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Iron Eyes Cody was an Italian-American actor. He portrayed Native Americans in Hollywood films, famously as Chief Iron Eyes in Bob Hope's The Paleface (1948). 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". 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.
Birth Name
Espera Oscar DeCorti
Born
Wednesday, 03 April 1907
Died
Monday, 04 January 1999
Actor Filmography
Title | Character | Year |
---|
The Decade You Were Born: The 1970's | Self - PSA Commercial | 2011 |
Reel Injun | Himself (archive footage) / Self | 2010 |
Hit Celebrity TV Commercials | Native American - for PSA for 'Keep America Beautiful' Campaign | 2004 |
Images of Indians: How Hollywood Stereotyped the Native American | Self / Standing Bear (from Grayeagle (1978)) | 2003 |
The Great Indian Wars 1840-1890 | Indian Raider | 1991 |
The Spirit of '76 | Iron Eyes Cody | 1990 |
Ernest Goes to Camp | Old Indian Chief | 1987 |
American Masters | Self | 1986 |
The A-Team | Chief Watashi | 1983 |
Newhart | American Indian | 1982 |
Actor Filmography
Title | Character | Year |
---|
The Decade You Were Born: The 1970's | Self - PSA Commercial | 2011 |
Reel Injun | Himself (archive footage) / Self | 2010 |
Hit Celebrity TV Commercials | Native American - for PSA for 'Keep America Beautiful' Campaign | 2004 |
Images of Indians: How Hollywood Stereotyped the Native American | Self / Standing Bear (from Grayeagle (1978)) | 2003 |
The Great Indian Wars 1840-1890 | Indian Raider | 1991 |
The Spirit of '76 | Iron Eyes Cody | 1990 |
Ernest Goes to Camp | Old Indian Chief | 1987 |
American Masters | Self | 1986 |
The A-Team | Chief Watashi | 1983 |
Newhart | American Indian | 1982 |
Hollywood | Self | 1980 |
Grayeagle | Standing Bear | 1977 |
Fantasy Island | Chief Daniel Tenquot | 1977 |
The Quest | Old Indian | 1976 |
Meanwhile, Back at the Ranch | Indian Henchman | 1976 |
How the West Was Won | Medicine Man | 1976 |
Donny and Marie | Self | 1975 |
Bicentennial Minutes | Self - Narrator | 1974 |
Dusty's Trail | Full Moon | 1973 |
El Condor | Santana | 1970 |
The Cockeyed Cowboys of Calico County | Crazy Foot | 1970 |
A Man Called Horse | Medicine Man | 1970 |
The Immortal | Djanni | 1969 |
The Governor & J.J. | Chief Running Bear | 1969 |
Medical Center | Chanter | 1969 |
Then Came Bronson | Chief John Carbona | 1969 |
Here's Lucy | Medicine Man | 1968 |
Hondo | Elderly Brave / Chief | 1967 |
The Fastest Guitar Alive | 1st Indian | 1967 |
Nevada Smith | Taka-Ta | 1966 |
The F.B.I. | Medicine Man | 1965 |
The Great Sioux Massacre | Crazy Horse | 1965 |
Branded | Grey Eagle | 1965 |
Daniel Boone | Medicine Man | 1964 |
Destry | Iron Eyes | 1964 |
The Great Adventure | Iron Eyes | 1963 |
The Virginian | Chief Black Feather | 1962 |
Black Gold | Charlie Two-Bits | 1962 |
The Mike Douglas Show | Himself - Actor | 1961 |
Frontier Circus | The Indian | 1961 |
Mister Ed | Chief Thundercloud | 1961 |
Outlaws | Talkeesh | 1960 |
Guestward Ho! | Jury foreman / Crazy Horse | 1960 |
The Tall Man | Sam | 1960 |
Heller in Pink Tights | Indian | 1960 |
The Rebel | Sammy Hart | 1959 |
Bonanza | Winnemucca / Long Bear | 1959 |
Alias Jesse James | 2nd Indian on Train | 1959 |
Rawhide | Blue Deer / John Redcloud / Medicine Man | 1959 |
Lawman | Scarfaced Brave | 1958 |
Mackenzie's Raiders | Old Indian | 1958 |
The Light in the Forest | Cuyloga's Counsellor | 1958 |
Gun Fever | 1st Indian Chief | 1958 |
The Lucy-Desi Comedy Hour | Eskimo Pilot | 1957 |
Ride Out for Revenge | Cheyenne Indian | 1957 |
The Restless Gun | George Washington Smith | 1957 |
Maverick | Indian | 1957 |
The Thin Man | Chief | 1957 |
Wagon Train | Seeba | 1957 |
Sugarfoot | Joe White Cloud | 1957 |
