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Littlefeather has long been an accepted and highly respected member of the Native American community despite lingering speculation about her identity. [108] Around this same time period, Littlefeather worked at the Gift of Love AIDS hospice in San Francisco, which was founded in 1988 by Mother Teresa, and had the opportunity to meet Mother Teresa during at least one of her five visits to the facility before her death in 1997. [56] In 1974, she stated that Marlon Brando sent her to a doctor when she was in a lot of pain and helped her recover, so she made the Oscar speech to repay him. Mutual Fund and ETF data provided by Refinitiv Lipper. The actress, who had breast cancer, died on Sunday . 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. They say their sisters speech was the first time anyone in their Salinas family had ever talked about being Native American. [27] A 1999 article stated she had developed colon cancer in the early 1990s. 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. Littlefeathers sisters say those claims are false. 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.. Consequently, Littlefeather alleged she was "blacklisted" by Hollywood and never worked again. I didnt have an evening dress so Marlon told me to wear my buckskin. Things did not go quite as planned. 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. [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. [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. Sacheen Littlefeather made history in 1973 when she turned down the Academy Award for Best Actor on behalf of "The Godfather" winner Marlon Brando.Almost 50 years later, Indigenous activist . [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. [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. Littlefeather died at her home in Novato, California, after a years-long battle with breast cancer, which eventually metastasized to her right lung. Powered and implemented by FactSet Digital Solutions. Updated Oct. 2: Sacheen Littlefeather has died at the age of 75. (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. Receive our Weekly Newsletter. Geroldine Cruz was not a battered wife or mentally ill, and their hearing-impaired father never touched alcohol or abused his children. During her speech, the audience's response to Brando's boycotting was divided between booing and applause. [28] She said her mother and two sisters were subject to their father's rage and beatings. Sacheen Littlefeather, the Native American activist who declined Marlon Brando's Oscar for "The Godfather" has died. Still, in the short time she did have, Littlefeather made her voice heard. He clearly understood the effect that this had not only on adults but, in particular, children. Brando's speech addressed the stereotypes of Native Americans in films long before the subject would be taken seriously in the industry. "[86], Littlefeather was described as a founding member of the Red Earth Indian Theater Company in Seattle when awarded an Eagle Spirit Award (Honorary) at the 2013 American Indian Film Festival. In June, the. Check out what's clicking today in entertainment. In 1973, riding high off the success ofThe Godfather, actor Marlon Brando used his platform to give a voice to Native Americans. The Pascua Yaqui tribe in Arizona told this news organization that Littlefeather wasnt enrolled, while the White Mountain Apache hasnt responded to media inquiries about her membership. Brando had written a much longer speech, but Littlefeather was instructed by the award ceremony's production team to keep the rejection to 60 seconds. [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. Trouble was brewing even before Littlefeather arrived at the podium. [59], The Best Actor award was presented by Norwegian actress Liv Ullmann and British actor Roger Moore. or redistributed. [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. (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. The activist had been battling. The Academy of Motion Picture Arts. But she also received death threats and was lied about in the media, including allegations that she wasn't Indian. [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!" "[Brando] very regretfully cannot accept this very generous award. And White Mountain Apache? [42] In an interview published just before her Academy Awards appearance, she stated that she had helped send two Indian nurses to Wounded Knee and that she had relinquished her United States citizenship, along with seven Native Americans. [applause][60], Moore escorted Littlefeather off-stage, past several people critical of her, and towards the press. LIttlefeathers longtime Bay Area friend, Bridget Neconie, said she and others never doubted Littlefeather was Apache or Yaqui. 