Iron Eyes Cody

Iron Eyes Cody

Known for: Acting
Biography: 1904-04-03
Deathday: 1999-01-03 (94 years old)

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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.

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Filmography

all 144

Movies 117

TV Shows 27

self 5

Himself (archive footage)
Reel Injun

Reel Injun (2010)

Movie
Indian Raider
The Great Indian Wars 1840-1890

The Great Indian Wars 1840-1890 (1991)

Movie
Iron Eyes Cody
The Spirit of '76

The Spirit of '76 (1990)

Movie
Old Indian Chief
Ernest Goes to Camp

Ernest Goes to Camp (1987)

Movie
5.12
Chief Watashi
The A-Team

The A-Team (1983)

TV
3.29
Self
Hollywood

Hollywood (1980)

TV
Self
When the West Was Fun: A Western Reunion

When the West Was Fun: A Western Reunion (1979)

Movie
Standing Bear
Grayeagle

Grayeagle (1977)

Movie
Old Indian
The Quest

The Quest (1976)

Movie
The Immortal

The Immortal (1970)

TV
Santana
El Condor

El Condor (1970)

Movie
Medicine Man
A Man Called Horse

A Man Called Horse (1970)

Movie
4
Crazy Foot
The Cockeyed Cowboys of Calico County

The Cockeyed Cowboys of Calico County (1970)

Movie
Then Came Bronson

Then Came Bronson (1969)

TV
Chief
Something for a Lonely Man

Something for a Lonely Man (1968)

Movie
Medicine Man
Here's Lucy

Here's Lucy (1968)

TV
8
Hondo

Hondo (1967)

TV
Taka-Ta (uncredited)
Nevada Smith

Nevada Smith (1966)

Movie
Medicine Man
The F.B.I.

The F.B.I. (1965)

TV
Crazy Horse
The Great Sioux Massacre

The Great Sioux Massacre (1965)

Movie
Branded

Branded (1965)

TV
5.91
Chief Black Feather
The Virginian

The Virginian (1962)

TV
Charlie Two-Bits
Black Gold

Black Gold (1962)

Movie
Self
The Mike Douglas Show

The Mike Douglas Show (1961)

TV
Guestward, Ho!

Guestward, Ho! (1960)

TV
Outlaws

Outlaws (1960)

TV
The Tall Man

The Tall Man (1960)

TV
Sammy Hart
The Rebel

The Rebel (1959)

TV
2nd Indian on Train (uncredited)
Alias Jesse James

Alias Jesse James (1959)

Movie
Medicine Man (uncredited)
Rawhide

Rawhide (1959)

TV
4
Westinghouse Desilu Playhouse

Westinghouse Desilu Playhouse (1958)

TV
Lawman

Lawman (1958)

TV
Cuyloga's Counsellor
The Light in the Forest

The Light in the Forest (1958)

Movie
1st Indian Chief
Gun Fever

Gun Fever (1958)

Movie
Eskimo Pilot (uncredited)
The Lucy–Desi Comedy Hour

The Lucy–Desi Comedy Hour (1957)

TV
Cheyenne Indian (uncredited)
Ride Out for Revenge

Ride Out for Revenge (1957)

Movie
Mad Wolf
The Saga of Andy Burnett

The Saga of Andy Burnett (1957)

Movie
Maverick

Maverick (1957)

TV
5.33
The Thin Man

The Thin Man (1957)

TV
Joe White Cloud
Sugarfoot

Sugarfoot (1957)

TV
Chief
Gun for a Coward

Gun for a Coward (1956)

Movie
Many Stars
Westward Ho, The Wagons!

Westward Ho, The Wagons! (1956)

Movie
6
Nemanna
Dick Powell's Zane Grey Theatre

Dick Powell's Zane Grey Theatre (1956)

TV
Mountain Cloud
Johnny Moccasin

Johnny Moccasin (1956)

Movie
Red Rock
The Wild Dakotas

The Wild Dakotas (1956)

Movie
Sergeant Preston of the Yukon

Sergeant Preston of the Yukon (1955)

TV
Cheyenne

Cheyenne (1955)

TV
Indian
Gunsmoke

Gunsmoke (1955)

TV
6
The Life and Legend of Wyatt Earp

The Life and Legend of Wyatt Earp (1955)

TV
Apache Ambush

Apache Ambush (1955)

Movie
Crazy Horse
Sitting Bull

Sitting Bull (1954)

