Anthony Curtis (character)
Encyclopedia
Sergeant Anthony Curtis is a fictional character
from the 1995 film Dead Presidents
, played by Larenz Tate
. He is loosely based on Haywood T. Kirkland whose story was told in Wallace Terry
's book Bloods: An Oral History of the Vietnam War by Black Veterans. The film Dead Presidents is based on this book.
in New York City
, in 1951. His father, Edward, was a Korean War
veteran and his brother, Andrew, a college student. He graduated from high school
in 1969 and enlisted in the United States Marine Corps
, much to the disappointment of his family who wanted him to go to City College
on a financial aid program like his older brother. Before leaving for the military, he worked for Kirby, a local criminal, and impregnated his girlfriend, Juanita Benson.
He was deployed to Vietnam
in 1971 alongside his school friends, Skip and Jose, who were drafted. He eventually became a member of Team Cobra, a Force Recon
unit and earned a Silver Star
for valor. He rose to the rank of Sergeant and completed two tours of duty
before returning home in late 1973. With his unit, he experienced the horrors of war first hand; seeing his friend D'Ambrosio disemboweled and castrated alive by the North Vietnam
ese and his own team decapitating and executing enemy soldiers. Curtis gave D'Ambrosio a morphine
overdose to spare him the suffering. Jose was sent home from the war after being wounded and Skip's tour of duty ended six month's before Anthony's in April 1973.
Upon returning to the Bronx in 1973, he found that Juanita has a daughter, Sarah, and that Skip was a heroin addict and dying from an unknown disease (possibly HIV/AIDS or from exposure to Agent Orange
). He also found returning to civilian life difficult and that Cutty, a pimp
, had been supporting his family while he was away. For a while, he worked in a butcher
shop but it eventually closed down. Unable to support his family, he was then forced to turn to crime. After meeting with Juanita's younger sister, Delilah, who is a member of the Black Power
movement, he gets a team together to rob an armored car
. The team (made up of Anthony, Skip, Jose, Kirby, Delilah and Cleon, a member of Team Cobra who committed atrocities during the war but is now a preacher
) rob the car as it makes a stop at the Federal Reserve Bank
early one morning. It goes wrong and ends with the deaths of four security guards, a policeman, Jose and Delilah, as well as the destruction of the van. They still salvage around $300,000, however.
After handing out money to people at his church, Cleon attracts the police's attention and is arrested. He eventually gives up the identities of the other robbers and the police round them up one by one. Skip is found dead of an overdose after police raid his apartment, and Anthony and Kirby are caught at a pool hall as they plan their escape to Mexico
. In court, Curtis is sentenced to fifteen years to life imprisonment and the film ends with him on a bus heading to jail.
Fictional character
A character is the representation of a person in a narrative work of art . Derived from the ancient Greek word kharaktêr , the earliest use in English, in this sense, dates from the Restoration, although it became widely used after its appearance in Tom Jones in 1749. From this, the sense of...
from the 1995 film Dead Presidents
Dead Presidents
Dead Presidents is a 1995 American crime film written by Michael Henry Brown and also written, produced and directed by the Hughes brothers , starring Larenz Tate, Keith David, Chris Tucker, Freddy Rodriguez, N'Bushe Wright and Bokeem Woodbine...
, played by Larenz Tate
Larenz Tate
Larenz Tate is an American film and television actor.-Early life:Tate was born on the west side of Chicago, Illinois, the son of Peggy and Larry Tate. He is the youngest of three siblings whose family moved to California when he was nine years old...
. He is loosely based on Haywood T. Kirkland whose story was told in Wallace Terry
Wallace Terry
Wallace Houston Terry, II was an African American journalist and oral historian, best known for his book about black soldiers in Vietnam, Bloods: An Oral History of the Vietnam War , the first chapter of which served as a basis for the 1995 crime thriller Dead Presidents.Terry had a wide-ranging...
's book Bloods: An Oral History of the Vietnam War by Black Veterans. The film Dead Presidents is based on this book.
Biography
Curtis was born into an African-American family in the north-eastern part of The BronxThe Bronx
The Bronx is the northernmost of the five boroughs of New York City. It is also known as Bronx County, the last of the 62 counties of New York State to be incorporated...
in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
, in 1951. His father, Edward, was a Korean War
Korean War
The Korean War was a conventional war between South Korea, supported by the United Nations, and North Korea, supported by the People's Republic of China , with military material aid from the Soviet Union...
veteran and his brother, Andrew, a college student. He graduated from high school
High school
High school is a term used in parts of the English speaking world to describe institutions which provide all or part of secondary education. The term is often incorporated into the name of such institutions....
in 1969 and enlisted in the United States Marine Corps
United States Marine Corps
The United States Marine Corps is a branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for providing power projection from the sea, using the mobility of the United States Navy to deliver combined-arms task forces rapidly. It is one of seven uniformed services of the United States...
