Iron Eyes Cody
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.
Known For
Credits
- 2024 · The Hypocrite as Crying Indian (archival footage)
- 1991 · The Great Indian Wars 1840-1890 as
- 1990 · The Spirit of '76 as Iron Eyes Cody
- 1987 · Ernest Goes to Camp as Old Indian Chief
- 1983 · The A-Team as Chief Watashi
- 1980 · Hollywood as Self
- 1979 · When the West Was Fun: A Western Reunion as Self
- 1977 · Grayeagle as Standing Bear
- 1976 · The Quest as Old Indian
- 1970 · The Immortal as
- 1970 · El Condor as Santana
- 1970 · A Man Called Horse as Medicine Man
- 1970 · The Cockeyed Cowboys of Calico County as Crazy Foot
- 1969 · Then Came Bronson as
- 1968 · Something for a Lonely Man as Chief
- 1968 · Here's Lucy as Medicine Man
- 1967 · Hondo as
- 1966 · Nevada Smith as Taka-Ta (uncredited)
- 1965 · The F.B.I. as Medicine Man
- 1965 · The Great Sioux Massacre as Crazy Horse
- 1965 · Branded as
- 1962 · The Virginian as Chief Black Feather
- 1962 · Black Gold as Charlie Two-Bits
- 1961 · The Mike Douglas Show as Self
- 1960 · Guestward, Ho! as
- 1960 · Outlaws as
- 1960 · The Tall Man as
- 1959 · The Rebel as Sammy Hart
- 1959 · Alias Jesse James as 2nd Indian on Train (uncredited)
- 1959 · Rawhide as Medicine Man (uncredited)
- 1958 · Westinghouse Desilu Playhouse as
- 1958 · Lawman as
- 1958 · The Light in the Forest as Cuyloga's Counsellor
- 1958 · Gun Fever as 1st Indian Chief
- 1957 · The Lucy–Desi Comedy Hour as Eskimo Pilot (uncredited)
- 1957 · Ride Out for Revenge as Cheyenne Indian (uncredited)
- 1957 · The Saga of Andy Burnett as Mad Wolf
- 1957 · Maverick as
- 1957 · The Thin Man as
- 1957 · Sugarfoot as Joe White Cloud
- 1956 · Gun for a Coward as Chief
- 1956 · Westward Ho, The Wagons! as Many Stars
- 1956 · Dick Powell's Zane Grey Theatre as Nemanna
- 1956 · Johnny Moccasin as Mountain Cloud
- 1956 · The Wild Dakotas as Red Rock
- 1955 · Sergeant Preston of the Yukon as
- 1955 · Cheyenne as
- 1955 · Gunsmoke as Indian
- 1955 · The Life and Legend of Wyatt Earp as
- 1955 · Apache Ambush as
- 1954 · Sitting Bull as Crazy Horse
- 1954 · Arrow In The Dust as Chief Rasacura (uncredited)
- 1953 · Fast Company as Ben Iron Mountain
- 1952 · Apache War Smoke as Apache with Major Dekker's Hat
- 1952 · Lost in Alaska as Canook (uncredited)
- 1952 · Son of Paleface as Chief Yellow Cloud
- 1952 · Ellis in Freedomland as Male Model
- 1952 · Apache Country as Indian with Pat (uncredited)
- 1952 · Fort Osage as Osage Brave - Blue Shirt
- 1952 · Night Raiders as Henchman Cherokee
- 1951 · Red Mountain as Ute Indian
- 1951 · Fort Defiance as Brave Bear (as Iron Eyes)
- 1951 · Ace in the Hole as Indian Copy Boy (uncredited)
- 1951 · The Adventures of Wild Bill Hickok as
- 1950 · California Passage as Indian
- 1950 · Cherokee Uprising as Longknife
- 1950 · Broken Arrow as Teese, Court Jester
- 1950 · The Iroquois Trail as
- 1950 · Comanche Territory as Comanche (uncredited)
- 1950 · Cody of the Pony Express as Indian Who Slugs Cody (archive footage) (uncredited)
- 1949 · Mrs. Mike as Chief Iron Eyes (uncredited)
- 1949 · The Cowboy and the Indians as Indian Farmer (uncredited)
- 1949 · Sand as Indian (uncredited)
