2023 FOX News Network, LLC. Trouble was brewing even before Littlefeather arrived at the podium. She continued her activism for Native American issues including healthcare and unemployment, and produced films about Native Americans. At the time of the Oscars, she had known Brando for nearly a year. Littlefeather died at her home in Novato, California, after a years-long battle with breast cancer, which eventually metastasized to her right lung. [25] In 1988, she stated that her parents lived next door to her maternal grandparents, Marie and Gerold "Barney" Barnitz, while she and her two younger sisters lived with those grandparents. The 74-year-old is the subject of a new documentary titled "Sacheen: Breaking The Silence," which details the famous political speech and its aftermath. [1] After recovering, she received a degree from Antioch University in holistic health and nutrition with an emphasis in Native American medicine, a practice she credited with her recovery. Sacheen Littlefeather addressing the 45th Academy Awards in October 1973, declining Marlon Brando's Oscar for best actor on his behalf. Daily Question: In 1973, Sacheen Littlefeather declined an Oscar on which actor's behalf? [71], The audience in the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion was divided between applause and jeers. [Brando] very regretfully cannot accept this very generous award. (Karl Mondon/Bay Area News Group), Chief Phillip Whiteman Jr., Rebecca Brando, Sacheen Littlefeather (born Marie Louise Cruz, 1946 - 2022) and Christian Bale attend the Red Nation Film Festival And Awards Ceremony at Laemmle's Ahrya Fine Arts Theatre on November 15, 2019 in Beverly Hills, California. Check out what's clicking on Foxnews.com. [119] She participated in events commemorating the 50th anniversary of the Occupation of Alcatraz, including serving as head pow wow judge. It's disgusting to the heritage of the tribal people. [2][3], Aspiring to become an actress, Littlefeather picked up several radio and television commercial credits and joined the Screen Actors Guild. [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. [123], Littlefeather studied orthomolecular nutrition and later said that she had "wanted to see where all the 'white' food came from" so she went to Sweden and lived in Stockholm. [4][5] She later said that she "learned early in life that there was probably a place for me in the dramatic art field, acting if you have a parent who's deaf, you naturally have to act out messages to them," referring to communicating with her father. [50] He called Littlefeather and asked her to appear on his behalf. "They should have at least had the courtesy to listen to her. 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.. In one of her first interviews after the speech, she mentioned that they met "through his interest in the Indian movement". [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. Sacheen Littlefeather stunned Hollywood when she was sent on behalf of Marlon Brando to reject his 1973 Oscar for best actor in "The Godfather." Powered and implemented by FactSet Digital Solutions. Marshal Service as the eyes of the nation watched on the evening news. "He very regretfully cannot accept this very generous award," she said , citing "the treatment of American Indians today" by the film and television industry. It was a moving presentation, but it was a pretend Sacheen, said Orlandi, who lives in Marin County now. After giving brief remarks and announcing the five nominees, they declared Brando as the winner. She wore a buckskin dress and moccasins. The Native American actor and activist has died of breast cancer at age 75. While some in the audience applauded Littlefeather, her presence at the awards ruffled feathers. 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. And Brando had decided to cast the 26-year-old aspiring actress as his Oscars proxy to reject the award, denounce the negative stereotyping of American Indians in entertainment and bring attention to the Wounded Knee Occupation protest in South Dakota. And the reasons for this being are the treatment of American Indians today by the film industry, she said as the audience began to boo, and on television in movie reruns, and also with recent happenings at Wounded Knee.. [27] A 1999 article stated she had developed colon cancer in the early 1990s. She graduated from Northwestern University with a BA degree in German studies and from Mills College with a MFA degree in creative writing and English. He clearly understood the effect that this had not only on adults but, in particular, children. She is a member of the Colville Confederated Tribes. Attempts were made at non-violent protests the Alcatraz occupation was completely nonviolent although it lasted well over a year but there were times when violence seemed like the only way to bring attention to the problem. The outlet shared that after the speech, Littlefeather went to Brandos house. She's a friend of mine that I introduced to B She's an Indian princess. In a 1974 interview, she stated that her mother left her father when she was 4 and took her to live with her maternal grandparents. Legal Statement. Mutual Fund and ETF data provided by Refinitiv Lipper. [85][86], She described the Academy's apology to her as "a dream come true", and