Eddie Little Sky, born Edsel Wallace Little on August 15, 1926, on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation in South Dakota, was a notable American actor of Oglala Lakota descent. He was one of the first Native American actors to play Native American roles in films and television, breaking the Hollywood norm of using white actors in these roles.
His journey into acting began after his service in the United States Navy during World War II, where he served in the Pacific theater. After the war, he worked in the rodeo circuit as a bull rider and bareback rider before transitioning into acting.
His first television role came in 1957 on the series "Cheyenne" in the episode titled "The Iron Trail". He went on to have numerous roles in many Western television series such as "Gunsmoke," "Bat Masterson," "The Rifleman," "The Virginian," "Bonanza," "Daniel Boone," and "The High Chaparral".
Full Name | Eddie Little Sky |
Other Name | Edsel Wallace Little |
Gender | Male |
Profession | Actor |
Date of Birth | 15-August-1926 (71 years) |
Birth Location | Pine Ridge Indian Reservation, South Dakota, US |
Death Time | 05-September-1997 |
Death Location | Pennington, South Dakota, US |
His filmography includes notable films like "The Light in the Forest," "Paint Your Wagon," "Duel at Diablo," "Breakheart Pass," and "The Hallelujah Trail". However, he is best remembered for his performance as Black Eagle in the 1970 film "A Man Called Horse," which starred Richard Harris.
Eddie Little Sky was also a technical adviser for the film "Soldier Blue" and made several appearances as a Pacific native on "Gilligan's Island". Upon his retirement from the film industry in the late 1970s, he worked as the director of the Oglala Lakota Tribal Parks and Recreation Authority.
He married Dawn Gates, who became an actress known as Dawn Little Sky, and the couple had five children. Eddie Little Sky passed away on September 5, 1997, aged 71, in Pennington County, South Dakota, from lung cancer.
Eddie Little Sky was 71 years old
Eddie Little Sky was born on 15-August-1926
Eddie Little Sky was born in Pine Ridge Indian Reservation, South Dakota, US
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