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Will Sampson
Will Sampson
Born	William Sampson Jr.; September 27, 1933; Okmulgee, Oklahoma, U.S.
Died	June 3, 1987 (aged 53); Houston, Texas, U.S.
Resting place	Graves Creek Cemetery, Hitchita, Oklahoma
Nationality	Muscogee Nation
Occupation(s)	Painter, actor
Years active	1975–1987
Height	6 ft 7 in (2.01 m)

William Sampson Jr. (September 27, 1933 – June 3, 1987) was a Muscogee Nation painter, actor, and rodeo performer. He is best known for his performance as the apparently deaf and mute Chief Bromden in the 1975 film One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest and as Crazy Horse in the 1977 western The White Buffalo, as well as his roles as Taylor in Poltergeist II: The Other Side and Ten Bears in 1976's The Outlaw Josey Wales.

Life and career

William "Will" Sampson Jr., born in Okmulgee County, Oklahoma to William "Wiley" Sampson Sr. and Mabel Sampson (née Lewis),^[1] was a citizen of the Muscogee Nation, a tribe from the Southeastern Woodlands. Sampson Jr. had at least five children: Samsoche "Sam" and Lumhe "Micco" Sampson (of the Sampson Brothers Duo), actor Timothy "Tim" James Sampson,^[2]^[3] and Robert Benjamin Sampson. The Sampson Brothers Duo are known for their traditional fancy and grass dances. His son Robert was murdered in Tulsa in 2013.^[4]

Rodeo performer

Sampson competed in rodeos for about 20 years. His specialty was bronco busting, and he was on the rodeo circuit when One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest producers Saul Zaentz and Michael Douglas were looking for a large Native American to play the role of Chief Bromden. Sampson stood 6 feet 7 inches (2.01 m) tall.^[5] Rodeo announcer Mel Lambert mentioned Sampson to them, and after lengthy efforts to find him, they hired him on the strength of an interview. He had never acted before.^[6]

Actor

Sampson's most notable roles were as Chief Bromden in One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest and as Chief Ten Bears The Outlaw Josey Wales and Taylor the Medicine Man in the horror film Poltergeist II. He had a recurring role on the TV series Vega$ as Harlon Twoleaf, and starred in the movies Fish Hawk, and Orca. Sampson appeared in the production of Black Elk Speaks with the American Indian Theater Company in Tulsa, Oklahoma, where David Carradine and other Native American actors (such as Wes Studi and Randolph Mantooth) have appeared in stage productions. He also played Crazy Horse in The White Buffalo with Charles Bronson and the archetypal Elevator Attendant in Nicolas Roeg's 1985 film, Insignificance.

Artist

Sampson was a visual artist. His large painting depicting the Ribbon Dance of the Muscogee (Creek) is in the collection of the Creek Council House Museum in Okmulgee, Oklahoma. His artwork has been shown at the Gilcrease Museum and the Philbrook Museum of Art.^[1] Sampson created a series of paintings entitled: Escape of the Winged Mind that depicts life on the American Frontier. One painting in particular is called: Buffalo Kill;^[7] and can be found featured in the book Beyond Cuckoo's Nest: The Art and Life of William Sampson, Jr.^[8] His works have sold in auction houses and galleries, including the Pierson Gallery.^[9]

Death

Sampson suffered from scleroderma, a chronic degenerative condition that affected his heart, lungs, and skin. During his lengthy illness, his weight fell from 260 lb (120 kg) to 140 lb (64 kg), causing complications related to malnutrition. After undergoing a heart and lung transplant at Houston Methodist Hospital in Houston, he died on June 3, 1987, of post-operative kidney failure. Sampson was 53 years old.^[10] He was interred at Graves Creek Cemetery in Hitchita, Oklahoma.^{[citation needed]}

Legacy

Will Sampson Road, in Okmulgee County (east of Highway 75 near Preston, Oklahoma), is named after him.^{[citation needed]}