Tales of Wells Fargo | The Medicine Man | 1957 |
Gun for a Coward | Chief | 1956 |
Westward Ho, the Wagons! | Many Stars | 1956 |
Zane Grey Theatre | Nemanna | 1956 |
Comanche | Medicine Arrow - The Medicine Man | 1956 |
The Wild Dakotas | Red Rock | 1956 |
Sergeant Preston of the Yukon | Mulak / White Eagle | 1955 |
Cheyenne | Chief Canyawa / Grey Wolf | 1955 |
Gunsmoke | Indian | 1955 |
The Life and Legend of Wyatt Earp | Indian | 1955 |
Apache Ambush | Apaho - Apache Chief | 1955 |
The Mickey Mouse Club | Self - promotion for the film 'Westward Ho, the Wagons!' | 1955 |
White Feather | Indian Chief | 1955 |
The Magical World of Disney | Mad Wolf / Many Stars / Chief Many Stars | 1954 |
The Adventures of Rin Tin Tin | Medicine Man / Long Buffalo | 1954 |
Sitting Bull | Crazy Horse | 1954 |
Arrow in the Dust | Chief Rasacura | 1954 |
Fast Company | Ben Iron Mountain | 1953 |
Meet Me at the Fair | Chief Rain-in-the-Face | 1953 |
Montana Belle | Cherokee | 1952 |
Apache War Smoke | Apache with Major Dekker's Hat | 1952 |
The Savage | Warrior | 1952 |
The Big Sky | Blackfoot Subchief | 1952 |
Lost in Alaska | Canook | 1952 |
Son of Paleface | Chief Yellow Cloud | 1952 |
Ellis in Freedomland | Male Model | 1952 |
Apache Country | Indian with Pat | 1952 |
Death Valley Days | Maricopa Chief / Indian Trapper / Comanche Leader / Chief | 1952 |
Fort Osage | Osage Brave - Blue Shirt / Osage Brave | 1952 |
Night Raiders | Henchman Cherokee / Cherokee - Henchman | 1952 |
Red Mountain | Ute Indian | 1951 |
Fort Defiance | Brave Bear (as Iron Eyes) / Brave Bear | 1951 |
Ace in the Hole | Indian Copy Boy | 1951 |
Adventures of Wild Bill Hickok | Chief Storm Cloud / Big Joe | 1951 |
The Last Outpost | Mangas Coloradas | 1951 |
The Redhead and the Cowboy | Loukai - Lamartine's Indian Scout | 1951 |
California Passage | Indian | 1950 |
North of the Great Divide | Headdress Presenter | 1950 |
Cherokee Uprising | Longknife | 1950 |
Broken Arrow | Teese / Teese, Court Jester | 1950 |
The Iroquois Trail | Huron Indian | 1950 |
Comanche Territory | Comanche | 1950 |
Cody of the Pony Express | Chief Grey Cloud | 1950 |
The Cisco Kid | Chief Sky Eagle / Chief Big Cloud | 1950 |
Davy Crockett, Indian Scout | Lone Eagle's Brave | 1950 |
Mrs. Mike | Chief Iron Eyes | 1949 |
The Cowboy and the Indians | Indian Farmer | 1949 |
Arctic Manhunt | Eskimo | 1949 |
Sand | Indian | 1949 |
Massacre River | Chief Yellowstone | 1949 |
Tulsa | Osage Indian | 1949 |
The Paleface | Chief Iron Eyes | 1948 |
Indian Agent | Wovoka | 1948 |
Blood on the Moon | Indian / Toma | 1948 |
Train to Alcatraz | Geronimo | 1948 |
The Dude Goes West | Pipe-Smoking Indian | 1948 |
The Gallant Legion | Indian Warrior | 1948 |
The Senator Was Indiscreet | Indian | 1947 |
Bowery Buckaroos | Indian Joe | 1947 |
The Last Round-up | Indian | 1947 |
Unconquered | Red Corn | 1947 |
So You Want to Keep Your Hair | Indian | 1946 |
Plainsman and the Lady | Indian | 1946 |
Under Nevada Skies | Indian | 1946 |
The Scarlet Horseman | Indian | 1946 |
Can't Help Singing | Indian Scaring Caroline | 1944 |
Raiders of Ghost City | Indian | 1944 |
The Phantom | Native | 1943 |
Dawn on the Great Divide | Indian | 1942 |
The Valley of Vanishing Men | Many Eyes | 1942 |
Springtime in the Rockies | White Cloud | 1942 |
Here We Go Again | Indian | 1942 |
Overland Mail | Indian [Chs. 1-2, 5-6, 10-11] / Indian | 1942 |
King of the Stallions | Indian in Horse-Pursuit Party | 1942 |
The Omaha Trail | 1st Friendly Indian | 1942 |
Pierre of the Plains | Indian | 1942 |
Perils of Nyoka | Arab | 1942 |
Ten Gentlemen from West Point | Indian | 1942 |
Perils of the Royal Mounted | Indian | 1942 |
My Gal Sal | Indian | 1942 |
The Girl from Alaska | Eskimo | 1942 |
