1907-04-03 Gueydan, Louisiana, USA
Iron Eyes Cody (born Espera Oscar de Corti), was an Italian American actor. He portrayed Native Americans in Hollywood films, famously as Chief Iron Eyes in Bob Hope's The Paleface. He also played a Native American shedding a tear about litter in one of the country's most well-known television public service announcements, "Keep America Beautiful". Cody began acting in the early 1930s. He worked in film and television until his death. Cody claimed his father was Cherokee (and his mother Cree), also naming several different tribes, and frequently changing his claimed place of birth. To those unfamiliar with Indigenous American or First Nations cultures and people, he gave the appearance of living "as if" he were Native American, fulfilling the stereotypical expectations by wearing his film wardrobe as daily clothing—including braided wig, fringed leathers and beaded moccasins—at least when photographers were visiting, and in other ways continuing to play the same Hollywood-scripted roles off-screen as well as on. He appeared in more than 200 films, including The Big Trail with John Wayne; The Scarlet Letter, with Colleen Moore; Sitting Bull, as Crazy Horse; The Light in the Forest as Cuyloga; The Great Sioux Massacre, with Joseph Cotten; Nevada Smith, with Steve McQueen; A Man Called Horse, with Richard Harris; and Ernest Goes to Camp as Chief St. Cloud, with Jim Varney. In 1953, he appeared twice in Duncan Renaldo's syndicated television series, The Cisco Kid as Chief Sky Eagle. He guest starred on the NBC western series, The Restless Gun, starring John Payne, and The Tall Man, with Barry Sullivan and Clu Gulager. In 1961, he played the title role in "The Burying of Sammy Hart" on the ABC western series, The Rebel, starring Nick Adams. A close friend of Walt Disney, Cody appeared in a Disney studio serial titled The First Americans, and in episodes of The Mountain Man, Davy Crockett and Daniel Boone. In 1964 Cody appeared as Chief Black Feather on The Virginian in the episode "The Intruders." He also appeared in a 1968 episode of Mister Rogers' Neighborhood featuring Native American dancers. Cody was widely seen as the "Crying Indian" in the "Keep America Beautiful" public service announcements (PSA) in the early 1970s.The environmental commercial showed Cody in costume, shedding a tear after trash is thrown from the window of a car and it lands at his feet. The announcer, William Conrad, says: "People start pollution; people can stop it." The Joni Mitchell song "Lakota", from the 1988 album, Chalk Mark in a Rainstorm, features Cody's chanting. He made a cameo appearance in the 1990 film Spirit of '76. Living in Hollywood, he began to insist, even in his private life, that he was Native American, over time claiming membership in several different tribes. In 1996, Cody's half-sister said that he was of Italian ancestry, but he denied it. After his death, it was revealed that he was of Sicilian parentage, and not Native American at all. Cody, at age 94, died of mesothelioma at his home in Los Angeles on January 4, 1999.
