Iron Eyes Cody

[Fishoz]

Anyone watch American Pickers last nite?

You all know who Iron Eyes Cody is.....the tearing American Indian in the '70 ad Keep America Beautiful...ya, that's him. Played many American Indian roles in movies and TV over his amazing 50 year career.

Amazing fact revealed on pickers last nite (not a secret though, just never brought up). Iron Eyes Cody was born Espera Oscar de Corti!!! He's a paisan!!!

Amazing what Hollywood can do.....!

 

[WOPL Sniffer]

He wasn't the one in "One Flew Over the CUCOO's Nest" was he???

 

[Fishoz]

No...

A couple of his movies. Sitting Bull and The Great Sioux Massacre. He played Crazy Horse in both.

 

[WOPL Sniffer]

Had to look that up, yer right, that was Will Sampson... But he was real Native American.

 

[Lazarus Short]

I'm reminded of a story I heard of a Sioux who went to Hollywood, seeking a part as an American Indian. He was told, no we don't hire Indians to play Indians, because they don't look like the public's perception of Indians. Who do you hire then? We hire Italians, because they look like what the public expects Indians to look like. So, who do you hire to play Italians? Italians don't look like what the public expects, so we hire Jews to play Italians...etc...etc...etc. The story went full circle until the Sioux found out what they did hire Indians to play, but I don't remember the end of the cycle. Crazy, huh?

 

[MarkWComer]

Funny... Chief Wild Eagle (Frank DeKova) on F-Troop was also paisano! However, his sidekick Crazy Cat (Don Diamond) was of Russian descent.

Coulda fooled me- I could have sworn they were all Jewish!