Velvet Smooth is a 1976 American blaxploitation film directed by Michael L. Fink and starring Johnnie Hill. The screenplay concerns a crime lord who hires a female private detective to find out who's stealing his business. This was the only film role for Hill and co-star Emerson Boozer who had played for the New York Jets (1966–1975).
Plot
Somebody's running a takeover on crime lord King Lathrop's (Owen Watson) operation using bogarts in Hannibal Lecter lookalike masks. Clueless, King Lathrop calls private detective Velvet Smooth (Johnnie Hill) for help. With the help of her friends Ria (Elsie Roman), a lawyer, and Frankie (René Van Clief), she infiltrates the criminal underworld to investigate.
Velvet finds this may be an inside job led by King Lathrop's man Calvin (James Durrah). When Velvet reports this to Lathrop, he denies it at first but the problems come closer to Calvin. Hurt by it all, Lathrop fires Calvin. Although Lathrop thinks Calvin masterminded the take-over on his own, Velvet remains unconvinced and seeks further to find out who was the man behind the man.
Cast
Johnnie Hill as Velvet Smooth
Owen Watson (as Owen Wat-son) as King Lathrop
Emerson Boozer as Mat
Rene Van Clief as Frankie
Elsie Roman as Ria
Moses Lyllia (as Moses Illiya) as Sgt. Barnes
Frank Ruiz as Lt. Ramos
James Durrah as Calvin Christopher
Thomas Agero as Snake
Wilfredo Roldan (as Wildredo Roldan) as Rodriquez
Michael Scorpio as Martinez
Allen Ayers Jr as Johnson
Hector Quinones as Player
Sydney Filson (as Sidney Filson) as Dealer
Sam Schwartz as Captain O'Reilly
Gary Catus as Digger
Tanka Ramos as Thug with Snake
Teddy Wilson as Masked Man #1
Butch Oglesby as Masked Man #2
Chino Diaz as Masked Man #3/Barnes' Gang
James Martin as Masked Man #4/Barnes' Gang
Jack Levy as Dry Cleaning Store Owner
Russell Brown as Newspaper Eddie
In other media
Former Mystery Science Theater 3000 cast members Michael J. Nelson, Kevin Murphy and Bill Corbett released a RiffTrax audio commentary of the movie on February 28, 2020.
