Iron Eyes Cody
Born
April 3, 1907
Died
January 3, 1999 (91 years old)
Known For
Acting
Place of Birth
Gueydan, Louisiana, USA
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.
The Hypocrite
Crying Indian (archival footage)
2024
The Great Indian Wars 1840-1890
1991
The Spirit of '76
Iron Eyes Cody
1990
Ernest Goes to Camp
Old Indian Chief
1987
The A-Team
Chief Watashi · (1 episode)
1983
Hollywood
Self · (13 episodes)
1980
When the West Was Fun: A Western Reunion
Self
1979
Grayeagle
Standing Bear
1977
The Quest
Old Indian
1976
The Immortal
(1 episode)
1970
El Condor
Santana
1970
A Man Called Horse
Medicine Man
1970
The Cockeyed Cowboys of Calico County
Crazy Foot
1970
Medical Center
Chanter · (1 episode)
1969
Then Came Bronson
(1 episode)
1969
Something for a Lonely Man
Chief
1968
Here's Lucy
Medicine Man · (1 episode)
1968
Hondo
(2 episodes)
1967
Nevada Smith
Taka-Ta (uncredited)
1966
The F.B.I.
Medicine Man · (1 episode)
1965
The Great Sioux Massacre
Crazy Horse
1965
Branded
(1 episode)
1965
The Virginian
Chief Black Feather · (1 episode)
1962
Black Gold
Charlie Two-Bits
1962
The Mike Douglas Show
Self · (1 episode)
1961
Mister Ed
Chief Thundercloud · (1 episode)
1961
Guestward, Ho!
(1 episode)
1960
Outlaws
(1 episode)
1960
The Tall Man
(1 episode)
1960
The Rebel
Sammy Hart · (1 episode)
1959
Alias Jesse James
2nd Indian on Train (uncredited)
1959
Rawhide
Medicine Man (uncredited) · (1 episode)
1959
Rawhide
John Redcloud · (1 episode)
1959
Westinghouse Desilu Playhouse
(1 episode)
1958
Lawman
(1 episode)
1958
The Light in the Forest
Cuyloga's Counsellor
1958
Gun Fever
1st Indian Chief
1958
The Lucy–Desi Comedy Hour
Eskimo Pilot (uncredited) · (1 episode)
1957
Ride Out for Revenge
Cheyenne Indian (uncredited)
1957
The Saga of Andy Burnett
Mad Wolf
1957
Maverick
(1 episode)
1957
The Thin Man
(1 episode)
1957
Sugarfoot
Joe White Cloud · (1 episode)
1957
Gun for a Coward
Chief
1956
Westward Ho, The Wagons!
Many Stars
1956
Dick Powell's Zane Grey Theatre
Nemanna · (1 episode)
1956
Johnny Moccasin
Mountain Cloud
1956
The Wild Dakotas
Red Rock
1956
Sergeant Preston of the Yukon
(2 episodes)
1955
Cheyenne
(1 episode)
1955
Gunsmoke
Indian · (1 episode)
1955
The Life and Legend of Wyatt Earp
(1 episode)
1955
Apache Ambush
1955
Sitting Bull
Crazy Horse
1954
Arrow In The Dust
Chief Rasacura (uncredited)
1954
Fast Company
Ben Iron Mountain
1953
Apache War Smoke
Apache with Major Dekker's Hat
1952
Lost in Alaska
Canook (uncredited)
1952
Son of Paleface
Chief Yellow Cloud
1952
Ellis in Freedomland
Male Model
1952
Apache Country
Indian with Pat (uncredited)
1952
Fort Osage
Osage Brave - Blue Shirt
1952
Night Raiders
Henchman Cherokee
1952
Red Mountain
Ute Indian
1951
Fort Defiance
Brave Bear (as Iron Eyes)
1951
Ace in the Hole
Indian Copy Boy (uncredited)
1951
The Adventures of Wild Bill Hickok
(2 episodes)
1951
California Passage
Indian
1950
Cherokee Uprising
Longknife
1950
Broken Arrow
Teese (uncredited)
1950
The Iroquois Trail
1950
Comanche Territory
Comanche (uncredited)
