The Life of a 1970s Pimp - Frank Ward

During the 1960s and 70s, women would wait in line to be with Frank Ward. He was a hustler and a pimp with money and power, and with his brothers, he controlled the streets of Oakland, California - earning him respect and the title Godfather of the Underworld.
For more information about Frank Ward and his brothers, click the link to find, "The Fabulous Ward Brothers" on Amazon amzn.to/3WFxI1I
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[@pamelapope859]

I'm from Berkeley CA and knew Frank and his brothers very well. I was so surprised to see this video. He was so sweet. I had run away from home and that's when I met him. He talked to me and told me I had to go back home and he took me back. The ward brothers, I can't believe I'm seeing this. Thank you for sharing this video. I also knew Bobby and the rest of the Panthers.

[@lemontadams3029]

B Town

[@heruammen8522]

I'm from B-town too Queen (BHS '76). I remember Frank and all of his brothers. We used to see his Caddy rolling down MacAuthur Blvd. when we went "sightseeing." I also had a couple of OG cousins that we're high ranking in the Panthers. that's all I'm going to say about that. You draw your own conclusions...

[@alcapole800h20]

B Town H20

[@pamelapope859]

@@heruammen8522 Wow, what a coincidence. Those were the good old day's. My sister was in the Panthers and I worked with them for many years. We were also in the movie Panther. The caddy, I will never forget it.

[@pamelapope859]

@@lemontadams3029 That's right lol. B town in the house

[@rickimhotep1236]

R.I.P Frank Ward, Max Julien, Dick Anthony Williams, Richard Pryor, Roger E Mosley, CArol Speed, Juanita Moore and all who were actors in The Mack, who have passed away.

[@Brenda-b4t]

I saw it when I was younger😊😊

[@MDRGODSON]

Frank had women on MacArthur Boulevard and San Pablo avenue. I'm from Richmond we use to ride the 72 AC transit to Oakland.

[@mauriFreeman]

I had a very good pimp life

[@DeeDeeKarol]

Nothing to be proud of at all,

[@ClaryPamela]

​@@mauriFreemanyour comment seems like you were a punk.

[@bornkinguniversal]

All I hear in my mind are the Willie Hutch songs I Choose You and Brothers Gon Work It Out ✊🏾💯

[@cdmbooks1493]

Great report. This is why people should take pictures. There are so few of them of people from that time anymore.

[@sheilad7324]

Thanks for making this video. I’m a huge fan of The movie The Mack!

[@RS-do6tv]

They should build a statute of him

[@SurprisedBakedBuns-nq6cd]

The back story of making this film was just as interesting as the movie! They could do a movie about the making of the Mack!

[@j-remy9832]

That movie turnt me & my bro tf out after we watched it when we were in the 7th & 8th grade. Being from Oakland made it that much better.

[@bignose3639]

This information is accurate. Same story I was told by one of the Wards. And by the way, I'm a Newton.

[@elijaheelhajjbey7844]

I’m about to watch a movie right now called the Big Cigar and Huey on Apple TV salute to those that made sacrifices that had a impact in our lives salute

[@onetwo12onetwo526]

As in Newt?

[@v.a.993]

The actress Carol Speed reportedly fell in love with Frank during the filming of the movie. She played one of Goldie's ladies of the night, I think she was LuLu.

[@themagicians1122]

yea She was LuLu

[@Chachacha6040]

Carol speedy yes was lou lou...👍🏽

[@damnnina1419]

Every since I seen the Mack for the first time and learned who the Ward brothers were I been looking for more info on these guys, especially Frank. Appreciate this video

[@pablosorto7012]

“I work mine from Frisco to Maine. It’s all about the money game with me,”

[@YakThaWiseman72]

#pablosorto7012 Yes Suh theuse to rewind that barbershop scene over and over.

