Iron Eyes Cody
- Known for
- Acting
- Born
- April 3, 1907
- Died
- January 3, 1999 (aged 91)
- Birthplace
- Gueydan, Louisiana, USA
Biography
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
Photos
Filmography
The Hypocrite
Movie · as Crying Indian (archival footage)
Vaudeville
Movie · as Self
The Great Indian Wars 1840-1890
Movie
The Spirit of '76
Movie · as Iron Eyes Cody
Ernest Goes to Camp
Movie · as Old Indian Chief
The A-Team
TV · as Chief Watashi · 1 ep
Newhart
TV · as American Indian · 1 ep
Hollywood
TV · as Self · 1 ep
When the West Was Fun: A Western Reunion
Movie · as Self
Grayeagle
Movie · as Standing Bear
The Quest
Movie · as Old Indian
A Man Called Horse
Movie · as Medicine Man
El Condor
Movie · as Santana
The Cockeyed Cowboys of Calico County
Movie · as Crazy Foot
The Immortal
TV · 1 ep
Medical Center
TV · as Chanter · 1 ep
Then Came Bronson
TV · as Chief John Carbona · 1 ep
Something for a Lonely Man
Movie · as Chief
Here's Lucy
TV · as Medicine Man · 1 ep
Hondo
TV · 2 eps
Nevada Smith
Movie · as Taka-Ta (uncredited)
The Great Sioux Massacre
Movie · as Crazy Horse
The F.B.I.
TV · as Medicine Man · 1 ep
Branded
TV · 1 ep
Black Gold
Movie · as Charlie Two-Bits
The Virginian
TV · as Chief Black Feather · 1 ep
The Mike Douglas Show
TV · as Self · 1 ep
Mister Ed
TV · as Chief Thundercloud · 1 ep
The Tall Man
TV · 1 ep
Outlaws
TV · 1 ep
Guestward, Ho!
TV · 1 ep
Alias Jesse James
Movie · as 2nd Indian on Train (uncredited)
Rawhide
TV · as Medicine Man (uncredited), John Redcloud · 1 ep
The Rebel
TV · as Sammy Hart · 1 ep
Bonanza
TV · as Long Bear · 1 ep
The Light in the Forest
Movie · as Cuyloga's Counsellor
Gun Fever
Movie · as 1st Indian Chief
Westinghouse Desilu Playhouse
TV · 1 ep
Lawman
TV · 1 ep
Ride Out for Revenge
Movie · as Cheyenne Indian (uncredited)
The Lucy–Desi Comedy Hour
TV · as Eskimo Pilot (uncredited) · 1 ep
The Thin Man
TV · 1 ep
Sugarfoot
TV · as Joe White Cloud · 1 ep
Maverick
TV · as Indian (uncredited) · 1 ep
Johnny Moccasin
Movie · as Mountain Cloud
Gun for a Coward
Movie · as Chief
Westward Ho, The Wagons!
Movie · as Many Stars
The Wild Dakotas
Movie · as Red Rock
Dick Powell's Zane Grey Theatre
TV · as Nemanna · 1 ep
Apache Ambush
Movie
Cheyenne
TV · 1 ep
Gunsmoke
TV · as Indian · 1 ep
The Life and Legend of Wyatt Earp
TV · 1 ep
Sergeant Preston of the Yukon
TV · 2 eps
Arrow In The Dust
Movie · as Chief Rasacura (uncredited)
Sitting Bull
Movie · as Crazy Horse
Fast Company
Movie · as Ben Iron Mountain
Apache Country
Movie · as Indian with Pat (uncredited)
Ellis in Freedomland
Movie · as Male Model
Son of Paleface
Movie · as Chief Yellow Cloud
Apache War Smoke
Movie · as Apache with Major Dekker's Hat
Lost in Alaska
Movie · as Canook (uncredited)
Night Raiders
Movie · as Henchman Cherokee
Fort Osage
Movie · as Osage Brave - Blue Shirt
Fort Defiance
Movie · as Brave Bear (as Iron Eyes)
Ace in the Hole
Movie · as Indian Copy Boy (uncredited)
Red Mountain
Movie · as Ute Indian
The Adventures of Wild Bill Hickok
TV · 2 eps
Broken Arrow
Movie · as Teese (uncredited)
The Iroquois Trail
Movie · as Huron Indian (uncredited)
Cody of the Pony Express
Movie · as Indian Who Slugs Cody (archive footage) (uncredited)
California Passage
Movie · as Indian
Cherokee Uprising
Movie · as Longknife
The Cisco Kid
TV · as Chief Big Cloud · 1 ep
Mrs. Mike
Movie · as Chief Iron Eyes (uncredited)
Sand
Movie · as Indian (uncredited)
The Cowboy and the Indians
Movie · as Indian Farmer (uncredited)