During the filming of The White Buffalo, Sampson halted production by refusing to act when he discovered that producers had hired white actors to portray Native Americans for the film. In 1983, with assistance from his personal secretary Zoe Escobar, Sampson founded the "American Indian Registry for the Performing Arts" for Native American actors.^[11]^[8]^[12]^[13] He also served on the registry's board of directors.^[14]^[15]

Sampson's son Tim Sampson appeared on the FX show It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia season four episode "Sweet Dee Has a Heart Attack". The episode pays homage to Sampson's work as Chief Bromden in One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest; Tim plays "Tonto" after Frank (Danny DeVito) is mistaken as mentally incompetent and placed within a facility.^{[citation needed]} Tim made a similar appearance in an elaborate Cuckoo's Nest parody set in a restaurant kitchen in the second series of the British sitcom Spaced.

Filmography

Film

Year	Title	Role	Notes
1975	Crazy Mama	Indian at Trading	Uncredited role
1975	One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest	Chief Bromden
1976	Buffalo Bill and the Indians, or Sitting Bull's History Lesson	The Interpreter / William Halsey
1976	The Outlaw Josey Wales	Ten Bears
1977	The White Buffalo	Crazy Horse / Worm
1977	Orca	Umilak
1978	Cowboysan	Indian Chief	Short film
1979	Fish Hawk	Fish Hawk
1985	Insignificance	Elevator Attendant
1986	Poltergeist II: The Other Side	Taylor
1986	Firewalker	Tall Eagle

Television

Year	Title	Role	Notes
1977	Relentless	Sam Watchman	CBS television movie
1977	The Hunted Lady	Uncle George	NBC television movie
1978	Standing Tall	Lonny Moon	NBC television movie
1978–1979	Vega$	Harlon Two-Leaf	6 episodes
1979	From Here to Eternity	Sgt. Cheney	Not to be confused with the 1980 spinoff
1980	Alcatraz: The Whole Shocking Story	Clarence's Father	NBC television movie
1982	Born to the Wind	Painted Bear
1982	The Great Spirit within the Hole	Narrator	Twin Cities Public Television
1983–1984	The Yellow Rose	John Strongheart	7 episodes
1984	The Mystic Warrior	Evan Freed	ABC miniseries
1985	Wildside	Fake Sitting Bull	Episode: "Buffalo Who?"
1986	Roanoak	Wingina	Miniseries
1986	Tall Tales & Legends	Chief	Episode: "Johnny Appleseed"
1987	The Gunfighters	Train Passenger	Television movie; final film role

Awards and nominations

Year	Association	Category	Nominated work	Result
1980	Genie Awards	Best Performance by a Foreign Actor	Fish Hawk	Nominated

Notes

^ ^a ^b Spaulding, Cathy (April 23, 2015). "Actor Will Sampson to be Honored at Checotah Art Market". Muskogee Phoenix. Retrieved November 1, 2015.
^ Norcross, Geoff (March 17, 2011). "Tim Sampson Revives his Father's Role in 'Cuckoo's Nest'". Oregon Public Broadcasting. Archived from the original on April 3, 2019.
^ Wilson, John (September 30, 1989). "Big Footsteps to Follow". Los Angeles Times.
^ "TPD Homicide: West Tulsa murder 'solvable'". KOKI-TV. March 18, 2013. Archived from the original on October 29, 2018. Retrieved March 26, 2023.
^ "Will Sampson, 53, Portrayed An Indian in 'Cuckoo's Nest'". The New York Times. June 4, 1987.
^ Kleiner, Dick (August 29, 1976). "Will Sampson's Acting was Instinctive In 'Cuckoo's Nest'". Ocala Star-Banner. Newspaper Enterprise Association.
^ Series of Paintings by Will Sampson. Escape of the Winged Mind. Notes.
^ ^a ^b Escobar, Zoe (January 1, 2011). Beyond Cuckoo's Nest: The Art and Life of William Sampson, Jr. GirlDog Publishing. ISBN 9780615450322.
^ Pierson Gallery. Will (Sonny) Sampson, (1933-1987) Muscogee Creek.
^ "Will Sampson Dies After Transplant". Spartanburg Herald-Journal. June 4, 1987. Retrieved November 5, 2012.
^ Lichtenstein, Grace (June 6, 1976). "He Refuses to Be an 'Ugh‐Tonto' Indian". The New York Times. Retrieved July 22, 2020.
^ Trammell, Robby (April 19, 1984). "Indian Philosopher's Words Will Come to Life in Play". The Daily Oklahoman. p. 228. Retrieved April 5, 2022.
^ Bender, Ron (June 8, 1984). "Films still stereotype Indians, actor says". Rapid City Journal. p. 27. Retrieved April 5, 2022.
^ Robb, David (November 15, 2014). "Bob Hicks, Filmmaker Who Paved Way For Native Americans In Hollywood, Dead at 80". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved August 19, 2019.
^ "Festival Dedicated to Will (Sonny) Sampson". Okmulgee Daily Times. December 9, 1987. p. 11. Retrieved April 5, 2022.

