Acting
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.
Filmography
The Hypocrite
Film · 2024
Vaudeville
Film · 1997
The Great Indian Wars 1840-1890
Film · 1991
The Spirit of '76
Film · 1990
Ernest Goes to Camp
Film · 1987
The A-Team
Series · 1983
Newhart
Series · 1982
Hollywood
Series · 1980
When the West Was Fun: A Western Reunion
Film · 1979
Grayeagle
Film · 1977
The Quest
Film · 1976
A Man Called Horse
Film · 1970
El Condor
Film · 1970
The Cockeyed Cowboys of Calico County
Film · 1970
The Immortal
Series · 1970
Medical Center
Series · 1969
Then Came Bronson
Series · 1969
Something for a Lonely Man
Film · 1968
Here's Lucy
Series · 1968
Hondo
Series · 1967
Nevada Smith
Film · 1966
The Great Sioux Massacre
Film · 1965
The F.B.I.
Series · 1965
Branded
Series · 1965
Black Gold
Film · 1962
The Virginian
Series · 1962
The Mike Douglas Show
Series · 1961
Mister Ed
Series · 1961
The Tall Man
Series · 1960
Outlaws
Series · 1960
Guestward, Ho!
Series · 1960
Alias Jesse James
Film · 1959
Rawhide
Series · 1959
The Rebel
Series · 1959
Rawhide
Series · 1959
Bonanza
Series · 1959
The Light in the Forest
Film · 1958
Gun Fever
Film · 1958
Westinghouse Desilu Playhouse
Series · 1958
Lawman
Series · 1958
Ride Out for Revenge
Film · 1957
The Lucy–Desi Comedy Hour
Series · 1957
The Thin Man
Series · 1957
Sugarfoot
Series · 1957
Maverick
Series · 1957
Johnny Moccasin
Film · 1956
Gun for a Coward
Film · 1956
Westward Ho, The Wagons!
Film · 1956
The Wild Dakotas
Film · 1956
Dick Powell's Zane Grey Theatre
Series · 1956
Apache Ambush
Film · 1955
Cheyenne
Series · 1955
Gunsmoke
Series · 1955
The Life and Legend of Wyatt Earp
Series · 1955
Sergeant Preston of the Yukon
Series · 1955
Arrow In The Dust
Film · 1954
Sitting Bull
Film · 1954
Fast Company
Film · 1953
Apache Country
Film · 1952
Ellis in Freedomland
Film · 1952
Son of Paleface
Film · 1952
Apache War Smoke
Film · 1952
Lost in Alaska
Film · 1952
Night Raiders
Film · 1952
Fort Osage
Film · 1952
Fort Defiance
Film · 1951
Ace in the Hole
Film · 1951
Red Mountain
Film · 1951
The Adventures of Wild Bill Hickok
Series · 1951
Broken Arrow
Film · 1950
The Iroquois Trail
Film · 1950
Cody of the Pony Express
Film · 1950
California Passage
Film · 1950
Cherokee Uprising
Film · 1950
The Cisco Kid
Series · 1950
Mrs. Mike
Film · 1949
Sand
Film · 1949
The Cowboy and the Indians
Film · 1949
Massacre River
Film · 1949
The Paleface
Film · 1948
Train to Alcatraz
Film · 1948
The Gallant Legion
Film · 1948
Indian Agent
Film · 1948
Blood on the Moon
Film · 1948
The Senator Was Indiscreet
Film · 1947
Bowery Buckaroos
Film · 1947
Unconquered
Film · 1947
The Last Round-up
Film · 1947
Can't Help Singing
Film · 1944
The Phantom
Film · 1943
Pierre of the Plains
Film · 1942
Ride 'Em Cowboy
Film · 1942
Perils of Nyoka
Film · 1942
My Gal Sal
Film · 1942
Lawless Plainsmen
Film · 1942
The Omaha Trail
Film · 1942
Valley of the Sun
Film · 1942
Overland Mail
Film · 1942
Dawn on the Great Divide
Film · 1942
Pierre of the Plains
Film · 1942
Ten Gentlemen from West Point
Film · 1942
Don Winslow of the Navy
Film · 1942
Springtime in the Rockies
Film · 1942
King of the Stallions
Film · 1942
King of the Texas Rangers
Film · 1941
Saddlemates
Film · 1941
This Woman Is Mine
Film · 1941
In Old Cheyenne
Film · 1941
Western Union
Film · 1941
Winners of the West
Film · 1940
Young Buffalo Bill
Film · 1940
Arizona
Film · 1940
Green Hell
Film · 1940
Pony Post
Film · 1940
Colorado
Film · 1940
Young Bill Hickok
Film · 1940
Kit Carson
Film · 1940
Too Many Girls
Film · 1940
Untamed
Film · 1940
North West Mounted Police
Film · 1940
Maintain the Right
Film · 1940
Hudson's Bay
Film · 1940
Overland with Kit Carson
Film · 1939
Across the Plains
Film · 1939
Crashing Thru
Film · 1939
Overland Mail
Film · 1939
The Oregon Trail
Film · 1939
Union Pacific
Film · 1939
Fighting Mad
Film · 1939
The Kid From Texas
Film · 1939
Scouts to the Rescue
Film · 1939
The Lone Ranger
Film · 1938
The Cowboy and the Lady
Film · 1938
Prairie Thunder
Film · 1937
Rose Marie
Film · 1936
The Boss Rider of Gun Creek
Film · 1936
Custer's Last Stand
Film · 1936
Treachery Rides the Range
Film · 1936
Ride, Ranger, Ride
Film · 1936
The Bold Caballero
Film · 1936
Custer's Last Stand
Film · 1936
Chandu on the Magic Island
Film · 1935
The Farmer Takes a Wife
Film · 1935
The Return of Chandu
Film · 1934
Young Eagles
Film · 1934
Massacre
Film · 1934
Fighting With Kit Carson
Film · 1933
King of the Arena
Film · 1933
Wild Girl
Film · 1932
The Rainbow Trail
Film · 1932
Murders in the Rue Morgue
Film · 1932
Texas Pioneers
Film · 1932
The Golden West
Film · 1932
Oklahoma Jim
Film · 1931
Fighting Caravans
Film · 1931
The Viking
Film · 1928