said that "we Indians are very patient peopleit's only been 50 years!" Retrieved from https://www.thoughtco.com/sacheen-littlefeather-academy-awards-2477981. ", CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR THE ENTERTAINMENT NEWSLETTER. [96], She continued doing activism and became a respected member of California's Native American community. Fox News Flash top entertainment and celebrity headlines are here. Market data provided by Factset. The activist had been battling. According to Littlefeather, she could "hear the boos and jeers" as she came on stage. [56][57][58] Koch recalled that he permitted her to stay and make her speech after she promised not to make a scene. At the time, Brando was a top Hollywood supporter of the American Indian Movement and acquainted with Littlefeather through her neighbor, Francis Ford Coppola. Dina Gilo-Whitaker is a lecturer of American Indian Studies at California State University San Marcos. It was around the same time Littlefeather reportedly suffered a breakdown. [1][127] She stated that she was suicidal and hospitalized in a mental institution for a year. For other uses, see, Last edited on 19 February 2023, at 08:33, Hollywood's portrayal of Native Americans, Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, Catholic Health Association of the United States, "Sacheen Littlefeather was a Native icon. He subsequently published a letter received from Littlefeather's lawyer, which asked him to clarify that Littlefeather was Native American, with a father who was "Yaqui and White Mountain Apache". [44] She emceed an evening performance at the United National Indian Tribal Youth conference in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, in 1976. Native American people were in the bottom strata of all socioeconomic indicators, and it was clear to American Indian youth that change was not going to happen without dramatic action. Marlon Brando Michael Caine Peter O'Toole Laurence Olivier [37][112] Obituaries for Littlefeather's father and maternal grandmother do not mention a biological son in the family, only Littlefeather and her two younger sisters. [78], Littlefeather credited the speech with bringing attention back to the situation at Wounded Knee,[57] though news coverage of the standoff at the time makes little mention of Littlefeather or Brando. The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences announced the news on its social media accounts. Things did not go quite as planned. Should We Celebrate Thanksgiving and the Pilgrims? Quotes displayed in real-time or delayed by at least 15 minutes. (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. Then came Marlon Brando to bring it all to center stage quite literally. Tensions came to a head on the Oglala LakotaPine Ridge reservation in February 1973. She couldnt have been more Native, said Neconie, an enrolled member of the Pueblo of Acoma of New Mexico and former UC Berkeley assistant director of undergraduate admissions. (Karl Mondon/Bay Area News Group), Trudy Orlandi keeps of her sister Maria Cruz in the second grade at her home in San Anselmo, Calif., Thursday, Feb. 2, 2023. Her sisters say she was an ethnic fraud", "Big Littlefeather Lies Sacheen Littlefeather Lied About Native American Ancestry, Sisters Claim 'It is a fraud. In 1973, riding high off the success ofThe Godfather, actor Marlon Brando used his platform to give a voice to Native Americans. [54] Producer Howard W. Koch, she later said, told her "you can't read all that" in reference to the 739-word speech written by Brando,[55] so she condensed it all into 60 seconds. [52] For the performance he was nominated for Best Actor at the 45th Academy Awards, which were presented on March 27, 1973, at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion in Los Angeles, California. All rights reserved. [2][3], Littlefeather was born Marie Louise Cruz on November 14, 1946, in Salinas, 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. "[15] Littlefeather said she was diagnosed with schizophrenia. Sacheen Littlefeather died Sunday, Oct. 2, 2022, at her home in Marin County, Calif. She was 75. Actress and activist Sacheen Littlefeatherwho carried out Marlon Brando's protest against the treatment and portrayal of Native Americans at the 1973 Oscarshas died at the age of 75.. She famously rejected an Oscar on Marlon Brando's behalf in 1973 due, in part, to "the treatment of American Indians today by the film industry on television [and] in movie reruns," and was blacklisted by Hollywood as a result. [124][125][126][5] She stated that she wanted to travel in Europe to "see where the white people came from" just as people are "always going to reservations to see where the Indians came from". You've successfully subscribed to this newsletter! ', (Photo by Beck Starr/FilmMagic/Getty Images), Fox News Flash top entertainment headlines for April 25, Matthew McConaughey and Camila Alves take bumpy second flight after 'CHAOS' on Lufthansa plane: 'Wish me luck', Kelsey Grammer wont apologize for the 'difference' that Jesus has made in his life, Person roaming in 'Scream' Ghostface costume prompts multiple police calls, Kelsea Ballerini kisses Chase Stokes after criticizing ex amid nasty divorce, Why Kevin Bacon refuses to share the secret to his 35-year marriage to