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The Hypocrite | Crying Indian (archival footage) | 2024-02-21 |
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Vaudeville | Self | 1997-11-27 |
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The Great Indian Wars 1840-1890 | 1991-03-19 | |
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The Spirit of '76 | Iron Eyes Cody | 1990-10-12 |
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Ernest Goes to Camp | Old Indian Chief | 1987-05-22 |
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When the West Was Fun: A Western Reunion | Self | 1979-06-05 |
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Grayeagle | Standing Bear | 1977-12-28 |
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The Quest | Old Indian | 1976-05-13 |
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El Condor | Santana | 1970-06-19 |
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The Cockeyed Cowboys of Calico County | Crazy Foot | 1970-04-01 |
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A Man Called Horse | Medicine Man | 1970-05-01 |
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Something for a Lonely Man | Chief | 1968-11-26 |
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Nevada Smith | Taka-Ta (uncredited) | 1966-06-10 |
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The Great Sioux Massacre | Crazy Horse | 1965-04-25 |
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Black Gold | Charlie Two-Bits | 1962-07-21 |
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Alias Jesse James | 2nd Indian on Train (uncredited) | 1959-03-20 |
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The Light in the Forest | Cuyloga's Counsellor | 1958-07-08 |
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Gun Fever | 1st Indian Chief | 1958-01-01 |
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Ride Out for Revenge | Cheyenne Indian (uncredited) | 1957-10-31 |
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Westward Ho, The Wagons! | Many Stars | 1956-12-20 |
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The Wild Dakotas | Red Rock | 1956-02-28 |
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Johnny Moccasin | Mountain Cloud | 1956-06-06 |
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Gun for a Coward | Chief | 1956-12-30 |
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Apache Ambush | 1955-08-24 | |
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Arrow In The Dust | Chief Rasacura (uncredited) | 1954-04-25 |
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Sitting Bull | Crazy Horse | 1954-10-06 |
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Fast Company | Ben Iron Mountain | 1953-05-21 |
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Son of Paleface | Chief Yellow Cloud | 1952-07-14 |
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Apache Country | Indian with Pat (uncredited) | 1952-05-30 |
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Fort Osage | Osage Brave - Blue Shirt | 1952-02-10 |
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Night Raiders | Henchman Cherokee | 1952-02-03 |
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Ellis in Freedomland | Male Model | 1952-06-15 |
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Lost in Alaska | Canook (uncredited) | 1952-08-13 |
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Apache War Smoke | Apache with Major Dekker's Hat | 1952-09-25 |
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Fort Defiance | Brave Bear (as Iron Eyes) | 1951-10-09 |
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Ace in the Hole | Indian Copy Boy (uncredited) | 1951-06-29 |
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Red Mountain | Ute Indian | 1951-08-03 |
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California Passage | Indian | 1950-12-15 |
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Broken Arrow | Teese (uncredited) | 1950-07-21 |
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The Iroquois Trail | 1950-06-15 | |
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Cherokee Uprising | Longknife | 1950-10-07 |
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Cody of the Pony Express | Indian Who Slugs Cody (archive footage) (uncredited) | 1950-04-06 |
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The Cowboy and the Indians | Indian Farmer (uncredited) | 1949-09-15 |
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Sand | Indian (uncredited) | 1949-08-03 |
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Massacre River | Chief Yellowstone | 1949-06-26 |
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Mrs. Mike | Chief Iron Eyes (uncredited) | 1949-12-23 |
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The Gallant Legion | Indian Warrior | 1948-05-24 |
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Indian Agent | Wovoka | 1948-12-11 |
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Blood on the Moon | Toma (uncredited) | 1948-11-11 |
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Train to Alcatraz | Geronimo | 1948-06-28 |
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The Paleface | Chief Iron Eyes | 1948-12-17 |
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Unconquered | Red Corn | 1947-10-10 |
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The Senator Was Indiscreet | Indian | 1947-12-31 |
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The Last Round-up | 1947-11-05 | |
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Bowery Buckaroos | Indian Joe | 1947-11-22 |
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Can't Help Singing | Indian Scaring Caroline (uncredited) | 1944-12-25 |
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The Phantom | Native (uncredited) | 1943-12-24 |
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Pierre of the Plains | Indian | 1942-07-29 |
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Pierre of the Plains | Indian (uncredited | 1942-07-29 |
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My Gal Sal | Indian (uncredited) | 1942-04-30 |
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Perils of Nyoka | Arab | 1942-06-27 |
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Lawless Plainsmen | Indian | 1942-03-17 |
