Iron Eyes Cody homage The Big Trail 1930 The Crying Indian Black Canyon Arizona 2004
by David Lee Guss
Title
Iron Eyes Cody homage The Big Trail 1930 The Crying Indian Black Canyon Arizona 2004
Artist
David Lee Guss
Medium
Photograph - Photography
Description
Iron Eyes Cody (1907-1999) was best known as "The Crying Indian" in the "Keep America Beautiful" commercial narrated by William Conrad (1920-1994).
He appeared in over 200 films from 1930 to 1987. His first film was as an extra in Raoul Walsh's "The Big Trail," which starred a 23 year old John Wayne.
Cody became enamored of all things Native American. While even looking Indian he was in actuality the son of Sicilian immigrants, with the birth name of Espera de Corti. He falsely claimed to be of Cherokee and Cree ancestry.
Cody played Native Americans in all his movies.
Cody also worked as a technical advisor on several films, with an Indian theme, including "The Great Sioux Massacre" (1965) shot at Old Tucson, Arizona.
Besides playing an extra in "The Big Trail," he was uncredited as a stunt man.
The 70mm "Trail" was expected to make a star of the then unknown John Wayne. It didn't, and Duke then spent nine years making cheap Westerns. The newly opened Fox Tucson theater showed "The Big Trail."
In a 1930 still photo of the Fox, no mention was made of Wayne on the marquee, only Raoul Walsh. The marquee claimed that "Trail" was: "The most important picture ever made."
@2009 David Lee Guss Film homage, Iron Eyes Cody, The Big Trail, 1930, Black Canyon, AZ, 2004-2008
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April 23rd, 2013
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