- 1949 · Massacre River as Chief Yellowstone
- 1948 · The Paleface as Chief Iron Eyes
- 1948 · Indian Agent as Wovoka
- 1948 · Blood on the Moon as Toma (uncredited)
- 1948 · Train to Alcatraz as Geronimo
- 1948 · The Gallant Legion as Indian Warrior
- 1947 · The Senator Was Indiscreet as Indian
- 1947 · Bowery Buckaroos as Indian Joe
- 1947 · Unconquered as Red Corn
- 1944 · Can't Help Singing as Indian Scaring Caroline (uncredited)
- 1943 · The Phantom as Native (uncredited)
- 1942 · Dawn on the Great Divide as Indian
- 1942 · Springtime in the Rockies as White Cloud (uncredited)
- 1942 · Overland Mail as Indian
- 1942 · King of the Stallions as
- 1942 · The Omaha Trail as 1st Friendly Indian
- 1942 · Pierre of the Plains as Indian (uncredited
- 1942 · Pierre of the Plains as Indian
- 1942 · Perils of Nyoka as Arab
- 1942 · Ten Gentlemen from West Point as Indian (uncredited)
- 1942 · My Gal Sal as Indian (uncredited)
- 1942 · Lawless Plainsmen as Indian
- 1942 · Ride 'Em Cowboy as Indian (uncredited)
- 1942 · Valley of the Sun as Indian
- 1942 · Don Winslow of the Navy as Native Henchman at Mill [Ch. 5]
- 1941 · King of the Texas Rangers as Carlos
- 1941 · This Woman Is Mine as Hostile Indian
- 1941 · Saddlemates as Black Eagle
- 1941 · In Old Cheyenne as Indian
- 1941 · Western Union as Indian Who Drinks Chemical Solution
- 1940 · Arizona as Indian (uncredited)
- 1940 · Pony Post as Indian
- 1940 · Young Bill Hickok as Big Bear
- 1940 · Too Many Girls as Indian
- 1940 · Colorado as Indian Henchman
- 1940 · Kit Carson as Indian
- 1940 · Untamed as Indian (uncredited)
- 1940 · Winners of the West as indian
- 1940 · Young Buffalo Bill as Acuna's Aide
- 1940 · Green Hell as Indian (uncredited)
- 1939 · Crashing Thru as Indian Joe - Harrington's Henchman
- 1939 · Overland Mail as Indian Chief
- 1939 · Fighting Mad as 2nd Indian at Post
- 1939 · Overland with Kit Carson as Running Wolf
- 1939 · The Oregon Trail as Crow Foot
- 1939 · Across the Plains as Brave
- 1939 · Union Pacific as Indian (uncredited)
- 1939 · The Kid From Texas as Wild West Show Indian
- 1939 · Scouts to the Rescue as Indian
- 1938 · The Cowboy and the Lady as Rodeo Indian (uncredited)
- 1938 · The Lone Ranger as Bullet-Bringer
- 1937 · Prairie Thunder as Indian (uncredited)
- 1936 · The Bold Caballero as Indian (uncredited)
- 1936 · The Boss Rider of Gun Creek as
- 1936 · Ride, Ranger, Ride as Comanche War Party Leader (uncredited)
- 1936 · Treachery Rides the Range as Little Deer
- 1936 · Custer's Last Stand as Chief Brown Fox
- 1936 · Rose Marie as Indian Dancer (uncredited)
- 1936 · Custer's Last Stand as Chief Brown Fox
- 1935 · Chandu on the Magic Island as Cat Man
- 1934 · The Return of Chandu as Cat Man
- 1934 · Young Eagles as Temple Guard
- 1934 · Massacre as Indian (uncredited)
- 1933 · Fighting With Kit Carson as Cheyenne Rider
- 1933 · King of the Arena as Circus Indian
- 1932 · Wild Girl as Indian (uncredited)
- 1932 · Texas Pioneers as Little Eagle
- 1932 · Murders in the Rue Morgue as Indian at Sideshow (uncredited)
- 1932 · The Rainbow Trail as John Tom
- 1931 · Oklahoma Jim as War Eagle
- 1928 · The Viking as Indian (uncredited)