1950
Cody of the Pony Express
Indian Who Slugs Cody (archive footage) (uncredited)
1950
Mrs. Mike
Chief Iron Eyes (uncredited)
1949
The Cowboy and the Indians
Indian Farmer (uncredited)
1949
Sand
Indian (uncredited)
1949
Massacre River
Chief Yellowstone
1949
The Paleface
Chief Iron Eyes
1948
Indian Agent
Wovoka
1948
Blood on the Moon
Toma (uncredited)
1948
Train to Alcatraz
Geronimo
1948
The Gallant Legion
Indian Warrior
1948
The Senator Was Indiscreet
Indian
1947
Bowery Buckaroos
Indian Joe
1947
Unconquered
Red Corn
1947
Can't Help Singing
Indian Scaring Caroline (uncredited)
1944
The Phantom
Native (uncredited)
1943
Dawn on the Great Divide
Indian
1942
Springtime in the Rockies
White Cloud (uncredited)
1942
Overland Mail
Indian
1942
King of the Stallions
1942
The Omaha Trail
1st Friendly Indian
1942
Pierre of the Plains
Indian (uncredited
1942
Pierre of the Plains
Indian
1942
Perils of Nyoka
Arab
1942
Ten Gentlemen from West Point
Indian (uncredited)
1942
My Gal Sal
Indian (uncredited)
1942
Lawless Plainsmen
Indian
1942
Ride 'Em Cowboy
Indian (uncredited)
1942
Valley of the Sun
Indian
1942
Don Winslow of the Navy
Native Henchman at Mill [Ch. 5]
1942
King of the Texas Rangers
Carlos
1941
This Woman Is Mine
Hostile Indian
1941
Saddlemates
Black Eagle
1941
In Old Cheyenne
Indian
1941
Western Union
Indian Who Drinks Chemical Solution
1941
Arizona
Indian (uncredited)
1940
Pony Post
Indian
1940
North West Mounted Police
Indian Brave (Uncredited)
1940
Young Bill Hickok
Big Bear
1940
Too Many Girls
Indian
1940
Colorado
Indian Henchman
1940
Kit Carson
Indian
1940
Untamed
Indian (uncredited)
1940
Winners of the West
indian
1940
Young Buffalo Bill
Acuna's Aide
1940
Green Hell
Indian (uncredited)
1940
Maintain the Right
Killer
1940
Crashing Thru
Indian Joe - Harrington's Henchman
1939
Overland Mail
Indian Chief
1939
Fighting Mad
2nd Indian at Post
1939
Overland with Kit Carson
Running Wolf
1939
The Oregon Trail
Crow Foot
1939
Across the Plains
Brave
1939
Union Pacific
Indian (uncredited)
1939
The Kid From Texas
Wild West Show Indian
1939
Scouts to the Rescue
Indian
1939
The Cowboy and the Lady
Rodeo Indian (uncredited)
1938
The Lone Ranger
Bullet-Bringer
1938
Prairie Thunder
Indian (uncredited)
1937
The Boss Rider of Gun Creek
1936
The Bold Caballero
Indian (uncredited)
1936
Ride, Ranger, Ride
Comanche War Party Leader (uncredited)
1936
Treachery Rides the Range
Little Deer
1936
Custer's Last Stand
Chief Brown Fox
1936
Rose Marie
Indian Dancer (uncredited)
1936
Custer's Last Stand
Chief Brown Fox
1936
The Farmer Takes a Wife
Indian
1935
Chandu on the Magic Island
Cat Man
1935
The Return of Chandu
Cat Man
1934
Young Eagles
Temple Guard
1934
Massacre
Indian (uncredited)
1934
Fighting With Kit Carson
Cheyenne Rider
1933
King of the Arena
Circus Indian
1933
Wild Girl
Indian (uncredited)
1932
Texas Pioneers
Little Eagle
1932
Murders in the Rue Morgue
Indian at Sideshow (uncredited)
1932
The Rainbow Trail
John Tom
1932
Oklahoma Jim
War Eagle
1931
The Viking
Indian (uncredited)
1928