In 1964 during a fish-in, which was a protest to honor fishing rights on Puget Sound promised to Native American tribes, he was even arrested. Sacheen Littlefeather holds a written statement from actor Marlon Brando refusing his Best Actor Oscar on stage at the Academy Awards, Los Angeles, California. ACADEMY APOLOGIZES TO SACHEEN LITTLEFEATHER NEARLY 50 YEARS AFTER REJECTING AN OSCAR ON MARLON BRANDO'S BEHALF, At the 1973 Academy Awards, Sacheen Littlefeather refused the Academy Award for Best Actor on behalf of Marlon Brando who won for his role in The Godfather. [2][3], Aspiring to become an actress, Littlefeather picked up several radio and television commercial credits and joined the Screen Actors Guild. [7] She said that the federal government encouraged the blacklisting to abate Native American activism after Wounded Knee. He instead sent Sacheen Littlefeather (born Marie Cruz), a young Apache/Yaqui activist who had participated in the Alcatraz Island occupation. Sacheen Littlefeather holds a written statement from actor Marlon Brando refusing his Best Actor Oscar on stage at the Academy Awards, Los Angeles, California. The strange, sad tale of Sacheen Littlefeather: Did icon fake a Native American identity? My mom was a very sweet, kind person, Orlandi said. [134], "Littlefeather" redirects here. [30][31], While living in the San Francisco Bay area in the early 1970s, Littlefeather participated in the 1971 American Indian Festival at Foothill College, judged a local 1972 beauty pageant as "Princess Littlefeather", and organized a 1972 American Indian Festival at the Palace of Fine Arts. [23] She played the role of Paleflower in Winterhawk, filmed in Kalispell, Montana. (AP Photo/File), Sacheen Littlefeather (born Marie Louise Cruz, 1946 - 2022) on stage at AMPAS Presents An Evening with Sacheen Littlefeather at Academy Museum of Motion Pictures on September 17, 2022 in Los Angeles, California. FILE - Sacheen Littlefeather, a Native American activist, tells the audience at the Academy Awards ceremony in Los Angeles, March 27, 1973, that Marlon Brando was declining to accept his. They also said that their father, who was born in Oxnard, California, was of Spanish-Mexican descent and had no tribal ties. Cody, a second-generation Italian American actor, has become infamous for falsely claiming to be Native American after playing the role in movies, TV and the Keep America Beautiful public service ads in the early 1970s. The caller was Marlon Brando, she told her younger sister, Trudy Orlandi, and he had asked Littlefeather to appear on his behalf at the Academy Awards the following night, in case he won the best actor award for The Godfather.. [18][19] In 1969, she joined the United Bay Indian Council. Powered and implemented by FactSet Digital Solutions. A group of heavily-armed Oglala Lakota and their American Indian Movement supporters overtook a trading post in the town of Wounded Knee, the site of the 1890 massacre. In an email to The Times, Littlefeather's family confirmed her death, saying she died peacefully, surrounded by . [79][7] Actor Jay Silverheels, who played Tonto in The Lone Ranger and later founded the Indian Actors Workshop, commented that he didn't think Littlefeather's appearance at Oscars "did any harm or any particular good. Other claims appear to have been exaggerated or are simply false, including that she worked with Mother Teresa on AIDS patients, that she participated in the Native American protest/occupation at Alcatraz and that John Wayne tried to attack her at her Oscars appearance. [101] Although St. Mary's Hospital and Health Center did receive an Achievement Citation from the Catholic Health Association of the United States in 1986 for Traditional Indian Medicine's Role in the Carondelet Health System,[102] an article about the award only mentions the initiator of the program, Apache nurse Belinda Acosta, and the program coordinator, Ann Hubbert. The emotional burden you have lived through and the cost to your own career in our industry are irreparable. Dina Gilo-Whitaker is a lecturer of American Indian Studies at California State University San Marcos. [7] She said in a 2021 interview that the cancer had metastasized to her right lung and that she was terminal. Canby has started an oral history project with Native American elders in Marin County. Winning the Academy Award in 1973 for "The Godfather," Brando sent a woman clad in Apache dress named Sacheen Littlefeather to turn down the award on his behalf. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Brando's speech addressed the stereotypes of Native Americans in films long before the subject would be taken seriously in the industry. Maybe she didnt have the piece of paper to prove it, but theres no doubt about who she was., Other scholars and activists say Littlefeathers alleged fraud was an open secret for years, and that she obscured, embellished or fabricated biographical details. [20] She claims to have participated part-time in the occupation of Alcatraz in 1970, though this claim has been disputed. At the time, Brando was a top Hollywood supporter of the American Indian Movement and acquainted with Littlefeather through her neighbor, Francis Ford Coppola. Some felt that Brando was making a mockery of the awards, while others felt