[@Kinglion33333]

One thing I notice about these “notorious” dudes is that majority of them are born in the south then migrated to the west coast and became legends

[@Immediately101]

Big facts

[@ashauntismommiejuicyj6679]

Or up north

[@dmunz7015]

All wannabes feeling the need to reinvent themselves, and most often being taken out before the age of 35 - 40.

[@manman3792]

Well there was a great migration during these times. Most Black Californians grandparents are from the south

[@davidmosely7552]

Most of the Black folks who live in The BAY AREA have relatives who moved there from LOUISIANA and TEXAS. The ones in ALABAMA tended to go to DETROIT.

[@BasementPepperoni]

Being a Pimp sounds like the most stressful day that's full of nothing but drama, I'm good.

[@tonyjulian1289]

Like Eddie in Super Fly said to Priest what else you going to do besides Pimping and you don’t have the stomach for that. I’m sure it was stressful

[@dabai281]

That's a fact , you deal with multiple woman and they emotions is crazy to me seriously

[@rahsunallah2825]

Glory to the game ✌️✌️P

[@sw9881]

A living parasite. The most pathetic “career”.

[@mykingdom613]

​@@tonyjulian1289facts

[@ogarchielee9880]

FRANK WARD & FILLMORE SLIM THE GODFATHER'S OF THE GAME 👑💯

[@booda1964]

Bullshit

[@pauobunyon9791]

You wrong on that tip the deuce had legendary Macks ...not gorillas out there

[@Boogiedeeznutzz]

CLARENCE SIMS IS MY FATHER IN LAW. YALL MUST NOT OF HEARD THE STORY WHEN HE HAD 75 OF HIS LADIES MUSCLED FROM HIM.....HE SHOWED UP THE NEXT DAY WITH 75 MORE YEAUNDASTANDS ME. AND HE STILL ALIVE.

[@muskegontribune]

Those Black Panthers ruled Oakland not those pimps

[@Steve-mp7by]

You aren't doing the math. Your math aint mathing. He was paying them off. This is what led to the Panthers demise. You can't playing both sides of the fence. Hypocrites

[@Ispeakthetruthify]

Ummm....drug dealers like Felix Mitchell, and Lil D, ran Oakland. They were using Panthers to run drugs for them. The Pimps and the Panthers, were a sideshow to the big time dealers in Oakland.

[@muskegontribune]

@@Steve-mp7by Man cut out all that math not mathing infantile talk. I spoke on this particular incident. The BPP demised came from internal and external factors and if you are not aware of the FBI and J. Edgar Hoover's efforts you don't need to address the subject.

[@gregsmith1342]

​@@Steve-mp7byman stop yo cappin, stop the foolishness!

[@teenatchie1313]

I will never believe huey put a hit on frank you know who killed him & everything going on in Oakland during the panthers reign if you watched the mack & the panther

[@jamesgreen5461]

Wow 😮😳😮😳 learn something everyday salute 🫡🤘 to Mr Frank Ward

[@ToreyLeBlanc-q7r]

R.I.P. Mr. Frank Ward

[@joyceboone8206]

This is where the movie THE MACK came from

[@ChandoisGainesjr-fn9vr]

Oaaaaaak towwwwwnnnnnnnn! 🌉 Rip Frank ward! The infamous ward brothers! Finally somebody do a story on him!

[@donadams9099]

Most of this footage is from the movie , The Mack.

[@s3hooligan]

As a kid growing up in Oakland I looked up to pimps until I realized the stain that pimps and drug dealers were on the community - the Panthers were changing that

[@DaTitan2400]

Facts West Oakland in here 🫡🔥

[@Nancy-y8q1n]

Out of the frying pan into the fire

[@courybrown5265]

well that's why you have a prison number destiny due to intelligence

[@courybrown5265]

@@DaTitan2400 it's not your environment it's your brain you lack basic cognitive thinking skills basically your retarded and glorify taking advantage of your own community lol but its white people fault

[@chriso8193]

@@courybrown5265 Lack of intelligence is not a crime or you and many others would have a life sentence. What do you know about doing time? What do you know about that level of survival? What do you know about recovery and changing life for the better and never have to go behind those walls again because life got better? You seem to act as if your life has no flaws and everyone you know is what you call "intelligent". People never realize that a convict opened to door for them, help the old lady, called out to the person that dropped something, going to work and not stealing shit, fellowshipping with people that are about that change.

