Actor Julius Carry III has passed on, his death brought on by pancreatic cancer, according to a Wikipedia entry. Carry was a prolific actor with a resume that included over 50 television and movie roles. He was a member of the Chicago Repertory Company and even took the stage in productions of West Side Story and Hamlet. Most likely, he will always be remembered as Sho ‘Nuff, the evil villain from The Last Dragon. Kung Fu films were known for over-the-top villains but the Shogun of Harlem made this only slightly above average genre film into an instant classic.

Eyes bulging wildly, flying spit, clawed fist of fury and the Thirsty Curl of Death, Carry’s Sho ‘Nuff was the kind of evil you know: someone in your family is that angry, that earnest, in need of some spray-on activator. You'll forgive the hyperbole, but I think moreso than Bumpy Jonas, Eviline, or Kansas City Mack, Sho 'Nuff may be the single most remarkable, iconic black antagonist in black film history (D. Anthony's "Pretty Toney," arguably, a distant second). Sho' Nuff is the kind of caricature kids evoke to snap on your mama. And when you play a part that ingrains itself in the hearts of black folks like that, you are guaranteed immortality.

Sadly, we hadn’t seen a lot of him in recent years, although there was buzz about an LD sequel rumored to be in the works. He wasn’t superstar, and he never got the props he had coming, but his talent cannot be denied.

Was he a talent?

Was he versatile without boundaries?

Was he the baddest mofo low down around this town?

…and will he be missed?

Sho’ nuff.