Massacre River
Movie · as Chief Yellowstone
The Paleface
Movie · as Chief Iron Eyes
Train to Alcatraz
Movie · as Geronimo
The Gallant Legion
Movie · as Indian Warrior
Indian Agent
Movie · as Wovoka
Blood on the Moon
Movie · as Toma (uncredited)
The Senator Was Indiscreet
Movie · as Indian
Bowery Buckaroos
Movie · as Indian Joe
Unconquered
Movie · as Red Corn
The Last Round-up
Movie
Can't Help Singing
Movie · as Indian Scaring Caroline (uncredited)
The Phantom
Movie · as Native (uncredited)
Pierre of the Plains
Movie · as Indian (uncredited
Ride 'Em Cowboy
Movie · as Indian (uncredited)
Perils of Nyoka
Movie · as Arab
My Gal Sal
Movie · as Indian (uncredited)
Lawless Plainsmen
Movie · as Indian
Valley of the Sun
Movie · as Indian (uncredited)
The Omaha Trail
Movie · as 1st Friendly Indian
Overland Mail
Movie · as Indian
Dawn on the Great Divide
Movie · as Indian
Ten Gentlemen from West Point
Movie · as Indian (uncredited)
Don Winslow of the Navy
Movie · as Native Henchman at Mill [Ch. 5]
Springtime in the Rockies
Movie · as White Cloud (uncredited)
King of the Stallions
Movie · as Indian in Horse-Pursuit Party (uncredited)
King of the Texas Rangers
Movie · as Carlos
Saddlemates
Movie · as Black Eagle
This Woman Is Mine
Movie · as Hostile Indian
In Old Cheyenne
Movie · as Indian
Western Union
Movie · as Indian Who Drinks Chemical Solution
Winners of the West
Movie · as indian
Young Buffalo Bill
Movie · as Acuna's Aide
Arizona
Movie · as Indian (uncredited)
Green Hell
Movie · as Indian (uncredited)
Pony Post
Movie · as Indian
Colorado
Movie · as Indian Henchman
Young Bill Hickok
Movie · as Big Bear
Kit Carson
Movie · as Indian
Too Many Girls
Movie · as Indian (uncredited)
Untamed
Movie · as Indian (uncredited)
North West Mounted Police
Movie · as Indian Brave (Uncredited)
Maintain the Right
Movie · as Killer
Hudson's Bay
Movie · as Indian (uncredited)
Overland with Kit Carson
Movie · as Running Wolf
Across the Plains
Movie · as Brave
Crashing Thru
Movie · as Indian Joe - Harrington's Henchman
Overland Mail
Movie · as Indian Chief
The Oregon Trail
Movie · as Crow Foot
Union Pacific
Movie · as Indian (uncredited)
Fighting Mad
Movie · as 2nd Indian at Post
The Kid From Texas
Movie · as Wild West Show Indian
Scouts to the Rescue
Movie · as Indian
The Lone Ranger
Movie · as Bullet-Bringer
The Cowboy and the Lady
Movie · as Rodeo Indian (uncredited)
Prairie Thunder
Movie · as Indian (uncredited)
Rose Marie
Movie · as Indian Dancer (uncredited)
The Boss Rider of Gun Creek
Movie
Custer's Last Stand
Movie · as Chief Brown Fox
Treachery Rides the Range
Movie · as Little Deer
Ride, Ranger, Ride
Movie · as Comanche War Party Leader (uncredited)
The Bold Caballero
Movie · as Indian (uncredited)
Custer's Last Stand
Movie · as Chief Brown Fox
Chandu on the Magic Island
Movie · as Cat Man
The Farmer Takes a Wife
Movie · as Indian
The Return of Chandu
Movie · as Cat Man
Young Eagles
Movie · as Temple Guard
Massacre
Movie · as Indian (uncredited)
Fighting With Kit Carson
Movie · as Cheyenne Rider
King of the Arena
Movie · as Circus Indian
Wild Girl
Movie · as Indian (uncredited)
The Rainbow Trail
Movie · as John Tom
Murders in the Rue Morgue
Movie · as Indian at Sideshow (uncredited)
Texas Pioneers
Movie · as Little Eagle
The Golden West
Movie · as Indian Dancer
Oklahoma Jim
Movie · as War Eagle
Fighting Caravans
Movie · as Indian After Firewater (uncredited)
The Viking
Movie · as Indian (uncredited)