Klondike Fury | Trading Post Indian | 1942 |
Lawless Plainsmen | Indian | 1942 |
Shut My Big Mouth | Indian | 1942 |
Ride 'Em Cowboy | Indian | 1942 |
Valley of the Sun | Indian | 1942 |
Don Winslow of the Navy | Native Thug at Mill [Ch. 5] / Native Henchman at Mill [Ch. 5] | 1942 |
King of the Texas Rangers | Carlos / Carlos (Ch. 9) | 1941 |
Outlaws of Cherokee Trail | Indian Gambler | 1941 |
This Woman Is Mine | Hostile Indian | 1941 |
Saddlemates | Black Eagle | 1941 |
In Old Cheyenne | Indian | 1941 |
The Round Up | Indian | 1941 |
Western Union | Indian Who Drinks Chemical Solution / Indian Drinking Chemical Solution | 1941 |
Arizona | Indian | 1940 |
Pony Post | Indian | 1940 |
North West Mounted Police | Indian | 1940 |
Young Bill Hickok | Big Bear | 1940 |
Too Many Girls | Indian | 1940 |
Colorado | Indian Henchman / Indian | 1940 |
Kit Carson | Indian | 1940 |
Winners of the West | indian / Indian [Chs. 1, 5, 7, 9-10, 13] | 1940 |
Untamed | Indian | 1940 |
Alias the Deacon | Indian playing Slot Machine | 1940 |
Young Buffalo Bill | Comanche Renegade / Acuna's Aide | 1940 |
Hi-Yo Silver | White Feather | 1940 |
Pioneers of the West | Indian | 1940 |
Northwest Passage | Scout | 1940 |
Green Hell | Indian | 1940 |
Crashing Thru | Indian Joe - Harrington's Henchman | 1939 |
Overland Mail | Indian Chief | 1939 |
Fighting Mad | 2nd Indian at Post / Indian at Post | 1939 |
Overland with Kit Carson | Running Wolf (Ch's 11-14) / Running Wolf | 1939 |
The Oregon Trail | Crow Foot / Crow Foot [Ch. 10] | 1939 |
Across the Plains | Brave | 1939 |
Man of Conquest | Indian | 1939 |
Union Pacific | Indian | 1939 |
The Kid from Texas | Wild West Show Indian | 1939 |
Scouts to the Rescue | Indian | 1939 |
Hawk of the Wilderness | Storm Cloud | 1938 |
The Cowboy and the Lady | Rodeo Indian | 1938 |
Flaming Frontiers | Indian Raider [Chs. 1-5 & Others] | 1938 |
The Great Adventures of Wild Bill Hickok | Indian Warrior | 1938 |
The Lone Ranger | Bullet-Bringer (Ch. 7) / Bullet-Bringer | 1938 |
Prairie Thunder | Indian | 1937 |
Wild West Days | Indian | 1937 |
Old Louisiana | Indian Driving Coach | 1937 |
Riders of the Whistling Skull | Indian | 1937 |
The Bold Caballero | Indian | 1936 |
The Boss Rider of Gun Creek | Indian Danny | 1936 |
Ride, Ranger, Ride | Comanche War Party Leader | 1936 |
The Phantom Rider | Indian (Ch. 9-11) | 1936 |
Treachery Rides the Range | Little Deer | 1936 |
Rose-Marie | Dancer in Totem Tom Tom | 1936 |
Custer's Last Stand | Chief Brown Fox | 1936 |
Annie Oakley | Indian in Show | 1935 |
The Ivory-Handled Gun | Barfly | 1935 |
The Farmer Takes a Wife | Indian | 1935 |
Toll of the Desert | Marauding Indian | 1935 |
Fighting Shadows | Indian | 1935 |
The Miracle Rider | Indian | 1935 |
Rustlers of Red Dog | Indian | 1935 |
Chandu on the Magic Island | Cat Man | 1935 |
The Return of Chandu | Cat Man | 1934 |
The Scarlet Letter | Indian | 1934 |
Young Eagles | Temple Guard / Temple Guard [Chs. 2-3] | 1934 |
Massacre | Indian | 1934 |
Fighting with Kit Carson | Cheyenne Rider | 1933 |
King of the Arena | Circus Indian | 1933 |
The Thundering Herd | Indian | 1933 |
Clancy of the Mounted | Indian [Ch. 3, 6] | 1933 |
The Golden West | Indian Dancer | 1932 |
Wild Girl | Indian | 1932 |
The Big Stampede | Crew's Indian Servant | 1932 |
Texas Pioneers | Little Eagle | 1932 |
The Rider of Death Valley | Indian | 1932 |
Murders in the Rue Morgue | Indian at Sideshow | 1932 |
The Rainbow Trail | John Tom | 1932 |
Oklahoma Jim | War Eagle | 1931 |
Fighting Caravans | Indian After Firewater | 1931 |
The Viking | Indian | 1928 |
Back to God's Country | Indian | 1927 |
The Scarlet Letter | Young Indian at Dunking | 1927 |
The Road to Yesterday | Indian | 1925 |