that he was jumping on a social cause bandwagon. A few months after the Academy Awards, Brando was a guest on The Dick Cavett Show, where he eloquently explained his position and showed no regrets for asking Littlefeather to attend the Oscars. Sacheen Littlefeather, the Native American activist who declined Marlon Brando's Best Actor Oscar for him in a memorable 1973 speech, passed away on Sunday. "He told me Id done a great job," she said. Marlon Brando Michael Caine Peter O'Toole Laurence Olivier [21] Around this time she adopted the name Sacheen Littlefeather. [57] She also said that media reports published several falsehoods, such as that she was not Native American or had rented the outfit for the occasion. She committed herself to other health education work as well and worked with Mother Theresa doing hospice care for AIDS patients. Celebrating creativity and promoting a positive culture by spotlighting the best sides of humanityfrom the lighthearted and fun to the thought-provoking and enlightening. And the reasons for this being are the treatment of American Indians today by the film industryexcuse me [booing and applause] and on television in movie re-runs, and also with recent happenings at Wounded Knee. Littlefeather, a White Mountain Apache, said Brando was "delighted" by the performance, which was a protest he supported on the depiction of Native Americans by the film industry, Deadlinereported on Monday. Sacheen Littlefeather stunned Hollywood when she was sent on behalf of Marlon Brando to reject his 1973 Oscar for best actor in "The Godfather." Nearly 50 years later, the Native American. Legal Statement. During her speech, the audience's response to Brando's boycotting was divided between booing and applause. The favorite to win, Brando boycotted the ceremony as a protest against Hollywood's portrayal of Native Americans and to draw attention to the standoff at Wounded Knee. She was accompanied by Brando's secretary, Alice Marchak, and wore an Apache buckskin dress. Daily Question: In 1973, Sacheen Littlefeather declined an Oscar on which actor's behalf? Mutual Fund and ETF data provided by Refinitiv Lipper. To her, Sacheen was Marie Louise Cruz from Salinas, and they had a Mexican American father and White mother. (Frazer Harrison/Getty Images). The outlet shared that after the speech, Littlefeather went to Brandos house. [84], In June 2022, the Academy sent Littlefeather a statement of apology, in which the organization's then-president David Rubin wrote: "The abuse you endured because of this statement was unwarranted and unjustified. 2023 FOX News Network, LLC. [20] In 1970, as "Sacheen Littlefeather of Alcatraz", she was named Miss Vampire USA, a promotion for House of Dark Shadows. Jessica Stewart is a Contributing Writer and Digital Media Specialist for My Modern Met, as well as a curator and art historian. [63][64][65][66][67] This claim has since been disputed by film historian Farran Nehme and biographer Scott Eyman. 2023 FOX News Network, LLC. Debunking a Hollywood myth", "John Wayne and the Six Security Men: An Investigation", "Clint Eastwood Faces Online Scrutiny for 1973 Academy Awards Comment", "Catching up with Sacheen Littlefeather, 40 years after her controversial brush with Oscar history", "Yoko Ono, Sacheen Littlefeather deliver Summer TV Tour into the past", "Sacheen Littlefeather recounts blacklisting, assassination attempts", "Reel Injun: On the Trail of the Hollywood Indian", "Meet the woman who refused Marlon Brando's Oscar and inspired Jada Pinkett Smith's boycott", "Academy Apologizes to Sacheen Littlefeather for Her Mistreatment at the 1973 Oscars (Exclusive)", "Academy Issues Formal Apology to Sacheen Littlefeather for 1973 Oscars: 'I Never Thought I'd Live to See the Day', "38th Annual American Indian Film Festival Awards Ceremony", "NVTV-38th Annual-American Indian Film Festival Award Ceremony 2013", "Medium Rare Looks Inside the Indian Theater", "John Kauffman Jr., 42, Artistic Director, Actor", "Dance in America: A Song for Dead Warriors", "Letter made Mandela aware of Indians' plight", "Letting the Indian Go: The Evolution of the Tam Mascot", "Marin resident embarks on American Indian oral history project", "Trustees vote to retain Braves name for Tomales High mascot", "Welcome to the San Francisco Kateri Circle", "The Indian Way: Traditional Indian medicine joins science in the hospital", "St. Mary's to sponsor conference on traditional Indian medicine", "A partnership of a Catholic faith-based health system, nursing and traditional American Indian medicine practitioners", "Indian activist optimistic: Littlefeather says 'Wolves' has helped", "Mother Teresa Is Dead / The Bay Area was close to her heart", "First Lady Joins Memorial by Allen White", "Indian Philosopher's Words Will Come to Life in Play", "Films still stereotype Indians, actor says", "Experience An Historic Celebration The Americas Before Columbus", "Sacheen Littlefeather-Declaration to SD Attorney General's Office", "A Letter to Marlon Brando About Putting an Indian on the Oscar Stage", "Sacheen Littlefeather, who declined Brando's Oscar, dies at 75", "Publicity was not my reason for doing it", "Sacheen Littlefeather, Who Rejected Oscar for Marlon Brando, Has Stage 4 Cancer", "Sacheen Littlefeather, Who Delivered Marlon