Kyra Sedgwick. You've successfully subscribed to this newsletter! https://www.thoughtco.com/sacheen-littlefeather-academy-awards-2477981 (accessed March 4, 2023). In June 2022, the Academy sent Littlefeather a statement of apology that was read in full at An Evening with Sacheen Littlefeather on September 17, two weeks before her death. Liv Ullmann and. She lives in San Francisco. [128], In 2018, Littlefeather developed stage IV breast cancer,[129] a recurrence of the breast cancer from which she was reported to be in remission in 2012. His theatrical training and instruction was carried out by Stella Adler, one of the most prestigious professors who developed Stanislavski's work in New York; some Saturdays he went to the Actor's Studio interested in Elia Kazan's classes. Stephanie Nolasco covers entertainment at Foxnews.com. When he was nominated for an Oscar for his infamous portrayal of Don Corleone in "The Godfather," he refused to attend the ceremony. [47] An account from the night of the Oscar ceremony describes Francis Ford Coppola observing Littlefeather on a TV monitor backstage and stating "Sacheen Littlefeather. "[71] When Clint Eastwood began presenting the Best Picture award, he joked, "I don't know if I should present this award on behalf of all the cowboys shot in all the John Ford Westerns over the years. Quotes displayed in real-time or delayed by at least 15 minutes. After Liv Ullmann and Roger Moore announced that Marlon Brando won Best Actor for his performance as Vito Corleone in "The Godfather", Littlefeather surprised audiences by walking on stage in his place. Sacheen Littlefeather is the subject of a new documentary titled 'Sacheen: Breaking The Silence. [5][27] She reported having tuberculosis at age four and received treatment in an oxygen tent while hospitalized. [27] Littlefeather participated in events related to a year-long celebration of the Americas before Columbus, but there is no record of a PBS show by either name being broadcast in 1992. Sacheen Littlefeather, the Native American activist who declined Marlon Brando's Oscar for "The Godfather" has died. (Photo by Beck Starr/FilmMagic/Getty Images). [4] She said she chose the name Sacheen because that was the name her father called her before he died, and Littlefeather came from the feather she always wore in her hair. Tyler Perrys Inspiring Oscars Acceptance Speech Denounces Hate, Zendaya Makes Emmy Awards History and Sets Two Records in One Night, Chlo Zhao Makes History as First Woman of Color To Win Oscar for Best Director, Natalie Portman Wore Cape Embroidered With Names of Women Directors Snubbed by Oscars. Get Morning Report and other email newsletters, Sacheen Littlefeather was giddy as she hung up the phone in her San Francisco apartment in March of 1973. [5][7] Both Geroldine and Manuel were saddlemakers. The speech was shared at a press conference after the ceremony and was published in its entirety by the New York Times. After Littlefeathers sisters learned about her death, they went public with their fraud allegations because, they said, their sisters lies maligned their parents, Manuel and Geroldine Cruz. 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 . When Brando was announced as the winner, Littlefeather took the stage dressed in full native regalia. 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. [10][11][12] After high school, she attended Hartnell Junior College and studied elementary education. (Sherry LaVars/Marin Independent Journal), Trudy Orlandi, with a 2nd grade portrait of her sister Maria Cruz, talks at her home in Marin County, Calif., Thursday, Feb. 2, 2023, about the woman who would later become famous as the Native American activist Sacheen Littlefeather. I didnt have an evening dress so Marlon told me to wear my buckskin. [5][37] Littlefeather was personally criticized for what was seen as exploitation of her fame,[38] but she explained that it was "strictly a business agreement" to earn the money needed to attend the World Theater Festival in Nancy, France. [130][131], Following Littlefeather's death, Navajo author Jacqueline Keeler interviewed Littlefeather's biological sisters Rosalind Cruz and Trudy Orlandi, who say their family did not have Native American ancestry. [24], In interviews, Littlefeather said she had a difficult childhood. 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. Marlon Brando Jr. (Omaha, Nebraska, April 3, 1924-Los Angeles, California, July 1, 2004) was an American film and theater actor. Sacheen Littlefeather, the activist who famously stood in for Marlon Brando to refuse the best actor Oscar in 1973, faked Native American ancestry, her family have said. Orlandi and Cruz just want the truth to be known about their family. LaNada War Jack, one of the student organizers of the 19-month-long Native American occupation of Alcatraz that started in 1969, told this news organization: We applauded her when she spoke at the Oscars but we knew she wasnt Native.. Indian activists had taken over the Bureau of Indian Affairs building the year before and the siege of Wounded Knee was underway in South Dakota. Fox News Flash top headlines are here. Market data provided by Factset. The History of the American Indian Movement (AIM), Indian Citizenship Act: Granted Citizenship but Not Voting Rights, The