[@susanlyn57]

Frank made my cousin $$$$. She did a lot of pimps hair back in the day. Kings and Queens on Sacramento st. Berkeley CA.

[@dogecoinbrothermouzone2500]

UNDEFEATED RETIRED BOXER 🥊ANDRÉ WARDS GREAT UNCLE 💰💰🔫🪖🩸💯💯💯💯🤞🏿

[@CherriceMcClure-nu5kd]

Different Frank Ward

[@massdisruption3437]

@@CherriceMcClure-nu5kdcorrect.

[@onetwo12onetwo526]

Prove it

[@MultiChamillion]

“Omari Hardwick” should play “Frank Ward” in a new movie about his life.

[@carlwallace1129]

💯 absolutely. Great point, very underrated comment.

[@VicR914]

Other than Everyday Blackman, Gridiron Gang, and Power, Omari is more comfortable playing more conservative roles. He would not play such a role.

[@foobart8746]

Terrence Howard

[@raymondpalmer3347]

Or Terrance Howard !

[@JamesJones-bi4ww]

He's to short. Terrance Howard would be a better choice

[@jerryblair4106]

I loved the movie The Mack what a legend Frank Ward thank you for video.RIP

[@househead67]

that must have been some strong toilet paper. 💯

[@YakThaWiseman72]

@hpisrhead67 😂😂😂

[@onetwo12onetwo526]

1 ply 😂

[@Doggfan]

Imma do mines from Frisco to Maine - RIP Frank ward

[@notoldmike]

From the big apple to the pineapple

[@correctionalofficer4lockdo763]

@@notoldmike From the Grape Ape to the Snowflake

[@sirjinx996]

"{imma do mines from Frisco to Ming}" as in =Ming China

[@Immediately101]

Pomona to Barcelona

[@thakiddkidd34]

My grandmother was good friends with all the Ward brothers Real Oakland

[@California-king]

Is that right ? 🤦🏽‍♂️

[@rickimhotep1236]

@@California-king Whatchu tryin to say?🤔🤔🤔🤔

[@4TheGo2Guy]

DOES SHE HAVE ANY STORYS ABOUT FRANK AND TED

[@alivstyson1864]

My grandmother was Very Very close to the Real Goodfellas they even use to call her mom

[@merchantsmithimages]

Did she share stories with you?

[@maclac48]

I didn’t realize that Frank was murdered that way…dam. Rest Easy Frank. 🙏🏿

[@tericitaheard1173]

Frank Ward and his brothers was my nephew's great uncle.

[@nubian47]

He and his brothers were in "The Mack"

[@marcusa.fromthebay7514]

It wasn't The Panthers. It was some young hustlers on "the come up." Those cats laid low in nearby Vallejo, San Mateo and over in Hayward. I was a little kid back then, but I remember hearing conversations from grown folks in my family and at some of the barbershops.

[@augustinelark9638]

Maybe they also had beef with Felix Mitchell, & his crew

[@budb.8560]

Frankie was a bitnessman y'all...a BITNESSMAN!

[@chriso8193]

a street thug........at best.......

[@ramsesstafford4640]

This man was the Frank Lucas of pimps. He came from the south and after becoming successful he brought his brothers along just like Frank Lucas did.

[@SexxMode2]

frank lucas = Fraud Know That

[@cuttycut2324]

He got brought along....his older brothers brought him out there and taught him game....I know the story very well.....

[@sandraphillips1718]

The Mack is one of my favorite movies 🎥😊

[@LLJOHNS83]

He's not a rat.