Brando's Oscar Rejection Speech, Dies at 75", "Sacheen Littlefeather, Activist Who Took the Stage to Decline Marlon Brando's Oscar, Dies at 75", "Sacheen Littlefeather and the Question of Native Identity", "Brando was a rebel in the movies, a character in life", "Sacheen Littlefather's sisters say she was not Native American. "[72][71] Michael Caine, the night's co-host, criticized Brando for "letting some poor little Indian girl take the boos" instead of "[standing] up and [doing] it himself". En marzo de 1973 la actriz y activista indgena Sacheen Littlefeather se present en la gala de los Premios scar y declin sostener la estatuilla que haba ganado Marlon Brando por su papel de Vito Corleone en El Padrino . The actress, who had breast cancer, died on Sunday . Demanding a regime change from the U.S.-backed tribal government that had been mistreating the reservation's residents for years, the occupiers found themselves in a 71-day armed battle against the FBI and the U.S. Since 2020, she is also one of the co-hosts of the My Modern Met. [99] In the 1980s, she led prayer circles for Kateri Tekakwitha, the first Native American Catholic saint. [43], In 1975, Littlefeather reported that she was working on a movie script about Edward S. Curtis with Cap Weinberger, Jr, who had written an article about Curtis for Smithsonian magazine. [5][7] Both Geroldine and Manuel were saddlemakers. The registry was founded in the early 1980s by Muscogee actor Will Sampson, who worked with the American Native Association to publish a directory of American Indians in the arts and entertainment fields. For too long the courage you showed has been unacknowledged. [81][82], Coretta Scott King commended Brando for his non-violent stand, stating, "It is gratifying to see people in entertainment increasingly concerned about injustices in society and not just interested in making money. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, [1], Littlefeather died at her home in Novato, California, on October 2, 2022, at the age of 75. Native Americans had virtually no representation in the film industry in 1973, and they were primarily used as extras while lead roles depicting Indians in several generations of Westerns were almost always awarded to white actors. Retrieved from https://www.thoughtco.com/sacheen-littlefeather-academy-awards-2477981. Littlefeather, who just passed away on October 2, 2022 at age 75, was only 26 years old when she took the stage after Brando was announced as the winner of the Best Actor Award. And while Brando's motives weren't fully appreciated at the time, today it's clear that he was ahead of his time. They say their sisters speech was the first time anyone in their Salinas family had ever talked about being Native American. It's our method of survival. By 1949, they had moved to Salinas and opened up their own business, Cruz Saddlery. ThoughtCo. [20][35], Playboy magazine planned a spread called "10 Little Indians" in 1972, and one of the models was Littlefeather, but the spread was cancelled. In this combination image, Native American Sacheen Littlefeather speaks at the 45th Academy Awards. As the 50th anniversary of Littlefeathers Oscars moment approaches, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences continues to showcase Littlefeather as an icon of diversity in its glittery new museum in Los Angeles, where she is featured in an exhibit about iconic moments in the award ceremonys history. Sacheen Littlefeathers work on famed San Francisco ballet among suspect claims. [18] She learned more about Native American customs from elders and other protesters, like Adam Fortunate Eagle (then known as Adam Nordwall). [74], After giving the speech, Littlefeather spent two days in Los Angeles before returning to San Francisco. [15] In 1969, she moved to the San Francisco Bay Area to pursue a modeling career with a portfolio of photos taken by Kenneth Cook of Cook's Photography. Legal Statement. Did Sacheen Littlefeather share true story about John Wayne trying to attack her? Mutual Fund and ETF data provided by Refinitiv Lipper. "I beg at this time that I have not intruded on this evening, and that in the future our hearts and our understandings will meet with love and generosity," Littlefeather added as she rejected the Academy Awardfor Brando. The activist, who also worked as an actress, changed her name from Marie Louise Cruz to Sacheen Littlefeather after rediscovering her Native American heritage and becoming active in protests as a young woman. "It was the first time anyone had made a political statement at the Oscars," Littlefeather said in the documentary, as quoted by the outlet. Market data provided by Factset. The Academy Museum Owes An Exhibit", "Sacheen Littlefeather Modeling For Photo Shoot", "Interview with Sacheen Cruz Littlefeather on Alcatraz", "Whatever Became of Sacheen Littlefeather? [76], According to Ann Brebner of the Brebner Agency, which handled Littlefeather's modeling bookings, she was deluged with mail and phone calls after her Oscars appearance, which led to radio and television appearances as well as the opportunity to read for several film roles. Things did not go quite as planned. Receive our Weekly Newsletter. [39] Looking back at the photo shoot, Littlefeather later said, "I was young and dumb.