Native American Ghost Dance, a Symbol of Defiance, Top 10 Classic Films With a Social Message, Indian Reorganization Act: A New Deal for American Indians, 5 Common Indigenous Stereotypes in Film and Television. All Access Digital offer for just 99 cents! Gilio-Whitaker, Dina. Sacheen Littlefeather gets apology for abuse by John Wayne, others at 1973 Oscars Sacheen Littlefeather, who famously took to the stage when Marlon Brando won an Oscar for The Godfather to decline the award, has died at the age of 75. For this, we offer both our deepest apologies and our sincere admiration." [28] She said her mother and two sisters were subject to their father's rage and beatings. [122], In 1973, Littlefeather was married to engineer Michael Rubio. [20] She claims to have participated part-time in the occupation of Alcatraz in 1970, though this claim has been disputed. Academy Apologizes to Sacheen Littlefeather for 'Mistreatment' Upon Turning Down Marlon Brando's Oscar Littlefeather was asked by Best Actor winner Brando to turn down the award in 1973. By 1949, they had moved to Salinas and opened up their own business, Cruz Saddlery. Some may not realize that Brando was not only a great actor but also an activist and had been highly involved in the Civil Rights Movement. Sacheen Littlefeather at the 1973 Oscars (Photo: UCLA Library Special Collections, CC BY 2.0). Sacheen Littlefeathers work on famed San Francisco ballet among suspect claims When you visit the site, Dotdash Meredith and its partners may store or retrieve information on your browser, mostly in the form of cookies. [53] Before the ceremony, Brando decided thatas the favorite to win[52]he would boycott as a protest led by AIM against the ongoing siege at Wounded Knee and his views on how Native Americans were represented in American films. Her . Entertainment | "I later learned six security guards had to hold back John Wayne, who was in the wings and wanted to storm on the stage and drag me off," she claimed. [4][5] Her mother, Geroldine Marie Cruz (ne Barnitz), was a leather stamper of French, German, and Dutch descent, and was born and raised in Santa Barbara, California. Sacheen Littlefeather on stage at AMPAS Presents An Evening with Sacheen Littlefeather at Academy Museum of Motion Pictures on September 17, 2022, in Los Angeles, California. Brando was unequivocal about his view that Hollywood was doing a disservice not only to Native Americans, but all minorities, thanks to their stereotypical portrayal of different cultures. When Brando was announced as the winner, Littlefeather took the stage dressed in full native regalia. [56] In other retellings of that night, Littlefeather said Koch told her that she had 60 seconds to deliver the speech or else she would be removed from the stage and arrested. "I was ostracized everywhere I turned. And White Mountain Apache? 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. All she was able to say was: The crowd cheered and booed. [5][101] In 1991, Littlefeather was reported to be recovering from radical cancer surgery. She continued her social justice work for Native Americans from her home in the San Francisco Bay area and worked as an advocate for Native American AIDS patients. or redistributed. Powered and implemented by FactSet Digital Solutions. [7] She said in a 2021 interview that the cancer had metastasized to her right lung and that she was terminal. Keeler searched records of Littlefeather's family going back to 1850 and did not find evidence of Native ancestry. 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. Martha Ross is a Bay Area News Group features writer for The Mercury News and East Bay Times who covers everything and anything related to popular culture, society, health, womens issues and families. Then, it wasn't Brando who mounted the stage, but a 26-year-old Native American activist named Sacheen Littlefeather. Indian children seeing Indians represented as savages, ugly, nasty, treacherous, drunkthey grow up only with a negative image of themselves and it lasts a lifetime.. She was 75 years old. [103] Littlefeather also described herself as one of the original teachers in St. Mary's Traditional Indian Medicine program,[5][104] which consisted of a series of conferences held between 1984 and 1990 and was coordinated by Comanche medicine man Edgar Monetathchi, Jr, who worked for the Indian Health Service and was the first medicine man to be employed full-time by a Catholic hospital. Speaking with PEOPLE ahead of the Oscars, Williams, 42, recalls seeing a clip of Native American activist Sacheen Littlefeather appearing on behalf of The Godfather winner Marlon Brando during the . Sacheen Littlefeather, the Native American actress and activist who declined Marlon Brando's best actor Oscar in 1973, has died, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences announced Sunday night. Bettmann/Getty Images Sacheen Littlefeather declining Marlon Brando's Oscar in 1973. Famous Last Words: Fictional Characters, Books and Plays, Biography of Charlie Chaplin, Legendary Movie Comedian, M.A., American Studies, University of New Mexico, B.A., Native American Studies, University of New Mexico. 