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Valley of the Sun | Indian (uncredited) | 1942-02-06 |
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The Omaha Trail | 1st Friendly Indian | 1942-09-01 |
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Overland Mail | Indian | 1942-09-22 |
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Dawn on the Great Divide | Indian | 1942-12-18 |
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King of the Stallions | 1942-09-18 | |
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Ten Gentlemen from West Point | Indian (uncredited) | 1942-06-26 |
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Don Winslow of the Navy | Native Henchman at Mill [Ch. 5] | 1942-01-06 |
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Springtime in the Rockies | White Cloud (uncredited) | 1942-11-06 |
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Ride 'Em Cowboy | Indian (uncredited) | 1941-11-17 |
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In Old Cheyenne | Indian | 1941-04-04 |
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This Woman Is Mine | Hostile Indian | 1941-08-22 |
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King of the Texas Rangers | Carlos | 1941-10-03 |
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Western Union | Indian Who Drinks Chemical Solution | 1941-02-21 |
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Saddlemates | Black Eagle | 1941-05-15 |
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North West Mounted Police | Indian Brave (Uncredited) | 1940-10-22 |
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Maintain the Right | Killer | 1940-01-13 |
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Hudson's Bay | Indian (uncredited) | 1940-12-24 |
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Arizona | Indian (uncredited) | 1940-12-25 |
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Young Bill Hickok | Big Bear | 1940-10-21 |
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Pony Post | Indian | 1940-12-01 |
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Young Buffalo Bill | Acuna's Aide | 1940-04-11 |
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Green Hell | Indian (uncredited) | 1940-01-26 |
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Kit Carson | Indian | 1940-08-30 |
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Colorado | Indian Henchman | 1940-09-15 |
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Winners of the West | indian | 1940-07-02 |
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Too Many Girls | Indian | 1940-10-08 |
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Untamed | Indian (uncredited) | 1940-07-24 |
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Overland Mail | Indian Chief | 1939-11-16 |
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The Oregon Trail | Crow Foot | 1939-07-04 |
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Across the Plains | Brave | 1939-06-01 |
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Overland with Kit Carson | Running Wolf | 1939-07-21 |
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Union Pacific | Indian (uncredited) | 1939-05-05 |
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Scouts to the Rescue | Indian | 1939-01-17 |
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Crashing Thru | Indian Joe - Harrington's Henchman | 1939-12-11 |
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Fighting Mad | 2nd Indian at Post | 1939-11-05 |
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The Kid From Texas | Wild West Show Indian | 1939-04-14 |
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The Cowboy and the Lady | Rodeo Indian (uncredited) | 1938-11-17 |
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The Lone Ranger | Bullet-Bringer | 1938-02-13 |
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Prairie Thunder | Indian (uncredited) | 1937-09-10 |
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The Bold Caballero | Indian (uncredited) | 1936-12-01 |
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Treachery Rides the Range | Little Deer | 1936-05-02 |
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Rose Marie | Indian Dancer (uncredited) | 1936-01-31 |
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The Boss Rider of Gun Creek | 1936-12-01 | |
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Ride, Ranger, Ride | Comanche War Party Leader (uncredited) | 1936-11-30 |
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Custer's Last Stand | Chief Brown Fox | 1936-01-02 |
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Custer's Last Stand | Chief Brown Fox | 1936-04-02 |
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The Farmer Takes a Wife | Indian | 1935-07-05 |
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Chandu on the Magic Island | Cat Man | 1935-01-01 |
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Massacre | Indian (uncredited) | 1934-01-20 |
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The Return of Chandu | Cat Man | 1934-10-01 |
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Young Eagles | Temple Guard | 1934-06-30 |
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King of the Arena | Circus Indian | 1933-06-01 |
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Fighting With Kit Carson | Cheyenne Rider | 1933-07-01 |
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Wild Girl | Indian (uncredited) | 1932-11-09 |
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The Golden West | Indian Dancer | 1932-10-29 |
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Texas Pioneers | Little Eagle | 1932-05-18 |
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Murders in the Rue Morgue | Indian at Sideshow (uncredited) | 1932-01-27 |
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The Rainbow Trail | John Tom | 1932-01-03 |
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Oklahoma Jim | War Eagle | 1931-10-10 |
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Fighting Caravans | Indian After Firewater (uncredited) | 1931-02-01 |
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The Viking | Indian (uncredited) | 1928-11-02 |
