and participated in basketball and track at Highland Park High School in Topeka.
• Quade played a telekinetic supervillain named Quince in the two-part *Buck Rogers in the 25th Century* episode 'The Plot to Kill a City'.
• He died of a heart attack while sleeping at his home in Rosamond, California, on August 9, 2009.