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Bill Duke: My 40-Year Career on Screen and behind the Camera
While many film fans may not be familiar with Bill Duke's name, they most certainly recognize his face. Dating back to the 1970s, Duke has appeared in a number of popular films, including Car Wash, American Gigolo, Commando, Predator, and X-Men: The Last Stand. Fewer still might be aware of Duke's extraordinary accomplishments off-screen--as a talented director, producer, entrepreneur, and humanitarian. Bill Duke: My 40-Year Career on Screen and behind the Camera is the memoir of a Hollywood original. In an industry that rarely embraces artists of color, Duke first achieved success as an actor then turned to directing. After helming episodes of ratings giants Dallas, Falcon Crest, Hill Street Blues, and Miami Vice, Duke progressed to feature films like A Rage in Harlem, Deep Cover, Hoodlum, and Sister Act 2. In this candid autobiography, Duke recalls the loving but stern presence of his mother and father, acting mentors like Olympia Dukakis, and the pitfalls that nearly derailed his career, notably an addiction to drugs. Along the way, readers will encounter familiar names like Danny Glover, Laurence Fishburne, Forest Whitaker, Arnold Schwarzenegger, and Whoopi Goldberg. From his Broadway debut in 1971 to the establishment of the Duke Media Foundation, which trains and mentors young filmmakers, Duke has been breaking the rules of what it means to triumph in the entertainment industry. Recalling pivotal moments in his life, Bill Duke: My 40-Year Career on Screen and behind the Camera is the story only Bill Duke could tell.
232 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2018
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July 7, 2021
Bill Duke: My 40-Year Career on Screen and Behind the Camera
by Bill Duke
Published November 9, 2018
<3 I was shocked on how candid Mr. Duke is this tell all. Being that I am a practitioner of Transcendental Meditation, I found chapter 12 --the telling of his experience with learning AND consistently practicing TM and how it saved his life was reaffirming for me There were some real shocking and down right sad moments but his infusion of poetry and hysterical stories gave it a nice balance. I really enjoyed this memoir. <3
While many film fans may not be familiar with Bill Duke's name, they most certainly recognize his face. Dating back to the 1970s, Duke has appeared in a number of popular films, including Car Wash, American Gigolo, Commando, Predator, and X-Men: The Last Stand. Fewer still might be aware of Duke's extraordinary accomplishments off-screen-as a talented director, producer, entrepreneur, and humanitarian. Bill Duke: My 40-Year Career on Screen and behind the Camera is the memoir of a Hollywood original. In an industry that rarely embraces artists of color, Duke first achieved success as an actor then turned to directing. After helming episodes of ratings giants Dallas, Falcon Crest, Hill Street Blues, and Miami Vice, Duke progressed to feature films like A Rage in Harlem, Deep Cover, Hoodlum, and Sister Act 2. In this candid autobiography, Duke recalls the loving but stern presence of his mother and father, acting mentors like Olympia Dukakis, and the pitfalls that nearly derailed his career, notably an addiction to drugs. Along the way, listeners will encounter familiar names like Danny Glover, Laurence Fishburne, Forest Whitaker, Arnold Schwarzenegger, and Whoopi Goldberg.
by Bill Duke
Published November 9, 2018
<3 I was shocked on how candid Mr. Duke is this tell all. Being that I am a practitioner of Transcendental Meditation, I found chapter 12 --the telling of his experience with learning AND consistently practicing TM and how it saved his life was reaffirming for me There were some real shocking and down right sad moments but his infusion of poetry and hysterical stories gave it a nice balance. I really enjoyed this memoir. <3
While many film fans may not be familiar with Bill Duke's name, they most certainly recognize his face. Dating back to the 1970s, Duke has appeared in a number of popular films, including Car Wash, American Gigolo, Commando, Predator, and X-Men: The Last Stand. Fewer still might be aware of Duke's extraordinary accomplishments off-screen-as a talented director, producer, entrepreneur, and humanitarian. Bill Duke: My 40-Year Career on Screen and behind the Camera is the memoir of a Hollywood original. In an industry that rarely embraces artists of color, Duke first achieved success as an actor then turned to directing. After helming episodes of ratings giants Dallas, Falcon Crest, Hill Street Blues, and Miami Vice, Duke progressed to feature films like A Rage in Harlem, Deep Cover, Hoodlum, and Sister Act 2. In this candid autobiography, Duke recalls the loving but stern presence of his mother and father, acting mentors like Olympia Dukakis, and the pitfalls that nearly derailed his career, notably an addiction to drugs. Along the way, listeners will encounter familiar names like Danny Glover, Laurence Fishburne, Forest Whitaker, Arnold Schwarzenegger, and Whoopi Goldberg.