Bibliography

Escobar, Zoe (2009). Beyond the Cuckoo's Nest: the Art and Life of William 'Sonny' Sampson, Jr., the Muscogee Creek Indian Cowboy, Painter and Actor Girldog Publishing, Issaquah, Washington. ISBN 978-0-615-18164-6

External links

[art-1] Spaulding, Cathy (April 23, 2015). "Actor Will Sampson to be Honored at Checotah Art Market". Muskogee Phoenix. Retrieved November 1, 2015.

[2] Norcross, Geoff (March 17, 2011). "Tim Sampson Revives his Father's Role in 'Cuckoo's Nest'". Oregon Public Broadcasting. Archived from the original on April 3, 2019.

[3] Wilson, John (September 30, 1989). "Big Footsteps to Follow". Los Angeles Times.

[4] "TPD Homicide: West Tulsa murder 'solvable'". KOKI-TV. March 18, 2013. Archived from the original on October 29, 2018. Retrieved March 26, 2023.

[5] "Will Sampson, 53, Portrayed An Indian in 'Cuckoo's Nest'". The New York Times. June 4, 1987.

[6] Kleiner, Dick (August 29, 1976). "Will Sampson's Acting was Instinctive In 'Cuckoo's Nest'". Ocala Star-Banner. Newspaper Enterprise Association.

[7] Series of Paintings by Will Sampson. Escape of the Winged Mind. Notes.

[beyond-8] Escobar, Zoe (January 1, 2011). Beyond Cuckoo's Nest: The Art and Life of William Sampson, Jr. GirlDog Publishing. ISBN 9780615450322.

[9] Pierson Gallery. Will (Sonny) Sampson, (1933-1987) Muscogee Creek.

[10] "Will Sampson Dies After Transplant". Spartanburg Herald-Journal. June 4, 1987. Retrieved November 5, 2012.

[11] Lichtenstein, Grace (June 6, 1976). "He Refuses to Be an 'Ugh‐Tonto' Indian". The New York Times. Retrieved July 22, 2020.

[12] Trammell, Robby (April 19, 1984). "Indian Philosopher's Words Will Come to Life in Play". The Daily Oklahoman. p. 228. Retrieved April 5, 2022.

[13] Bender, Ron (June 8, 1984). "Films still stereotype Indians, actor says". Rapid City Journal. p. 27. Retrieved April 5, 2022.

[Hicks-14] Robb, David (November 15, 2014). "Bob Hicks, Filmmaker Who Paved Way For Native Americans In Hollywood, Dead at 80". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved August 19, 2019.

[15] "Festival Dedicated to Will (Sonny) Sampson". Okmulgee Daily Times. December 9, 1987. p. 11. Retrieved April 5, 2022.

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PROFILPELAJAR.COM

Will Sampson

Life and career

Rodeo performer

Actor

Artist

Death

Legacy

Filmography

Film

Television

Awards and nominations

Notes

Bibliography

External links

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