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. [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. Thank you on behalf of Marlon Brando. [70][7], The incident drew remarks from others at the same ceremony. After the Academy Award speech, Littlefeather worked in hospice care. [116][117] In 2009, she gave testimony in the documentary Reel Injun about Native Americans in film. Littlefeather was a budding model and actress, and she agreed to represent him. She was 75. Dina Gilo-Whitaker is a lecturer of American Indian Studies at California State University San Marcos. [51] Littlefeather also said that she met Brando in Washington, D.C., where she was presenting to the Federal Communications Commission about minorities. All Access Digital offer for just 99 cents! No one would listen to my story or give me a chance to work.". 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. Marlon Brando on The Dick Cavett Show in 1973 (Photo: Sipuede7 via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0). Powered and implemented by FactSet Digital Solutions. Geroldine learned the craft from Leo Leonard, who owned Leonard Saddle Company in Santa Barbara, and Manuel learned to make saddles as a boy in San Francisco. Were also on Pinterest, Tumblr, and Flipboard. "It was the first Oscars ceremony to be broadcast by satellite all over the world, which is why Marlon chose it. Remembering Sacheen Littlefeather. She made this man out to be a monster. All she was able to say was: The crowd cheered and booed. "They should have at least had the courtesy to listen to her. The speech was shared at a press conference after the ceremony and was published in its entirety by the New York Times. Where did that come from?. When you visit the site, Dotdash Meredith and its partners may store or retrieve information on your browser, mostly in the form of cookies. [75] She later said that she visited Marlon Brando's house after the Academy Awards and bullets were fired into his front door while they were talking. 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 . And the reasons for this being are the treatment of American Indians today by the film industry excuse me and on television in movie reruns, and also with recent happenings at Wounded Knee," she said, referencing the Wounded Knee Occupation of 1973. "[7], In January 1973, she appeared in "Make-up for Minority Women' and was identified as a professional model. Marlon Brando Jr. (Omaha, Nebraska, April 3, 1924-Los Angeles, California, July 1, 2004) was an American film and theater actor. Brando would later tell talk show host Dick Cavett that the Academy didn't want her there and didn't want the evening interrupted with that particular note. In fact, just minutes before the award was handed out, show producer Howard Koch had told Littlefeather that she needed to keep her comments to 60 seconds. "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. 2023 FOX News Network, LLC. She also recorded an episode for the Academy Museum's podcast and a visual history for the Academy Oral History Projects. [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. 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. [119] She participated in events commemorating the 50th anniversary of the Occupation of Alcatraz, including serving as head pow wow judge. 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. 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. Brando, Littlefeather, and the Academy Awards. Marlon Brando was one of those stars. 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. Sacheen Littlefeather at the 1973 Oscars (Photo: UCLA Library Special Collections, CC BY 2.0). 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. 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. [63][64][65][66][67] This claim has since been disputed by film historian Farran Nehme and biographer Scott Eyman. Retrieved from https://www.thoughtco.com/sacheen-littlefeather-academy-awards-2477981. 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. [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. 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. Littlefeather's family asked mourners to make donations to American Indian Child Resource Center in Oakland, California. ", Sacheen Littlefeather is the subject of a new documentary titled 'Sacheen: Breaking The Silence.' She added, "We need to keep our sense of humor about this at all times. All rights reserved. Orlandi and Cruz just want the truth to be known about their family. Riveting new S.F. Did Sacheen Littlefeather share true story about John Wayne trying to attack her? When Brando was announced as the winner, Littlefeather took the stage dressed in full native regalia. Sacheen Littlefeathers work on famed San Francisco ballet among suspect claims. Nearly 50 years later, the Native American actress has spoken out about how the stunning move ended her career. Daily Question: In 1973, Sacheen Littlefeather declined an Oscar on which actor's behalf? In the statement, Littlefeather continues to claim to be Yaqui and White Mountain Apache. [6], Littlefeather attended North Salinas High School from 1960 to 1964 and was active in 4-H, winning awards in home economics categories such as food preservation and fashion. "[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". 