August 31, 2018
I, like most of my generation, was introduced to Bill Duke's work in the 1987 movie PREDATOR. That mere credit was enough to gift him with an eternal badge of badassery in my book, but most will know that Duke's filmography runs much deeper; his experience as a heralded stage, TV, and film director speak for themselves (and are just an IMDB search away).
What this book provides, as many autobiographies should do, is give insight into what's formed the artist into what they are today. In here, Duke bares all, recounting tales from his childhood, struggles before hitting it big, and the highlights of his career that register on both ends of the incredible spectrum. Some of these recollections are explicit---others massively general---but they serve their purpose all the same. Duke illustrates how he is able to condense the positive and negative aspects of his life (rampant racism, for example) and use that as an actor, writer, or director. His rough but honest upbringing seeps into his words, and wisdom from decades of victories and defeats echo out in a not-so-subtle manner.
Interposed within this work are selected poems by the author, and allow me to suggest that you take care to *really* read them. They're not just insightful in regards to summarizing the content of the previous chapter; they're enlightening, interesting, and they drive home many of the take-home messages.
Cinephiles will find a few precious nuggets and anecdotes about some of his experiences working on his more well-known movies (that section's a bit less than half of the book), but, again, the meat and potatoes here is the incredible story of how one of the most easily recognizable actors functions, what thoughts he has to impart, and the legacy he hopes to leave behind (did you know there's a Duke Media Foundation?).
Also, there's a flatteningly wild plane crash story Bill tells. Check it out.
It's apparent that Duke, with this book, wishes to educate, to evolve, and to inspire. He succeeds fabulously. The man's a national treasure, full-stop.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Rowman & Littlefield for the advance read.
What this book provides, as many autobiographies should do, is give insight into what's formed the artist into what they are today. In here, Duke bares all, recounting tales from his childhood, struggles before hitting it big, and the highlights of his career that register on both ends of the incredible spectrum. Some of these recollections are explicit---others massively general---but they serve their purpose all the same. Duke illustrates how he is able to condense the positive and negative aspects of his life (rampant racism, for example) and use that as an actor, writer, or director. His rough but honest upbringing seeps into his words, and wisdom from decades of victories and defeats echo out in a not-so-subtle manner.
Interposed within this work are selected poems by the author, and allow me to suggest that you take care to *really* read them. They're not just insightful in regards to summarizing the content of the previous chapter; they're enlightening, interesting, and they drive home many of the take-home messages.
Cinephiles will find a few precious nuggets and anecdotes about some of his experiences working on his more well-known movies (that section's a bit less than half of the book), but, again, the meat and potatoes here is the incredible story of how one of the most easily recognizable actors functions, what thoughts he has to impart, and the legacy he hopes to leave behind (did you know there's a Duke Media Foundation?).
Also, there's a flatteningly wild plane crash story Bill tells. Check it out.
It's apparent that Duke, with this book, wishes to educate, to evolve, and to inspire. He succeeds fabulously. The man's a national treasure, full-stop.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Rowman & Littlefield for the advance read.
June 22, 2025
He’s the reason I bought without santurary
The book started off sad but real which I appreciated . During the civil rights era I took away some good key points from Mr. Duke such as :
I think the men of my generation are cowards because we haven’t devoted ourselves to something more important than our survival, and as a result our children are doing the same.
We are constantly waiting on someone to save us, but nobody is coming. We should be saving ourselves.
black people, are alchemists and we’ve proven our alchemy.
Im not a fan of Martin Luther king or medgar Evers only Malcolm x he's right black people have no saviors we she to save ourselves and if our hero's saw the state of the world their people let themselves be in they wouldn't be happy or want to come back !
I don't like how he started to write as a yt apologist and only wanted to do a tv series centered around mixed Messicans .... I'm glad it didn't fall through because in this climate how would that have benefited his people he learned nothing from Kenya Barris
!
-----------------------
Who's Rashad ? Because his character in the wash was named Abdullah. I'm in awe how well he portrayed the role especially knowing he cried REAL TEARS !
I'm in awe he worked with Minnie Gentry, Terrence Howard grandmother!!! This the 5th autobiography I've read that had 6 degrees of separation in it !
When he did meet his cinema hero's he never asked them how they beat racism he just praised them for dealing with it ....
I loved him get rich or die tryin I wanted to like a rage in Harlem but the worship to the yt god and manly looking mama made me mad I noticed a lot of his films always seemed to have a yt savior, the "good yt" counterpart, a yt loving black character sadly. I wish before he got sick or too old he would've started his own production company to shed light on black indigenous tribes of California, or better yet his Hometown Poughkeepsie, New York. Most of his directorial movies have been largely satire , stereotypical , witty , but with a deep message if you paid attention hard enough.
It's a shame he was in the game for over 40 years and still needed funding to bring most
Of important Films to life and when they did come
To life they were ignored smh I wish black people took care of one another !
