Will Sampson

Birthday:

09/26/1933

Place of birth:

Okmulgee, Oklahoma, USA:

Biography:

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Will Sampson (September 27, 1933 – June 3, 1987) was an American actor and artist. Sampson, a Native American Muscogee (Creek), was born in Okmulgee, Oklahoma and was an imposing 6' 5" (1.96 m) tall. Sampson's most notable roles were as "Chief Bromden" in One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest and as "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, The Outlaw Josey Wales, 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 like Wes Studi and Randolph Mantooth starred in stage productions. Sampson competed in rodeos, his speciality riding bucking broncos, for about twenty years. He was on the rodeo circuit when the producers of One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest, Saul Zaentz and Michael Douglas, were looking for a large Native American to play the role of Chief Bromden. A rodeo announcer told them about Sampson, and after lengthy efforts to find him, they hired him on the strength of an interview. He had never acted before. Sampson was also an artist. His large painting depicting the Ribbon Dance of his Muscogee people is in the collection of the Creek Council House Museum in Okmulgee, Oklahoma. His artwork is currently displayed online by The Kvskvnv (“kuskuna”) Association. Description above from the Wikipedia article Will Sampson, licensed under CC-BY-SA, full list of contributors on Wikipedia.



Credits

That's Insignificance (2011)
Self
Hell Hath No Fury: The Making of The Outlaw Josey Wales (1999)
Self (archive footage)
The Gunfighters (1987)
Train Passenger
Firewalker (1986)
Tall Eagle
Roanoak (1986)
Wingina
Poltergeist II: The Other Side (1986)
Taylor
Johnny Appleseed (1986)
Chief
Insignificance (1985)
Elevator Attendant
The Mystic Warrior (1984)
Wambli
The Great Spirit Within the Hole (1983)
Narrator
Alcatraz: The Whole Shocking Story (1980)
Clarence's Father
Fish Hawk (1980)
Fish Hawk
Standing Tall (1978)
Lonny Moon
The Hunted Lady (1977)
Uncle George
Relentless (1977)
Sam Watchman
Orca (1977)
Umilak
The White Buffalo (1977)
Crazy Horse/Worm
The Outlaw Josey Wales (1976)
Ten Bears
Buffalo Bill and the Indians, or Sitting Bull's History Lesson (1976)
The Interpreter (William Halsey)
One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest (1975)
Chief Bromden
Crazy Mama (1975)
Indian at Trading Post