Native American actors - How hard has it been for them?

[4channel]

I've often thought about Hollywood and how in the early days, the majority of film work given to African American actors were roles as servants, porters, train conductors or "savages". Things have improved somewhat! But back in that day, Native Americans were not given roles to play themselves. Actually it still contnues today. Sure, there were a few exceptions, Jay Silverheels in The Lone Ranger etc.

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|HUFFPOST|

Entertainment

A Brief History Of White Actors Playing Native Americans

By 

Lauren Duca

Mar. 13, 2014, 04:23 PM EDT | Updated Dec. 6, 2017

https://www.huffpost.com/entry/white-actors-native-americans_n_4957555

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The Washington Post

100 times a white actor played someone who wasn’t white

Hollywood has moved on from blackface, but it remains terrible at casting people of color.

By Meredith Simons

https://www.washingtonpost.com/posteverything/wp/2016/01/28/100-times-a-white-actor-played-someone-w...

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Some of my own observations that come to mind.

* Jeff Chandler (Real name Ira Grossel) as Cochise in Broken Arrow - Jewish background

* Don Diamond (Crazy Cat",  Chief Wild Eagle's side-kick) in F Troop - Russian, Jewish

* Iron Eyes Cody (real name Espera Oscar DeCorti) - Many Native American roles - Italian / Sicilian

* J. W. Cody (brother of Espera) ( real name Joseph DeCorti) - Many Native American roles - Italian / Sicillian background

*  Burgess Meredith as Charlie Lightcloud in Stay Away Joe - Anglo background

* Frank de Kova as Chief Wild Eagle in F Troop - Italian background

* Shelly Morrison as The Pima Squaw in McKenna's Gold - Spanish (Shephardic Jewish)

* Roy Thinnes as The Indian in Charley One Eye -  of German ancestry

*  Sam Waterston as White Bull in Eagle's Wing - Irish, Scot

There's so many more. Rock Hudson ( German, Swiss, English and Irish descent) playing Young Bull in the 1950s film, Winchester 73 was a surprise.

Obviously some roles for films predicted to be blockbusters would have to go to a big name actor, IE: Jeff Chandler in Cochise as that's who the public would want to see in a major film. But, supporting roles could have been offered. There were many talented Native American actors craving work. No wonder there were hardly any Native American stars back then. It was due to them not having the chance to work their way up. Very sad really.

BTW: I can't remember that big tall guy with the blue eyes that played Native Americans in 60s Westerns. He may have been in McKenna's Gold as well.

[4channel]

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@not_for_sale2024 wrote:

The majority of cowboy and Indian westerns during the period you highlight depicted the Indian as a savage redskin who murdered men, women and children to try and prevent white settlement. I doubt any proud Native American actor would have considered a role in such a movie. They deserve more credit and respect.

Below is a link to a list of 50 Native American actors thought to be excellent at their craft. While Hollywood now frowns on John Wayne-type westerns, I think the vast majority of the 50 wouldn't have a bar of them if they were resurrected and offered a role.

https://www.mrdustbin.com/us/native-american-actors/ 

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Actually some of them were benign roles and there were some positve roles during the 60s and 70s. Sadly they were given to non-Native Americans.

There was Ed Ames from 60s series Daniel Boone, as Mingo. Ames (real name Edmond Dantes Urick) was of Ukranian Jewish background. Dean Stockwell who is of Italian ancestry played Stein, a young biker who was half-Indian in 1972 film, The Loners.  Tom Laughlin played half-Indian Billy Jack in a few movies, Born Losers, Billy Jack, Trial of Billy Jack etc.. Many more! They weren't demeaning.

Remember too in the past, Afircan Americans (Negros in those days) played street sweepers, shuffling conductors, slaves, servants etc. The list goes on.

[myoclon1cjerk]

Australian actor Michael Pate played a Native American in quite a few movies.

[4channel]

Oh yeah. You're right!  He has a lot of work playing Native Americans. Good actor too. But said for the Native American guy checking in with his agent.

BTW: He looks very quite a bit like  to Ed Ames  who played Mingo in Daniel Boone. Looking online at other pics you'll see the similarities. Whilst Ames had a regular role as Mingo, Pate appeared in two episodes, " The Allegiances" - (1966)  as Raccuwan and "The Sound of Wings"  (1964)  as Pushta . Interestingly Ed Ames appeared in both of them as well.

[k1ooo-slr-sales]

this was on the telly recently