What a short informated read My 40-Year Career on Screen and Behind the Camera I still do not know how he was able
To group his life together in 15 short chapters but he did. With such honesty , bravery , and truth well (his truth) whether I liked what he said to say or not I respected it lmfao @ him being honest about the STD's he caught ! With his situation and the situation of his family member I see why he insisted doing the movie Cover!!! In my opinion it should've been a series because it's a never ending story of what a lot of young naive people go through!
I learned he was a director a little late for my liking I didn't like deacons of defense ( I still don't know why the movie needed a j3wish savior to help them get the job done my other reasons already listed).
The book started off sad but real which I appreciated . During the civil rights era I took away some good key points from Mr. Duke such as :
I think the men of my generation are cowards because we haven’t devoted ourselves to something more important than our survival, and as a result our children are doing the same.
We are constantly waiting on someone to save us, but nobody is coming. We should be saving ourselves.
black people, are alchemists and we’ve proven our alchemy.
Im not a fan of Martin Luther king or medgar Evers only Malcolm x he's right black people have no saviors we she to save ourselves and if our hero's saw the state of the world their people let themselves be in they wouldn't be happy or want to come back !
I don't like how he started to write as a yt apologist and only wanted to do a tv series centered around mixed Messicans .... I'm glad it didn't fall through because in this climate how would that have benefited his people he learned nothing from Kenya Barris
!
-----------------------
Who's Rashad ? Because his character in the wash was named Abdullah. I'm in awe how well he portrayed the role especially knowing he cried REAL TEARS !
I'm in awe he worked with Minnie Gentry, Terrence Howard grandmother!!! This the 5th autobiography I've read that had 6 degrees of separation in it !
When he did meet his cinema hero's he never asked them how they beat racism he just praised them for dealing with it ....
I loved him get rich or die tryin I wanted to like a rage in Harlem but the worship to the yt god and manly looking mama made me mad I noticed a lot of his films always seemed to have a yt savior, the "good yt" counterpart, a yt loving black character sadly. I wish before he got sick or too old he would've started his own production company to shed light on black indigenous tribes of California, or better yet his Hometown Poughkeepsie, New York. Most of his directorial movies have been largely satire , stereotypical , witty , but with a deep message if you paid attention hard enough.
It's a shame he was in the game for over 40 years and still needed funding to bring most
Of important Films to life and when they did come
To life they were ignored smh I wish black people took care of one another !
What a short informated read My 40-Year Career on Screen and Behind the Camera I still do not know how he was able
To group his life together in 15 short chapters but he did. With such honesty , bravery , and truth well (his truth) whether I liked what he said to say or not I respected it lmfao @ him being honest about the STD's he caught ! With his situation and the situation of his family member I see why he insisted doing the movie Cover!!! In my opinion it should've been a series because it's a never ending story of what a lot of young naive people go through!
I learned he was a director a little late for my liking I didn't like deacons of defense ( I still don't know why the movie needed a j3wish savior to help them get the job done my other reasons already listed).
March 25, 2024
Book 15 of 2024.
I enjoyed the vulnerability and transparency from Bill Duke. Bill Duke is a person you see, but don’t know the name right away. While this book was written as an autobiography, it read more of self-discovery and growth from Duke. Throughout this book, I read the evolution of Bill Duke and the adversities and obstacles he overcame as a Black man. I never read anything raw like this from a Black man. But it’s a good thing though. At the end, Bill Duke wants to become a better person by the day.
As a movie lover, it was great to get insights on the movies he directed like A Rage in Harlem (a personal favorite of mine), Hoodlum, Sister Act 2, just to name a few. It was hilarious to read that when greeted by complete strangers, they utter one of the famous lines from Menace II Society: “You know you done *redacted* up right?” I loved how he made light of that.
Bill Duke to me is an unsung Black director who is deserving of his flowers. I would recommend this book to anyone who is a fan of everything Black cinema and anyone who want to know Bill Duke as a person.
I enjoyed the vulnerability and transparency from Bill Duke. Bill Duke is a person you see, but don’t know the name right away. While this book was written as an autobiography, it read more of self-discovery and growth from Duke. Throughout this book, I read the evolution of Bill Duke and the adversities and obstacles he overcame as a Black man. I never read anything raw like this from a Black man. But it’s a good thing though. At the end, Bill Duke wants to become a better person by the day.
As a movie lover, it was great to get insights on the movies he directed like A Rage in Harlem (a personal favorite of mine), Hoodlum, Sister Act 2, just to name a few. It was hilarious to read that when greeted by complete strangers, they utter one of the famous lines from Menace II Society: “You know you done *redacted* up right?” I loved how he made light of that.
Bill Duke to me is an unsung Black director who is deserving of his flowers. I would recommend this book to anyone who is a fan of everything Black cinema and anyone who want to know Bill Duke as a person.