Movie
Chief Rasacura (uncredited)
Arrow In The Dust

Arrow In The Dust (1954)

Movie
Ben Iron Mountain
Fast Company

Fast Company (1953)

Movie
Apache with Major Dekker's Hat
Apache War Smoke

Apache War Smoke (1952)

Movie
Canook (uncredited)
Lost in Alaska

Lost in Alaska (1952)

Movie
Chief Yellow Cloud
Son of Paleface

Son of Paleface (1952)

Movie
Male Model
Ellis in Freedomland

Ellis in Freedomland (1952)

Movie
Indian with Pat (uncredited)
Apache Country

Apache Country (1952)

Movie
Osage Brave - Blue Shirt
Fort Osage

Fort Osage (1952)

Movie
Henchman Cherokee
Night Raiders

Night Raiders (1952)

Movie
Ute Indian
Red Mountain

Red Mountain (1951)

Movie
Brave Bear (as Iron Eyes)
Fort Defiance

Fort Defiance (1951)

Movie
Indian Copy Boy (uncredited)
Ace in the Hole

Ace in the Hole (1951)

Movie
1
The Adventures of Wild Bill Hickok

The Adventures of Wild Bill Hickok (1951)

TV
Indian
California Passage

California Passage (1950)

Movie
Longknife
Cherokee Uprising

Cherokee Uprising (1950)

Movie
Teese, Court Jester
Broken Arrow

Broken Arrow (1950)

Movie
The Iroquois Trail

The Iroquois Trail (1950)

Movie
Comanche (uncredited)
Comanche Territory

Comanche Territory (1950)

Movie
Cody of the Pony Express

Cody of the Pony Express (1950)

Movie
Chief Iron Eyes (uncredited)
Mrs. Mike

Mrs. Mike (1949)

Movie
Indian Farmer (uncredited)
The Cowboy and the Indians

The Cowboy and the Indians (1949)

Movie
Indian (uncredited)
Sand

Sand (1949)

Movie
Chief Yellowstone
Massacre River

Massacre River (1949)

Movie
Chief Iron Eyes
The Paleface

The Paleface (1948)

Movie
Wovoka
Indian Agent

Indian Agent (1948)

Movie
Toma (uncredited)
Blood on the Moon

Blood on the Moon (1948)

Movie
Geronimo
Train to Alcatraz

Train to Alcatraz (1948)

Movie
Indian Warrior
The Gallant Legion

The Gallant Legion (1948)

Movie
Indian
The Senator Was Indiscreet

The Senator Was Indiscreet (1947)

Movie
Indian Joe
Bowery Buckaroos

Bowery Buckaroos (1947)

Movie
Red Corn
Unconquered

Unconquered (1947)

Movie
Indian
So You Want to Keep Your Hair

So You Want to Keep Your Hair (1946)

Movie
Indian Scaring Caroline (uncredited)
Can't Help Singing

Can't Help Singing (1944)

Movie
Native (uncredited)
The Phantom

The Phantom (1943)

Movie
Indian
Dawn on the Great Divide

Dawn on the Great Divide (1942)

Movie
White Cloud (uncredited)
Springtime in the Rockies

Springtime in the Rockies (1942)

Movie
Indian
Overland Mail

Overland Mail (1942)

Movie
King of the Stallions

King of the Stallions (1942)

Movie
1st Friendly Indian
The Omaha Trail

The Omaha Trail (1942)

Movie
Indian / Indian (uncredited
Pierre of the Plains

Pierre of the Plains (1942)

Movie
Arab
Perils of Nyoka

Perils of Nyoka (1942)

Movie
Indian (uncredited)
Ten Gentlemen from West Point

Ten Gentlemen from West Point (1942)

Movie
Indian (uncredited)
My Gal Sal

My Gal Sal (1942)

Movie
Indian
Lawless Plainsmen

Lawless Plainsmen (1942)

Movie
Indian (uncredited)
Ride 'Em Cowboy

Ride 'Em Cowboy (1942)

Movie
Indian
Valley of the Sun

Valley of the Sun (1942)

Movie
Native Henchman at Mill [Ch. 5]
Don Winslow of the Navy

Don Winslow of the Navy (1942)

Movie
Carlos
King of the Texas Rangers

King of the Texas Rangers (1941)

Movie
Hostile Indian
This Woman Is Mine

This Woman Is Mine (1941)