, much to the disappointment of his family who wanted him to go to City College
City College of New York
The City College of the City University of New York is a senior college of the City University of New York , in New York City. It is also the oldest of the City University's twenty-three institutions of higher learning...
on a financial aid program like his older brother. Before leaving for the military, he worked for Kirby, a local criminal, and impregnated his girlfriend, Juanita Benson.
He was deployed to Vietnam
Vietnam
Vietnam – sometimes spelled Viet Nam , officially the Socialist Republic of Vietnam – is the easternmost country on the Indochina Peninsula in Southeast Asia. It is bordered by China to the north, Laos to the northwest, Cambodia to the southwest, and the South China Sea –...
in 1971 alongside his school friends, Skip and Jose, who were drafted. He eventually became a member of Team Cobra, a Force Recon
United States Marine Corps Force Reconnaissance
The Force Reconnaissance Companies , are one of the United States Marine Corps's special operations "capable" forces that provide essential elements of military intelligence to the command element of the Marine Air-Ground Task Force ; supporting the landing or joint task force commanders, and...
unit and earned a Silver Star
Silver Star
The Silver Star is the third-highest combat military decoration that can be awarded to a member of any branch of the United States armed forces for valor in the face of the enemy....
for valor. He rose to the rank of Sergeant and completed two tours of duty
Tour of duty
In the Navy, a tour of duty is a period of time spent performing operational duties at sea, including combat, performing patrol or fleet duties, or assigned to service in a foreign country....
before returning home in late 1973. With his unit, he experienced the horrors of war first hand; seeing his friend D'Ambrosio disemboweled and castrated alive by the North Vietnam
North Vietnam
The Democratic Republic of Vietnam , was a communist state that ruled the northern half of Vietnam from 1954 until 1976 following the Geneva Conference and laid claim to all of Vietnam from 1945 to 1954 during the First Indochina War, during which they controlled pockets of territory throughout...
ese and his own team decapitating and executing enemy soldiers. Curtis gave D'Ambrosio a morphine
Morphine
Morphine is a potent opiate analgesic medication and is considered to be the prototypical opioid. It was first isolated in 1804 by Friedrich Sertürner, first distributed by same in 1817, and first commercially sold by Merck in 1827, which at the time was a single small chemists' shop. It was more...
overdose to spare him the suffering. Jose was sent home from the war after being wounded and Skip's tour of duty ended six month's before Anthony's in April 1973.
Upon returning to the Bronx in 1973, he found that Juanita has a daughter, Sarah, and that Skip was a heroin addict and dying from an unknown disease (possibly HIV/AIDS or from exposure to Agent Orange
Agent Orange
Agent Orange is the code name for one of the herbicides and defoliants used by the U.S. military as part of its herbicidal warfare program, Operation Ranch Hand, during the Vietnam War from 1961 to 1971. Vietnam estimates 400,000 people were killed or maimed, and 500,000 children born with birth...
). He also found returning to civilian life difficult and that Cutty, a pimp
Pimp
A pimp is an agent for prostitutes who collects part of their earnings. The pimp may receive this money in return for advertising services, physical protection, or for providing a location where she may engage clients...
, had been supporting his family while he was away. For a while, he worked in a butcher
Butcher
A butcher is a person who may slaughter animals, dress their flesh, sell their meat or any combination of these three tasks. They may prepare standard cuts of meat, poultry, fish and shellfish for sale in retail or wholesale food establishments...
shop but it eventually closed down. Unable to support his family, he was then forced to turn to crime. After meeting with Juanita's younger sister, Delilah, who is a member of the Black Power
Black Power
Black Power is a political slogan and a name for various associated ideologies. It is used in the movement among people of Black African descent throughout the world, though primarily by African Americans in the United States...
movement, he gets a team together to rob an armored car
Armored car (valuables)
A common meaning of armored car is as an armored van or truck, used in transporting valuables, such as large quantities of money . The armored car is a multifunctional vehicle designed to protect and ensure the well being of the transported individuals and/or contents...
. The team (made up of Anthony, Skip, Jose, Kirby, Delilah and Cleon, a member of Team Cobra who committed atrocities during the war but is now a preacher
Preacher
Preacher is a term for someone who preaches sermons or gives homilies. A preacher is distinct from a theologian by focusing on the communication rather than the development of doctrine. Others see preaching and theology as being intertwined...
) rob the car as it makes a stop at the Federal Reserve Bank
Federal Reserve Bank
The twelve Federal Reserve Banks form a major part of the Federal Reserve System, the central banking system of the United States. The twelve federal reserve banks together divide the nation into twelve Federal Reserve Districts, the twelve banking districts created by the Federal Reserve Act of...
early one morning. It goes wrong and ends with the deaths of four security guards, a policeman, Jose and Delilah, as well as the destruction of the van. They still salvage around $300,000, however.
After handing out money to people at his church, Cleon attracts the police's attention and is arrested. He eventually gives up the identities of the other robbers and the police round them up one by one. Skip is found dead of an overdose after police raid his apartment, and Anthony and Kirby are caught at a pool hall as they plan their escape to Mexico
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
. In court, Curtis is sentenced to fifteen years to life imprisonment and the film ends with him on a bus heading to jail.