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. [50] In 2016, the 88th ceremony of the Academy Awards drew criticism for lack of diversity in nominations; actress Jada Pinkett Smith, who boycotted the ceremony, cited Littlefeather as inspiration to do so. [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. Littlefeather passed away on Oct. 2 at the age of 75. [26] She characterized this as either being "adopted",[21] or in foster care. Sacheen Littlefeather Has Died. "I was blacklisted or, you could say, redlisted," she explained. ", Sacheen Littlefeather is the subject of a new documentary titled 'Sacheen: Breaking The Silence.' Sacheen Littlefeather, the actor and activist who declined Marlon Brando's 1973 Academy Award for "The Godfather" on his behalf in an indelible protest of Hollywood's portrayal of Native. LIttlefeathers longtime Bay Area friend, Bridget Neconie, said she and others never doubted Littlefeather was Apache or Yaqui. [80], At The Comedy Awards in 2012, comedian Norm Macdonald staged a parody of the speech in accepting an award on behalf of Melissa McCarthy. After the Academy Award speech, Littlefeather worked in hospice care. Did Sacheen Littlefeather share true story about John Wayne trying to attack her? Marlon Brando on The Dick Cavett Show in 1973 (Photo: Sipuede7 via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0). It took nearly 50 years, but in June 2022 they issued a formal apology to Littlefeather and on September 17 an event was held in her honor at the Academy Museum. Canby has started an oral history project with Native American elders in Marin County. This Spring, Tina Fey and Amy Poehler Are Going on Tour Together, Blake Lively and Ryan Reynolds Welcome Their Fourth Child, Brendan Fraser Surprises Fans and Gets Warm Reception at a Screening of The Mummy. [93][94], As a staff member of the American Indian Center, Littlefeather participated in a conference about American Indians in media at the Hotel San Franciscan in 1978. He'd also supported Native American causes for years. Legal Statement. Bettmann via. [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. Receive our Weekly Newsletter. 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. They say their sisters speech was the first time anyone in their Salinas family had ever talked about being Native American. [13][14], Littlefeather said that around age 19, she spent a year in a psychiatric hospital after previously hearing voices that pushed her to a suicide attempt, recounting what happened during a three hour visual history interview in 2022 with the director of the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures. "[7], In January 1973, she appeared in "Make-up for Minority Women' and was identified as a professional model. [2], In 1974, Littlefeather attended classes at the American Conservatory Theater, studying acting, yoga, fencing, Shakespeare, dancing, and other various skills for her acting career. Sacheen Littlefeather, the activist for Native Americans who declined Marlon Brando's Oscar for "The Godfather" on his behalf at the 1973 Academy Awards, died Sunday at 75, the Ac [132] The Pascua Yaqui Tribe stated neither Littlefeather nor her parents were enrolled tribal members. [15], While she attended California State College at Hayward (now California State University, East Bay) and studied dramatics and speech, she continued to cultivate a Native American identity. [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. Consequently, Littlefeather alleged she was "blacklisted" by Hollywood and never worked again. Marlon Brando had a long history of supporting various social movements dating back to at least 1946 when he backed the Zionist movement for a Jewish homeland. He had actually written a 15-page speech explaining his reasons, but Littlefeather later said that she had been threatened with arrest if she attempted to read the entire speech. None of Littlefeathers relatives identified as Native American, Keeler said. 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 Oscar as best actor for his role in "The Godfather." The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences confirmed the . Want to advertise with us? [49][50], In a 2021 interview, Littlefeather said that she got to know Coppola while hiking the hills of San Francisco and she got Brando's address from him. [59], The Best Actor award was presented by Norwegian actress Liv Ullmann and British actor Roger Moore. She was 75. Brando's speech addressed the stereotypes of Native Americans in films long before the subject would be taken seriously in the industry. I beg at this time that I have not intruded upon this evening, and that we will in the future, our hearts and our understandings will meet with love and generosity. [87][88] Contemporary accounts of the founding of the Red Earth Performing Arts Company by Nez Perce actor and playwright John Kauffman, Jr in 1974 do not mention Littlefeather. Keeler writes that the sisters state that their father, who was born in Oxnard, California, was of Mexican descent and had no tribal ties, nor was he related to the Yaqui tribes of Northern Mexico. Powered and implemented by FactSet Digital Solutions. [49][114][115] Littlefeather reported in 1991 that she was working on two shows for PBS, Remember Me Forever and The Americas Before Columbus, both scheduled for broadcast in 1992. 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.