[@ramsesstafford4640]

@@cuttycut2324 I'm not arguing you seem to know what you talking about but I do know he was the more popular one out of his brothers or somebody in jail wouldn't have been writing about him to a point where they made a movie based on him they would've based it on the brother that brought Frank up out of Alabama. Either way it goes it reminds me of Frank Lucas and his brothers, some of the biggest hustler's were born down south and went up north or out west and became bigger players in the game than dudes born in NY, the Chi and Cali.

[@Carolina_Panthers145]

Much respect to Frank Ward 🙏🏾🙏🏾

[@MrCeora]

What did he do for your community?

[@RickMichaels-if5eq]

Frank Ward elevated the Pimp Game back in his day to where a movie was based on the life he was living. It’s now in movies, music, and fashion more than anytime in history. That’s what he did for the community.🎩🧥💵🎥🎵 What are you doing for the community?🤔😏

[@TheBulletzgottishow20]

Frank ward was that dude

[@filaspeaks1094]

Frank was the truth , he almost turned out the actress in the movie 🎥, I think the panthers took frank out

[@LouisianaTV4worldluckygmnation]

Panthers don’t rob people and kill there for the people.. hustlers on a come up .. our addicts ..

[@recklezztray9322]

Philippians 2:10-11 10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11 and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

[@InternationalMoneyBagz]

Church. Amen

[@1_Fish.2_Fish.Red_Fish.]

It’s all about the money game. I needa go into business for myself. Need to find a racket first.

[@mizfrenchtwist]

🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣ninja please❤❤❤...................

[@inhop2443]

Get a job.

[@Jewel_Screaming_Chango8387]

Onlyfans and website posts killed the game for the aeverage pimp it isn’t as easy as it was back then

[@chuckscott4661]

@2443. Slave.

[@larrybee7713]

GOTTA have more than one source of income now days.

[@ahmad.tillery.1987]

RIP Frank Ward

[@robertbaskin7455]

I knew one of franks sons fahali Ward who was his baby boy I learned a lot from them all as well as filmore slim who was my aunts husband and we still stay in touch I went to Mack aka Mcclymonds high school where most of the players came out of I would like to say this I don’t know a pimp or a hoe who have a retirement plan or pension that’s the only reason I didn’t get into it I had a few notches and being a baby of the 60s and being a Berkeley Oakland native it wouldn’t have been hard. Rest in power Mr Frank ward and all the pimps that have tried it.

[@Frankohayden7]

Bless You ❤Frank Ward ❤ Frank

[@DonyelleWest-sq8oh]

The Ward Brothers 👑💰👑

[@KhiryDoom]

Great video

[@mykingdom613]

Oh yeah

[@lavetteharden4835]

RIP!! TO THE CAST OF THE PEOPLE WHO PASSED AWAY IN THE MACK!! LOVE YOU!!

[@Robert-j7c]

When I rode BART (Bay Area Rapid Transit) as a youngster we were always amused when the trains pass thru West Oakland descending into the tunnel that goes under the bay to SF as we sat and viewed at all that grit and hookers, junkies, drug dealers etc. from the safety of our seats!

[@manman3792]

Lol

[@VeronicaDavidson-jm3kx]

Max Julian was handsome back in the day. Damn Frank Ward!!!❤

[@larrybee7713]

I wonder if them Max Julian coats from back in the day was named after him?

[@SurprisedBakedBuns-nq6cd]

Things got so bad in Oakland, they had to shoot part of the film in Los Angeles! Oakland had a notorious underworld, The Black Panthers also had beef with drug dealer Felix the Cat!

[@rockettebob]

reno and the MUSTANG RANCH in the legal games and the fun... what a different world now. i miss the good old days. THANK YOU !!!. maybe i just remember the good times...rockettebob

[@akbarlebowitz8151]

Land of Oak was shitty then and it's even shittier now.

[@larrybee7713]

Too Short told us that.

[@InternationalMoneyBagz]

A P got smoked in a Bentley..sum haters ...

[@John-vb8lb]

Oakland is only bad in certain areas. There's multiple rich neighborhoods in Oakland where people are enjoying their wealth and opportunities.