March 12, 2025
Very well written but not the usual celebrity autobiography. This one focuses much more on Duke's upbringing and philosophies on life, race, and relationships than on his career as an actor/director. As far as the entertainment stuff, the best material related to his directing tv shows like Dallas and his larger budget movies. Regarding his acting, it's mostly related to one blink and you'll miss it chapter with a few blurbs on a few of his higher profile roles. I enjoyed the book overall but would have liked some additional time spent on his filmography.
August 11, 2019
This book was an amazing insight on a veteran actor, producer and poet! It brought back so many childhood memories for me as I read about the movies and stories told in this book. I could barely put the book down. Great read!
January 15, 2019
Pretty good
June 21, 2020
Get it if you're still thinking about buying.
July 13, 2021
I appreciate Bill Duke sharing his struggles through life and the entertainment industry. Although he had to deal with racism and his personal demons, he continued working and inspiring others.
September 2, 2021
A Must read for everyone.....
March 10, 2023
An inspiring story of a life lived.
January 22, 2025
A great story by a fantastic actor/director who had to overcome countless hardships to achieve his dreams
February 4, 2026
My video review of Bill Duke's memoir can seen here: https://youtu.be/Dg2H8LsBzjE?si=zXIGJ...
May 7, 2019
Riveting, honest, and reflective!
I have watched Bill Duke for many years on film as a child. My favorite movies, in which he starred or directed, were Hoodlum, Predator, Menance II Society, and Sister Act II. I thought, before reading this book, that I was going to be mezmerized by reading about a glamorous life for a black Hollywood actor. I was wrong.
Mr. Duke gave me an insight into his world that resembled the one I have seen growing up and today.
The name calling, the biases, the anger held within the African American generation due to strife and unfairness, the shame, and the disbelief in oneself became all too real for me.
Mr. Duke reflected on his experience growing up within an all white neighborhood in Poughkeepsie and the obstacles he faced in Hollywood. Through it all, he came out stronger, wiser, and insightful. His truth mirrors the many unspoken tongues and ideaologies within the black community.
The book is so intimate that I felt as though I was reading about a family member. I would often tell my children to leave me be, I gotta finish reading the last chapter of 'Uncle Bill's' book. LOL!
Bill Duke is a philanthropist, humanitarian, activist, writer, poet, actor, director, and etc. There is nothing that this man cannot do!
It was truly an honor to read such an eye-opening and truthfull memoir.
If I can master a single grain of integrity that Mr. Duke puts into his writing and poetry as I did my own,
I would be unstoppable!
Please buy this book and read it!
I promise that you will not be disappointed.
I have watched Bill Duke for many years on film as a child. My favorite movies, in which he starred or directed, were Hoodlum, Predator, Menance II Society, and Sister Act II. I thought, before reading this book, that I was going to be mezmerized by reading about a glamorous life for a black Hollywood actor. I was wrong.
Mr. Duke gave me an insight into his world that resembled the one I have seen growing up and today.
The name calling, the biases, the anger held within the African American generation due to strife and unfairness, the shame, and the disbelief in oneself became all too real for me.
Mr. Duke reflected on his experience growing up within an all white neighborhood in Poughkeepsie and the obstacles he faced in Hollywood. Through it all, he came out stronger, wiser, and insightful. His truth mirrors the many unspoken tongues and ideaologies within the black community.
The book is so intimate that I felt as though I was reading about a family member. I would often tell my children to leave me be, I gotta finish reading the last chapter of 'Uncle Bill's' book. LOL!
Bill Duke is a philanthropist, humanitarian, activist, writer, poet, actor, director, and etc. There is nothing that this man cannot do!
It was truly an honor to read such an eye-opening and truthfull memoir.
If I can master a single grain of integrity that Mr. Duke puts into his writing and poetry as I did my own,
I would be unstoppable!
Please buy this book and read it!
I promise that you will not be disappointed.
May 8, 2023
Never Meet Your Heroes.
[compounded by]
A Little Goes a Long Way.
Sorry if this comes across as shallow; this is more social justice legacy-building than Film -- Making-of / Behind-the-Scenes -- Appreciation memoir, much less, Film director's autobiography [genre].
Unfortunately exploitation reigns throughout intimate upbringings & milestone retrospectives; Giving way to densely melodramatic recollections, regarding most professional collaborations & accomplishments.
Again and again, fantastic achievements & exceptional productions are funneled through a--
'Could you ever imagined someone from [inserts applicable hardship] could ever be here doing [apply prosperous fortune]...'--Triumph over Adversity canon.
March 25, 2019
I've followed his work(somewhat) after reading his book, it made me appreciate his contributions to cinema even more. It's a great work and a must read ..
Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews