Iron Eyes Cody
Actor
Born April 3, 1907 in 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.
Filmography
The Hypocrite
Crying Indian (archival footage)
Vaudeville
Self
The Great Indian Wars 1840-1890
The Spirit of '76
Iron Eyes Cody
Ernest Goes to Camp
Old Indian Chief
The A-Team
Chief Watashi
Hollywood
Self
When the West Was Fun: A Western Reunion
Self
Grayeagle
Standing Bear
The Quest
Old Indian
The Immortal
El Condor
Santana
A Man Called Horse
Medicine Man
The Cockeyed Cowboys of Calico County
Crazy Foot
Medical Center
Chanter
Then Came Bronson
Chief John Carbona
Something for a Lonely Man
Chief
Here's Lucy
Medicine Man
Hondo
Nevada Smith
Taka-Ta (uncredited)
The F.B.I.
Medicine Man
The Great Sioux Massacre
Crazy Horse
Branded
The Virginian
Chief Black Feather
Black Gold
Charlie Two-Bits
The Mike Douglas Show
Self
Mister Ed
Chief Thundercloud
Guestward, Ho!
Outlaws
The Tall Man
The Rebel
Sammy Hart
Bonanza
Long Bear
Alias Jesse James
2nd Indian on Train (uncredited)
Rawhide
Medicine Man (uncredited)
Westinghouse Desilu Playhouse
Lawman
The Light in the Forest
Cuyloga's Counsellor
Gun Fever
1st Indian Chief
The Lucy–Desi Comedy Hour
Eskimo Pilot (uncredited)
Ride Out for Revenge
Cheyenne Indian (uncredited)
Maverick
Indian (uncredited)
The Thin Man
Sugarfoot
Joe White Cloud
Gun for a Coward
Chief
Westward Ho, The Wagons!
Many Stars
Dick Powell's Zane Grey Theatre
Nemanna
The Wild Dakotas
Red Rock
Sergeant Preston of the Yukon
Cheyenne
Gunsmoke
Indian
The Life and Legend of Wyatt Earp
Apache Ambush
Sitting Bull
Crazy Horse
Arrow In The Dust
Chief Rasacura (uncredited)
Fast Company
Ben Iron Mountain
Apache War Smoke
Apache with Major Dekker's Hat
Lost in Alaska
Canook (uncredited)
Son of Paleface
Chief Yellow Cloud
Ellis in Freedomland
Male Model
Apache Country
Indian with Pat (uncredited)
Fort Osage
Osage Brave - Blue Shirt
Night Raiders
Henchman Cherokee
Fort Defiance
Brave Bear (as Iron Eyes)
Red Mountain
Ute Indian
Ace in the Hole
Indian Copy Boy (uncredited)
The Adventures of Wild Bill Hickok
California Passage
Indian
Cherokee Uprising
Longknife
Broken Arrow
Teese (uncredited)
The Iroquois Trail
Huron Indian (uncredited)
Cody of the Pony Express
Indian Who Slugs Cody (archive footage) (uncredited)
Mrs. Mike
Chief Iron Eyes (uncredited)
The Cowboy and the Indians
Indian Farmer (uncredited)
Sand
Indian (uncredited)
Massacre River
Chief Yellowstone
The Paleface
Chief Iron Eyes
Indian Agent
Wovoka
Blood on the Moon
Toma (uncredited)
The Gallant Legion
Indian Warrior
The Senator Was Indiscreet
Indian
Bowery Buckaroos
Indian Joe
The Last Round-up
Unconquered
Red Corn
Can't Help Singing
Indian Scaring Caroline (uncredited)
The Phantom
Native (uncredited)
Dawn on the Great Divide
Indian
Springtime in the Rockies
White Cloud (uncredited)
Overland Mail
Indian
King of the Stallions
The Omaha Trail
1st Friendly Indian
Pierre of the Plains
Indian (uncredited
Perils of Nyoka
Arab
Ten Gentlemen from West Point
Indian (uncredited)
My Gal Sal
Indian (uncredited)
Lawless Plainsmen
Indian
Valley of the Sun
Indian (uncredited)
Don Winslow of the Navy
Native Henchman at Mill [Ch. 5]
Ride 'Em Cowboy
Indian (uncredited)
King of the Texas Rangers
Carlos
This Woman Is Mine
Hostile Indian
Saddlemates
Black Eagle
In Old Cheyenne
Indian
Western Union
Indian Who Drinks Chemical Solution
Arizona
Indian (uncredited)
Hudson's Bay
Indian (uncredited)
Pony Post
Indian
North West Mounted Police
Indian Brave (Uncredited)
Young Bill Hickok
Big Bear
Too Many Girls
Indian (uncredited)
Colorado
Indian Henchman
Kit Carson
Indian
Untamed
Indian (uncredited)
Winners of the West
indian
Young Buffalo Bill
Acuna's Aide
Green Hell
Indian (uncredited)
Crashing Thru
Indian Joe - Harrington's Henchman
Overland Mail
Indian Chief
Fighting Mad
2nd Indian at Post
Overland with Kit Carson
Running Wolf
The Oregon Trail
Crow Foot
Across the Plains
Brave
Union Pacific
Indian (uncredited)
The Kid From Texas
Wild West Show Indian
Stagecoach
Scouts to the Rescue
Indian
The Cowboy and the Lady
Rodeo Indian (uncredited)
The Lone Ranger
Bullet-Bringer
Prairie Thunder
Indian (uncredited)
The Boss Rider of Gun Creek
The Bold Caballero
Indian (uncredited)
Ride, Ranger, Ride
Comanche War Party Leader (uncredited)
Treachery Rides the Range
Little Deer
Custer's Last Stand
Chief Brown Fox
Rose Marie
Indian Dancer (uncredited)
Custer's Last Stand
Chief Brown Fox
The Farmer Takes a Wife
Indian
Chandu on the Magic Island
Cat Man
The Return of Chandu
Cat Man
Young Eagles
Temple Guard
Massacre
Indian (uncredited)
Fighting With Kit Carson
Cheyenne Rider
King of the Arena
Circus Indian
Wild Girl
Indian (uncredited)
The Golden West
Indian Dancer
Texas Pioneers
Little Eagle
Murders in the Rue Morgue
Indian at Sideshow (uncredited)
The Rainbow Trail
John Tom
Oklahoma Jim
War Eagle
Fighting Caravans
Indian After Firewater (uncredited)
The Viking
Indian (uncredited)