[@kenbaskin803]

I grew up in east oakland in the seventies and it was an absolutely great place to grow up. If you wanted to get into the bad stuff you could.But east oakland had a large black middle class population. It's a c*** hole now.I wouldn't even live there.

[@househead67]

Why does he favor Walter Hawkins? 🤔💯

[@AnEclecticMan]

I thought the same thing!!! LOL

[@househead67]

​@@AnEclecticManEspecially when they both lived in Oakland. 🤔

[@barbaragriggs3241]

Maybe they were cousins

[@househead67]

@@barbaragriggs3241 same hairstyle and mustache/beard combo though? 🤔

[@underhtaylor7359]

R.i.p godfather of Oakland Frank ward

[@willieperdue5583]

You guys talking about Black Panter Party Newton, Seal Don,t Forget mr. H Rap Brown..❤

[@Chefjoe63]

My late brother Alonzo was a Pimp and I remember when I was younger seeing him with his flock and sometimes he would take me to check his traps late at night and I would get up the next day and go to school

[@budb.8560]

"Check his traps"? I'm not sure what that means. Please elaborate.

[@booda1964]

@@budb.8560make sure his hoes had his money top of it

[@InternationalMoneyBagz]

Church.

[@s3hooligan]

@@budb.8560check his traps means check on his girls that are “trapping” John’s

[@VicR914]

I thought he was older 32 when he passed.

[@bernicerogersbooker6333]

That’s sad that’s nothing to brag about

[@garealemcgill6967]

He was so handsome and seemed really like a sweetheart 😢❤

[@darrellhardin775]

Im best friend with Frank first son Barron Ward

[@bierlichen1]

The Mack is in my DVD player as we speak.

[@edward1676]

Town Bizness....

[@markjackson7632]

I love that era……….when I grew up pimps were popular one if my closest friends was one. They were clean and fine.

[@MarkHarrison-y6n]

On the thumbnail he reminds me of Walter Hawkins

[@StephenLafian]

Everyone had class back then even criminal s

[@joshthemediocre7824]

The 80's were dope and i'm glad i got to live them, but man what i would give to have been able to live through the 70's. SO much innocents left in the world i would have loved to seen it. I know pimping isn't innocent but even the pimps look wholesome. i would have just liked to been around then. Great video.

[@jeromeosills6522]

Don't let the smooth looks and great great music fool you! Sure the 70s were great, real and a time in history that can never be duplicated. I truly miss the 70s but the 70s was also a very deadly time. Serial killers thrived in the 70s. There are still unsolved murders that await DNA evidence from the 70s. It was also a time when social services were running black fathers out of the homes with their welfare programs. I remember the black Panthers, the Mob, and the Family as a kid I didn't know who the ward brothers were but I saw the mack as a kid at the Roxy theater and didn't know I was looking at frank ward on film. But yeah I would say you would have loved the 70s and never forgot that time to this day.

[@InternationalMoneyBagz]

​@@jeromeosills6522I'ma 80s baby ..n in my lifetime I know they were warring against my father's n grandfather's on another level.

[@ttopbugatti9430]

Just ended it with a Ward.. he thought he was a pimp too‼️🥴

[@ronaldfuller3395]

If they had found out who killed this brother. This was a set up by someone who knew him and his movements

[@acquanellaogbemudia9930]

Nowadays it’s hard out there even for a Pimp 😂😂😂

[@trixonic6934]

It’s way easier now than it was when I started in the game and back when my pops was in the game

[@fishstickkilla464]

@@trixonic6934very easy

[@Papi_Oso]

Like Pimp C said " Pimpin' aint dead, it just moved to the website..

[@jerrellallen4995]

HIS BROTHER ANDREW WAS THE IMMEDIATE!!!!

[@tamiiagrisham6353]

The brothers were very handsome!

