An actor with a powerful physique, booming voice and who has played several "Native American" characters, Sonny Landham first broke into mainstream film with a bit part as a police officer in the subway. He ends up getting tripped when
Michael Beck throws the baseball bat at his legs, in Walter Hill's gang film
The Warriors (1979), then other minor roles in
Southern Comfort (1981) &
Poltergeist (1982), before Walter Hill cast him in his first decent role as
James Remar's gun happy, criminal partner in the high voltage hit
48 Hrs. (1982). Landham continued to turn up in high testosterone films of the mid 1980s including the action sci-fi film
Predator (1987), alongside Arnold Schwarzenegger in
Lock Up (1989), and being hurled out a window by
Carl Weathers in
Action Jackson (1988). His career on screen wound down during the 1990s, but he still managed to crop up in several roles taking advantage of his strong physical presence.