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. [Brando] very regretfully cannot accept this very generous award. Legal Statement. Market data provided by Factset. Sacheen Littlefeather, the Native American actress and activist who made history when she declined the Best Actor Oscar on behalf of Marlon Brando, has died at the age of 75. Gilio-Whitaker, Dina. In one of the most memorable moments in Oscars history, Littlefeather took the stage in his place and spoke out about Hollywood's negative treatment of Native Americans. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. 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." She had been instructed by Brando not to touch the Oscar and, rather, read an eight-page statement. This guy cannot protect himself or his name or his reputation.. (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. Orlandi didnt understand Brandos choice. [2] According to Liza Black, an Associate Professor of history and Native American and Indigenous studies at Indiana University, and a citizen of Cherokee Nation, "Keeler proves Littlefeather was a troubled woman who made the stories of others her own". [2][3], Aspiring to become an actress, Littlefeather picked up several radio and television commercial credits and joined the Screen Actors Guild. Sacheen Littlefeather, the Native American activist who declined Marlon Brando's Oscar for The Godfather on his behalf in 1973, has died aged 75. [26] She characterized this as either being "adopted",[21] or in foster care. 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. "He very regretfully cannot accept this very generous award," she said , citing "the treatment of American Indians today" by the film and television industry. Marie Louise Cruz (November 14, 1946 October 2, 2022), better known as Sacheen Littlefeather, was an American actress, model, and activist on behalf of Native American civil rights. They also said that their father, who was born in Oxnard, California, was of Spanish-Mexican descent and had no tribal ties. She has previously reported or edited for Bay Area news and lifestyle publications, including Walnut Creek Patch, and Diablo, Oakland and Alameda magazines, as well as The Nation in Bangkok, Thailand and The Economist. None of Littlefeathers relatives identified as Native American, Keeler said. Sacheen Littlefeather (left) appeared at the 1973 Oscars to decline a Best Oscar trophy for Marlon Brando, introducing herself as Apache and saying "The Godfather" actor could not accept because . 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. [44] She emceed an evening performance at the United National Indian Tribal Youth conference in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, in 1976. Sacheen Littlefeather refuses to accept the Best Actor Oscar on behalf of Marlon Brando for his performance in "The Godfather" at the 45th annual Academy Awards in 1973. He then shared that he knew that others were afraid to speak up about these issues, but felt that it was important not to be silent. 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. In an email to The Times, Littlefeather's family confirmed her death, saying she died peacefully, surrounded by . At the time, Littlefeather, president of the National Native American Affirmative Image Committee, said the actor could not accept the award because "of the treatment of American Indians today by the film industry and on television in movie reruns.". [5][7] Both Geroldine and Manuel were saddlemakers. (Photo by Beck Starr/FilmMagic/Getty Images). (Bettmann via Getty Images). He instead sent Sacheen Littlefeather (born Marie Cruz), a young Apache/Yaqui activist who had participated in the Alcatraz Island occupation. According to Littlefeather, she could "hear the boos and jeers" as she came on stage. She continued her activism for Native American issues including healthcare and unemployment, and produced films about Native Americans. (2021, December 6). To her, Sacheen was Marie Louise Cruz from Salinas, and they had a Mexican American father and White mother. Sacheen Littlefeathers work on famed San Francisco ballet among suspect claims [73] Brando and Littlefeather's protest was generally considered inappropriate for the awards ceremony. ThoughtCo. [111] In 1990, it was reported that Littlefeather's brother had died of AIDS. Sacheen Littlefeather is the subject of a new documentary titled 'Sacheen: Breaking The Silence. Marlon Brando . 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.. [29] In an opinion piece following her death, Navajo writer and activist Jacqueline Keeler wrote that Littlefeather's sisters disputed that their father had been abusive and that Littlefeather's account of her childhood seemed to have been taken from that of her father, who had grown up in poverty and whose own father was abusive. Market data provided by Factset. [38] "I was distressed that people should have booed and whistled and stomped, even though perhaps it was directed at myself," Brando later told Dick Cavett. 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 Alcatraz Island occupation was two years in the past by March of 1973. [40] As a spokesperson for the National American Indian Council, she protested President Richard Nixon's budget cuts to federal Indian programs in February 1973.