[@belle6071]

Just keep a 304 high and give her shelter. Make her feel like she's important, family. Really ain't no trick to it. The problem is balance. It's hard to maintain equilibrium. My Daddy ran a traveling strip club way back in the day. Consequently, he was hard on me, being his oldest daughter. He'd tell me straight, "I ain't raising no dumb BEECH!" Sure enough, he didn't. I own my own trucking company. But, personal relationships, naw, Can't do it. Price you pay growing up in the life. At the end of the day, you're surrounded by people trying to get next to you, but you're completely alone. 💯 RIP, Charles White! 🙏 I miss you, Daddy.

[@Gregorywillard777]

Once in a lifetime pimpin at its finest

[@MrDmp]

I'm a Ward and we consider him to be The Blueprint of The Game🫡.

[@willieperdue5583]

Bobby, his Group Came to ALABama and Join The Panter and Took IT Back To OAKLand CA..

[@curtisyoung3290]

LEGENDARY 🏆

[@peaceseeker9927]

Very informative. I wonder what made Frank think being a top pimp was better than other things he could have done with his talent?

[@rodneyhill9812]

Pushing P Rest UP U Dig

[@kraiguarsmith1794]

Now I have a better understanding of the classic movie, “The Mack”. A’se

[@Pamela-zy7vc]

*was handsome*

[@robertrixey8447]

*TEACHABLE MOMENT😎👍🏾*

[@TorishaGreenlee-ck4wd]

I can see mike epps , or method man.

[@LaurieValdez-zk3dy]

Wow who knew

[@johncox9461]

Hold up, wait a minute, let me put some pimpin in it😂

[@JaniceBlackmon]

The wager of sin is death you can live of die. you die without Jesus Christ as lord its death END OF STORY ❤

[@RVANae]

He look like my dad and him could've been brothers wow.

[@paulakstamps7852]

Same movie type deal events with italian mafia doing the " The Godfather." Film. Wow

[@mrstanbmw]

The movie The Mack was from this guy by Max Julian

[@mrstanbmw]

Oops she mentioned it

[@sirpoppinchuck]

Moral to the story They made him rich.😳😳😳🤩🤔

[@danielabdelnour8232]

Great ro models

[@Kolorboyux1wb]

FIRST AND FOREMOST, CONDOLENCES to the WARD FAMILIES! The Director who wrote the check that bounce, is the person that got FRANK KILT! The MACK is a great black movie that showed that real black men weren’t afraid of the PIG back then in the 1960 and 1970s! The movie highly influenced RICHARD PYY TO become a PIMP! ASKED PAM GRIER!

[@daniellej7914]

Richard grew up in whore houses

[@jeromeosills6522]

That bounced check didn't get frank ward killed! His arrogance got him killed.

[@California-king]

What you mean ?

[@California-king]

Never… damn the bp got him ghost?

[@7SKYBALLER]

Which gave rise to Felix The Cat Mitchell...RIP to both

[@rashodlewis2918]

Whut up Pimpin’

[@daork1]

RIP the real Mack and the ward family 🫡

[@augystthewhorrible]

💯

[@Gregorywillard777]

Many learn pimpin Few R born pimpin

[@Immediately101]

IZM

[@BeatzByTwin]

That's a trip I was born 95 October 9th

[@vinmarz]

You gotta have vision!

[@MrEnergee1987]

Do pimps protect prostitutes from sketchy Johns?

[@jessewilson9782]

FRANK WARD REST MY BROTHER

[@jamusjones5237]

These were players , not pimps , . .? Often time people confuse the 2 , which are completely different , .??

[@lavetteharden4835]

THEY WERE PIMPS!!

[@massdisruption3437]

@@lavetteharden4835you don’t know what you talking about. They were Mack’s.

[@Immediately101]

Macking at its finest. Politically speaking, ima say less...🙏🏽⚡🙏🏿✍🏾✍🏼🗽✈️✈️🌎

[@RelisshaCollins]

Women ❤are the Pimps

[@jukkas6807]

I been to union town alabama its not to far from selma