Movie
6
Black Eagle
Saddlemates

Saddlemates (1941)

Movie
Indian
In Old Cheyenne

In Old Cheyenne (1941)

Movie
Indian Who Drinks Chemical Solution
Western Union

Western Union (1941)

Movie
Indian (uncredited)
Arizona

Arizona (1940)

Movie
Indian
Pony Post

Pony Post (1940)

Movie
Big Bear
Young Bill Hickok

Young Bill Hickok (1940)

Movie
Indian
Too Many Girls

Too Many Girls (1940)

Movie
Indian Henchman
Colorado

Colorado (1940)

Movie
Indian
Kit Carson

Kit Carson (1940)

Movie
indian
Winners of the West

Winners of the West (1940)

Movie
Acuna's Aide
Young Buffalo Bill

Young Buffalo Bill (1940)

Movie
Indian (uncredited) / Stunts
Green Hell

Green Hell (1940)

Movie
Indian Joe - Harrington's Henchman
Crashing Thru

Crashing Thru (1939)

Movie
Indian Chief
Overland Mail

Overland Mail (1939)

Movie
2nd Indian at Post
Fighting Mad

Fighting Mad (1939)

Movie
Running Wolf
Overland with Kit Carson

Overland with Kit Carson (1939)

Movie
Crow Foot
The Oregon Trail

The Oregon Trail (1939)

Movie
Brave
Across the Plains

Across the Plains (1939)

Movie
Indian (uncredited)
Union Pacific

Union Pacific (1939)

Movie
Wild West Show Indian
The Kid From Texas

The Kid From Texas (1939)

Movie
Stunts
Stagecoach

Stagecoach (1939)

Movie
4.33
Indian
Scouts to the Rescue

Scouts to the Rescue (1939)

Movie
Rodeo Indian (uncredited)
The Cowboy and the Lady

The Cowboy and the Lady (1938)

Movie
Bullet-Bringer
The Lone Ranger

The Lone Ranger (1938)

Movie
Indian (uncredited)
Prairie Thunder

Prairie Thunder (1937)

Movie
The Boss Rider of Gun Creek

The Boss Rider of Gun Creek (1936)

Movie
Indian (uncredited)
The Bold Caballero

The Bold Caballero (1936)

Movie
Comanche War Party Leader (uncredited)
Ride, Ranger, Ride

Ride, Ranger, Ride (1936)

Movie
Little Deer
Treachery Rides the Range

Treachery Rides the Range (1936)

Movie
Chief Brown Fox
Custer's Last Stand

Custer's Last Stand (1936)

Movie
Indian Dancer (uncredited)
Rose Marie

Rose Marie (1936)

Movie
Chief Brown Fox
Custer's Last Stand

Custer's Last Stand (1936)

Movie
Cat Man
Chandu on the Magic Island

Chandu on the Magic Island (1935)

Movie
Cat Man
The Return of Chandu

The Return of Chandu (1934)

Movie
Temple Guard [Chs. 2-3]
Young Eagles

Young Eagles (1934)

Movie
Indian (uncredited)
Massacre

Massacre (1934)

Movie
Cheyenne Rider
Fighting With Kit Carson

Fighting With Kit Carson (1933)

Movie
Circus Indian
King of the Arena

King of the Arena (1933)

Movie
Indian (uncredited)
Wild Girl

Wild Girl (1932)

Movie
Little Eagle
Texas Pioneers

Texas Pioneers (1932)

Movie
Indian at Sideshow (uncredited)
Murders in the Rue Morgue

Murders in the Rue Morgue (1932)

Movie
5.73
John Tom
The Rainbow Trail

The Rainbow Trail (1932)

Movie
War Eagle
Oklahoma Jim

Oklahoma Jim (1931)

Movie
Indian (uncredited)
The Viking

The Viking (1928)

Movie

Ratings

Average 5.41
Based on 277 Thousand movie and tv ratings over time
1928
1940
1949
1941
2010
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Iron Eyes CodyIron Eyes CodyIron Eyes Cody

Information

Known For
Acting

Gender
Male

Birthday
1904-04-03

Deathday
1999-01-03 (94 years old)

Birth Name
Espera Oscar de Corti

Birth Place
Vermilion Parish, United States of America

Citizenships
United States of America

Also Known As
Iron Eyes, The Crying Indian (nickname), Espera Oscar de Corti

Awards
star on Hollywood Walk of Fame


This article uses material from Wikipedia.
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